hachimans reformation

by vamer

mk

Hikigaya Hachiman's Path to Reformation
Butch Owen Baring

Published: 2023
Source: https/

1

Middle School

Those very words give all of us a feeling of nostalgia, and fill us with a lost happiness of being a child and not caring for anything in the world.

Well, except your studies that is.

The usual things middle schoolers would do, like going to the mall with your friends to hang out and enforce the bonds of friendship that bind you all together, gossiping among yourselves about your crushes, and teasing the guy when his crush would pass by and studying together to prepare for the upcoming exams or quiz, but instead of doing so, they would end up just lazying around and look for something fun to do instead of studying. And of course, confessing to someone in a very cliche way under a tree after school because you hold superficial feelings to that person, the events after the said confession is up to coincidence, would the person on the receiving end accept those feelings of affection or outright deny them? Seriously, that is so cliché and overused that I can smell it from another continent.

But that was not for me.

You see, my middle school days were...hmm how to put it.

I was quite cringe-worthy and I seriously hate myself back then. You see, I was always trying to fit in with the cool kids. I would always follow them around, preferably behind them until they acknowledge my existence and invite me into their group, but that never happened, feels bad man...

And me having my edgy and chunnibyou days, where I would dress up from the things I could find at home and look like a superhero or something. I do remember keeping a notebook filled with secret forbidden incantations that I copied from the internet.

Finally, Hikigaya Hachiman, confessing to a girl, Orimoto Kaori of all people, just because she was nice to him! In my delusion, I mistook her kindness for affection and took a VERY wrong step forward. I then realized that she was just being nice to everyone, including me. In other words, she was the nice girl in every class. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike nice girls, but ever since that day, I always treat them with suspicion and try to read between the lines when they speak to me.

In fact, if you put me on the cringe meter back then, I would probably be at the top of the list until the end of the human race. Including my days of being a chunnibyou and being a loner, no one can unseat me from my unholy throne!

Wait am I taking pride in this?

Ugh, remembering it gives me the chills.

*But Hikigaya! We thought you were going to improve yourself? * Yes, yes, I'm getting to it so stop your whining, good grief.

As I said earlier, I vow to improve myself on all of my attributes to erase my dark past! (chunnibyou days)

Today was the first day of the following weeks leading to my first year in Sobou High. I'm not one to boast, but I am quite smart and confident of my academic skills, well except math, but that's one of the things I'm going to level up on!

Hmm, where to begin I wonder?

Reputation, looks, academics and experience.

These are the YONKOU that I plan to defeat.

My reputation back in middle school was what you expect. My nicknames back then were, that guy, The guy who has no friends, the guy who is always alone, Hikkifrog-kun, Hikkigerma-kun and, the most well-known of all in the student body, the guy who confessed to Orimoto.

Due to me being a loner and being the butt of jokes in my class, even I am appalled my myself. As expected, my reputation was at the lowest of the school hierarchy.

I remember that time when they made a game out of me. Hikkigerma tag as they call it, when I touch them they have the Hikkigerms and according to the rules of the game, Hikkigerms can even penetrate through the barriers erected by those who haven't been infected yet. Wow my germs must be pretty badass. But wait, what's the point of incorporating those barrier mechanics into the game if Hikkigerms can get through them anyway!?

Well, let's put an end to that.

Looks...well, I'm not the ugliest guy in my class, but neither have I been called good-looking. Maybe I am the most average looking guy that you might mistake me for a background character in a twelve-episode anime series? Am I really that generic looking? Not sure if I can call my looks a curse or a blessing...

Academics, now this is where I'm good at!

My academics are quite high and I was always at the top of my class, whenever the grades are posted in the bulletin board with our corresponding student ID number, I'm always the first to get there before anyone else.

Maybe it's the fact that I give off the trashiest laugh and make the smuggest face I make that people tend to avoid me when I'm doing it.

"Ugh THAT guy is doing that face again in front of the board, omg so gross."

"I know right, what a gross creep! "

"Yeah, he's so creepy that he's gross! "

Hol up, those last two were just repeating each other. Filthy peasants! Don't breathe in my direction unless you get to my level!

And finally, Experience!

Dear reader, you might be asking "Huh? Experience? What are you talking about? You're so gross ewww..."

Mongrels!

Before a lowly being like me rises to surpass what was past received as impossible, that lowly being must first learn the GOLDEN EXPERIENCE!

This GOLD EXPERIENCE, pertains to the experiences and social interactions I need to attend to in order to defeat the YONKOU and cover up my humiliating past self! I need to master social interactions, proper body physique, good reputation and academic performance!

Before I can continue my monologues, I was interrupted by a soft yawn coming from the stairs leading to our bedrooms.

Komachi soon came to view, her looking like a bird's nest and her mouth still showing signs of drool. She stretched a bit and made contact with me.

"Oh, onii-chan, you're up early."

Come to think of it, why am I up early anyway?

I looked at the time and it was still 6:30, maybe I got too excited with my influx of ideas last night that I woke up today feeling restless and unable to sleep? I haven't even taken my cup of coffee yet.

"Morning, just felt like waking up early today that's all, oh and can you get a cup of coffee please?"

Komachi responded with an energetic "Haiii onii-chan!" and made a beeline to the kitchen.

I closed my eyes to think on what I should do but I heard Komachi's voice from the kitchen.

"Onii-chan!"

"Yes?" I replied to her without opening my eyes.

"Today's the start of your break, right?"

"Yes."

"You don't have any friends so you don't have anything to do this summer except laze around the house waiting for school, right?"

"...Yes...?" Ok, what the heck was with that last part? You lose some points, silly imouto!

"Let's go shopping later!"

"Sure."

"Agreeing immediately?!" Komachi exclaimed in a surprised voice. Well, I agree, even I am surprised at my sudden decision, but I consider this as one of the steps where I can improve myself. Lazing around during summer break will not be beneficial to me, so I should at least go outside and spend time with her or get a part-time job or something.

Actually, that last part was pretty appealing.

It's quite simple, part-time job = money

For a bookworm such as myself, having money is always a good thing for me to fuel my craving of books and other necessities. A sword needs a whetstone to always keep sharp, and a mind needs books filled with knowledge to be the same.

I heard Komachi's steps coming towards me but I kept my eyes closed. But then I heard a "umph!" and a shadow came covered me.

In the split second that I opened my eyes, I registered that:

A. Komachi jumped from some distance and trajectory was aiming at my area.

B. She had a wicked grin and probably planned this

C. Judging from the time I started analyzing her actions, I have about a few miliseconds before she hits-

Her body crashed into mine, which caused me to go ouch. As I lay in a daze from the impact, the perpetrator began snuggling herself next to me and using my shoulder as a pillow. After snuggling her face in my neck, she looked up and gave me a cheeky grin.

"Onii-chan is going out with me huh?" She asked

"Yes I am."

"Hmm, what should we do?"

In that instant, numerous scenarios played simultaneously in my head as I thought of a proper response.

Social norms state that in occasions such as this, the male must take the lead.

She already suggested shopping so it's already included. I'll assume that we'll be on our way to the mall at 9:00, the commute to there would take 10-25 minutes and the walk to the mall itself is around 10-15 minutes. Upon entering the mall I'll take into account that we might not be shopping exclusively for clothes, so I should take extra money just in case. The shopping would take at around 1-2 hours and after that we would look for somewhere to have lunch and that would take about 40 minutes. After lunch, we might watch a movie that lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 50 minutes. When the movies end, Komachi might want to take a snack at a café or something, then we would either resume some last-minute shopping, kill time at the café or just walk around.

Wow, am I getting carried away, I wonder?

...

...

..

Nah.

I turned to her, our faces so close I could count the hair on her eyelashes, and take a deep breath.

"Well if we are shopping then I would take extra money in case we find something we like that's not just apparel. Also keep an eye out for stores on sale, oh and if you see something you like in a store, look around the others stores for a similar item and take cheapest one among your findings. Don't forget to take some extra money. After shopping we would be hungry, so let's go grab something to eat that's not too heavy because it might give us a stomachache, grilled fish and squid sounds good with a side of salad or curry is fine. I was thinking a movie after lunch sounds agreeable, but I haven't heard if you want that so that's still up for debate. Oh, and don't wear clothes that are too revealing or I will personally make you wear my shirts instead, you know that a lot of them are ugly."

After saying my part, Komachi had her mouth agape looking at me with wide eyes. After I stared back at her for a few seconds, she snapped out of her trance and looked down.

"I-I see, w-well I'm looking forward to it then..." Hmm, her ears were red, then that must mean she is blushing right now.

Fufufu, now's my chance to tease her!

"Fufufu, what's this? My imouto is flustered? Don't tell me you were looking forward to this, THAT much." I said and grinned at her while poking her cheek.

She turned to me, and true enough her face was a red mess.

"H-Huh?! No! That's not what I meant!" She quickly said while denying it fervently.

I gave her the best shit eating grin on my face and continued to do my teasing assault.

"Fufufu, deny it all you want Komachi-chan, you can't deny that fact that you were looking forward to a date with your onii-chan! Good grief little sisters these days..." I said the last part in a manner that made me sound like I lost faith in humanity.

While she continued to pout, she finally made a response.

"Mou onii-chan stop teasing me huhuhu..." She said as she faked crying while covering and wiping her eyes. Hey, I can see that you're sneaking glances at me you know?

Putting an end to my teasing, closed my eyes and moved my hand to her head as I patted her. She said nothing and continued to lay beside me. Our moment of peace was stopped when we heard the electric water heater make a sound that said that it already finished boiling the water.

"Oh, it's done already." She made a move to stand up but I held her close

"Komachi-chan don't go yet, you're so warm and your onii-chan is feeling cold." It was true though, I am feeling a bit cold since I was just hanging around in the living room without and blankets to keep me warm.

She giggled and escaped my grasp. "Hehehe, onii-chan you're such a sis-con." As she disappeared into the kitchen, I thought that I should get up too.

I got up from the sofa, but in the process my legs hit a few books under the coffee tables and fell to the carpet. Picking up the books, I saw my dad's old college books about math, science and literature. Come to think of it, my dad is an accountant, so he should be good at math huh? I also saw a bunch of his awards and medals back when he was still a student.

Hmm, I inherited my dad's strongpoint at academics huh. Also, his dead fish eyes are on me too, albeit mine is a lot worse than his, well that's what my mom said anyway.

Speaking of inherited academics, Komachi is an airhead, or at least turning into one, THAT I can be sure of. If this keeps up, she will tarnish the good name of the Hikigaya household! If that should come to pass, I will personally give her the sword to commit seppuku for her to clean our house's name!

Well, Komachi has always been the sociable type unlike me, so it's understandable that she may set aside a lot of her time to spend time with her friends. I didn't have any friends so all I did was study and read books.

Hmm, if having no friends gives you time to study, then it's safe to assume that having a lot of friends gives you less time to study. Therefore, having no friends=high grades while having lots of friends=low grades! But wait! My argument fails to touch on the existence of those people who have many friends, while having high grades! People like them should be nerfed, seriously. God can you hear me?

Putting an end to my inner thoughts, I began to walk to the kitchen to indulge into the coffee that my beloved little sister made for me. Komchi-chan, you just scored a lot of onii-chan points this morning! As I made my way to the chair to sit down, I heard steps coming down form upstairs, judging from the footfalls, it was probably from my dad.

Just like Komachi, I heard my dad make a rather loud yawn and immediately did stretches.

Now I tell you, my old man is not one of those stereotypical dads that have little hair and have large bellies that drank sake until they wear in a coma. My father was of medium build and had a height of about 5'9, he still had a full head of hair but I can see one or two strands of white hair, that's understandable, he's not THAT old for heaven's sake. My mom told me that I looked a bit like him and she added that my eyes were worse than his own. Thanks mom I really needed that. She added that when I smiled, and that I did very seldom, I looked like her, so I had that going for me, which is nice.

Anyway, my dad greeted us good morning and excused himself to the bathroom.

Holding her hot cup of coffee, Komachi softly blew on it to cool it down and she slowly began to drink. I did the same, but when I tasted mine it was not sweet enough for my taste. I probably made a funny face because Komachi tilted her head and gave me a look that said "What's wrong onii-chan?"

"...It's not sweet enough." I answered her unsaid question.

"Huh?! But I put a lot of sugar in it!" she said surprised.

"Well it's not sweet enough for your onii-chan my silly imouto." She pouted and as I poked her cheek.

I got up and went to the cabinet where we store our condiments, but as I opened the drawer, we were apparently out of stock.

"Komachi, we're out of sugar and cream." I called out to her.

"I'll go buy some from the store right now!" Komachi said energetically

Just as I came back I saw my dad on the table with a cup of tea on hand and his phone on the other, as I leaned in I saw him looking at international and local news.

"Morning dad."

"Morning son."

"Morning dad!"

"Good Morning Komachi."

As we silently drank our morning beverage, both of us basking in the comfortable silence, a bit less for me because mine had too little sugar and cream, Komachi got up and declared that she will go to the store to buy some sugar and cream.

However, before she can take a step to have a change of clothes, my father spoke up.

"Let your brother do it."

Before Komachi could protest, I immediately got up, let your onii-chan handle this, Komachi!

"Ok, give me a few yen and I'll be on my way." I wanted to go for a morning jog anyway, so why not do it now while on my way to the convenience store?

My dad gave me a few bills and I went to the door to get a change of shoes. However, as I was about to leave our humble abode, I heard a voice from behind.

"Onii-chan!" As I turned around, Komachi planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Be careful on your way to the store and stay away from those pretty girls wearing skimpy clothes to get the attention of young virgin boys like you and lonely husbands! They are scams and be careful not to get carried away or you'll fall into their trap! They are out to get your wallet!" Ok I understand the safety part, but what was with that last one? I heard a fit of coughing from dad and as I craned my head to get a better look, he was spacing out while staring at his wallet.

So, my old man was a victim of those scams too, huh.

I bid Komachi farewell and she closed the door behind me.

Ah, finally alone to my thoughts. Doing a bit of stretching here and there and adjusting my shoes, I began my morning jog.

I estimated that with my current pace which I can maintain for about 10 minutes, I can reach the store in about 15.

The jog to the store was uneventful.

The occasional kind grandma that would greet me along the way.

A guy my age, commuting to go to work, and by work I mean his part time job.

The corporate slaves that had to wake up early to go to work today.

A police car patrolling the streets, keeping the local community feel safe and protected.

The neighborhood cats sleeping under the shade of the trees.

The fellow jogger accompanied by his dog. Oh my, what a cute golden retriever!

Jeez I hope I don't meet any of my classmates from my middle-school, that would surely ruin my mood. Not that I can remember their names, but I can remember their faces. I have a bad habit of forgetting people's names you see...

As I reached the limits of my stamina, which was kind of low, I slowed down and took a seat on a nearby bench on our local playground to catch my breath for a minute or two. Breathing heavily, I observed a group of toddlers that were playing on the playground, with them running around the place, there were about 5 of them playing.

Ah being a toddler must be nice. Just playing around all day and not worrying about the future, they were at the peak of what a child should experience. When me and Komachi were still kids, we used to play House, she would pretend to be the wife and me the husband and every time I arrived "home" from "work" she would greet me lead me to the dining room to get me my meal that she cooked for me. And me, being the dutiful and loving husband, would thank her will all my heart as I indulge into my dinner wholeheartedly.

Of course, the "food" that she cooked was actually just plastic toys, so we couldn't eat them... If we did, we would choke and probably sent to the hospital.

Oh, and I would make a makeshift fortress in the living room made of blankets and pillows, and I would name it "The Fortress of Boys.". From the name itself, it was for boys, and Komachi was not allowed to enter because she was a girl. Upon she realized I refused to let her enter my fortress, she cried and bawled her eyes out. My onii-chan instincts kicking in when I saw her in distress, I immediately hugged her and allowed her entry into my fortress.

In the end, "The Fortress of Boys." had to be renamed, and it became "Hachi-kun and Komachi-chan's Fortress!" We even scribbled it on a piece of paper and stuck it on a makeshift flag.

Ah those memories, it gave me a nostalgic smile.

I got up and resumed my jog, albeit at a slower pace.

With the light rays of the sun of my face, it felt good that it wasn't still as hot as it is in the afternoon. Also, with still few people around, you have the entire street yo yourself.

Hmm, jogging in the morning sounds appealing to me, maybe I'll make this a morning routine?

With the convenience store in sight, I picked up my pace and entered the small shop. There were only a small amount of people since it's still early and I can see that most of them dropped by to get a cup of coffee.

I went to the isle and began looking for sugar and cream, with my rotten eyes scanning every nook and cranny. Ah! There it is! And it's the last pair too! I moved my hand to reach for it but I was startled when my hand caressed the hand of a person who thought the same.

I immediately retracted my hand and the person did the same and we faced each other. Turns out, it was actually a girl, and she was pretty. She had long flowing blue hair tied in a ponytail and she was wearing a plain red shirt and blue jogging pants. Her eyes were sharp and her facial features too, but still held a feminine charm to it. She was quite tall for a girl, only a few inches shorter than me.

Realizing we exchanged no words to each other, I decided to initiate.

"Ah, I'm sorry, you can have the sugar and cream." I offered her. Eww Hikigaya being a creep and a flirt to a girl you just met mere seconds ago! Shut up, I am simply fulfilling my obligation as a gentleman, because if my mom found out I was not acting in a gentleman-like manner, she would disown me and kick me out our household.

"No, it's ok. You were the first one to reach for it anyway." She replied back.

Oh, playing this game huh? Hmm...

I reached for the sugar and cream and I felt her eyes follow me hands. Before she can do anything, a softly nudged the items into her hand, without touching her hand of course, that would be totally creepy.

"Please, I insist." Haha! With her hands occupied and filled with my heartfelt offering, it would be rude to decline! This technique is used by those people in the mall who wear corporate attire offering things and would follow you around. Thanks to my highly attuned eyes of observation, I learned their ways and would avoid them at every opportunity.

The girl was surprised of my act, and I was expecting her to push back the items into my hand, but thankfully, she didn't, and made a resigned sigh.

"Well ok then, thanks a lot."

"You're welcome."

I gave her a small smile and turned for the exit.

...

...

...

Oh, good Lord, I was cringing so hard I wanted to run away, but that would ruin the cool guy act I made. Fwoosh. I mentally made the sound effect as I dramatically turned away from her and replayed the scenario all over again. Ugh, I hope my hands weren't sweaty, my arms were heavy, my knees weak, mom's spag-

Before I can finish a lame Eminem meme, I heard the girl's voice from behind me.

"Hey."

I turned and gave her a questioning look, but before I can, something was flying towards my face.

Oh God it was probably her hand going to slap me for being a creep.

But wait.

The object was not connected to her hand. It was metallic and small, most likely to contain something. Since the girl was coming from the convenience store, it was maybe a beverage or something.

I activated my STAND, which I will not name for now, it gives me the ability to move with quick reflexes!

BAM!

I held the object that the girl threw at me, and, as always, I was right in my first assumption that it was indeed a beverage, but wait! IT's MAXX COFFEE!

I looked at the girl, wanting to give her my thanks, but this time, she spoke first.

"Thank you...?" I assumed she was asking my name to give me a proper thank you. So, I extended my right hand to give a handshake.

"Hikigaya Hachiman."

She did the same with her hand and shook mine, her grip was firm, but not too hard. Sometimes, you can tell a person's personality the instant you shake hands with them. From her handshake, I assume that she was a strong character and will.

"Kawasaki Saki."

Kawasaki-san huh? She had a nice name.

After we retracted our hands she gave me a look that said, " Let's walk together, I'm assuming you're going back in that direction?"

I replied with a similar look, "Yes."

With that our walk began.

She's a bit of a loner too huh? All loners can communicate with their eyes, or at least give hints without speaking to each other. But from an average person's POV, we look weird doing it.

A couple of moments passed by with us not saying anything, as loners, we respect each other's silence.

"You live in the neighborhood?" She asked breaking the silent atmosphere.

"Yes. What about you?"

Instead of speaking she gave me a nod as I glanced at her from the corner of my eyes, we're walking side by side with a distance between us. So, she lived in the neighborhood too? Maybe her house is near mine?

"I have never seen you before in our neighborhood though." I said.

"I have a part time job." She replied.

This girl continues to impress me!

"I've seen you a few times before, you're always riding when going home from school." She adds.

"Yeah, I can always walk but I like riding my bike faster, plus it's more like a morning exercise." I can say with confidence that my legs were toned because of all my biking. That can be explained when I would pedal back home with all my might with tears in my eyes because I thought I saw a ghost. And the Occasional angry dog or cat that would chase me. And because I was sad because I had no friends in school so I immediately went home to catch my afternoon anime.

She gave me a look that said, "Ah, that explains it." Hmm, where does she go to school, I wonder?

"I'm going to Sobou at the end of summer break, it's my first year of high school there, what about you?" She inquired while giving me a thoughtful look.

Can this girl read my mind or something?!

"Sobou, my first year in high school too." I replied. Wow what a coincidence.

Her eyebrows raised in surprise, and looked to inquire further, but a high-pitched voice stopped her from continuing.

"Saa-chan!"

I turned my head to the direction of the sound and a little girl with blue shoulder length hair came running into us. Wait, she was one of the children I saw playing in the playground when I was on my way to the convenience store earlier.

"Keika be careful!" Kawasaki-san exclaimed with concern in her voice. Hmm, they were most likely sisters, seeing Keika was a complete clone of Kawasaki-san.

As Keika got near us, Kawasaki-san got down to her level so Keika wouldn't have to crane her head to look up.

"Did you have fun at the playground, Keika?" Kawasaki-san asked with a mother-like tone as she began smoothing out her hair with her hand.

"Yep! We played tag today!" She said so cutely, ah she reminded me of Komachi when she was younger.

She then noticed me and gave me a questioning look before asking her sister.

"Saa-chan, who is he?" she pointed her finger at me. Oi, pointing your finger at people, especially at strangers is rude you know?

I wanted to save Kawasaki-san from personally introducing me, so I decided to introduce myself.

"I'm Hikigaya Hachiman. I live in this neighborhood and your sister and I just met a while ago. We'll be going to the same high school at the start of the school year."

Keika's eyes lit up for a moment after I said that.

"Ah you're Saa-chan's friend then!"

"No, we're barely acquainted." I corrected her.

She tilted her head with an imaginary question mark above her.

"Aquiein-ted?" Oh silly, me. I forgot that I was speaking to a toddler. I got down so on here eye-level to pass onto her my knowledge.

"You see, Keika, was it? Acquainted means that you know a person, but not so much that you could say that he is your friend. Look at this like this, level 0 is strangers, level, 1 is an acquaintance, level 3 is a friend and level 4 is a best friend."

She had a thoughtful look before replying.

"Oh! So, then you and Saa-chan are going in the direction of being friends then!" She said so enthusiastically.

I laughed awkwardly and Kawasaki-san did the same.

"Well if you put it that way, yes." Kawasaki-san finally spoke. She finally stood to her full height and held Keika's hand. I did the same and for some reason, Keika was giggling.

"Keika what are you giggling at?" Kawasaki-san asked.

"Hachiman's name sound weird! Hehehe." Oh, so cute, she's giggling while making fun of my name.

"Keika! That's rude! And you shouldn't call him by his first name!"

"I'm sorry Haa-chan!"

"Giving him, a pet name is even worse!"

Kawasaki-san was frantic, so she was a strict follower of the norms of politeness huh.

I decided to settle down the situation.

"It's ok, my mom calls me that so I see no reason why Keika-chan can't call me that too."

Kawasaki-san gave me a look that said "Are you sure about this?", and I gave her a nod.

"Ok Haa-chan! But you have to call me Kei-chan too!" Well I guess I can agree with that...

"Ok Kei-chan." With a cute face like that, how could I find it in myself to say no?

"But Haa-chan!", she continued. "Does this mean that you're not my friend?" she grabbed the hem of my shirt and looked up to me. Guh! Onii-chan senses tingling! Mus imotou!

"I can be your friend if you want, Kei-chan." I made a small smile as I patted her head.

"Yey!" She let go of Kawasaki-san's hand and skipped ahead happily. I looked and Kawasaki-san and asked, "Should we go?"

She gave a nod and we continued our walk back to our respective homes. Our steps becoming in sync with each other. I noticed that Kawasaki-san has an air of confidence around here. Not to the point of arrogance, but the way she moves gives off the feeling that she believes wholeheartedly in herself. With her head held high, she looks respectable and intimidating, especially with her eyes. Maybe I should copy her... Come to think of it, Kei-chan was really early at the playground huh?

"She likes going to the playground earlier because she gets it all to herself." Kawasaki-san said.

Wait, I didn't even ask her. I think it's safe to say, with the confidence of the accumulated information that I have obtained, that Kawasaki-san can read minds.

"Kei-chan's a morning person huh, when I was a kid, the only reason I got up early was to watch my favorite early weekend anime." I don't know why decided to share my childhood with a person I just met a few minutes ago, but she seems like a decent person, so I guess it's fine.

"Really? My little brother and Keika watches anime too, what do you watch?" She turned to me and asked.

Oh, so she had a little brother too? Must be nice having a lot of siblings. I thought for a bit and properly formulated my reply.

"Hmm, the one I watch is called Prett-"Before I can utter that last part I stopped.

Kami-sama thank you for stopping me from telling Kawasaki-san that I watch an anime aimed at little girls.

"Pardon?" Kawasaki-san asked. Good thing she didn't catch the last part!

"Oh, my bad, I currently don't watch any anime series, but I do watch a WESTERN TV series called PREdestination." I emphasized the WESTERN and PRE-part so when she heard those words, she would associate a show in the west with a title starting with PRE, to get her attention away from PRETTY CURE that's in Japan so I can save myself from the embarrassment.

"Oh, so you watch western TV series? Hmm, you kind of look the part though. You look like a smart guy." Hmm, I know that I should be flattered, but how can you tell someone's intellectual level just from a glance? Do wearing glasses count as looking smart? My teacher once told me that people who wear eyeglasses read a lot and strain their eyes too much, that's what led them to wear glasses in the first place. What part of me makes me look like a 'smart guy' I wonder? Is that one of your powers, Kawasaki-san? Being able to tell if someone is smart or not?

"Oh, thanks I guess, I like to expand my horizons, that's all." No use denying her compliment, I might as well give her something to chew on.

*Gross, Hikigaya, stop being such a smartass, you'll look like an arrogant twat.*

Shut up

Kawasaki-san turned her head forward again, her eyes on Keika.

"Well, Keika likes to watch an anime called... I think it was called, Pretty Cure?"

I felt my heart clench and hurt, like an hand was grasping it.

I felt a thunderbolt went through my spine and jolted every atom in my body.

Something must have shown on my face because when she said it, she immediately noticed it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with a hint of concern.

I have to keep cool! I must not show weakness!

I gave her a pained smile and tapped my leg.

"It's nothing to be worried about. At rare occasions, my leg gets mini-cramps when I'm walking after jogging. It's really painful but it's only for an instant." I was not lying though, it did happen once, but that was back in middle school when a dog chased me and I ran like the wind.

"Well, if you're sure..." She decided to let the matter go and we continued our walk.

Not a few moments passed and she initiated the conversation again. Wow she's more talkative than I expected, my jaw's is already a bit numb from all the talking that I've been doing.

"You're surprisingly good with kids."

"I have a little sister, so that job is a must for us older siblings." She looked amused with my reply, well, I did say that in a cool way, I hope...

"Being an older sibling is hard. We take care of our younger siblings when our parents are away at work, we play with them even if we're already exhausted, we feed them and cook for them when they still can't do it themselves, we clean up the mess they created, but it's all worth it in the end when we see their bright smiles and them looking up to us as their role model. We become their heroes and want to become like us when they get older. That's why we should always be strong for them. And then they will brag with their friends at school saying things like "My onii-chan is the best because he can make a paper jet plane that flies really fast!" or something like "My onii-san is the best cook in the world and your onee-san can't beat her!" and sometimes "Onii-san's Yu Gi Oh! Deck is pretty strong! He told me he's that strongest dueler in his class! I bet your onii-san can't possible defeat him!". It's the small things that sometimes make the biggest impact I suppose..." I ended my part with a small smile forming on my lips. Wow here I got again getting all deep and philosophical.

I realized, however, that the female beside me has ceased speaking and was listening intently of what I was saying, all the while giving me a thoughtful look.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke.

"That was..."

"Creepy?"

"No..."

"Gross?"

"No...?"

"Stupid?"

"No!"

"Edgy?"

"What the-?"

"Hmm, disgustingly creepy and edgy, not to mention that it's stupid and gross...?" Ok, I was at a loss now.

"NO! Let me finish what I'm trying to say, damnit! And how was that edgy?!" she said in a loud voice, but thankfully there were no people around and Kei-chan was busy humming to herself.

She sighed to calm herself down and gave me a look that said, "I swear if you interrupt me again, I will let you taste my fist..." I returned with an "Ok ok, I won't do it anymore...it was just a joke lol."

"Like I was saying, that was quite beautiful, Hikigaya-san, it gives you a lot to think about and contemplate on. I knew you looked smart but I didn't expect that you looked into things that deep and meaningful. How does it feel, looking at things at your perspective?"

I immediately said my answer without even a second to spare.

"Sometimes it gives me headaches, trying to dig deeper and all. Looking things with a deeper meaning, even though that person said it had no hidden motives at all. It's useless getting deeper even the true meaning was already shallow and easily seen. The true meaning behind the words said, whether or not the person is telling the truth, how likely that person is to spill secrets, how much can the said person can be pressured to spill the said secrets, what are the things that are threatening his person that prevents him to utter those secrets and if what he says is actually genuine. Words are wind after all, and the truth can always be twisted and morphed, to the point that it looks like an abomination. In the end, words cannot truly convey the full message as intended by the sender to the receiver, and mistakes in understanding is almost always encountered."

Kawasaki-san put her hand into a thinking pose as she thought on what I said, and she giggled.

Oi oi, what's so funny about what I said huuh?

Maybe she thinks I'm funny because I got carried away again? How is that funny anyway? I am sharing my knowledge with you, damnit! Plus, you asked me on the topic so I gave you my wholehearted answer!

"What are you? A detective? Or a modern philosopher? You sure just sounded like one. With what you said, you could pass for one. You have a way with words though."

I gave her a small grin. "Well, it's like a double-edged sword, that I can be sure of."

Hmm what a refreshing conversation, when was the last time I spoke to someone outside my family like this? Oh man my jaw was seriously numb right now...

"Since you mentioned that you have a part time job, do you mind if you can you tell me more about it?" I asked.

Kawasaki-san shrugged before making her reply.

"It's nothing special, just a cashier at a nearby grocery store."

"The big one with the flashy colors?" I recall that place now, it hurt my eyes when I passed by that place, because the lights were a tad bit too bright.

"Yeah that's the one, I told our manager that it's doing more harm than good but she won't listen to an employee."

I made a mental note that Kawasaki-san might dislike her boss because he belittles his employees.

"She sounds...difficult to work with." I carefully said my words

"Sometimes, yeah. But I can't counter the fact that she gets the work done."

"I remember going to that place a few times, but I haven't seen you manning a cashier." I told her.

"I saw you about a week ago, you were in the store buying snacks with a girl...", she said "Pardon me for asking, but was that your girlfriend?"

I don't recall ever going to that place, much less, being with a girl. Maybe she was mistaken? I do consider my looks as quite generic as easily forgettable, to put it simply, quite average to say the least.

Wait, I remember going to that place last week with Komachi. That's understandable I guess. Komachi sometimes get too touchy feely and clingy when we're in public and always likes holding hands with me. From another person's point of view, it's easy to mistake that she's my girlfriend. But of course, that's not the main point there.

"Ah, that was my sister." I said

Kawasaki-san gave me a weird look.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh nothing, I observed that she was, how do I say this, a bit too clingy...?" She said as her voice trailed off.

"That's just Komachi being Komachi."

"I see, so your sister's name is Komachi?"

"Yes."

"She has a cute name."

"And a cute face." I added.

When I looked at Kawasaki-san, she was making a face that was a cross between "Ohh that was so sweet!" and "Eww that was a bit creepy..."

"Oh, come on don't look at me like that."

"Well I guess she has a cute face, but for her older brother to say that with pride..." There she goes again with her voice trailing off...

"Just stating facts." I coolly said.

*Eww Hikigaya what a sis-con! *

Shut up!

"So, it's just the two of you?" She asked further.

"Pretty much. What about you?"

"I'm the eldest among our siblings and I have two little brothers and Keika."

"I see." I said, not deciding to inquire any further on the subject, but I did have a question that's been on my mind.

"Excuse me for asking, but can I ask why you selected Sobou as your choice for high school?"

She gave a look that said, "Why so formal in asking? It's not that a big deal you know."

Well it's a habit of mine to get really formal during conversations, especially when it's first time meeting a person. A good first expression is a lasting first expression you know...

"Well," she started, "It's a good school to enroll in, seeing that it really stimulates the students as a preparation for college. Plus, you get points when you're looking for a job when your employer see's that you graduated from Sobou High."

Hmm, she had the same thoughts with me.

"Exactly." I said in a way that I'm glad that she share's the same sentiment. She hummed in reply, she looked like she wanted to say more but ultimately decided against it.

We have been talking for a while that I lost myself in our conversation, and I realized that I was already near our house, a few more houses to pass by and I'll be home sweet home. Raising my hand and pointing it at my house, I called Kawasaki-san's attention.

"That's my house over there."

"Mine is just a few more houses from yours, but we cross the road here."

Oh, so our houses were closer than I expected. As I was busy with my thoughts, Kawasaki-san called Kei-chan to her said and held her small had into her larger one.

"Keika, we separate with Hikigaya-san here, we already reached his house."

"Oh, ok..." she sounded sad. Ugh! Onii-chan senses are ringing in alarm and I can't do anything about it! But wait! I can!

We already reached the front of my house and Kawasaki-san was already waiting to give me the proper goodbye as we part ways.

I felt bad for Kei-chan, so I decided to make her feel better.

I got down to get eye-level with her and patted her head.

"Tell you what Kei-chan, I'm free the whole summer and I have a little sister too, you can come over and play anytime you want!"

Kei-chan's eyes lit up and on her face, was the biggest smile she could possibly make. Oh, that pure smile only a child can make.

"Really?!" she exclaimed.

"Yes really."

"Keika, we shouldn't really bother- "before Kawasaki-san could finish saying what she wanted to say, I held up my hand.

"It's fine Kawasaki-san."

She looked like she wanted to argue further but knowing that it would make her little sister sad, she sighed in defeat. Her lips formed a small smile when she saw Keika all happy.

"Well, if it's fine with you..." she finally gave in.

As I was about to stand up to give them a proper fare well. The front door to my house opened to reveal my father already dressed and ready to go to work, I can see Komachi behind him as well.

"Don't forget to clean up the house ok." My father said.

"Yep!" Komachi energetically replied.

"Remember to clean up the dishes after taking your meals."

'Of course!"

"Don't wake your mother yet, she's still pretty tired from work."

"Ok!"

"Remember to feed Kamakura and check our mailbox later for any mail."

"Yes!"

"It might not rain today, so be sure to water the plants or else they will wilt and die."

"Hmm!"

"Help out your brother and don't laze around. Also, don't forget to wake your brother once his afternoon naps get a little bit too long."

"Ok..." Komachi's energy earlier was declining.

After checking his belongings, he was finally about to properly go out, but we were hit in his field of vision.

After registering what was in front of him, he gave a look of surprise.

But not before Komachi gave a startled voice.

"Eeeeehhhh?!" she had a look of surprise and her voice was loud. Hey turn down the volume, will you? It hurts my ears...

She rushed out and stood before us, pointing a finger at me as if I was caught cheating on her. Oi oi stop pointing your finger at me! That's rude you know!

"What's this?! Onii-chan already had a wife and a family without our knowledge?!" Hey what's with the immediate escalation?!

Kawasaki-san had an embarrassed look on her face and Kei-chan looked at the newcomer strangely.

"Haa-chan, who is this girl?"

"She already gave you a pet name?!" Tone it down Komachi and stop with your exaggerated experssions...

"Ah, this is my sister, Komachi." Finally, I can give out a proper introduction. I held out my hand in the direction of Kawasaki-san.

"Komachi, this is Kawasaki-san, we met at the convenience store and she'll be going to Sobou High like me. This is her little sister, Kei-chan."

Komachi finally dropped the ridiculous act and put her hands in front of her and gave a slight bow.

"Ah, nice to meet you, I am Hikigaya Komachi, I'm onii-chan's little sister. And the old man behind us our dad."

Upon being called an old man my father spits out blood and looked like he just received a letter that his best friend was dead.

"Old man..." After coughing a bit more blood, JK, he finally composed himself. What's with the 360-personality change!?

"Good morning to you two, I would like to properly welcome you but I'm about to be late for work." He said as he looked at his watch.

"Good morning to you as well sir..." Kawasaki-san bowed as my father passed her.

"Good morning and goodbye old man!"

I saw a trail of blood from my father's mouth and a tear from his right eye. Hey it's getting too far you know, my dad is not that old, and it's rude to call someone old man! Oh, right Kei-chan is still a child...

"Keika! That's rude! Apologize right now!" Kawasaki-san exclaimed

"It's alright, Kawasaki-san, was it? She's still a child so it's understandable." My dad said as Kawasaki-san made a bow as a form of apology.

As we bade my father farewell, Komachi, finally taking a good look at Keika, gave a squeal and quickly went over to her.

"Aaaaahh! Kei-chan is so cute!" Komachi exclaimed as she went to Keika and patted her head.

"Onee-san you're pretty cute too!" Keika likewise returned the compliment.

"Kyaa! Thank you Kei-chan! It's been so long since someone told me I was cute, well, outside my family that is. You know when, when I'm about to go out with my friends, I ask onii-chan how I look and he'll say, "Yeah yeah, you're the cutest in the world." And I would be happy! But he would say that with a pure blank expression like he's watching paint dry! It breaks my heart huhuhuh..." Following that with fake tears, Komachi did her usual act and took a glance at me.

I can see you, you know...Good grief, what did I do to deserve such a foxy and cunning imotou?

Wait

...

...

What she said was super personal right now! It took me a few seconds to register and the embarrassing poison was already seeping in! Using all the willpower and calling upon my inner self to reach the peak of Zen trance, I mustered a calm and composed facial expression finally decided to quell this situation and save myself from any more embarrassment.

"Yes, yes you're the cutest in the world." And I gave her a stare that I would do when I would space out when I'm studying and go like, "Hmm, that is one interesting wall, I wonder how loud I can play my porn without the Komachi in the other room hearing it? If she does however, will the sound be audible enough to be recorded on a mobile phone? And if both past statements are true, will that become an object that Komachi will use to blackmail me in order to get what she wants?".

But my plan backfired and Komachi returned my stare with an equally blank one, with a more disgusted expression that is.

"Ugh onii-chan stop being a creep. I know that you're a sis-con and all but don't you have the dignity not to do it in front of guests?"

That expression, that only I can make...We are indeed of the same flesh and blood! Onii-chan is proud of you Komachi!

"Anyway," I started wanting to change the flow of the conversation, "would you two like to come inside and have tea and coffee?" I offered, even though I'm a noob in social interactions, I still follow the rules of hospitality. I already deemed Kawasaki-san as a decent individual, and for me to invite her under our roof was just a sign of trust and friendliness.

Kawasaki-san looked to me and thought that she might consider my offer, oh, if she does accept...hmm, I hadn't quite thought that far ahead, time to make a backup plan just in case...

"Thank you for the offer but, we have to go now, my mom and Keika are going somewhere later and my part time job starts in an hour..." she said while scratching her head and giving an awkward smile.

"Oh, then." I said, whew, that was close.

Kawasaki-san called on to Kei-chan, and she quickly got a hug from Komachi and went to her sister's side.

"Well, it's been nice meeting you two. See you around the neighborhood then."

"Likewise." Oh man I sounded so cool hehehe.

"Bye Kawasaki-nee and Kei-chan!" Komachi said so in an energetic manner while waving her hands to the Kawasaki sisters retreating figures, in contrast to my cool one.

After they both disappeared as they turned in the next bend of the sidewalk, I felt a mischievous snicker coming from Komachi as she turned to me and gave me the smuggest grin I have seen.

"Wow onii-chan, you already snagged yourself a friend, and she's pretty too." She said as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand, kinda like those gestures a cliché tsundere female character would do when she mocks the main character, who is a total wimp, doing his best fighting her, only to be defeated with a bullshit powerup with the power of friendship or him being OP from the start.

I closed my eyes and gave a small sigh before answering her.

"Good grief, silly imotou. How can I call a person I just met a friend? An acquaintance would be the proper word."

2

A person might say that he feels comfortable with someone after having met that person a few minutes ago, another might take a more reserved approach and never put their guard down around that person. Many factors take into effect as to how anyone would act, like mannerisms, that person's outward appearance and his likes and dislikes.

And when one has found a person of similar likes and tastes, it is in the likelihood that both sides would want to know more about each other, thus leading to acquaintanceship and ultimately into friendship.

After meeting Kawasaki-san, I find myself in a predicament of sorts.

Though I had said that I feel comfortable around her, enough that the silence between us is not awkward, I still have this voice behind my head saying not to trust her, though I pushed those rude thoughts from my mind earlier because I deemed them unfit as Kawasaki-san treated me kindly and it would be improper for me not to treat her likewise.

After their departure from the front of our house, I followed Komachi inside and we changed our shoes to slippers.

I noticed Komachi gave me a weird look and I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Onii-chan you're sweating so much it's a miracle you didn't have an odor on you when you were with Kawasaki-nee."

Now that she mentioned it, I was a sweating really hard. When I looked at the nearby mirror, my suspicions were enforced as I saw beads of sweat drip from my hair and my shirt had blotches of sweat on it.

Wow I looked really gross.

"Hahaha onii-chan were you really that nervous when you were with Kawasaki-nee the you began to sweat that much? It would have been more hilarious if you were a stuttering mess! It must have been gross for Kawasaki-nee to be near you!" Komachi exclaimed while laughing, in fact she was laughing so hard that she started snorting.

Oink! Oink!

Cease your laughter you swine!

I karate-chopped her head and heard her yelp upon impact. She rubbed her head with teary eyes and pouted at me.

"Mou onii-chan, I was just kidding...hehehe" Hey, don't apologize for laughing at me when you're giggling while apologizing!

"Hurry up and take a bath, let's go to that mall early so we can leave early and I can come back home." Truth be told, I was not really in the mood to go to the mall, but I already told Komachi that I would be coming with her. And it would hurt my pride as a man if I back down on my word!

Upon that realization, she sprinted towards the living room and zoomed upstairs to her room.

Good grief, what an eccentric child.

With her out of the way, I'll finally be able to finish my morning coffee that I left a while ago. Damnit, I bet it's already cold by now...

As I made my way to the table, I noticed a woman with a mop of dark brown hair sitting where dad was and reading the newspap er just like he was.

Ah, so moms already awake.

I wordlessly took a seat in front of her and took my already cold coffee.

"Good Morning Mom."

"Good Morning Hachi, did your father already leave?" Mom asked me without taking her eyes off of the newspaper.

"Yes."

"Well, he left his laptop again."

"Ah, I see. Well, dad's pretty smart so I think he'll be fine without it."

"Well, you're right about that kiddo. You're father ain't no idiot that's for sure. Otherwise, he couldn't have started that company of a year ago!" My mom is always shamelessly speaking proudly of my dad whenever given the chance.

You see, I don't like to boast but my dad is pretty smart and resourceful, so much that he decided to start his own company from the money he made as a corporate slave. He didn't even tell mom about it until a few months ago. Emphasis on the " slave".

Dad is the President of an accounting and logistics firm here in the Chiba Prefecture and he founded the company a year ago with the help of some big and important friends he made. He deals with the accounts of various companies that decide to outsource to him and not hire their own accountants and his company also offers logistical services to restaurants, department stores, hardware stores and even to the local fish and meat markets.

Recently, he told us the other day that he's been contacted by some school directors from local schools if he's accepting college trainees so that after they graduate, they can be immediately employed into his company.

Well, that's dad, mom has a similar story though.

Turns out mom had been working extra hard for the past few months because she was saving up to start her own coffee shop and bar in the shopping district downtown.

It was also the exact same place that made me go " If I were to start my own café in this place, this area would be the most strategic!". It surprised us when she told us about it because mom was never the avid book reader at home, when we asked her about it she just went " Why? It's because I want somewhere I can just laze around sipping coffee while someone I hired is managing the place for me!"

And I was like "Wow mom, that's pretty impressive, but I see that your laziness has caught up to you." I think I got my laziness from mom...

Mom came home pretty late last night because the bartender had a sick leave, so she had to take the reins. And when she came home, she was so exhausted that she didn't even bother to wash up and just fell on top of her bed and went asleep.

So gross...

Anyway, the place she had quickly became a hit and she earned a lot of regulars, typically the working-late-at-night types and the I'll-have-a-beer-or-two-before-going-back-home-and-having-my-wife-scream-at-me-asking-where-I-was-and-quickly-assuming-that-I-was-cheating-on-her type. Not to mention the I'm-a-single-lonely-beautiful-lady-in-my-30's-and-I'm-hoping-to-catch-a-cute-young-guy-here type.

A sudden chill went up my spine and a sense of dread for the future hovered over my very being. Did I just trigger my death flag?

Anyway, the place had only a few customers in daylight but when evening came, it was at that time that the customers would walk through that door.

And that is the time when, as my mom would say it, "The suckers would come do drink their night away, what a bunch of drunkard losers!". That sounded pretty scummy...

*Ehh? So, you're an edgy upstart brat that belongs in a well-off family? *

Shut your trap you hooligan!

I'll have you know that when the Hikigaya's had been financially elevated, my dad still refused my request for a raise and continued to give me 300-yen per day! That's really low you knowww? But somehow, I survived a whole school year with only 300-yen allowance.

I was jolted from my thoughts when I heard mom clear her throat, I must have spaced out for a bit. Mom looked over to me and cocked her eyebrow in question, much like what I did to Komachi earlier.

"I jogged earlier on my way to the convenience store when we ran out of sugar and cream."

She nodded telling me to go on as she sipped her tea and read the newspaper.

"When I went there I saw a pair but a girl already had eyes on them so I gave them to her instead. We talked for a bit and I found out that she's going to Sobou High like me."

My mom spat out her drink into the newspaper, also messing up parts of the floor in process.

Oi! what's with the exaggerated reactions from everyone around me recently?!

After having a fit of coughing, with me giving her a glass of water and a napkin to wipe with, she finally calmed down and gave me a look filled with pride.

"That's my Hachii! I knew I raised you right to be a gentleman! All those lessons I taught you back then on how to properly treat a lady will definitely get you a girlfriend for sure!" My mom said enthusiastically with sparkles in her eyes, the way she said it reminds me of Komachi, like mom like daughter I suppose.

With their similarities in personality and looks, my mom is what I imagine Komachi would look and act like when she's older. Not that my mom is old, she's still looks pretty youthful. Komachi is an exact copy of my mom, well except the hair though, me and Komachi got our hair color from dad. And while I got my dad's dead fish eyes, Komachi got mom's beautiful hazel colored eyes.

Thanks dad.

"Well thank you for the thought but I don't think I can be labeled as "boyfriend material".". I nonchalantly replied as I finally finished my coffee.

"Ah don't worry Hachii, I'm sure there's a girl out there for you." With my mom's peculiar enthusiasm on the topic, I decided to give her some hope.

"Well, if any normal girl were to meet me I'm sure they would immediately think I'm gross so the fact that I may even pique the interest of a female is highly unlikely. But don't worry dear mother! Once I have gained a fortune, I will clone myself and take care of him as my own son so that you will at least see an heir for me!" I said so proudly, ah my self-depreciating tendencies are going crazy!

"Ah, I see, I guess there's no hope for you at all..." Mom said in a dejected manner.

I know it was just a joke, but I think mom took me too seriously.

We heard the rushing of footsteps from upstairs as a door was closed and the sounds grew louder as the source appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

Komachi was holding a pile of clothes on her arm while she held a towel on the other.

"Komachi? What's all the ruckus about?" My mom asked.

"Ahh onii-chan decided to stop being holed up in this house and being a NEET and accepted my offer on going to the mall!" She said so excitedly.

My mom gave a shriek of delight and began skipping towards Komachi.

Seriously, what's with the over the top reactions?! Are we a part of a comedy skit?! Is there a hidden camera hidden here or something?!

Is some fuccboi gonna jump out of nowhere and say "Lol chill bro it's just a prank fam look there's a camera right there lmao XD RAWR!".

"Kyaahh! I see your brother is finally trying to come out of his closet, as his sister, you should do your best and help him out, ok Komachi?"

"Oi you used the wrong metaphor, and appropriate one would be "Coming out of his shell.", the one you used now sounded pretty gay." But my words were ignored by the two loud females in front of me.

"Haiii! I will definitely help out onii-chan because if I won't he'll be the same loser until we grow up and if that should happen, I definitely don't want to be associated with him because he's a pathetic excuse for a human being and a failure as a functional member of society!" She said so in a cheerful manner.

K.O.!

I clenched my heart from the barrage on insults I received.

Komachi-chan, your onii-chan is not immune to being hurt you know?

Even though I'm used to being insulted and such that doesn't mean I don't have feelings anymore you knoww?

I can get hurt too you knowww?

"Oi, that went too far Komachi." I said so in a menacing tone and approached her. As my spiritual pressure, lol, fluctuated and the air around me was buzzing and distorting, mom sensed this.

"A-ahh, w-well, I'll be going outside to call your f-father!" She said in a shaky voice as she sprinted towards the door.

Clever girl, I mean woman.

Komachi had a betrayed expression on her face as mom left her on her own.

"O-onii-chan hehehe, I was just kidding...hehehe" She cowered from my presence as I towered over her.

"My dear imotou, you just crossed the line, what do you have to say for yourself?" I bet I looked like the villain of an anime with his eyes covered by his hair and his right eye shining.

"U-uhh, I-I'm sorry onii-chan, I guess I got too far with my teasing..."

I forced my spiritual pressure, lol, to dissipate, and the air around us turned back to normal.

I heard a sigh of relief coming from the female in front of me.

Fufufufu, did you think you'll get out of this unscathed?!

Fool!

Whosshh!

With my mental sound effects and a high pitched " WATAHH!", I karate chopped her head as a form of discipline and as a reminder.

She quickly yelped and squealed from the pain, but before she can put her hand on her head to soothe the pain, I moved in and put her on a choke hold, not too hard of course.

"A-ah oniichan! Stop it! I-It hurts!"

"Hehehe I won't stop until you've learned your lesson, ko-ma-chi-ch-an." I made the scummiest voice and expression I could muster because I was feeling extra scummy at the moment.

I then put my knuckle on her head and began violently rubbing it against her.

"A-ah, onii-chan! S-stop it, I've learned my lesson, I w-won't do it again a-ah!"

"Do you promise?"

"Kyah! Y-yes, I promise! I'll be a g-good girl from now on, so p-please let my g-go already or else I'm gonna~"

I finally let her go as she gave me a pout and rubbed her head.

Part of the reason because her earlier dialogues were making me uncomfortable and becoming like those hentai that I have definitely never watched before.

Wink Wink

*Eww, Hikigaya, you are definitely a siscon. We fear for the chastity of your younger sister...*

Shut your mouth you amoeba.

"Mou onii-chan, you say I crossed the line but you always go for the overkill with your comebacks..."

"Whatever, just go to the bath already and so we can be on our way."

She was about to turn around and go to the bathroom but she had a wicked grin on her face.

I have a bad feeling about this.

"Onii-chan would you like to take a bath with me? We haven't done it in ages!"

I knew it.

If I was some other guy, I would most likely say, "W-What?! What are you saying?!".

But nope, I'm not your typical guy.

I'm your honest to God cynical loner who always thinks that the world is against him not to mention always anticipating worst-case scenarios.

So, with that in mind, I was unfazed by her brazen statement.

"Oh please, that line is so overused and cliché. It's going to take more than that to break me. Now go. Shoo. Begone from my presence." I said so as I shoo'ed her away with my hands.

... After Komachi took a bath, without me of course, I followed and cleaned up my sweat covered body, and now I'm currently in my boxers trying to pick a choice of clothing.

Ah to heck with it.

I just grabbed a plain blue t-shirt and my old jeans.

I have no knowledge regarding fashion so I won't pretend to know it by bothering myself to take my time and analyze each and every damned garment and know which one suites with what.

With me fully clothed, I am finally ready to step out of my room and join Komachi downstairs.

But wait! I have forgotten the most crucial necessity that I have to bring with me!

I went to my closet and pulled out my light novels that I already finished. Within these pages are what I plan to bring with me today.

That's right.

Money.

Yes, you heard me.

I stored my savings that I acquired from a part of my meager 300-yen daily allowance inside the pages of my trashy Light Novels. But even if they were trashy, I still loved them. Just as much as how the Russians love their ballet so much.

When I opened the page where the money was folded, it was at the part where the lame main character was about to beat the villain using an OP power that only he can use, after his romantic interest was murdered before his very eyes.

Of course, the female will be revived by some ridiculous magic spell or something.

*Ugh, that's like super cringey, even for you Hikigaya...*

Yes, please don't remind me, you're making me want to kill myself again.

As I took my books out one by one, I heard footsteps nearing my door and the door itself opening.

"Onii-chan! Hurry up let's go already!" I didn't look behind me, but I was more concerned that Komachi might see what I used to read back then, so I quickly hid them from her view.

"Ahhh, please wait a bit Komachi, your loser onii-chan is saying goodbye to his imaginary girlfriend so please go away and wait for me downstairs." Through my gross lie that I fabricated on the spot, I could practically hear Komachi's face morph into that of disgust.

"Geez onii-chan, that's not healthy you know?" I heard her close the door and her footsteps fading.

Good grief that was a close one.

Though I have a feeling that Komachi outright believed my lie, and was genuinely concerned for my well-being.

Well I'll clear things up later.

As I continued to remove bills of money from my light novels, I was surprised by the amount. All in all, I was able to save quite a large sum, that even I was surprised.

Hmm, I don't remember having this much money the last time I counted it, but there's an old saying in Chinese, "To continuously count your money while you are saving it is bad-luck", or something along those lines.

I gathered up the bills and put them on my wallet and I headed downstairs to join my airheaded imotou.

As I went down, I saw that mom also just came out of the shower and was wearing a bath robe around herself.

"Ah, Hachi, you're already going to go?" She asked

"Yes. Oh, and mom, can I have a bit of cash today? Just in case something catches my eye and all." I asked her while looking away. Why am I embarrassed to ask for a bit of money anyway? Have I really been accustomed to my 300-yen that a slight increase would make me undeserving of it?

"Fufufu, no need to be embarrassed Hachi, you barely buy stuff on your own anyway." She said as she went to her handbag and grabbed her wallet.

She fished out eight one thousand-yen bills and held them in front of me.

"Go buy yourself something nice Hachi! But ask your sister first before you buy, for a second opinion of course."

I was hesitant to accept such a large amount so I said nothing.

Mom noticed the hesitation in me so she decided to give me some motherly wisdom.

"Hachi, you barely buy anything for yourself, even though me and your father would gladly give you what you want. I know you are not fond of things such as this, but it's fine to spoil yourself once in a while. Also, your self-depreciating tendencies are kind of obvious at this point and it makes me question myself if I raised you right..." Mom's voice trailed off at the last part, but I still managed to hear it.

Don't worry mom, no need to blame yourself. The person I am now is of my own making and choice.

I swallowed my twisted pride and accepted her gift and put in in my pocket. I also bowed to show her my gratitude.

"Thank you, okaa-sama."

"Ahh, stop that calling me that Hachi, you're embarrassing me." She said with a slight tinge of red on her cheeks as she put her hand against them as if she was feeling cold.

Oi oi, that's not an expression someone would make telling someone to stop, that's the exact opposite!

That's what I call the praise-me-more-you-degenerate-because-that's-what-I-get-off-to look!

I straightened my back and went to the doorway so I can change my shoes, Komachi was already waiting by the door when I reached her.

"Hey, hey Onii-chan, please be at your best behavior today, ok? Let's have fun!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

"No need to tell me twice, I am not a child. I will try not to bore you to death with me as your personal bag carrier." My words were dripping with sarcasm.

Oh boy, today was going to suck.

We were currently on a train on our way district that's filled with malls and the like. Komachi and I decided to walk to the station from home in the blistering heat.

Well, maybe I just have a low tolerance to the sun and I get burned easily, or maybe it's because I rarely go outside of the house that I was not accustomed to the heat of our local star.

It's probably the latter.

However, as Komachi was just closing her eyes and resting her head on my shoulder while waiting for our stop, I on the other hand, was heavily meditating on the things happening around me and I have experienced so far.

...

...

...

The sun is too hot on the outdoors.

I feel dizzy and light headed.

There's barely a cool breeze of air outside.

There's people around and it's too crowded.

I'll sweat if I go outside and my skin will get gross.

I feel gross, I want to take a bath.

I want to go home to my Vita-chan.

I want to take a nap on the sofa.

I want to read my trashy light novels.

Wait.

I already finished all of them and part of the reason why I'm out of the comfort of my own home is because I want to buy some new books to read.

Sigh...

"What's wrong, Onii-chan?" Komachi asked beside me, she must have heard my sigh.

"Nothing much Komachi, I should have brought our family katana so I can kill myself here and now to end the suffering of my existence." My words dripping with sarcasm, I must have said that in a serious tone because the people around the train that we were taking to the station near the mall looked at me queerly.

I can almost read their minds.

Old man-san is thinking "Good grief, kids these days..."

Hipster guy-san is thinking "Maybe I can take what he said and post it later on my edgy twitter account..."

Big breasts onee-san is like "Eww what a loser, I hope he doesn't look my way. What if he's a pervert? Oh my, I should get ready to dial the police and hold on to my pepper spray just in case..."

Oi oi what the heck lady? It's rude to judge people based on their appearances, didn't your parents teach you that?

Komachi gave me a look that said " Please act normal today."

I did not reply to her and just closed my eyes to take a nap, might as well take one to conserve my energy.

Not five minutes had I closed my eyes and Komachi already lightly shook my shoulders to wake me up.

"Onii-chan, we're close so wake up already."

I gave a groan of annoyance and truth be told we were already near, only a few moments left until we come to a full stop and the passengers on the train start disembarking.

I stood up and Komachi did the same, I signaled her to hold my left hand so we won't get separated from the crowd.

*Eww Hikigaya, your sis-con side is showing...*

Good grief, what's wrong with siblings holding hands so they won't get separated in a crowd?

As the doors of the train opened, and the people going out and inside the train began to increase, I quickly maneuvered my way through the crowd.

That's also one of the abilities of my [STAND, it gives me quick agility and speed to maneuver my way skillfully through a crowd, almost seeing them in slow motion, thus, my movements were precise.

Well that's what I like to call I anyway.

Unfortunately, the female that I was forced to accompany today did not possess the same skill as I, and she was having difficulty in keeping up with me, even though we were holding hands.

Pff, what a normie.

"Onii-chan slow down, what are we even in a hurry for?" she asked with her brows furrowed.

"Your onii-chan doesn't like crowds, as you may already know, and this is the most efficient way to our destination." I told her without looking to see her reaction, but judging how she didn't reply, she probably gave up and gave me the reins.

After a few minutes of dodging people, narrowly hitting someone's drink, nearly having my arm nudge the boob of a passing lady and avoiding shady-looking people, we have finally reached the exit and was greeted with the hot air.

Ah, at least the sun is covered with clouds.

"Ahh, finally! Now the mall is only a short walk away! Let's go onii-chan!" Her vigor and energy had somehow returned, though mine is low and depleted as always.

"Yes yes..."

We walked to the mall hand in hand and we passed by a lot of shops along the way.

I saw a store that sold anime merchandise, and inside I can see teenage virgin guys and creepy fujoshi girls.

Seriously, I find fujoshis disturbing.

Like how you trigger them with the slightest homoerotic innuendo that barely even qualifies as such.

Or how they would pair you up with your other male classmates and decide who was the submissive one or the dominant one.

Not to mention that they buy a lot of yaoi manga and novels and sometimes bring them to school so they can bring their other female friends into the fold, but at least they are very fond of books, I can respect that at least.

Ugh, ok enough of that, the hairs on my arm were standing up.

Other shops included boutiques, pet shops, flower shops, a jewelry store, a tech center and of course, a common sight around here, the coffee shops.

Hmm, speaking of coffee shops, ours was close to this area, though I forgot where it is exactly located because I only went there once.

The last time I went there was 2-3 months ago, and I hated the memory because the place was filled with riajus and noisy teens taking pictures of their drinks and posting it on social media.

Normalfags be like.

I was brought back to reality when Komachi pulled on my hand and she gave me an annoyed look.

Geez what's with that look?

"Onii-chan stop spacing out, I know you do it all the time at home but it's dangerous if you do it in public that often."

"Ah, ok..."

I was not in the mood to form an adequate and witty retort because for some reason I was really tired.

...

Wait

...

...

...

WE DIDN'T HAVE BREAKFAST YET!

My eyes widened for the first time and my body was on full alert, immediately looking for a place where I can eat.

Preferably somewhere cheap and had a lot of food.

"Onii-chan are you looking for a place to eat?" Komachi asked

What's this? She can read minds too just like Kawasaki-san?!

"Ah, yes. I forgot that I didn't have breakfast yet. Speaking of which, did you already eat this morning?" I asked her.

"I don't need to eat this morning because your willingness to come with me made me full of energy already!" She squealed enthusiastically.

Oi oi, stop doing that, it's embarrassing and people are looking at us.

Good grief what a silly imotou...

"Stop goofing around, you should have a proper meal, let's go already." I went ahead of her as I dragged her towards the food district.

Ah, what to eat I wonder?

My first choice would be saize and ramen, but saize is a bit too heavy in the morning, even for me, and ramen is a terrible selection given the weather outside.

I guess I have no choice then...

"Komachi, I'll just have a meat bread from a bakery around here, what about you?"

She gave me a sad and disappointed look from my response.

What's wrong with meat bread? It already has proteins in it and the bread acts as a morning alternative for rice! Plus, it's cheap and convenient!

"Fine, I'll have one too..."

A fine choice milady.

I caught sight of a bakery and I immediately made a beeline towards it. Judging from the smell coming from it, it looks like they just finished a fresh batch.

A stomach rumbled in response to the external stimuli which was the smell of food.

But the sound did not come from me.

I looked at Komachi and she had a blank look on her face while her cheeks were a bit pink.

So, she's trying to act tough to hide her embarrassment huh...

I chuckled silently as we entered the store and began to pick out the best bread to eat. The store had a large variety of goods to choose from, but we made our way to the meat breads section. I had my eye on a chicken bun, but the pork bun also looked attractive.

Komachi picked out a tuna bun so I picked one too, she always had a good eye when it came to selecting food, so I'll trust her judgement on this. We made our way to the cashier but Komachi told me that she'll just pay for ours and I can wait outside, so I gladly accepted her offer.

Food tastes best when it's free.

*Wow Hikigaya, you're as shameless as ever I see...*

Indeed, that is true dear reader.

As I waited for Komachi to finish our paying for our purchases, a girl in my peripheral vision caught my eye.

For some reason, my eyes were drawn to her, and she came from the direction where Komachi and I were a few minutes ago.

She has shoulder length black hair, and was wearing red-rimmed eyeglasses. She had a lithe frame and she was wearing a white summer dress that ended below her knees. Sandals complemented her look as she wore a large sun hat and with her black leather purse, she looked quite nice.

I noticed that she was walking quite strangely, with her head low as if not wanting to be recognized or noticed.

Well, with what you're wearing, it's hard not to notice you, you know?

As she drew nearer I averted my eyes, but I did steal side glances at her.

For some reason, she was familiar, I feel like I had seen her before...

When she passed by me, her hat flopped to the other side, which gave me a glimpse of her eyes. My dark eyes met her brown ones for a split second, and then we looked away.

As she passed by me, I waited several seconds before looking back at her again. I stared at her retreating figure until she dissolved into the crowd ahead.

Hmm...

A piece of bread was nudged into my face and I immediately recoiled out of instinct.

"Onii-chan, what's wrong? Who was that girl? Do you know her?" The voice of Komachi inquired as she handed over to me my tuna bun.

"I don't know, for some reason she looked familiar..." I received the bun and removed the wrapping, savoring the moment because it was still hot.

"She looked nice and her dress was quite cute." She said while eating her tuna bun, oi don't talk with your mouth full, that's rude.

"Hmm..."

Our conversation ended there as we made our way to the entrance of the mall. The tuna buns were quite good and I finally satisfied my hunger. I can see that Komachi was feeling the same as well, seeing that she didn't have any complaints.

Once we were inside, a foreboding sense of dread washed over me as I knew what was going to happen next.

"Komachi, what do you want to look for first?"

"Clothes!"

Oh no...

Every male's worst nightmare when accompanying a female in the mall.

But this was Komachi, and as her onii-chan, I must always be strong!

"Lead the way." With that she grabbed my hand and dragged me as her eyes roamed around for reconnaissance.

Her eyes darted to every female clothes shop that we passed by, and with only a few milliseconds, she would asses if it was worth going inside or not.

So far, we have yet to enter a store, and I made myself keep up to her pace and not be dragged around like a disobedient puppy because it was hurting my pride as a man.

After a few minutes, she stopped to a full halt in front of a store that was named Jezebel's and it was in English too. Good thing I can read and write English, and thanks to my younger self watching BBC nature documentaries narrated by that old British guy with a pleasant voice, my grades back in middle school English were always perfect!

Thank you, Mr. David Attenborough!

As we entered the store, my eyes immediately began searching for a chair that I can rest on while Komachi looks for her clothes.

"Komachi, I'll go look for a place to sit down." I told her.

"What? Oh, go ahead then." She was paying little attention to me because apparently, a cute pink dress is worth giving more attention than her brother.

You just lost a ton of points, Komachi-chan!

I walked around the store looking for a seat. Many stores have seats near the changing rooms, so I went there first.

Good news is that I spotted a few seats, but alas, it was already occupied by a number of my fellow men who have been dragged by their female companions into this wretched place!

I can see the boredom in their eyes as they spaced out and stared at the wall or the floor.

I can feel you brothers...you are not alone in this struggle...

Guess I'll stick around Komachi then...

I spotted Komachi looking at a few dresses and immediately went up to her. As I caught sight of the dress that she was picking out, I noticed something very wrong with it.

It exposed too much skin.

"Oi Komachi, what's with that dress you got there? I'm not part of the fashion police but even I can say that it's showing too much skin to wear in public. I won't allow you to buy that." I reprimanded her, if she was to wear that in public I would have to point a gun at any guy that looks in her direction.

Don't worry father, we will protect Komachi!

"Haaah? But Onii-chan, this is a nightgown."

Wait...

What...

I took another look at the dress that she picked out and finally took a good look at it.

Soft-looking fabric, check. Semi-transparent, check. Looks easy to move around, check. Looks comfortable, check. Appeals to the female population due to exposing the seductiveness of the body and has a lot of feminine charm, check. A high chance of a lonely wife seducing her husband who has been neglecting her because of his stress from work, VERY check.

Ok, one last, thing...

I craned my head around the place and we were directly underneath the Nightwear section.

...

...

Wow, good going me, you embarrassed yourself again today.

My embarrassment must have shown because the people that were within earshot of my earlier declaration began silently snickering.

Pff, laugh while you're still alive, filthy commoners!

When I turned to Komachi, she was trying to hold back a very loud and boisterous laugh, to the point that she will start snorting like pig just like what she did at home this morning.

"Komachi, let's split up here, I'll be going to the bookstore."

The mirth that was threatening to burst from her earlier disappeared and she sported a downcast expression on her face.

"Ah, ok. Just call me when you're done...I think I'll take a while looking for stuff too..."

I didn't want us to separate like this, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth, so I did what is expected as her Onii-chan!

"Don't worry Komachi, you need not to ask for my opinion when you show me a dress you picked out and wore in front of me. Any dress will do because you are the cutest in the world!"

Her entire face exploded in crimson and I could see steam going out from her ears.

I realized that I have made more attention to myself because a few people were whispering to each other and looking at us, they could have at least tried to act less conspicuous...

"H-Haahh?! W-What are you saying baka Onii-chan! W-Well, it can't be helped t-then! Come back when I tell you to, ok?!" Komachi exclaimed while stuttering, making her last threat lost its effect on me.

"Hai, ojou-sama." I mockingly bowed to her before she lightly punched my shoulder for my act, after that, we parted ways, with her face still a red mess by the way.

Haha, I love teasing her so much to fish out those cute reactions.

Now with her out of the way, and me not being her slave anymore, the true Hikigaya Hachiman will resurface!

I activated my STAND, [108 loner skills, which has many abilities, including one that I like to call STEALTH HIKKI!

*Hikigaya, your chunni side is showing again...*

Let me have this delusion, at least...

STEALTH HIKKI allows me to be undetectable and unnoticeable in plain sight, and, with my already low sense of presence, I am at the peak of my power!

With this I am invisible to those people who might scam me with shady deals and store workers enticing me to buy and enter their store!

As I made my way through stores and stalls towards the bookstore I passed by earlier, a familiar figure entered my vision.

It was the girl from earlier, the one wearing the white summer dress...

She was a few meters ahead of me and seemed like she was going in the same direction I was.

*Hello police? I believe to have spotted a suspicious individual in public, which seems to be a stalker...*

Hahaha, very funny. Go kill yourself.

As I walked my earlier suspicions were enforced as the girl would sometimes stop and look to right and left, sometimes she would look behind her. When she does however, I would tactically move behind someone so she won't see me.

Wow, I legitimately feel like a stalker...

I have concluded that this girl doesn't want to be recognized in public, or that she is hiding from someone by dressing up in a fashion that's not usually in her style.

Either way, I don't care, she can jump from a bridge for all I care. Wait, that went a little too far...

As I neared the bookstore that I spotted earlier, the girl reached it first and went inside, after looking at her surroundings of course. Upon entering, the bookstore, it was bigger than I expected it to be. Large shelves occupied a large portion of the space inside, each one had a label hanging on top of it from the ceiling. In the novel aisle romance section, I saw a couple of girls giggling to each other as they read the contents of the book.

Ugh, probably some cringey romance that's so sweet it will give me sugar overdoes.

Upon closer inspection, the place only had a few customers, not to mention that I saw a WE ARE HIRING sign I saw outside. Hmm, I will inquire about that on a later time...

With me continuing to assess the bookstore itself, and see if it's worth going back again, I might even become a regular here, I remembered that I lost sight of the girl that I saw earlier, I wonder where she is?

I shrugged to myself, it's not that I was intrigued at her actions or anything!

Through the shelves that I passed and the novels that were scanned with my rotten eyes, only a few ever caught my attention. I decided not to look for Light Novels right now because I forgot to search online for its reviews, and picking up every book and examining it closely will take more time.

I am of course in a hurry to finish up everything and return home!

One of them was located in the classics aisle, which contained copies of one of the most famous literary pieces created by the past masters.

Ah, The Iliad, I have yet to completely read a copy of this, only shortened summaries that we were in our textbooks in middle school.

Frankenstein, I laugh to myself when people call Dr. Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein, at least get it right damnit!

Moby Dick, ah, the classic struggle between beast and man!

Macbeth, I believe we had a play of this when I was a kid, but I don't remember what role I played as, probably something useless or a background character, somewhere along those lines.

Romeo and Juliet, as you might expect, I never bothered to read one because romance was never in my interest.

The Silmarilion, finally! I have been looking for this for ages! Now which one to buy? A book by the great Tolkien, or the one made by Homer?

As I was contemplating which book I should pick out, a person slightly came into view from my left side. I can see a white skirt and sandals.

Wait...

It's the girl from before.

I quickly made a discreet sideway glance at her, but she also had the same idea. I finally got a proper look at her face this time.

She's not wearing her sun hat anymore, and I can properly see her facial features now.

Her face had a soft look to it, though I can't quite call it delicate. She had fair skin and straight dark brown hair ended just a few centimeters above her shoulders. Her hair was neat and had a clean and formal look to it.

Finally, her brown eyes were behind red rimmed eyeglasses, and, for some reason, she was breathing hard and had a flushed face.

She looks tired, and I can see the remains of a few beads of sweat on her brow. Well, given that it's quite hot outside, that's to be expected I guess.

We made eye contact for a full three seconds, before she broke from my gaze and continued staring at the row of shelved books in front of her.

She was probably disgusted at me physical features, or she thought I was familiar and she recognized me from earlier.

Anyway, I ignored her and went back to my contemplating in which book to get.

...

...

...

...

Ok, now her presence is bothering me.

What was she doing? If she wanted to get pick up a book, she should have one by now. Her eyes were fixated at the classics section, maybe she's waiting for me to move so she can grab a book?

I pretended to be interested in certain shelf a few steps away from her and moved over there. As I expected, she immediately went to the place where I was moments ago and began to look for something.

I heard a tch from her and she looked over to me, but I quickly turned my head before she can catch me looking at her.

Damn I feel like a creep.

I realized that I was still holding the copy of The Iliad, ah maybe I'll buy this next time, I'm not in the mood for some Greek literature today. So, I made my way to her to return the book to its shelf. Tolkien ftw!

"Excuse me..." Her eyes were widened when she saw the book in my hand. I wonder, was she looking for this book?

"Yes?" She asked back.

Ah, she must have thought that I was trying to engage into a conversation with her. But I can still see her sneaking glances that the book in my hand...what to do...

"Were you looking for this book?"

I held up the book in front of me and her eyes followed it like when a dog follows a tennis ball held by the hand of its master.

"Ah, it's fine, really. You were the one who got first anyway." She made her move and turned her back at me, if her hair was long enough, it would have hit me in the face. What the heck was that? I felt like I was just rejected!

Hey! What she did was just like what I did to Kawasaki-san this morning!

"But I decided to by another book, so you can have this." If I was talking to Komachi, what I said would have gotten me a ton of points!

She turned to me once more and gave me a grateful look, "Ah, my thanks."

I handed the book to her wordlessly and went to the shelf where I found The Silmarilion, ah there you are my sweet, tonight we will consummate our love!

" The Silmarilion? Oh, I heard that's a pretty nice book!" the girl behind me exclaimed.

What's this? This girl is trying to start a conversation with me?

It would be rude for me to ignore her, so I decided to indulge into some healthy social interactions, wow, that sounded so terrible and wrong coming from me. But if I am to improve myself, I have to do this!

"Indeed, it is, though that goes without saying because the great Tolkien himself wrote this."

"Have you read The Lord of The Rings series?" she asked.

"All of them."

"That's impressive. I had a hard time reading them because some of the words were too complex for me to understand."

Huh? But you're holding a copy of The Iliad right now...

She must have realized what I was thinking because she immediately added, "Oh, you must be wondering why I am interested in this book, even though I said that I have a hard time reading with complex words, no?"

I wordlessly nodded.

She held the cover of the book and pointed at some of the text at the bottom part that I didn't bother to read.

"This is the simplified version. It's been edited to be readable for readers like myself, though not completely changed to the point where it is completely different from the original."

So, it's a normie version of the book edited for normie readers.

Ah, I see. So not everyone is as smart as me huh. A pity. Life must be hard when you have normie-level I.Q.

"Oh, I never noticed that." I looked at the book on my hand and scanned a few pages. "Well, mine is the original copy and it's in English too."

"Wow, you must be pretty smart then."

This is the 2nd time I have been told that today, and I'm still not sure on how to respond.

Being so used to being verbally bullied at school has led me to the confusion on what I should to on the rare occasions that I am complimented, by people outside my family.

So, I awkwardly laughed a bit.

*cringe*

"Ahaha, my thanks. You must be pretty intelligent yourself, seeing that you seek to improve you current reading skills, no? I'm also glad that I have met a fellow book enthusiast."

She lightly blushed and awkwardly laughed. What part of my sentence made her blush, I wonder? She might be thinking that I'm a creep for hitting on her or something.

"Ah, I totally get you. Only a few of my classmates read novels and such, and most of them just try it out for a bit, only for them to go back to their ridiculous anime and manga, not to mention those strange books they read called light novels."

Ouch, that hit home. She even low-key stated that light novels are gross. Look I know that they are gross, but only a few of them appeal to me, and the ones that do genuinely interest me and not because of the illustrations on the cover page.

She looked at me funny from my reaction from her statement, she must be very observant if she spotted my unease...

Right now, I have to find a loophole outside of this awkward situation.

"I know right, I remember a few classmates who would dress up in anime stuff and spout nonsense all of a sudden. They were eccentric fellows and I would always keep my distance and make sure not to associate myself with the likes of them."

Did I just insult and degrade myself? I did, didn't I?

I saw her eye twitch. Some people might not have noticed it, but my dead fish eyes see all.

"A-Ah, I think we feel the same on that subject. I passed by an anime store a while ago and I immediately cringed, I didn't even want to look inside!" For some reason, I think she's lying...

Well, I'll just keep up the act for now.

"Yes hahaha, I chose not to sneak a look inside because I was afraid I would see something that would make me lose my faith in humanity. But wait, are we talking about the same anime store the one near the entrance to the mall, that's a few stores away from a bread shop?" I asked her.

"Yes, that one."

"I saw you pass by that place earlier when I was walking with my sister, though I'm not sure if you caught sight of me."

*Hikigaya, that sounded a bit stalker-ish...*

Really?

*Not too much, but, just a tad bit...*

She had a look of slight surprise on her face.

"Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing you there. I'm surprised that you remember me."

With a face like yours, it's hard to forget it. But I wasn't going to say that of course. But if I did, I am predicting two scenarios;

One, she would blush and think I'm hitting on her, then we would exchange contact information for future meet ups. After a number of meetings, one of us would declare the he/she likes the other and would like to be in a relationship. Once the relationship has been formed, we would decide if it would remain a secret or we would introduce each other to our parents. A few years later, I would decide to marry her and she would say yes, a year later, we are now intertwined by marriage and love. About that time, my father would retire and I would take over the company. The year after that, our son would be born, and would be followed by two more children. Komachi would be a happy and proud aunt and my parents would finally rest easy in knowing that their son has succeeded in life. We would be the perfect picture of a happy and ideal family, the end.

Or two, she would be disgusted and call the police on me for accused sexual harassment, and I would be unjustly punished by the law.

I realized that we've been talking for a bit, yet we didn't reveal each other's names.

"I believe this is a bit late, but we should introduce ourselves. My name is Hikigaya Hachiman." I held my hand out to her for a handshake. I decided to initiate because I hate being seen as an indecisive person.

"Ah, I see, you can just call me...Hinata-san, yeah." She took my hand and shook it.

When I let go, I was glad that my hands weren't sweaty, because if it was, and I shook my hand with Hinata-san, that would have been super gross.

I heard someone clear their throat, and I turned my head to the source. An elderly woman had a look of annoyance on her face when our eyes met.

"Excuse me young man, but if you really intend to talk to this lady over here, please do it somewhere else, the both of you are blocking the walkway here."

Before Hinata-san could react, I activated another ability of my [STAND, which directs the blame on myself instead of others!

"My deepest apologies for my rude behavior, madam." I bowed slightly to show how sincere I am.

But the truth is, bowing while apologizing has a higher chance of being forgiven, a fact that I have tested many times in the past and almost always works, but for some reason it doesn't work on Komachi...

"Hmph, at least you have manners I see..." she mumbled as we made room for her to pass by. When she was out of earshot, I gave a sigh of relief, but my partner looked rather out of place.

Hinata-san was fidgeting a little with a troubled look on her face.

"Hikigaya-san, that was rude of me, I made you look like a bad guy..."

"No need to worry, I purposely directed the blame on myself." I must have said that in a proud tone because she looked at me weirdly, then she lightly started giggling.

"That was quite heroic, but the means does not justify the ends I suppose. I don't have anything else to buy so I'm heading to the cashier, wanna come with me?" she asked me.

What is this?

This female, not only was she willing to speak to a person of low social standing such as me, but she also wants me to accompany her?

Nah, I'm probably just overthinking things like always. This is just a friendly invitation for the sake of social norms...

"I see why not." I had no reason to deny her offer, and even if I wanted to, I couldn't think of an appropriate excuse at the moment.

As we made our way to our destination, her earlier tendencies, which were looking around herself and trying not to catch any attention, returned as soon as we came within sight of other people.

I ignored it because I was busy on trying to remember all the contact information and other details needed for those interested in having a part time job here which I saw from a recruitment poster nearby.

I felt a finger poke my cheek and I turned to the perpetrator.

"Hinata to Hikigaya-san, hello? Can you read me? Man, what were you thinking about? You were totally spacing out." Hinata-san said with a look of bewilderment.

"I'm interested in the recruitment poster, that's all." I replied lazily.

Her eyes followed mine and she soon caught sight of the said poster.

"Oh, so you want to work part time here?" She asked inquisitively.

"Not yet, first I want to check the place out, then maybe I'll start working here."

"May I ask why?" she asked again.

I appreciate her asking my permission to inquire first rather than just jumping to the question.

"I just wanted to have a working experience, and some extra cash of course."

"Makes sense..." she quietly said.

Our conversation stopped there as we drew closer to the cashier. There were only a few people in the store, and fewer still waiting at the cashier so it didn't take long for us to pay for our purchases.

When we came out of the store with our purchases in hand, I noticed her expression change, from a face of solace and peace, to the look of uncontainable excitement to the points where I can see her shoulders shaking.

She must be really excited to read that book because she's breathing hard and I already see sweat begin to for on her forehead, plus, her face is flushed...wait, what...?

"Hinata-san, is something wrong?" I asked.

"O-Oh nothing, Hikigaya-san. It's just I really want to read this book right now so I'm gonna head straight home!" Her voice was quivering from the thought of reading that book? Damn I've never seen anyone get excited that much over something.

"Ah, I see. Well I'll be heading this way to head back to my sister. See your around Hinata-san."

"Goodbye Hikigaya-san, I'm sure we'll see each other in the near future, and please do tell me your thoughts on the book you bought today and I will inform you mine when we see each other again." she said with a small smile, her earlier change of mood subsiding.

"I'll hold you to that Hinata-san, goodbye and stay safe."

With me giving her a nod and her a smile, we turned the other way at the same time and began walking without looking back.

Several steps later, a sudden curiosity came to me and I craned my head to take a peek at her...

She was skipping happily, and from this distance, I can see the effects of her earlier excitement begin to resurface.

All the while I had one thought in my mind.

What a strange girl, yet very interesting...

...

A few minutes after we separated, I decided to go the department store to go look for some new clothes.

And here I am.

The store that I chose to purchase clothes from had a sale on selected items of up to 40% off, only an idiot would not be attracted to such a bargain. But unfortunately, many others had the same idea as I.

I can already see the long line in the cashier, with people lining up carrying the clothes they desire to purchase. I estimated around forty people divided between two cashiers, there were actually five cashiers but the other three had an "Undergoing repair" sign on it.

Good grief, how inconvenient.

Before I could take a step inside, I thought about the choices before me.

Should I endure a large number of people, and possibly a long waiting line, just so I can buy clothes that are on a sale of up to 40% off?

Or leave this place and look for another store altogether?

Hmm...

...

...

Well, patience is a virtue, and with that, I stepped inside.

Upon entering the store, it actually had a large interior, contrary to its outward appearance. It had a similar layout to the bookstore earlier, but instead of books, there were clothes, and of course, instead of only a few people like the bookstore, this place was jam packed.

My STAND, [108 loner skills, has many abilities, one of them includes giving me the ability to quickly maneuver my way through crowds, I believe I used this ability earlier with Komachi.

*Hikigaya, stop being such a weeb, you know you have no powers*

...

Aaanyway, I picked up a nearby shopping cart and made my way to the men's section and began to look for an article of clothing that would suit my tastes...

After several minutes of me picking out clothes, checking the fabric, going to the fitting room to see if it feels comfortable, and of course, checking the price, I finally picked out the ones that came to my liking.

A slim-fitting white long-sleeved polo shirt that had a thin fabric and was pretty cool to wear, the "temperature" kind of cool not the "looks" kind, ok?

A pair of black jeans that were not too tight, nor too loose. I picked this one because it weighed light making laundry work easy.

Two running shorts, blue and black, for when I would use it for jogging in the morning.

Camouflage style casual shorts because it looked cool and I have never owned one before.

Some boxers because you can never have too many boxers!

Two simple white t-shirts for me to wear at home.

And of course, a hat, like those you see Chinese tourists wear, so that I no one can recognize me in public.

With those inside my cart, I began to walk to where the cashiers where located, but a t-shirt caught my eye.

It was a pitch-black t-shirt with batman's symbol on the middle, it looked nice so I added it to my cart.

You may ask, "Hikigaya, why did you get that shirt? That looks a bit childish lol.".

Why? Because batman that's why!

It took me a few minutes to reach the counter, thankfully, the one who replaced the girl at the cashier was quick with his hands, and the line that was quite long before quickly withered and soon, I was next.

"That would be 5300¥ sir."

I reluctantly gave the money that I spent months saving, damn I feel like chickening out now...

After he gave me the change and my new purchases in a bag, and with a cheerful "Thank you and come again!", I got out of the store and looked for a bench to rest on.

An available seat caught my eye, so I made a beeline toward it. With a tired and audible sigh, I finally sat down and began to rub my numb legs. Jogging is more preferable than hanging around in a mall.

I looked at my watch and was quite shocked, I entered this store around 30 minutes ago, so it took me 30 minutes to buy everything I needed. I wonder how Komachi is holding up on her end...

As expected of myself, quick and efficient as always!

My energy reactors are going low, I want to go back home and recharge, but I already promised to hang out with Komachi today...

Sigh

My phone rang and I took it from my pocket, good thing I changed the ring tone, the former one was a generic anime op and I already forgot the title.

"Hello?"

"ONII-CHAN!"

Ouch, that hurt my ear.

"Yes?"

"Well..."

A few seconds of silence and I was already getting annoyed.

"What is it?" I asked again.

"I met a few of my friends and we decided to go together, I totally forgot to tell them that I'm already hanging out with you, and I think it's too late to back out now because it would be rude and I already agreed to go out with them..."

Ah, I see, oh well.

"Well, have fun, I'll be going home then, I already bought everything I needed."

"What?! You're already done?! I haven't even picked one for myself yet!"

Because you are an indecisive airhead, but I didn't feel like roasting her over the phone so I let it pass.

"Who do you think I am? I am at the physical manifestation of efficiency."

"As expected of my Onii-chan! Anyway, I have to go now! I hope the clothes that you picked aren't unfashionable and gross! I'll be the judge of that! I'll buy you some food before I get back home!" Her positivity was so strong that my A.T. field of pessimism can barely hold her back.

"I see, then make sure to buy me something good and don't come home late. Goodbye and stay safe."

"Bye-bye!" And with that I closed my phone and rubbed my ears, her loud shrilly voice did a number of me.

Finally, I am alone!

Finally, I am done!

Finally, I can go home!

With a quickened pace, I made my way to the exit of the mall and made a beeline towards the train station, I wish I brought my bike with me but biking from my house to the mall might be too much, plus, the blistering heat of the sun, I might get a heat stroke.

Half an hour later, I am currently in the train standing up and leaning on one of the metal poles, I gave up my seat to an elderly old woman, because if I didn't, and my mom caught wind of it, she would disown me and force me to commit seppuku using the katana of my great-great-great grandfather.

To pass the time, I opened my phone and began to browse numerous news articles.

American politics? No thanks.

Price of fish on the market? Useful, but I'm not buying fish right now.

The Weather? I sneaked glances at dad's newspaper this morning.

Rodrigo Duterte roasting other politicians? Amusing, I'll read this later

One of the news articles had the word Chiba on it, and that was enough for me to take a closer look.

Business Competition in Chiba, encouraged by the Yukinoshitas!

Hmph, useless news I say, I bet the one who wrote this article was bribed by the Yukinoshitas. Does real news even exist nowadays? Or maybe I am just paranoid and I low-key hate influential rich people?

No, I hate rich people who trample around the working-class citizens and do not give enough credit to their workers who work tirelessly day after day and receive less than what they deserve. The working-class citizens of Chiba need to have their working conditions and salaries improved!

Wait, I sounded like a communist revolutionary...

Ah enough of this, thinking too deeply on this will just give me radical ideas and force me to convince the working-class of Chiba to rise up with me and overthrow the bourgeoise.

So, I just skipped reading the article and began reading about Bears.

I'm hungry again...

That thought crossed my mind as I exited from the train station, with my stomach rumbling, I began to look for a place to fill my hunger. Being the lazy guy that I am, I just bought a large burger and large fries from the nearby McDonalds for take-out and proceeded to walk home.

Around twenty minutes later of walking, thankfully the sun was covered by clouds so I'm still alive, thanks to that, I arrived home earlier than expected and took out my keys and entered our house.

Calling out to anyone inside and not received a reply, I concluded that I am alone at home, mom probably went to her café already to get things ready.

After changing and leaving my shoes, I put the things that I bought on the table and went upstairs to change clothes.

With that done I went downstairs with the silence of our house and began to unpack my lunch. With the food in front of me and the house completely to myself, a small smile came to my face.

"Home sweet home..."

3

In the early neighborhood of Chiba, a young man was reading a book on his dinner table with a hot cup of tea in front of him. In his company was his dear little sister, who often looked up to him, but also looked down on him. Such is the life of siblings all around the world. The girl was watching T.V. with a hot cup of milk on her hand as it was quite cold given that it's still quite early in the morning.

With a bored expression, she scanned through the channels, looking for an interesting show to indulge herself in. But in actuality, she was spacing out and mindlessly pushing on the buttons of the remote and thinking on nothing particular.

Her brother on the other hand, was deep in thought...

Beautiful...

Absolutely beautiful...!

It's so beautiful that I'm tearing up...!

I felt a single tear slide down my cheek as I put down The Silmarillion.

"Onii-chan, why are you crying...?" A young female voice asked.

I wiped my tear with the sleeve of my shirt, and I felt a warm and wet sensation on the area where my sleeve and cheek touched.

"I'm crying because the world is cruel, Komachi-chan. I cry for all middle-schoolers who were rejected by their crush. I cry for all boys who waved at someone, only to find out that that someone was waving at a person behind them. I cry for Light Novel authors who have to meet a deadline every other month. My tears are for those who cannot shed them." I said to her.

"..."

"..."

"You know that actually sounded nice at the start but your twisted view on the world ruined it."

"Dearest sister, I believe you were meant to say enhanced it."

She gave me an annoyed look and sighed in defeat.

"Onii-chan, there's black tea on your face." She said as she turned away from me and sipped on her cup of milk.

"Hmm?"

I touched my cheek and it was true, looks like my sleeve had a bit of black tea to it. So, I put down my book and went to the bathroom to wash my face.

After knocking on the door and entering inside. I was greeted with my reflection that caused me to yelp in surprise.

My hair was terrible.

There's saliva stains on my mouth.

My eyes were looking more worse and shady-looking than usual. If a group of hoodlums ganged up on me to steal my stuff, they would probably run away in terror once they see how terrifying and [MENACING] my rotten eyes are.

Truly, Kami-sama has granted me with both a blessing and a curse.

But seriously, I look terrible.

I look more terrible than the anime adaptation of Berserk!

As I washed my face with my hands, I felt the cold-water drip from my face to the inside of my shirt. Given that the water was still cold, it gave me goose-bumps and the hair on my back to stand straight.

For some reason, I took off my shirt in front of the mirror and began examining my upper body.

Well, I'm scrawny and frail looking, that's to be expected. So, this is what your body looks like if you eat yakisoba bread every day at school...?

Wait, given that I ride a bike to school every day, unless it's raining, I should be at least burning the fat that I absorb through unhealthy food, right?

With that, I think I can safely assume that I am at the peak of health. Aside from the fact that my stamina is a bit lacking...

Who am I kidding.

I was about to go out of the bathroom when I remembered something really important.

Hmm, what was that again?

...

...

...

Ah, yes, the part-time job at that bookstore me and Hinata-san visited the other day was scheduled for today at 9am. It's still around 6:15am, so I have 3 hours and 45 minutes to prepare.

What was that bookstore again?

Tatsumi's Bookstore? I think that was it, I wasn't really paying attention to the name of the place on my last visit there.

Who the heck is Tatsumi? Is Tatsumi a guy? It sounds like a surname, maybe it's family owned?

Anyway, I will go inside Tatsumi-san later, maybe I'll find out the secrets behind Tatsumi-san.

Wait, that sounded a wrong for some reason...

With a yawn, I exit the bathroom and go back to the dining room to fetch my book and finish my tea. I see that Komachi has already gotten bored with the T.V. and was fiddling with her phone.

Probably texting her friends.

Pff, what a normie.

Komachi must have felt my stare because it was as if a chill went through her spine and looked up to me with grossed-out eyes.

"O-Onii-chan, do need something?"

"Ah, I'm going to..." I answered, but I stopped halfway.

I forgot that I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about my plan to partake in a part-time job, wait, I believe I mentioned it to Hinata-san and Kawasaki-san...

"I saw this book that was on sale the other day, but I forgot to buy it."

"Ahh, I see..." she said with disinterest as her eyes returned to the screen on her phone.

With that out of the way, I finished my now-cold tea in one go and picked up my book to go upstairs. After putting the book on the bookshelf, I picked up a random t-shirt and my trusty old jeans, oh and my new hat too.

However, when I was about to make my way downstairs, I heard my Mom talking to Dad in their bedroom.

"Hitomi, what do you think? This plan is flawless!" My Father asked, through the sound of his voice, he was a little excited about what they were talking about.

"Hmm, it definitely is an interesting idea Dear, but I'll have to put more thought to it." My Mother replied slowly, but the way she said it, it must be a pretty serious topic.

"Alright, but if you ever change your mind, inform me right away and I'll handle everything."

"Ok."

I believe that was the end of their conversation, because I head footsteps coming towards the door, and the doorknob twisted and opened.

"Oh, good morning Hachi, you are quite early today." My Mother greeted me.

Similar to what Komachi was wearing, Mom was wearing her pajamas.

"Good morning Mom and Dad."

"Good morning Hachiman, your mother is right, you are quite early today, do you have plans?"

Damnit! I just avoided a bullet with Komachi, and now I'm being ganged up by my parents?!

"Ah, I'm going to buy another book today."

"Finished with your book already? Impressive!" Mom gleefully exclaimed.

"Are you going to take the Tokyo Line?" My Father inquired.

"No, I'm only going to commute and ride within the Chiba Line."

My father thought for a bit as mom went ahead downstairs.

"I see, let's go together then and separate at the station."

I was going to go out of the house at 8 o'clock, but Dad is really pushing me to the corner here. Well, it doesn't hurt to be early I guess.

"That's fine with me, when do we leave?"

Without a second to spare, my father replied.

"Now."

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"As in, Now now?"

"Yes." My Father said as he passed me and went downstairs.

"Ok, but I'm the one taking the shower first."

My Dad grunted in reply as I entered the bathroom. I head Mom call to me from the kitchen.

"Hachi-kun! Do you want coffee, milk, or tea?"

"I had tea already, thank you."

I heard her call out to Komachi too, but the sounds disappeared as I closed the door of the bathroom and started to undress.

I let out a relieved sigh as I collapsed into the sofa, Komachi right beside me, still wearing her pajamas.

"Onii-chan I like your hat." Komachi said without looking at me. What is she reading on her phone anyway, do you place your phone on a higher level of required attention than your beloved Onii-chan? That's a big minus for Hachiman points!

"Thanks." I replied as I began to take out my wallet and check the things I need.

"Your hat reminds me of an old lady in China." Komachi gave me a sidelong glance with a cheeky grin.

"Well, thank you for the compliment Komachi-chan. We all know that elderly Chinese people give off an air of knowledge and respect. But alas, I am already aware that I am knowledgeable, but unfortunate circumstances have left to admit that I am not very respectable. So, coming from you, that's a big plus in Hachiman points!" I replied sarcastically.

Komachi gave me a deadpanned look.

"Geez onii-chan, I know that you were going to come up with a lame comeback, but I never expected it to be that lame."

Wow, really? Was it really that lame?

*Umm, if you put it on a scale of 1 to 10, we can say that it's around -5! Tehee~!*

So unfair, that score is even out of the scale already!

And what's with the damned tehee~!

Are you a foxy kouhai trying to cunningly manipulate me into doing things for you?!

Hmm, for some reason, I think I accidentally activated a flag there, not sure if it's a good flag or a bad flag though...

"Hachiman, let's go." I heard my Father's voice near the doorway, so I got up to join him.

Of course, as a future author of the book How to be a great Onii-chan, I dutifully patted Komachi's head and bid farewell to her. But surprisingly, she got up and accompanied me to the doorway.

When we went outside, Mom gave me a goodbye kiss to my cheek and Komachi followed suit.

My cheeks reddened in response.

I feel like a husband having my wife see me off to work.

So embarrassing...

"Goodbye and stay safe, you two!" Mom said before she closed the door to the Hikigaya household.

"Bye."

"See you later at dinner." Dad said.

And thus, began our uneventful walk to the station.

Though the sun was shining bright and proud, the scorching heat has yet to reveal its true might, given that it's still early. Looking up, I see a cloudy sky. Hopefully when it starts to get REALLY hot, I hope cloud-san would cover the sun to protect the citizens of Chiba from a fiery demise.

I return my attention to walking, because I might walk into a pole and someone coincidentally caught a video of it. That someone, would then post the video online, which would cause it to spread like wildfire in social media with the title, "Boy from Chiba, walks into a pole and fucking dies."

The last thing I want to do, is to tarnish the good name of Chiba!

"Hey Dad, what time does mom go to her café anyway? "I asked dad a question that's been bugging me for a while now.

"Ah, yes. She stopped opening up at an earlier time because the daily shipments of her supplies were only scheduled at earlier times because of the traffic back in the school year. Now that it's summer, they are much more flexible now that traffic has eased a bit."

Ah, so it's like that huh.

"Hmm, speaking of which, I forgot where her place actually is..."

"It's near the Chiba Business district, or Shopping district, as you would like to call it."

The Chiba Business District was a place where small to large business enterprises were settled to conduct their business operations. Due to the sheer number of shops and such, it's slowly being nicknamed the "Shopping District".

Obviously, the area is quite large. So Dad's reply didn't really help much...

"Hachiman." My father suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I know that it's still too early for me to be asking this, but have you already chosen a possible degree for college? Or at least deciding between the humanities or the sciences?"

"A-Ah.."

Wow, that's REALLY too early to be asking that.

I gave my dad a pained expression.

"Well, it's still too early for me to answer that right now. Even if I did, my response may change three years from now from outside influences, or maybe a change of interest altogether."

"Ah, I see. Well, no need to fret. If you can't decide when that time comes, I'll let you join the company as an undergrad assistant or something." My father offered.

It was times like these that made me realize how lucky I am.

Most fresh graduates would take weeks or even MONTHS to get employed in their first company. Not to mention all the interviews they've done and waiting for the phone call or message that they would receive, informing them of whether they made it or not.

Sometimes, they are forced to be employed in a firm, under the responsibility completely different from the course they graduated in. Which ultimately forces them to adapt to the different environment.

Through adaptation, they will either successfully blend into their new environment, or they would utterly fail in their job, leading them to go back to job hunting once more.

In my case, I already have a place where my father prepared for me.

I can follow my father's footsteps in his college degree, or I can take a law degree and found my own law firm, for example, while being the heir of my father's company.

Hmm, maybe I can be like mom and create my own restaurant or café line? And once it grows, I can set up branches all around Chiba, so that I can monopolize the food industry, while also providing jobs for the local citizens of Chiba!

Should my plan progress further, Chiba will have the lowest unemployment rate in Japan! Maybe even all of East Asia!

Chiba is very lucky that I am born here!

There's still one problem though.

I'm not good at cooking.

But that's one of the things that I want to improve myself in!

"That's a comforting thought." I coolly replied.

"But make sure your grades are always high! I won't accept an employee whose academic performance is below my standards!" My father said with a cheery, but stern tone.

I said nothing but gave a small smile.

We walked in comfortable silence after that, and we passed by the playground where I saw Kei-chan a while back.

I wonder how Kawasaki-san is doing right now?

Kawasaki-san is employed part time in a nearby supermarket, if my assumptions are correct, supermarkets around this area tend to open early in the morning to sell freshly caught fish.

Could it be that a student like Kawasaki-san rises early in the morning to get to her part-time job?

I lack the data to be 100% sure on my assumption, but if it is true, then she is very admirable.

I'm rooting for you, Kawasaki-san!

"Hachiman, did you hear about what your mother and I were talking about in the bedroom?" My Father asked out of the blue, speaking of blue, Kawasaki-san had a beautiful tinge of blue for her hair...

*Heheheh, Hikigaya, thinking about a girl this early in the morning, but that's to be accepted because you are a healthy young teen...*

I'll deal with you later.

"Umm, only the last part..." I replied with a small voice, truthfully, I feel uncomfortable listening on other people's conversations.

But this is one of the abilities, my STAND [108 Loner Skills, it gives me the ability to accurately listen in on people's conversations

"Hmm, I see. Seeing that you already know about it, there's no point in hiding it any further." My father paused before he continued.

"Basically, I have been offered a position as a business partner of a certain bar and café chain, similar to what your mother has here in Chiba. They asked me to invest in their company, and in return, I will get a quarterly return investment equal the percentage we agreed upon.

However, the place to set up shop that they have in plan is actually near you mother's place, to accept their offer would mean that she would have competition. And that competition, is quite more known and famous than your mother's.

Hitomi already informed me that she is planning to set up another branch in either Tokyo or Shinjuku, but I advised her to wait and instead set another branch here in Chiba.

So, with that said Hachiman, where do you stand in this?"

I gave no reply as I walked deep in thought.

One can see the pros of each side, not to mention the cons.

I thought for a bit before replying.

"Frankly, if I were in mom's shoes, I would follow your advice." I didn't want to explain any further, as I believed that my answer was sufficient in itself.

"Good to see that we have the same opinion." Dad nodded to himself.

"Great minds think alike."

I gave a trashy smug grin at me dad and he returned with one too.

"Maybe I'll be able to convince your mother from doing anything too dangerous right now." My Father said with a tired voice.

He must have been trying to convince Mom to go with her plan...

"I hope so, for her to immediately spread out her resources this early, is a bit bold. Notwithstanding that Tokyo is a very competitive and expensive place to set up shop. I believe the proper action should be for her to focus her exploits here in Chiba first." I replied after thinking for a while.

"Yes, not to mention the loses she could incur should things not go according to plan..."

After that short exchange, we talked about trivial things...

The weather

The local news

Politics

My Father complaining about some of his employees.

My Father complaining about his complaining employees.

And of course, what I want to eat for dinner tonight.

In no time, we reached the station.

I know that I was here just a few days ago, but the sheer number of people continue to astound and terrify me.

Good grief, looking at the crowds make me want to vomit.

"Well, Hachiman, I'm headed for Tokyo from here. You're only riding the Chiba local train, right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have enough money on you right now?"

"Yeah. Oh, and by the way, we both haven't eaten breakfast yet..."

My stomach thundered in response.

"Oh, I'll just get something to eat at the cafeteria."

Ah, I see. It must be nice having your very own cafeteria...

"I guess I'll just get some bread or something then." I weakly replied.

"Ok, well, stay safe and see you later for dinner."

I doubt that we'll see each other for dinner later though...

We separated after that, and I saw my Father's figure disappear in the crowd of people.

As I got my ticket and passed through security, I was once again appalled by the number of people.

Thankfully, my STAND [108 Loner Skills, has an ability that is quite suited for this situation.

I mentally prepared myself, before I dived into the sea of people in front of me.

This bread tastes nice, I wish I can bake a bread like this so I can eat it every day.

No, scratch that.

I'll give Komachi the materials needed for her to learn how to bake this bread.

So, I don't have to bake it myself.

So I can eat this bread every day.

Truly, my mind is so resourceful.

It's been an hour since Dad and I separated at the station, and I just had a small breakfast.

With so many people around, it makes me feel anxious and self-conscious.

Like I'm going to meet a classmate from middle-school.

With that thought, I felt a shiver run down my spine as I pulled my hat lower to prevent my face from being visible.

How much longer do I have to wait here?!

I'm sitting at one of the benches nearby, because the bookstore hasn't opened yet. My biography paper that I bought on the way here was already filed up and ready to be examined by the manager there.

Just as I was about to get up and visit the local game store, an employee that was visible through the glass opened the door and turned the sign from "closed", to "open".

Finally.

I made a beeline towards the store and I was greeted by the employee.

"Good morning and welcome Sir!" she greeted me cheerfully.

Missing breakfast and having to commute here early with so many people? I don't call that a good morning in my book.

Regardless, I returned her gesture.

"Good morning. I came here to inquire about the part time job."

After I said that, her eyes lit up with enthusiasm.

"Oh, how wonderful! Good timing, Tatsumi-san just arrived! Please follow me."

As I was following her, she looked behind me with a questioning look.

"My name is Shiromeguri Meguri." She said.

What a cute and fluffy name.

Oh, we haven't introduced each other yet, have we?

I stopped walking and she did the same and faced me.

Now that I got a good look at her, Shiromeguri-san looked like a pretty girl. She was taller then me by only a few inches. With her braided dark-brown hair that stopped midway at her back, and her employee uniform that consisted of an orange hat and t-shirt with the bookstore's logo.

And I can tell that she has, umm... quite the assets.

I can vaguely see laugh lines on the sides of her mouth, she must have a cheery and happy personality. She looked like she was older than me by a year.

For some reason, she's giving off this aura of fluffiness and serenity, is that a passive skill?!

"Hikigaya Hachiman." I held out my hand for her to shake.

She made a curious look, but she took my hand and shook it.

Jeez, social norms and customs are such a bother...

But I have to look decent and acceptable if a want to be employed here...

Seeing that did not move an inch, I gave her look that said, "Umm, do you need anything else?"

She must have understood it and her words came out in a jumble.

"A-Ah! I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask why decided to inquire here?"

"Well, I don't have anything to do this summer break. So, I decided to find a part-time job somewhere in this area."

"I know right?! Not having to do anything in summer is so boooring! So, I decided to get a part-time job here too!" She said it like she was complaining or something...

"Y-Yeah..."

What's with this girl?

"Also, always going out with your friends tend to wear you out, you know? Everyone needs some alone time every now and then!" She continued and resumed walking.

" Not that I would know...I don't have any friends..."

I thought as I followed her.

"Y-Yeah, t-totally..."

"I'm new here see! I just got here like a week ago!" she said in a cheery tone.

"Ah, I see..."

"Ah! Now that I remember, I screwed up on my first day, and the day after that! Tatsumi-san is kind see, so she helped me get used to things!"

"Hmm.."

She must be very clumsy or an airhead then...

Maybe even both...

She knocked once and we heard a "Come in." from inside. As she opened the door, white walls and a desk were greeted by my eyes. A coffee table, a couch, a shelf with books, and for some reason, a flag of Japan at the desk. The floor was covered in a Persian carpet, and the entire room as enveloped by a pleasant smell, it could aroma therapy.

This office gave off the vibe of a principal's office in school

Sitting behind the desk was a woman with dark shoulder-length hair. Her bangs were to the right side and was held in place by a pink hairclip. Her glasses looked up from the newspaper that she was reading when we entered the room. She looked around thirty-something, though I will give her the benefit of doubt seeing that she looks pretty ho- I mean...you get it...

Also, my mother told me that a shouldn't quickly assume a woman's age. Doing so would incur their wrath.

"Good morning Meguri-chan, I see you have someone with you." She said with a bored tone, as her eyes returned to the newspaper.

"Good morning Tatsumi-san! Hikigaya-kun is here to inquire about the part-time job!"

As I was mentioned, I gave a small bow to Tatsumi-san.

Ah, so Tatsumi-san is actually a female...

"Oh, is that so? Well then, Meguri-chan, can you brew us a cup of coffee?"

"Sure, be right back!" With that Meguri-san disappeared behind the door.

"Please, take a seat."

I followed her instruction and took a seat in front of her desk.

"Thank you for having me. Your office is very nice, by the way." I finally spoke.

"Don't mention it. Now, let's get to business, shall we?" She asked in a very professional tone.

I gulped and mentally prepared myself for the questions that she would ask, and also, I began to create scenarios and topics of conversation that would put the odds in my favor.

Of course, I also began predicting questions that she might ask that might get me off my guard.

Not to mention back-up plans for my back-up plans, should they fail.

*Hikigaya, you are overthinking things as usual...*

Nonsense, I would rather overthink things than to under-think things.

"Welcome, my name is Yuuka Tatsumi, I'm the owner here." Her hand extended in greeting.

"Good Morning, I am Hikigaya Hachiman." I shook her hand and took a seat.

I put my biography on the table and Tatsumi-san reached forward to get it.

"Ok then Hikigaya-kun, tell me about yourself."

"I am Hikigaya Hachiman, fifteen years old. I come from a family of four, both of my parents work and I have a little sister. I will be going to Sobou High at the end of the summer. Also, I have been here in Chiba all my life. I have working experience as a cashier. My hobbies include of playing on my PSVITA and reading books. The only sport that I'm good as is at Tennis."

"I see, why did you decide to have an interest in working here?"

"I have nothing else to do this summer, so I decided to do something productive."

"Tell me about your parents."

"My mom owns a coffee shop and bar near this area, and my father works in Tokyo in a logistics and accounting company."

"Hmm, do your parents know about you coming here?" She asked

I shook my head.

"May I ask why?" She politely added.

"I prefer to stay under the radar for now, but I'm sure that I'll tell them in the future."

"Alright then, we have our reasons. I won't ask any further."

She went quiet after that, most likely thinking of more questions to throw at me. Bring it on!

"You don't like going out with your friends?"

Ok, I'll admit, I did NOT expect that.

I gave an awkward and pained smile at her statement, hoping to get my message through...

I think it got through her as she blinked twice and had a look of understanding.

"O-Oh, sorry for asking. We don't mind introverts working here by the way. This is a bookstore after all, our kind has a high affinity for books and quiet places." She closed her eyes and nodded to herself.

A Loner's Sanctuary, huh?

Wait, Our kind?

I said nothing and nodded.

"We give discounts here for our employees, by the way."

My ears perked up at that statement. It looks like I chose the perfect place!

A grin found its way into Tatsumi-san's face.

"Oh? You like the sound of that?" Tatsumi-san said in a teasing tone.

I looked away in embarrassment.

I feel like being teased, and it's embarrassing. Please stop, if this continues, even my ears will get red.

Is this how innocent boys in my age would feel when a beautiful older woman hits on them?!

"Hahaha, your reactions are so cute..." Tatsumi-san said as she giggled.

I wanted to ask myself if I could go even redder, and I think I answered my own question.

"Well, anyway, you can start today. I'll asses you if you're up for the job at the end of the day."

That was pretty straight forward and fast!

I have to start today? The place is slightly bigger than your average bookstore, and I didn't see any other employees...

"You must be wondering how many of you are there, right?"

"Ah, yes Maam."

"There's only you and Meguri-chan right now. We like to leave the customers to their vices and have as much little customer-employee contact as possible."

That...doesn't sound bad actually.

If I put myself as an example, I don't want to bother employees with my question, their job is already bothersome. I would look for the book that I am looking for myself, and if all else fails, I would ask if that particular book is out of stock. Similarly, I didn't want employees bothering me.

"I see."

We were interrupted by a knock from the outside, and the twist of the doorknob signaling the opening of the door.

"Sorry for the wait~. Here's your coffee Tatsumi-san, Hikigaya-kun!" Shiromeguri-san gave us a mug filled with the caffeine-filled beverage.

We both said our thanks as Shiromeguri-san took a seat in front of me and took a cup for herself.

Why is she drinking with us...?

"Don't be shy Hikigaya-kun, drink up before it gets cold! I already locked the main door temporarily so don't look so nervous." She said and giggled at the last part.

I lifted the mug to my lips because it was only lukeward, and surprisingly, it was sweet.

"Ah, is it too sweet for you? I didn't know your what you liked so I just put a lot of sugar to cover up the bitterness." Shiromeguri-san said with a bit of apprehension.

"No, this is actually how I prefer my coffee." I said as I quickly shook my head.

Shirmeguri-san's eyes widened after I said that.

"What?! But I put a lot of sugar! Are you sure? You don't have to force yourself do drink it you know..."

To prove her wrong, I finished the coffee in one go, and I saw Tatsumi-san, who's been quiet for some reason, have a look of surprise on her face.

"W-Wow."

"He was actually serious..."

I was feeling a bit proud of myself, this level of sweetness is nothing to me!

"Thank you again for the coffe- buurp" A belch escaped from my mouth at the last moment.

...

...

...

...

Please kill me.

The two women, apparently holding their laughter, released them at the same time.

"Hahahaha! That was priceless!" Tatsumi-san exclaimed as she started pounding her desk in merriment.

"I did NOT expect that!" Shiromeguri-san said as she's holding her stomach.

Damn these two women! I feel like a thing to be teased and toyed with!

Regaining my composure, I gave a cough, although my cheeks were still a bit red...

"Anyway, hahaha, Meguri-chan will show you what to do." Having composed herself a bit, Tatsumi-san told the girl in front of me.

"Ok! Hikigaya-kun, follow me!" Her bubbly attitude was a bit annoying, but it was pretty cute.

I got up and followed her as Tatsumi-san bade us goodbye.

It's been two hours since I started.

Shiromeguri-san gave me a spare uniform, and taught me the basics. She showed me the staffroom, stockroom, how to check the inventory and which books belonged in what isle.

I learned quickly, thanks to how simple her methods were.

Right now, I can see her wave at me from the cashier and I waved back. As I pushed the cart that contained the new shipment of books, I dutifully went to isle after isle placing them in each category.

Romance

Classic Literature

Science Fiction

Action

Horror

Psychological Thriller

Biographies

Mystery

The list went on and on until the cart was empty.

Mission Complete! I can feel my experience points increase!

Seeing that my current task is done, I went to Shiromeguri-san to ask on what I should do next.

When I reached her, she immediately gave me thumbs up.

"Good job Hikigaya-kun!"

Ah! So cute! So bubbly!

"T-Thanks, what should I do next?" I asked her

"Hmm..." she put on a thinking pose as she thought on the current situation.

"Ah, yes. Check our inventory and refill the books that are low in number and put them on display. Also, make a note on what books are close to being sold out. Our minimum number should be fifteen for the novels, ten on the educational ones and ten for the magazines and such." She informed me.

I made my way the computer and did as I was told. Making a mental note on the books titles that were low in number, which were not a lot by the way, I went to our stockroom to get the books.

I noticed that there were an average number of people just walking around the store and looking around. Most of them were older than me, most likely college students.

They picked up numerous books like accounting books, medical books, engineering books, management books and so on and so forth.

A small number of them began reading on the spot, or just sat down on the ground. I even saw a group of engineering students sitting against the wall comparing notes on different books that they collected.

Some of them were still wearing uniforms based on the numerous shops in this area. I wonder if they are on a break from their part-time job...

With the cart on my hand I carefully placed the books in the cart. I made sure to be extra careful and not be in a hurry because I might cause an accident and the books might get damaged.

Thus, it took me quite a while to get out from the stockroom.

Not to mention that many of the books were heavy, especially medical, engineering and law books. They were really T HI C C too, and my arms began to sore right after finishing everything. I was covered with a thin sheet of sweat after my ordeal.

When I went out however, I noticed that the customers were gone.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!" I turned to the voice and saw Shiromeguri-san walking over to me.

"Did you need anything, Senpai?"

Crap! I accidentally said called her senpai without her consent!

I quickly put my hand to my mouth.

"Ah! No worries! Just calling me senpai is fine!"

I won't call her that too soon, it's embarrassing...

"Hikigaya-kun, it's lunchbreak already so you can stop for now."

Oh?

I looked at my watch and what she said was true, it's already 12:00.

"Ah, I see." I pushed the cart into the corner for me to continue later.

"Anyway, did you bring anything for lunch?" Shiromeguri-san asked me.

"No, I'll just eat outside, thank you."

"Ok, if you need anything, me and Tatsumi-san will be in the staff room, we only have one hour for the break so be back here by 1:00!" she cheerfully said as she handed me the key to the main entrance.

"Ok then, see you later." I made my way to the exit and went outside. Through the glass wall, I saw Shiromeguri-senpai walk to the staff room.

Damn, I'm hungry, what should I eat?

I took out my wallet and checked my funds.

Well, I don't have to worry about money though...

I walked around the mall, trying to spot a place to eat.

Ramen would be nice...

I think I saw a ramen house not far from here when I came here with Komachi...

So, I changed my mind and went outside the mall to look for the ramen house that I saw before. After several minutes, I finally saw it and opened the door.

Upon entering I heard a loud "Welcome!", and I turned to see a middle-aged man with an apron, and I returned the greeting with a small nod.

The place was small, but had a homely feel to it. The patrons here ranged from your average corporate slave on their lunch-break, to middle-school kids. It was decorated with the usual stuff you see in ramen houses here in Chiba. I wonder, do ramen houses in different prefectures look the same?

I went and took a seat near the window and the waiter came to take my order.

"What would you like for lunch?" She gave me the menu with different dishes that they offer.

Seeing that this is my first time here, I should go with the flow on the trends and pick a safe option.

"Give me your bestseller during lunch time." I ignored the menu and gave it back to her.

"Ok! Working-mans' Ramen coming right up!" She took the menu and gave my order the chef in charge.

What strange name for a ramen...

After several minutes of waiting, my order was finally ready and the dish was placed in front of me. It was quite larger than I expected, and for some reason, it had a lid covering the bowl. You don't see that every day.

"Here's your order sir! Enjoy your meal!" The waiter cheerfully said.

What's with the sudden increase of positive and enthusiastic people near me?!

"Itadakimasu..." I muttered to myself as I removed the lid on the bowl.

At that instant, my olfactory senses were assaulted with the smell.

"W-What?! T-This-!"

[ Insert food wars scene where the clothes are ripped off with a ridiculous and over the top background.]

"This smell! So powerful! So strong! So good!" as I reveled in the smell of the dish itself, I opened my eyes to fully capture the sight in front of me.

I took the chopsticks and began examining the contents of my food.

"The noodles are cooked to perfection! The boiled egg is in harmony with the broth! The slice of pork with a hint of fat is tender and lean! The onions and fried pieces of garlic are a perfect combination that enhances the strong taste of the ramen! The finely chopped ginger goes well with the meat!"

[ Insert scene where every single ingredient used has a close up and is thoroughly explained as to why it matches perfectly with the dish, and the method on how it was cooked.]

Slowly but surely, I took hold of the Chinese spoon and sipped some of the broth.

"T-This broth! Not only does it complement the ingredients inside, I taste chicken, ginger, ground pepper, and many other herbs that make up the stock!"

With my chopsticks, I got some of the noodles and lifted it to my mouth.

"The noodles combined with the broth-!" I let out a small moan of delight.

[ Insert ahegao Hikki face.]

There was something else in the broth! But I can't put my finger on it!

I lost myself in the dish, and I continued eating with slurping sounds and with no regard to the people around me.

Before long, my bowl was empty, and I sat in a daze savoring the euphoria.

I heard footsteps coming towards me, and I saw the middle-aged man who greeted me a while ago.

"I see you enjoyed your lunch! I made this for people such as yourself!" he said in a loud voice.

I looked at him in, wanting him to explain further.

"Ah, you see, this dish is made for the working man, thus the name stuck to the dish. As you may have noticed, the ramen has a lot of meat in it, proteins and carbohydrates that give a man energy to continue on with his hardwork!"

"Oh, that explains it." I said as I regained a bit of my composure, but for some reason, I was feeling quite dizzy.

The chef looked at me strangely, as if noticing something that he didn't see before. Without a moment to spare, he took my bowl and took a whiff from it.

"Good grief, looks like I forgot to ask if you wanted it without beer."

Wait.

What?

"Oi brat! Get this young man a glass of water!" The chef called and soon a glass of water was placed in front of me.

"What? Are you saying, I'm drunk?" I asked him, I wasn't angry or anything, the feeling was just alien to me.

"Not really, but looks like you have a low tolerance for even small amounts of alcohol." He grinned as I began to drink the water in front of me.

"I assure you that ramen would give you the energy needed to continue with your day at work kid!"

I looked at him, confused at his statement. Then I followed his eyes and looked down.

Ah, I was still wearing my uniform.

"Ah, thank you for the meal, how much was the ramen?" I asked as I fished out my wallet.

The chef then held out his hands and made an X on front of him.

"Please, today's order is on me. This is your first time here after all. Not to mention that we troubled you with the alcohol in the broth." He said sincerely.

"Ah, thank you then." I said as I politely thanked him and began to get up from my seat.

"Don't mention it kid! Be sure to come again!" After he said that, I bowed again to show my gratitude and bade him goodbye.

Guilt forced me to call the chef again, and I bowed once more.

"Thank you for the food." With a last laugh coming from him, I exited the ramen house and was met with the afternoon sunlight.

A satisfying lunch? And I didn't have to pay for it?

That was indeed a nice meal, if I say so myself.

I reached the bookstore with only ten minutes to spare, and with my spare key, went inside to go to the staffroom. Knocking once, I was greeted with the sight of Shiromeguri-senpai taking a nap on the table.

Thankfully, the aftereffects of the alcohol within the ramen was disappearing because I can feel my cheeks return to their natural color.

I still fell a bit dizzy and lightheaded though...

"Oh, Hikigaya-kun, you're here." I looked for the source of the voice and saw Tatsumi-san just exit the manager's room.

She put a finger to her mouth and bid me to come closer.

"Hikigaya-kun, would you be a dear and cover for Meguri-chan for now?" She gave me a sweet smile, her left eye was closed, giving her a cutesy look.

HHHHNNNNGGG

This is so unfair...

"Ok, but what if I get overwhelmed?" I was still pretty nervous about this job and I don't want to ruin my first day.

*Hikigaya, you're not even on your "first day" yet, remember? You're still being evaluated by Tatsumi-san. *

Oh yeah.

"Don't worry! I'll help out this afternoon!" With that said, she gently pushed me to the door.

The last thing I saw before I walked out of the staff room was Shirmeguri-senpai drooling on the table.

I was intimidated by the cashier, now that I have a good look at it. It had so many buttons, and the possibility that I might do something wrong was still in the back of my mind.

But after a several minutes of getting taught by Tatsumi-san, I finally got the hang of it.

And by that, I mean, I irritated a customer because I pressed the wrong button and his change was missing and it took quite some time before Tatsumi-san came to my rescue.

Wretched cashier! Damn you! I will conquer you!

"Ara, Hikigaya-kun, don't look so down, it's really simple once you get the hang of it!" She tried to cheer me up but instead I felt salt on my wounds.

"Yes maam..." I replied, but a figure came to my peripheral vision emitting a bubbly and fluffy passive skill.

"Oh, it looks like Meguri-chan is back! I'll be in my room if you need anything else." She wished me good luck and went back to the staffroom.

Shiromeguri-san walked over to me with a funny look on her face.

"Hehehe, sorry about you covering for me Hikigaya-kun, I guess my nap took too long." She said while scratching her head with a guilty look on her face.

She looked like Komachi when I caught her stealing my cookies, she even has the guilty face to boot.

What is this?! My Onii-chan instincts are being stimulated by a girl older than me?!

I coughed once to clear my head from unnecessary thoughts.

"Well, Tatsumi-san helped me out, so it wasn't a big deal. I didn't do anything much."

"Ah! I see, well let me take over for you. You can go back to refilling the shelves and checking the inventory!" She said.

With that said, I bade her goodbye and went back to the stockroom to replenish the shelves.

Just thinking about it makes by back hurt from all the heavy lifting...

When I went inside the stockroom, immediately resumed my work.

Sigh

This is going to take a while...

After getting the books needed, I went outside and began going to each isle and putting them in place. Time passed by, and only a few books left to shelf for me to finish my task. I looked down and picked up one of the books in the cart, and it was a children's book. A story book, in fact, and it was Cinderella.

If children knew the full story of this book, this would never be considered as a children's book.

I was about to go to the children's books isle, but a young and familiar voice made me stop on my tracks.

"Saa-chan! Let's buy a coloring book!"

Hmmm...

Saa-chan...

Saa-chan...

...

...

...

...

...

HAA-CHAN!

It's Kei-chan!

From the direction of the voice, I can't tell that they were at my 11 o'clock, fortunately, there was a large shelf to my left, so they wouldn't be within my line of sight unless they were directly in front of me.

I slowly walked back, hoping that they would not turn to this corner.

My heart skipped beat when I saw Keika run past my isle.

I nearly got a heart attack when I saw Kawasaki-san chase her.

RED ALERT!

RED ALERT!

EVASIVE MANEUVRES!

With a rush of adrenaline, I quickly grabbed my cart and began to pull it back to the opposite end of the isle. Seeing that the coast was clear, I made a beeline towards the stockroom but a voice made me stop in my tracts.

"Excuse me, do you know where the children's book isle is?" Kawasaki-san asked behind me.

My blood ran cold and I can hear the pounding of my heart.

But...

Wait...

Why am I exaggerating?

Why do I feel that I am about to be caught cheating on my wife?

Am I in a comedy skit?

Am I in a comedy anime?

Why am I scared of this present situation?

With those thoughts in my mind I was about to reveal my true identity, lol, but I was once again interrupted by another feminine voice.

"Ah, of course! Please follow me!" said Shiromeguri-senpai.

In my haste, I did not notice the presence of Shiromeguri-senpai near me, and it was her that was being called by Kawasaki-san.

It would have been really cringe-y if I turned around, only to discover that I was not the one being called. The thought itself makes me want to commit seppuku.

I saw Kawasaki-san and Kei-chan follow Shiromeguri-senpai from the corner of my eye, they didn't even bother to give me a second look.

It's good to see that my presence was still low as usual.

Seeing my chance, I pushed the cart and quickly went towards the stockroom and closed the door behind me, damn that was close!

I realized that all of the tasks that I was assigned to were already done, and now I have nothing else to do. I waited a few minutes in the room until assumed that it was safe to go out.

Peeking outside of the room, and seeing that the coast was now clear, I took a clean rag from one of the closets and began carefully wiping the books in the shelves that were accumulating dust.

A pity, to see books wither in the dust left unread.

Time passed by as I did my labor.

I thought that mere minutes had passed, only to find out that its actually been hours.

For a moment, I was struck by how hollow and unthinking my mind was as I was doing my job, like I was a robot programmed to do nothing but work.

Is this how corporate slaves do their daily work in the labor camps?!

My heart goes out to all corporate sla -I mean regular office workers.

As I was nearing the end of my task, something touched my back and I gave out a rather unmanly sound.

Kyah!

I heard I similar sound behind me, and I turned around to see whoever disturbed by monotone task, I was greeted by the sight of Shiromeguri-senpai.

"Ah! I'm sorry for startling you Hikigaya-kun!" I can tell she was suppressing a giggle because her mouth was twitching.

"We're nearing closing time." Shiromeguri-senpai said.

"Ah, ok."

Finally! I can go home!

"You can go on ahead, Hikigaya-kun. I still have to submit a daily sales report to Tatsumi-san."

I nodded to her as I went to the staff room to get a change of clothing. I was still wearing the staff shirt, and my lame shirt was still in the locker.

After changing back to my old shirt, I went to Tatsumi-san to inform her that I am about to leave. Knocking on the door and receiving a "Come in!" from the other side, I pushed it open and went inside.

When Tatsumi-san saw that it was me, she stopped typing on her PC and gave me a thumbs up.

"Yosh Hikigaya-kun! You passed today's test! I will be looking forward to your hard work tomorrow!"

"Ah, I see. Thank you for having me." I bowed low to her to show by gratitude.

"What's with the dull response? Anyway, you can go on ahead. Me and Meguri-chan still have to deal with some loose ends, also, you can have this." She took something from her drawer and put it on top of the table.

"You said you liked sweet things, yeah? So, have this as a gift." She said as my eyes were focused on the object on top of the table.

C-Could it be?

My one and only beverage for refreshment?

The drink that most people would avoid because of its overly-sweet taste?

MAXX COFFEE?!

I took the can to my hand and held it close to my heart.

"Thank you, Tatsumi-san."

"Geez, what's with you? It's just coffee you know. Anyway, you should go home and get some rest. Be here 9am sharp for tomorrow, ok?" Tatsumi-san said.

"Ok."

With a final thank you and goodbye to her, I departed from her room to exit the store and go home.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun!" The voice of Shiromeguri-senpai called me from behind.

"Shirogeguri-san, did you need anything?" I asked her rather too fast, I was quite eager to go home you see.

"You forgot your hat." True to that, she brought my hat that she hid behind her in front of me.

Ah, how could I forget? My trusty white hat that protected me from being recognized in public, making me avoid confrontations from my acquaintances back in middle-school.

Well, not like I had any acquaintances anyway...

"Ah, thank you. Sorry for bothering you, Shiromeguri-san." For some reason, she pouted when I said that.

"Hikigaya-kun, I told you to just call me "senpai"."

Heck no, that would be too embarrassing. And for a self-conscious person such as myself, the embarrassment factor would be multiplied tenfold due to my character trait, that being the LONER trait.

"Ahaha, I see. Maybe next time then, Shiromeguri-san." At my reply, she sighed in defeat.

She puffed out her cheeks at my reply.

HHHHNNNNGGGG, MY HEART!

So cute!

"Geez, you're so stubborn. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun! Don't make me get your forgotten belongings for you gain tomorrow!"

"Goodbye, Shiomeguri-san."

After that, I exited the bookstore, or should I call it my workplace now?

Regardless, I began my journey to the Chiba station that would get my home.

But I had one thought on my mind.

"Shiromegu- ouch!" I unknowingly said the words out loud.

...

...

...

Her name is truly a mouthful to say every time, I even bit my tongue. I can taste the metallic taste of the red liquid.

I arrived home at around 6:30pm, and the sky was already dark.

When Komachi opened the door, she was wearing an apron over herself. She was probably wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt on top because she looked like she was wearing nothing underneath.

"Welcome back, Onii-chan! Would you like dinner, a bath, or," She cutely leaned herself to me. Oi! If the neighbors see this, they might get the wrong idea!

"Wa-ta-shi?" She finished her sentence. Good grief, what a cliché statement. It has lost its effect on me because I have seen this scenario numerous times in my Light Novels.

So, I basically gave her my trademark deadpanned bored look, and walked past her. Utterly ignored, she began to hit my back with her small fists.

"Hey! Why are you not embarrassed?! I saw it work on the anime that I was watching!" She said with her high-pitched voice.

Upon the sound of her voice, Kamakura, our cat who was lying on top the sofa, meowed as if to welcome me home and trotted over to me.

Sometimes, I even forget that he lives here with us.

"Your Hachiman points are low, that's why it has no effect on me." I said as I sat down and took off my shoes. Kamakura jumped on to my lap which caused me to be slightly startled.

"How can I get more Hachiman points right now?" I looked up and she gave me a curious look.

Hmm...

"You can prepare a bath for me, if you want." I said nonchalantly.

"Haiii!" With a cheery tone, she went towards the direction of our bathroom.

Komachi has always been cheery, but I am getting slightly suspicious of her actions...

After I took off my shoes and put down Kamakura on the floor, I made my way to the sofa and basically collapsed into it.

I'm so tired.

The crowds in the station and in the mall never fail to give me a headache and post-traumatic stress disorder.

For an introvert such as myself, I need to recharge and get some alone time.

I felt Kamakura lay next to my head and began licking my hair.

I feel like a kitten...

For some reason, Kamakura has been a lot friendlier to me for the past few months. Though he was never hostile to me before, I think he always regarded me as "uninteresting", and therefore, never game me his attention.

Maybe he has a hidden motive too...

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to the sound of Komachi calling my name.

"Onii-chan! The bath is ready!" I heard her voice from somewhere inside the house.

I groggily rose from the comfort of the sofa and made my way to the bathroom.

True to her words, Komachi prepared the bath, and even brought me a change of clothes.

Hmm... So suspicious...

Several minutes later, I walked out of the bathroom, feeling clean and refreshed. I dried my hair with the towel and went towards the dinner table.

I was met with the sight of grilled fish, miso soup, some side salad and rice. The smell of the food made my stomach growl.

A very fine dinner, niceu, very niceu, Komachi-chan!

I sat on the table and called Komachi to eat with me. She answered me from upstairs and walked down and sat in front of me.

""Itadakimasu."" We said in unison and began eating.

A few minutes in to the meal, she began to start a conversation.

"Ne, Onii-chan, where were you today?" she asked.

Ha! I was expecting this! I already made contingency plans and back up plans in case a situation like this arose!

"Ah, I was going to mom's place this morning, but I got lost. So, I just looked around the bookstores and gaming centers in the area I guess." I made sure to sound as convincing as possible, so I looked her into the eye to show that I am not hiding anything.

"But you didn't buy anything?" she inquired.

"The titles on sale didn't appeal to me, and the light novels that I planned to buy, I cancelled them because I forgot to look up the reviews online."

"What did you have for lunch? You better eat properly, otherwise no girl will like you. Kyah! I bet that was high in Hachiman points!" she squealed.

"I had ramen for lunch." I replied before having a sip of the miso soup.

"Onii-chan, eating ramen every day is not healthy, you know..."

I grunted in reply.

I was expecting her to continue the conversation, but we soon fell into comfortable silence.

"So Oniichan, how was my dinner?" She said as she picked up the dishes for washing. I offered her my help but she politely refused.

"It was great. That was worth a lot of Hachiman points." I replied as I was squatting while giving Kamakura his food for the night.

"Yay!" she happily said.

You can't keep up this nice girl façade forever! I'm onto you! My nice girl alarms have been going crazy as soon I set foot here!

Reveal your true name, vile demoness!

"Ne, Oniichan." She said as she finished washing the dishes and began putting them back inside the drawer.

"Hmm?"

She turned around with her hands behind her, her face adorning a cute expression. Her head slightly tilted and her eyes looking directly at me while her upper body was leaning towards me. This stance is dangerous to guys everywhere!

"You see, Mom decided to go overtime this Sunday at her shop..." she said.

"Ok..." I replied as I went back to the sofa.

"She told me to do the chores that day because Dad won't be able to come home on that day because he has a business trip..."

Hmm, Sunday is the day after tomorrow...

"And my friends and I all have plans on that day, soooo..." she said as her eyes roamed around the room, refusing to meet mine.

"You want me to do the all the household chores for you?"

"Gotcha!" she said as stuck out her tongue and put her knuckle on her head in a ditzy pose.

Stop that please. That pose is stupid and I feel my I.Q. decrease whenever I see that.

"Ok." I replied nonchalantly as I played with Kamakura's paws.

"W-What?! So quick to reply?! I was expecting complains from you!" she said in a surprise tone.

"Well, if household chores are needed for me to do for me to if have the whole house to myself for an entire day, then it's an acceptable trade." Kamakura gently withdrew his paws and ran away.

Komachi gave a sound that I assumed was of delight and she gave me a hug from behind.

"Yay! Be sure to clean up properly! I'll tell my friends how I tricked you and how you easily fall for things like these!"

Oh please, I saw this coming from a light-year away. I turned my attention to my phone, but my silly Imotou hugged me from behind and began saying how she will pay me back in the future.

"That's a low on Hachiman points. Now go and brush your teeth, I can still smell the fish on your breath." I said.

Komachi quickly retracted her hands from behind me and I heard her breathe in to her hand and smell into it.

"Onii-chan! Even though you're right, that was a low on Komachi points! Plus, you ruined the mood!" she said as she ran the bathroom.

Good grief.

I knew this cheeky brat was planning something...keeping up with the nice girl act...

That is why, I will always keep my guard up around nice girls...

4

I look down on the view below me, we are at the 45th floor of our hotel room.

Cars down the road, some stuck in traffic.

Crowds of people waiting for the stop sign on the road, and walking together in unison to cross it, almost like a hive-mind. They are so small that they look like ants.

Numerous buildings, holding massive billboards advertising products and services. From shampoo, smartphones, apartments and universities, to travel packages, hotels and telecommunications.

I crane my head above, and see airplanes flying off to who knows where...

The cloudy sky above, the sunbeams peeking from the gaps between the clouds...

Looking straight, the peak of Mt. Fuji, if today was around mid-November, snow would have covered its peak by now.

To my left lies the direction of the Emperor's Palace and Meiji Shrine. It's probably packed with tourists right now. Meiji Shrine of course, the Palace is forbidden to outsiders.

To my right, if I stand on my tip toes, I can see the top of Tokyo Tower.

I sigh, my breath lightly covering the glass with moisture, only to disappear instantly.

"Dad, why are we here?"

I heard a grunt behind me, and the sound of something collapsing on a bed.

"How many times do I have to tell you? We're here for a business trip. I've been invited so I brought you along with me." My Father replied.

"You didn't even tell me. After I did the chores, you came home and surprised me by saying, "Pack up your clothes, we're going to Tokyo.", and here we are, that was only an hour and a half ago, by the way."

I turned around and went to the nearby leather single-sofa and pushed it towards the window so I can sit down while watching the view. Also opening a few buttons on my dress shirt in the process.

"Yes, I'm sorry for disturbing your alone time on a pleasant early Sunday morning, but I just had to bring you with me! I want you to see what I do." My Father said.

"Seeing you attend a party with influential people and chat with them, while sipping wine to keep up appearances?" I picked up my water bottle and began to drink, I haven't had any water since we arrived so my throat was dry.

"Don't forget the chance to meet with prospective business partners!" He added.

I turned around and gave him an accusing look.

"Oh, come on, don't give me that look. You know how Komachi might get a bit uncontrollable, plus she's too young to attend events such as these. So, by process of elimination, you were best option."

"What about Mom?"

"I don't want to trouble your mother any further. She's already a lot busier at the weekends. Knowing her, she would insist that you would come here with me." My father sighed as he began taking off his black coat jacket. He took them off and put them in the fancy closet, leaving him with a white long sleeved formal shirt and a red tie.

I gave no retort, seeing that he was actually right.

I sighed...

But still...

I even forgot to bring Vita-chan with me!

I could be going for one of the girls in my dating sim game!

The friendly and hyper childhood friend.

The tsundere loli.

The shy and smart quiet girl.

And of course, the last one, who for some reason, provides no route and options whatsoever, should you choose to court her...

Strange...

"Hachiman, the schedule of events later this evening is inside this folder." My father said as he handed me fancy looking folder with over the top designs.

"I'll be out for a bit, I still have to wait for my other business associates..." my father added as he went to the door, I can practically see his aura of exhaustion emit him.

The man just wants to rest a bit and you take it away from him! Who does his associates think they are huh?!

"Ah, ok. See you later." I called out as I heard the door to our room close.

Sigh

I take out my phone, out of boredom and see that I had missed a call from Mom.

Pressing dial, I put the phone to my ear and wait for her to answer.

After several moments, she finally picked it up.

"Hello, Hachi-kun! How is Tokyo?"

"Good morning Mom, Tokyo is fine, I guess..." I say with a disinterested phone as my eyes followed a news helicopter from outside.

"What's with the bored tone? You should be thrilled! You're staying at one of the most expensive hotels in the world! I heard that it's a pretty nice hotel!" My mother said with enthusiasm.

"Just because it's expensive, doesn't mean it's nice. If you take a person's interest on the table, the term "nice hotel" becomes vague and subjective." I reply in a bored tone.

"Geez, there you go again. Stop looking too deeply into things. Anyways, be sure to behave and bring us some souvenirs, ok?"

"Mom, Tokyo is just a train away..." I say while sighing.

"Your Father told me that there's a party later, make sure to be on your best behavior, ok?" Wow she utterly ignored me right there.

"Yes yes..." I feel like a child...

"What are you doing right now?" My Mother asked.

I look at the view in front of me.

"Looking outside the window, on the 45th floor of our hotel room and contemplating the meaning of life." I reply with a sarcastic tone.

"Oh my! That's quite high!" She exclaimed.

"Ok now Hachi-kun, I want you to get up and take a look inside the closet." I raised my eyebrow at her sudden request.

"Why?"

"Just do it, there's a surprise inside~!"

With a sigh, I get up from the comfort of the couch and began to make my way towards the cabinet.

"What's inside?" I asked.

"Just open it!" My Mother said in an impatient tone.

Good grief, it feels like I'm talking to Komachi...

With a push, the cabinet smoothly opened and revealed its interior.

I saw my Father's jacket, a few spare hangers, a metal safe, some towels and two pairs of indoor slippers. Oh, and a fancy looking small box.

After taking a quick look, I judged that there was nothing out of the ordinary, except for the box of course.

"There's nothing here..." I said.

"Look a little closer~."

I oblige, and true to her word, I see something behind my Father's jacket which was in the dark part of the cabinet. I reached into it and took it in my hand.

It was a black formal suit, complete with a red tie and slacks. The soft fabric was pleasant to the touch.

As I was admiring the apparel in front of me, I noticed something near my feet and I crouched down to inspect what it is.

Beautiful black leather shoes were revealed, newly polished and clear of usage. The sleek design and soft footing for the heels made it look more impressive to look at.

This is the kind of shoes James Bond would wear.

As I straightened up, something fell from the pocket of the suit.

I went down and picked it up, it was a piece of paper with some words written on it.

To our wonderful son

We hope you love this gift!

-Love, Mom and Dad

...

...

"I found it." I said in a small voice.

"Wellll?" I mother asked in a teasing tone.

"It's quite nice..."

My Mother began to giggle on the other side of the phone.

"We got that for you a week or two ago. Your father informed me before hand of the event and his plans to bring you along, so we got this for you as a gift."

"A gift for what, exactly?" I asked.

"A gift for having the highest entrance exam scores in Sobou High! You got all of them perfect, Haa-chan!"

I see, so the school notified the parents first huh...

Good grief, here she goes again, with that nickname...

I did not immediately reply, but gave a small smile.

"Well, that's to be expected! It pains me to think that you would think that I would accept something no less of perfection, dear Mother!" I reply in a smug tone.

I hear my Mother laugh at my words.

"But seriously, thank you." I said those words full of conviction and gratitude.

"It's no biggie! You deserve no less, Haa-chan! There's another surprise in there! Do you see a fancy looking small box?" My Mother added.

"Yes, and emphasis on the "fancy" part." I reply as I took the box to my hand.

"Open it!"

Putting down my new pair of shoes, and putting my new suit on to the bed, I make my way to the table.

After sitting down, I began to carefully open the box, curious of its contents.

When I opened it, a very expensive looking watch greeted my sight. I saw the logo of Rolex on it.

The watch was not too big and bulky looking, but neither was it too small. I felt like it would suite my scrawny wrist quite perfectly. The crown of the watch was gold plated, while the glass was nigh indestructible, as stated by the manual that I was currently reading.

That's obviously a lie.

That's marketing right there folks!

Instead of regular numbers, time was presented as Roman numerals that gave it a classier look. I carefully took it from the box and began putting it onto my left wrist.

With a click, the strap was in place, and it was lighter than it looked.

The silver color of the watch shined brightly when aligned with a light source, and made all the more eye-catching.

"Well Haa-chan, how does your new watch feel? Does it suit your style?" she asked.

"Yeah..."

Mom went quiet for a bit before continuing. But I broke the silence first.

"Mom, this is a bit- "she cut me off before I could finish.

"Ara, don't sweat the small stuff Haa-chan! Just take the gifts and wear it with pride!"

Well, with my gifts that I received just now, it makes me uncomfortable that the net worth that I received is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the yearly income of your everyday average office worker...

"Also, today is an important occasion! Today marks the first of many parties that you have to attend with your father!" My mother said cheerfully.

...

...

...

...

...

What.

It was at this moment, that our main protagonist's mental functions began to break down.

Eventually, Hikigaya Hachiman stopped thinking...

I was dumbstruck.

"Just kidding!" My mother said and broke into laughter.

Ah, I think my mental functions stopped for a moment. I think I saw the gates of Heaven before me...

"Mom, don't make jokes like that please, you don't want to lose your first born due to a heart attack, would you?" I said with a heavy heart.

"Of course not! With that said Haa-chan, your Father and I just wanted you to look and be at your best, that's all!"

"I see..."

From the other side of the phone, I heard someone calling my Mother's name.

"Ah! Hachi-kun, we'll talk later! It looks like it's getting busy on my end!" My mother said with a hint of urgency.

Finally, she dropped that kiddie name...

"Ok Mom."

"Rest up and prepare for this evening, ok? I love you!" My Mother said.

Geez, this is embarrassing.

"I love you too..." I mutter with my cheeks slightly red.

I heard the call drop, and silence returned to our hotel room.

The silence was deafening.

After several moments of collecting my thoughts, I got up and began to carefully store my belongings and went back to my seat in front of the window.

A chill went up my spine as I thought that Mom wasn't kidding on her "joke".

Suddenly, something hit me.

"Wait, Mom called me Haa-chan, but for some reason, someone called me Haa-chan too recently..."

...

...

...

...

"Oh yeah, it was Kei-chan..." I say out loud before the warm embrace of sleep took hold of me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I awoke with a start; my phone rang with its message tone.

For a moment, I forgot where I was, and I thought I was kidnapped.

With an audible yawn, I got my phone, that was between my legs for some reason, and opened the notifications.

Sender: Dad

Hachiman, I'm out with a few colleagues for lunch. I called room service to bring your food up.

Nice move Dad.

I immediately sent my reply.

Receiver: Dad

Roger, I just woke up from my nap.

send*

I looked at the time and it was already 11:00 am.

So, I was asleep for about 2-3 hours, give or take.

Because I woke up early this morning to finish up the chores, and had to travel here by train, I wasn't able to get a wink of sleep by the way, I was basically exhausted when we arrived here with our luggage.

Hmm...

Dad probably placed the gifts here last night, seeing that his company office was here on Tokyo.

Quite crafty, if I say so myself...

I stretched my body and felt joints pop all over the place.

As I got up, I heard the doorbell ring, and made my way towards it.

When I opened it, the hotel staff was standing with my food on the tray.

"Good morning Mr. Hikigaya, your lunch is here." She said.

Nodding at her, I made a move to receive the tray, but she gave me a weird look.

"Sir, let me place it on the table for you."

Oh

*cringe*

Well, that was embarrassing.

Trying to play it cool, I grunted in reply and moved the door wider for her to enter.

She carefully placed the tray on the table and began to make her way back to door.

"Thank you." I said while giving her a slight bow.

"You're quite welcome Sir, enjoy your lunch! If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call the lobby."

I closed the door.

I was honestly thinking on whether I should give her a tip, but then I forgot that we live in Japan where tips are often seen as insulting and offensive to the receiving end.

With that social awkwardness avoided, I walk to the table and begin to inspect the food my father sent. So, I sat down and lifted the tinfoil off the food.

Korean-style spicy grilled chicken topped with herbs and spices, Indonesian chicken curry, three sticks of kebabs with grilled pepper, beef, onion, chicken and pork, a slice of pizza with mozzarella, beef, mushrooms, black eyed peas and onion, a lasagna with some garlic bread, and lastly, a slice of moist chocolate cake.

Oh, and some pineapple juice.

What the heck, there is no rice?! This is ridiculous!

But who am I to complain about free food?

...

...

...

I began my lunch with some lasagna and next up was the Korean-style spicy grilled chicken. At that point, I was full to bursting, so I just grabbed the food and placed them inside the small fridge that was provided inside the room.

They even have a microwave and an electric boiler too, how convenient.

Instinctively, I began to look for some tea to wash the oily and greasy food, but there was none to be found.

Good grief, now I have to go outside...

I texted my Dad that I was going out for a bit, and grabbed the keycard to our room. With the door shut and locked, I made my way to the elevator.

My ears picked up something behind me, and from the corner of my eye, I saw a figure walking towards me.

All thanks to my STAND, [108 Loner Skills, which gave me superior senses due to me being a loner back in middle-school.

My sense of sight was trained due to me trying to remember my classmate's movement patterns in class.

My sense of hearing, always trying to listen on other people's conversations.

My sense of smell, always on alert for farts within my vicinity, because I always get blamed for it.

My sense of taste, constantly fearful and sensitive to the slightest change in flavor because my classmates might have messed with my food.

My sense of touch, heightened when I was still a chunni and I would pretend to feel rocks that I found along the road for prophesies and foretell the future.

*Hikigaya, you sound like the ultimate stalker*

I will take that as a compliment, thank you.

The figure was actually a girl, and she was still several meters away from me. Turning around and ignoring that person, I walk towards the elevator.

Being on the 45th floor can be annoying, the elevator said that it's still on the 15th floor.

Good grief, this is going to take a while...

Once more, I picked up the sound of footsteps behind me, nearing my position.

In a few moments, whoever was walking would be directly behind me.

The girl from earlier stopped to my left, she was waiting for the elevator too. I take a step away from her and begin lightly tapping my foot to the anime intro that was playing in my head.

*Insert Neon Genesis Evangelion OP*

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and revealed to be empty of occupants.

I turned to the girl beside me, and held out my hand to the elevator in front of me in an "After you." gesture.

She acknowledged me with a nod and I followed after her.

"What floor will you be getting off to?" I asked her.

"The café at the 50th floor, if you would." She said in a pleasant voice.

I pressed the button to our corresponding floor and the door to the elevator silently closed in front of us.

She was standing on the leftmost side, looking at the distance.

The elevator had a glass wall so we can see the view as we go up and down the hotel.

For a while, I leaned on my side and stared off into space outside. I discreetly observed the female behind me, and she was showing signs of discomfort.

She wore a yellow polo shirt and white skinny jeans, nothing special, but it was her beauty that caught my attention.

Her long hair, dark as the night, flowed freely and shined in the sunlight that permeated through the windows. One can see at a single glance that her strands of her were silky smooth.

Her fair smooth skin, radiated femininity and purity.

Her pale blue eyes were beautiful, even I can see that from this distance.

The facial features that she possesses would make any woman blue with envy. Her nose was cute, her lips were small and supple and her cheekbones were perfect.

The nape of her neck, lightly covered by the collars of the shirt she was wearing, was immaculate.

But her chest was non-existent.

I quickly looked away, suddenly self-conscious of myself and my surroundings. My hands wandered all over my body by their own, intent on straightening my clothes and making myself look more presentable looking.

I can lightly see my reflection from the glass.

My white long-sleeved dress shirt, which my Father forced me to wear, looked ok, and my black jeans showed no signs of damage. I looked down to take a look at my oxford shoes were and they were looking fine.

Suddenly, my phone rang in my pocket, and it showed that my Father was trying to call me. I pressed the button and put the phone to my right ear.

"Dad, did you need something?" I asked.

"Hachiman, did you already have your lunch?" my Father asked. I can vaguely hear the sounds of people talking in the background.

"Yes, but it was too much so I put it in the fridge. I'm on my way to the cafe to look for some tea."

"I see, I'm in my friend's room right now talking about something important."

"Ok." With that, our brief conversation ended and I closed my phone.

At the same time, the elevator doors opened and in front of us was the lobby.

I briskly walked out, leaving the mysterious girl behind and intent to avoid people now that my social anxiety and self-conscious issues have been activated. I followed the signs to where the café was located.

Several moments after I exited the elevator doors, I now found myself in front of the café establishment within the hotel.

Café Luna...

A member of the staff opened the door for me and led me to a seat near the window at my request. I take a look around, red carpets on the floor, the walls were of cream colored. The bar was at the right side, holding a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

The windows were quite large, and a door that leads outside to the balcony can be seen too. There were also tables outside, should a customer decide to sit under the stars.

This place would be nice at night.

All in all, the place had a good ambiance and went well with the slow instrumental music that played in the background. The sunlight pierced through the windows, and I can see dust particles float in the air.

As I sat down, I saw the girl that was at the elevator take a seat a table away from mine. We locked eyes for a few moments, before I was interrupted by the waiter.

"Good afternoon sir, what would you like to order?"

"Black tea please."

With my order on the way, I fished out my phone to kill time. Looking around, it was only me and the girl that was present in the café.

"What about you Ma'am? What would you like to have this afternoon?" I hear the waiter ask the girl.

"Black tea, that's all thank you." She said in a calm voice.

Unfortunately, I did not find something that piqued my interest. But I saw a message from Komachi.

Sender: Silly Imotou

Onii-chan! I forgot to tell you that I had a slumber party at my friend's house yesterday, that's why I wasn't at home last night!

I'm at home watching Pretty Cure with Kei-chan and Kawasaki-nee because I bumped into them this morning when I went back home!

I'm sorry for making you worry, I promise I'll be more careful next time! Kyah! That earned me a lot of Hachiman points!

I-it's not like I was worried about you or a-anything! Idiot!

I am honestly surprised how quickly she can have friends, that's my little sister for you!

I wanted to tell her to record the episode for me to watch when I come back home, but I was scared Kawasaki-san might see the message and call me weird for watching an anime that's targeted to young girls.

A single episode missed is better than the humiliation I might face!

Covering my mouth, I gave a yawn and popped my knuckles. I looked outside and stared off into the sky of Tokyo.

Ah, Mom told me to buy souvenirs...maybe I should buy one for Kei-chan and Kawasaki-san too...oh, I mustn't forget about my cute senpai and kind manager at work...

Sigh...

The things I do for the sake of social norms...

But still, Tokyo is just a train away...

Sigh...

Several minutes later, I hear footsteps coming towards me, and I turn around to see the waiter carrying my order.

"Sorry for the wait Sir." He said while slightly bowing.

I thank him for his service and he leave me to my thoughts.

Because I have a cat's tongue, I take the tea and lightly blow into it to cool it down. Should I immediately sip into it like an unwashed savage, my tongue would be burned and I would be labeled as Red-Tongue-kun.

Finally judging that the tea was safe for drinking, I slowly drink it and savor the bitter taste. I close my eyes and I can already feel the contents within my stomach begin to wash away.

The mysterious girl, however, had yet to touch her drink and was still staring at the scene outside. I heard her sigh, she must be pretty sad or frustrated.

Hmm, I she waiting for someone, I wonder?

With that in mind, I enjoy my tea, while occasionally looking at my phone to check out the latest Light Novel titles.

Suddenly, the door to the café opened, and I turned around to see a girl.

I do a double take because she looks similar to the girl a table away from me. She wore black jacket over a loose white sleeveless blouse, the slim fitting red skirt that enhanced her hips made my brain think of indecent thoughts.

Also, her chest area was quite generous, unlike the girl in front of me...

ZEN MODE!

INNER NIRVANA!

THE MATERIAL PLANE IS TEMPORARY, THE SPIRITUAL PLANE IS INFINITE!

With those thoughts, I take a breath to compose myself and not look like an ogling creep.

They must be sisters. My theory was enforced when she looked around the nearly empty café, and spotted a mop of silky black hair.

"Yukino-chaaaann~!" she called out and went skipping towards the girl sitting near the window. I noticed the girl in front of me give a sigh, and turn her head away from the source of the sudden noise.

Instinctively, I frowned at loud girl, and she noticed my glare.

She gave a wry smile, which I understood as an apology and continued to her destination.

With my enhanced senses, I hear an audible sigh coming from, I assume as the little sister.

"Nee-san, what do you want..." She sighed in exasperation, closing her eyes and putting her hand on her brow.

"Do I need to have an excuse to see my cute little sister?" The older girl said.

I'll just call her Onee-sama.

Onee-sama, step on me please! I am your man-slave and I promise to follow your wishes! Give me the punishment I deserve!

*Hikigaya, we didn't know that you were a sadist and a masochist too...*

Shut up, don't judge me.

I tried to return my attention to my tea, but my ears were unwilling to cooperate.

I hear another audible sigh. That's it, I'm calling you Sigh-san!

Onee-sama, lol, took a seat in front of Sigh-san, effectively blocking my view of Sigh-san's reactions to Onee-sama's provocations.

"Ne, ne, Yukino-chan, Mother and Father received the notice of your entrance exam scores in Sobou High." Onee-sama said as a matter-factly.

What a small world that we live in. For me to meet a fellow student from Sobou High...

Truly, fate weaves our lives in mysterious ways...

"So? You already know that I will get the highe-" Before she can finish her sentence, she was interrupted my Onee-sama.

"Nope."

A silence incurred.

But it was quickly broken by the one who initiated it.

"You see, Yukino-chaaann, I got hold of the rankings, and someone actually got everything perfect! For the first time in your life, someone actually beat you! Don't be sad, you are at 2nd place at least!" Her cheerful way of saying it wasn't affecting the one she's talking too at all. It's almost like she's pouring salt into Sigh-chan's wounds.

But wait, they are low-key talking about me...

"Ah! That's ridiculous, right? He has perfect scores all across the board! Just like me when I took the entrance exam!" She exclaimed.

Ok, now they are talking about me and I am seriously getting creeped out...

"Unfortunately, I was unable to find out what he looks like, or his name. Even the teachers and the principal were reluctant to show me too much personal information." She added.

I decided to listen further.

For the first time, Sigh-san finally spoke, and her tone was not kind.

"And?" she asked coldly.

The older of the duo laughed, her earlier cheeriness and mirth returned.

"Oh nothing! I just wanted to let you know that Mother might not be pleased with this new information!"

Silence...

Deafening silence...

Once again, it was Onee-sama who broke the silence

"Ah, but who knows? She might even ignore the matter completely. The gap between your scores aren't that big anyway." She said.

"I-I see..." Sigh-san said in a small voice, I can almost see her looking at down with a hard expression.

Looking at my watch, which looked impressive by the way, I decided that I spent too much time here, and it was time for me to depart.

"Ah, would you look at the time! Mother would call for me soon, and she would be sour if I was late! Bye bye Yukino-chan! See you later at the party!" With that farewell, Onee-sama took her leave and quickly left the café.

Party? Did she say party?

For the next several minutes, I was trying to make sense on the conversation that I just listened into, but I decided that I shouldn't think too much about it.

Wracking my brain for answers on unknown questions would give me more questions to think on, thus giving me more headaches to bear with.

They are total strangers to me anyway, and it's not like I have any interest in interacting with them later in the party.

Assuming we are going to attend the same party anyway.

With that in mind, I forcefully cleared my mind and I finished the tea and made my way to the counter.

"Please put it on my Father's tab." I said to the bartender.

"Family name please sir?" he asked as he fished out a small piece of paper.

"Hikigaya."

With my purchase verified and noted, I left the café, but not before I took a look at Sigh-san.

She was looking outside the window, her tea, untouched. Her figure unmoving, like a beautiful statue trapped in time.

But even though I can't see her face, I can tell that she was quite upset, judging from how she clenched her right fist and how it shook.

Yukino huh...

Ice Woman...

I turn my back and exit the café.

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I groggily entered our room and placed the bag full of souvenirs on the table.

Then I collapsed into my bed.

Ugh, I'm so tired...

After I departed from the café, I decided to go outside to purchase my Mother's request. I did it now so I can have more time to laze around later.

The souvenir shop that I bought these from was small, but was crowded due to so many tourists in the area.

I think I was cheated on, because the price that I paid for everything was higher than I initially conceived it to be.

Or maybe he made my purchases higher just because he saw me go out of an expensive and prestigious hotel!

Damn crook, I'm never going back to your shop again old man!

I looked at the time, and it was still 2:00 in the afternoon.

Ugh, I'm so bored...

It's still a few hours before the start of the party because I already read the sequence of events for this evening...

7:00 – The party starts receiving guests

8:00 – Introductions

9:30 – VIP speeches

10:00 – Formal Dinner

11:00 – Ball

11:40 – Closing Remarks

Ugh...

I tossed and turn in my bed, but I can't sleep.

Damn, what should I do...

I don't want to go outside...

But there's nothing to do here...

UGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

In the end, I decided to just read on the internet on what I should expect this evening on fine dining and formal parties.

Table Manners...

Introducing one's self...

How to politely excuse yourself...

Posture and walking...

How to keep a conversation going...

How to talk without sounding like an arrogant aristocratic twat...

How to score a night with a hot mature lady...

Wait, I definitely didn't read that one because it was an obvious clickbait article.

And last, but not the least...

How to properly dance in the Ball and not make a fool out yourself.

Ah damn, I still cringe at myself when I hear the word dance...

It reminded me of my middle-school days when no girl wanted to be my partner so I danced with the air instead...

Truthfully, I was shedding tears at that time...but no one can tell the difference because there was a bonfire...

Tonight, I will avoid the dancefloor at all costs!

But wait...

You don't have to worry about dancing at a ball when no girl wants to dance with you!

*Oi Hikigaya, that was pretty logical if you think about it, but the way you said it made it sad and depressing...*

Ah, who cares about that!

With that in mind, I reached inside the refrigerator to get the chocolate cake that I saved during lunch. I picked it up and went back to the leather single-sofa that was positioned in front of our large window.

It was still 3:00, and the sky of Tokyo was still rather cloudy.

I took a bite from the cake, it was good, but not really something amazing, but I enjoyed it regardless.

My thoughts went back to what happened at the café...

Those two girls definitely weren't on the friendliest of terms, and I can definitely feel bad vibes from the older one...

*Hikigaya, you should stop giving people weird nicknames, especially "Onee-sama"*

Come on, that was a harmless joke on my part.

I can't help but think about those two girls, a voice in the back of my head keeps telling me to be wary of people like them.

Why am I even worrying myself with these thoughts? They are complete strangers to me and their business is not mine to bother.

I can feel the slightest hint of drowsiness somewhere inside me.

With that in mind, I reclined the sofa so I can have a better sleeping position.

It's still hours before the party, might as well sleep and conserve my energy...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Happy New Year Everyone!

Finally! The Yukinoshita sisters have been seen!

You might have noticed that this chapter was shorter than the usual amount. I decided to stop here because, next chapter is going to be on Komachi's POV.

I'm really excited to write Kawasaki-san and Kei-chan's part in the next chapter.

Well, that's all I want to say for now.

Expect the next chapter to be released around next week!

5

I look around the table that was reserved for our family.

My Father is helping administer the event.

My Mother chatting with her female friends.

Nee-san welcoming the guests that have just arrived.

I have never felt lonely in school, even though I have no friends.

They feel inferior to me, and thus, they feel insecure.

That is why they hate me.

Not once have I ever felt lonely, because I immersed myself with my thoughts and my studies.

But...

It's times like these that make me lonesome...

Parties arranged by my parents are a norm. But my role is non-existent.

While they go do their individual unspoken duties, I am by myself in our table. Waiting for them to come back and give me company.

One might suggest that I mingle with the crowd and socialize.

But I was never the most sociable person.

I look to my watch, and see that it's thirty minutes left until the start of the program.

Honestly, I had no desire to attend this social gathering.

But I lack the courage to defy my parents, especially my Mother...

With a sigh, I get up from my seat and make my way to the ladies' room to wash myself.

I notice that the number of people was increasing as the minutes pass by. I recognize some of them as either my Father's or Mother's acquaintances.

There were only a few people around my age attending, many of them the heirs of large companies and conglomerates. Of course, I see Nee-san entertaining the guests with her quirky jokes and friendly demeanor.

I take a look at the person that she is speaking to.

I do not recognize him.

It was a male, around my age. Nee-san was several inches taller than him, but that's because of the fact that she was wearing high heels.

He wore an impressive tuxedo, even from this distance, I can tell that what he wore was of very high quality and cost. He had a glass of juice in his hand, and would sometimes sip into it. He was quite lean, from my point of view. His hair was slicked back, and was shiny due to the wax applied into it. His physical features were nothing worth noting, nothing good, nothing bad.

Just...

Average...

I continued my observation, and I see Nee-san was the only one talking. The male would sometimes nod at her reply, never opening his mouth. To my surprise, she even playfully hit his shoulder as their one-sided conversation went on. He gave no external reaction to her act.

But that wasn't what surprised me.

What surprised me was that he was completely unaffected by Nee-san's charms. I can even say that he looked defensive while talking to her.

Most men I've seen talking with Nee-san would get all flustered and become a stuttering mess.

But him...

I was jolted out of my thoughts when the young man locked eyes with me.

I was frozen in place and couldn't move.

His eyes...

His eyes were empty and hollow...

Two dark pits of the void that attached itself into his skull...

I steeled myself, and returned his gaze.

For several seconds, none of us made a move.

Nee-san noticed that her companion was acting strange, and turned her head to the direction that he was looking at.

I was the first one to break eye contact because I caught Nee-san's eye.

She gave me a wave and I nodded back.

His eyes lingered on me for a moment, then utterly ignored me and returned to listening to what Nee-san was talking about.

I am aware that I am beautiful, and I would always get the attention of people around me, be they male or female.

The stares full of awe, amazement, envy and jealousy.

This time, I garnered the attention of this young man, and his eyes fell to me.

But his eyes carried nothing of what I just said.

Only a look of indifference.

I shook my head and went to the lady's room.

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The program finally, started, and everything was going according to schedule. The waiters were going around with the snacks prepared before the main course.

On our table, only Nee-san was absent. It seems that the young man from earlier had caught her interest, and she seems intent on sticking with him.

Usually during events such as these, Nee-san would go entertain a wide variety of people. But tonight, her attention was captured by the young man.

Saying "young man", is becoming quite a hassle. I will give him a proper nickname based on his appearance until I know his true name.

Hmm...

Dead-eyes-kun sounds right...

My parents, along with most of the guests, clapped their hands at the current speaker. I followed their example and did the same.

My Father, suddenly realizing Nee-san's absence, turned to me with furrowed brows and asked,

"Yukino, where is your sister?"

"I do not know." I replied.

"Ah, Haruno is sitting with a young man she met earlier, their table is over there." My Mother answered and pointed behind us.

After scanning with my eyes, I found her sitting with dead-eyes-kun. There were only two of them in the table.

As usual, she was the only one talking, dead-eyes-kun would occasionally nod at her and give a short reply.

They looked like a couple, the girlfriend being all cheery, loud and extroverted, while the boyfriend was calm, composed and quiet.

Father seemed to accept this and turned his attention back to the stage.

Tonight, some of the guests were chosen to speak in front, and talk about any topic.

Some talked about business strategies, while others philosophy and financial management.

The last speaker for the night, walked to the stage. His tuxedo revealed itself when the lights focused on him.

He looked at around Father's age, and was taller than him by an inch or two.

Shortly after, the speaker began to introduce himself.

Hikigaya Joushirou

Apparently, Mr. Hikigaya was the owner of a large accounting and logistics firm centered in Tokyo. His topic for tonight was how he currently came to be.

Unlike some speakers who were full of themselves and rather quite boisterous, Mr. Hikigaya looked like a rather humble and trustworthy man.

"Sixteen years ago, I acquired a rather large sum of money. Through the advice of many friends and associates, I decided invest in numerous corporations, banks, insurance companies, you name it. From the international stock market, to the shares of private corporations in Japan, my assets grew in quantity. Last year, for the first time in sixteen years, I decided to withdraw all of the funds that I needed to start my own company and business. So far, it's been going well!" he exclaimed.

"Thank God it worked out in the end, if it didn't I would be neck-deep in debts right now!" he added and laughed at his joke. Many guests, including my parents, joined the laughter.

He continued with his talk, and I decided to listen closely.

"As some of you may know, our Head Office is in Tokyo, but we are already making plans to expand further." He looked behind him and then signaled someone from behind the stage.

He moved a bit to the side, and then projector screens came to life.

On the large white wall, where a projector could be placed, a massive cargo ship came to view.

Some of the made sounds of awe and amazement.

Typically, the oooo's and aaaaaahhhh's.

"With the help of my friends here in Tokyo, we were able to purchase this beauty from a Dutch shipbuilding company. The ship will arrive at around October this year. This ship will be the flagship of our trading fleet!"

"And," he shortly added, "I name this ship after my very own firstborn son, Hachiman!"

The lights left his figure and traveled to several tables behind us.

It stopped on Nee-san's table, and I could see her eyes show surprise.

Dead-eyes-kun had a momentary look of surprise on his face, but then masked it well with a calm expression and a rather small smile. He stood up and bowed to his father and to the guests who clapped to him.

After that, he sat down and his composure broke a little, his hands started to shake, presumably out of nervousness. Nee-san, holding back tears of laughter, began to tease him, and a faint red tinge began to form on his cheeks.

For some reason, I felt envy, but I dismissed those thoughts immediately.

After that debacle, Mr. Hikigaya began to talk about his plans for the future and began receiving questions from some of the guests.

One of the administrator's assistants, went up to Mr. Hikigaya and whispered something in his ear. I think he was informing him that his time was already up.

He finished his speech on a good note, and left a good impression on many of the guests.

My Father asked for a microphone, and he received one shorty after.

He stood up and announced that the main course for tonight's dinner is on its way.

I looked back to Nee-san's table.

She got up and did a small stretch before suddenly grabbing Dead-eyes-kun's shoulders and leaning down to his ear. She whispered something into dead-eyes-kun's ear and he blushed. She got up and lightly waved her hand at him, before turning around to make her way to our table.

His face was still a red mess.

It looks like Dead-eyes-kun is not invulnerable to Nee-san's charms after all.

His shield is strong, but not strong enough.

"Haruno dear, I see you've already made yourself acquainted with Mr. Hikigaya's son." Mother said when Nee-san took her seat beside me.

"Ah, yes. He caught my eye, so went to him and I introduced myself. He's quite interesting, if I say so myself." Nee-san's eyes lit up, as if remembering something, and turned to me.

"Yukino-chan, I found out that he's going to Sobou High when school starts. It turns out, he's a freshman, just like you."

Oh?

"I see."

She had a disappointed expression from my reply.

"Haaa? What's with that reply? Not even interested one bit?" She pouted.

"No."

She sighed, and turned away from me, presumably to speak with Mother.

My shoulders relaxed a little, I always get tense when she speaks to me.

I caught sight of Mr. Hikigaya, heading to his table with his son, but on the way, some people would get his attention to speak to him.

Discreetly, I peeked back to take a look at what Dead-eyes-kun was doing.

And I saw the he was looking straight at me, with almost a questioning face.

I quickly turned away, embarrassed that I was caught in the act.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sigh-san has been looking at me for a while.

Is there something on my face?

I got up and went to the men's restroom, intent on seeing if there is in fact something on my face.

Along the way, some guests would look to me and give me a knowing nod, and I would respectfully give one back.

When I reached the restroom, I quickly took a look at myself in the mirror.

Hmm, there's nothing that would warrant any concern, my hair is fine and there aren't bits of food between my teeth.

Ah, she must be giving me glances because she was fearful for her life.

Haruno-san did say that she was in fact her little sister.

Damnit, I now I remember that I accidentally called her Onee-sama a while ago!

Flashback to an hour ago

I held the glass of juice to my lips for me to drink.

Too sweet...

I prefer MAXX COFFEE.

What do people do at events like these? Do they look for someone to talk to?

My social skills are terrible, and standing around observing people would make me look more creepy than usual.

Guess I'll go find a vacant table.

I began my search, but a girl in front of me got my attention.

It was the older girl from the café earlier.

This time, she wore a beautiful black dress, her medium-length black hair was curled at the ends. There was a slip on her left leg that made it easier to walk. The neckline of her dress was only a small step away from being bold, but it was fine I guess. On the smooth skin of her neck, dangled a silver necklace in the shape of a rose.

She was a few inches taller than me and she wore one of those glove things that women wear and it ended at her elbow, I don't know what that's called though...

Ah! In short, she's wearing an outfit just like LUST from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood!

If her hair was a bit longer, her neckline a bit more bolder and a homunculus tattoo at the left side of her chest, then she would definitely be awarded with the best LUST cosplay!

The female looked at me and gave me a smile.

I walked past her, she must be interested in someone behind me.

When I did, I heard a feminine voice from behind me.

"Hey!"

I looked back and she was still looking at me, with an expression somewhere between mock-hurt and playful.

"A beautiful girl smiles at you and you ignore and walk past her?" She gave a cheeky grin.

"My apologies, I don't believe we've met." I gave her a slight bow.

She held out her hand for me to kiss.

"Yukinoshita Haruno, you can just call me Haruno-san."

Hoo? A Yukinoshita? So Onee-sama is actually a Yukinoshita? And already on a first name basis?

I have to keep my guard up!

*Oi Hikigaya, stop calling people weird names. *

Hai hai...

I lightly took her hand, and gently kissed the top of it.

Ah! That was so cringe I want to kill myself! I hope I didn't mess it up.

"Hikigaya Hachiman."

"Ah, so you're the son of Mr. Hikigaya?" she let go of my hand and cocked her head sideways in thought.

She must have recognized us because she was the one who welcomed us earlier when Dad and I arrived.

"Yes, Onee-sama."

Oh my God, I can't believe that slipped out.

"I'M SORRY THAT SLIPPED OUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME!" I quickly explained myself in a rush of flying saliva and a very flustered face.

She held her hand to her mouth and started laughing, the sound very harmonious and almost practiced to perfection.

The people around started looking over to us, the guys giving me glares that could kill.

I returned a glare of my own and they immediately backed off when they saw how MENACING my eyes were.

"Hahaha. It's fine, no harm done." She said in-between giggles.

I cleared my throat to get a hold of myself.

What am I, a normie who succumbs to his teenage hormones when in contact with a beautiful girl?

If that should happen, I will go to the shrine of the God Hachiman, my namesake, and kill myself there to cleanse my shame.

"I've never seen you here before, is it your first time?" She asked.

"It actually is."

"Really? You don't look like you're new to this." She said.

That's because I've been reading on the do's and don't's so I won't embarrass myself and look like a fool.

Plus, I was practicing in front of the mirror to properly evaluate myself.

But I wasn't going to tell her that.

Especially the last part, it's too embarrassing.

I wasn't really sure on how to give a reply to her statement, so I just "Hmm'd" in response. Seeing that I was not talking any further, she decided to take the lead on our conversation.

"You look around my little sister's age, how old are you?" she asked

"Fifteen years old."

"What school are you enrolled in?"

"I'll be on my first year in Sobou High at the end of the school break." When I said that, her eyes lit up with interest.

"Oh! I just graduated from that school! This year will be my first in attending college."

"Ahh..." I slowly nodded at her, beckoning her to continue. Thankfully, she understood my unspoken message.

"You see Hikigaya-kun, Sobou is a very well-known and prestigious school, so you shouldn't slack off any time soon!" She said as she folded her arms in front of her chest and nodded to herself.

"Yeah..."

"Did you know that Sobou holds a large school festival every year? Don't miss it because the events are really cool!" She continued.

"Uhuh..."

"The disciplinary committee of the Student Council was really lax last year, so I don't know what advice I could tell you about that."

"I see, then I should try and become the head of the disciplinary committee then." I said cooly.

Haruno-san began to lightly laugh and playfully hit my shoulder.

"Hikigaya-kun, you're so funny." She said.

I was perplexed by her actions, and I didn't know what to say or do.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

I felt someone was staring at me, so I immediately searched for the source.

When I found it, it belonged to Sigh-chan, Haruno-san's little sister.

When her eyes met mine, I could tell that she was a little startled from her reaction, but she held my gaze.

None of us made a move, our staring contest went on.

In the end, she was the one who broke contact first when she saw her older sister look at her.

The older of the two gave the younger one a wave, and the latter walked away.

"An acquaintance of yours?" I asked.

"That was Yukino, my little sister, she's going to be attending Sobou High too."

Yes, I know that because I eavesdropped on your conversation earlier.

I looked back at the direction of Yukino-san, and I can see her glancing at me again.

After a quick look at her, I went back to listening to Haruno-san's voice.

Even after the program started, and the guests went to their seats, Haruno-san insisted on sitting with me.

We were the only ones at our table, Dad was at the backstage.

You might say that I might get awkward, but I'm sorry to tell you that I'm not your usual 15-year old boy.

Surprisingly, I wasn't bored of our one-sided conversation. She told me a lot of things about Sobou, from which teachers are the best, what kind of food the cafeteria offers, different clubs, to tips on time management and how to convince your teacher not to give you a late attendance.

But mostly she talked about herself, about her adventures in her Highschool life in Sobou. Of course, I couldn't find it in myself to ignore her, seeing that she went through the trouble of keeping me company in this lonely table of mine.

So, I just, listened. Sometimes I nodded or gave her a reply of my own, but mostly, I just listened.

It's really embarrassing to say this, but I feel like I was lost in her eyes as she spoke with enthusiasm and earnest interest.

I also had a feeling the she wasn't just talking to me for appearance's sake.

"Hikigaya-kun, look, your Dad is on the stage." She said as she raised and pointed her slender fingers at the stage.

I looked to the stage and true to her word, Dad was there. He began talking about stuff that I already heard about.

Strangely, Haruno-san was listening to the words of my Dad as well, and she stopped talking altogether.

A silence descended upon us as we lent our ears to my Dad, but the silence wasn't awkward at all.

When Dad cracked up his joke, a lot of the guests laughed, but I couldn't understand what was funny. But the female beside me began to lightly chuckle as well.

Suddenly, the lights that were focused on Dad, traveled quickly and landed at our table. I realized that I was mentioned, and I had to stand up. I could see Haruno-san's eyes widen is surprise.

Steeling my will, I stood up and gave a bow to my Dad and to the guests who turned to take a look at me, and I was rewarded with their claps of recognition.

When that ordeal was over, I let out a sigh and I could feel my hands and legs shake from nervousness.

Haruno-san began laughing and poking my cheek while saying that I looked so cute as I looked nervous and terrified.

Is she a sadist?!

After I composed myself, she began to speak and, as usual, I would nod and listen quietly.

She told me that during events like these, it's her job to entertain guests and make them feel comfortable.

Given how close she moved her seat closer to mine just now, I would like to argue against that statement, but I decided against it.

"Oh? What does your little sister do then?" I asked.

"She makes herself look cute and keeps us company at the table!" she said rather cheerfully.

So, in other words, she doesn't do anything except wait at your table? That's a bit sad actually.

"Ah..."

"But you know, I find it really cute how she's always trying to catch up to me. Imitating me and all, but she just fails at the end. It's so cute watching her struggle and chase my shadow..." She said.

Wow, that sounded really sadistic.

"Are you a sadist, Haruno-san?" I say in a lighthearted manner that was so out of character for me.

"Hmm, that depends on the situation, Hi-ki-ga-ya-kun." Suddenly, her voice became a lot sultrier and I unconsciously gulped.

"I do like watching people struggle, and the face they make when they see hopelessness and despair, it makes me feel so ALIVE. The face you made when you were nervous and shaking was what I had in my mind." she said, and I could momentarily see a predatory shine in her eyes.

"..." I had no words, my mouth was agape and my face probably white as snow.

"...Hikigaya-kun, that was a joke." She said before she burst into laughter.

I let out a sigh that I didn't know I was holding and clutched my heart. That actually scared me you know!

She got up from her seat and started to stretch her arms a bit.

And from my angle, I could see a generous portion of her rather voluptuous body.

I turned away, being the gentleman that I am, before I could mentally defile her feminine figure. If I did that, I would have to force myself to marry her to take responsibility for my actions.

"Hikigaya-kun, I have to go now." She said as she looked down on me.

"I understand, see you around then."

She suddenly grabbed my shoulder, leaned down and moved her lips to my ear.

"I'll introduce you to my cute imotou later, ok?" her breath was warm and wet, and I got goosebumps on my neck.

My face was probably red af too.

"O-Ok" I stuttered in reply.

She gave a light giggle and waved me goodbye. I returned her gesture.

Crap! I lost my cool in front of the sadistic Onee-san!

Flashback End

I returned to my seat and my Father joined me shortly after I arrived.

When he sat down, I gave him a glare.

"What's wrong?" he asked dumbfounded.

"...Don't put me in an embarrassing situation like that again please..."

"Ah, it had to be done. Did you buy the souvenirs for your Mother and sister?"

"Yeah I already bought them a while ago."

Dad suddenly took out his phone and began swiping through the screen a bit, before finding what he was looking for and handing me his phone.

I raised an eyebrow at his act but he gave me a look that said "Just do it!".

When I received his phone, I saw a sight that brought warmth though my cold lifeless and cynical body.

The image showed a selfie of Komachi, Kei-chan and Kawasaki-san. I can see Komachi's bratty grin with her signature sharp tooth, as well as Kei-chan's wide smile while doing a peace sign. Kawasaki-san looked out of place as she didn't know what pose she would make, so she opted for an awkward smile.

I wish I was at home, in my room, alone, playing with my Vita-chan...

"Just bear with it longer, we'll be home tomorrow morning anyway." My Dad said as I returned his phone to him.

I sighed in defeat, whining like a little brat will get me nowhere, it will just piss me off more.

Finally, the main course for this evening arrived, the waiters expertly handling the trays of food. The anticipation was swelling in me, and while I wasn't really that hungry, I was excited what food they were going to serve.

When the food was presented to our table, it was the same food that I had for lunch hours ago.

Ugh, this is too much, who is the barbarian who chose this meal set? So much meat and fat, I'll get a heart attack sooner or later. And it's so greasy too what the heck.

I would like to say that this is a very American dish.

Well, at least there's grilled beef and mashed potato, so I'll go with that then.

The music playing in the background was pleasant, and there was light chatter in the hall. I took a look at Haruno-san's table and I could see her talking with what appears to her mother. Her father was eating quietly and would occasionally nod at them.

The only black sheep in the flock was Haruno-san's little sister, Sigh-chan. She ate quietly and did not join in on their conversation, nor did her body language give off wanting to join in the first place.

My Dad and I ate our food quietly. When having dinner at home, Mom and Komachi would talk about trivial things, while Dad and I just listened.

Several minutes later, my plate was empty, and Dad excused himself to speak to someone.

Once again, I found myself alone at our table.

Seeing my chance, I was about to make a run back to our hotel room, but I ultimately decided against it because I'm too lazy to get up.

Plus, my stomach feels like it's gonna burst.

I could go for a cup of tea, or even better, MAXX COFFEE...

Looking around, I could see some people around my age group together and start talking loudly. Their boisterous laughter earning the looks of irritation from some of the more mature guests. I observed them for a while and they began to walk towards the exit.

My eyes fell on a set of stairs when they passed by it, and I looked up to see that it connected with a second floor above.

If one were to go up, he could see the entire venue from above.

Out of curiosity, I got up and began to walk up the said stairs. There's no sign that said that it's not allowed, so it must be ok for me to go up, right?

When I reached the second floor, it had a similar layout to the ground floor, tables and chairs here and there, and in the middle of it, surrounded by railings, was a view of the floor below.

The lights above illuminated the place, giving it a more grander appearance.

But a figure caught my eye.

She was by herself, lost in thought while looking at the lumps of people below.

Upon taking a closer look, it was actually Haruno-san's little sister, Yukinoshita Yukino.

Leaning against the pillar with her right shoulder, the image would be imprinted in my mind for a while.

Taking a quick look, there were pillars connecting the railings, around 4 meters in between them.

I went to the opposite side of Sigh-san, or her real name, Yukinoshita-san.

Taking a similar posture, I leaned on the pillar to my left and stared at the people below. I heard a yelp of surprise, and I turned to the source to see Yukinoshita-san having a surprised look.

"..." I said nothing and continued to look at her with a poker face.

"..." She too said nothing, but her brows furrowed a bit and continued to look at me.

Well, a staring contest will get embarrassing sooner or later, might as well be the one to speak first.

"Good Evening."

"G-Good Evening to you as well." She stuttered with a small blush on her face.

Don't blush damnit! You're gonna make me self-conscious!

With that said, I returned my gaze to the people below, but I can feel her eyes on me from time to time.

I don't know how much time passed by, but the administrators eventually announced that the ball will begin and the tables and chairs were eventually moved to the side to make room.

Several minutes later, the sound of music flowed in the air, and with it, the men and women below started to form into pairs.

I caught a glimpse of Dad sitting on the table with his colleagues, looks like they were content to just watching.

Amidst the small see of people below, I saw Haruno-san looking for someone, her eyes darting back and forth. Eventually, she was approached by numerous men who wanted to be paired with her.

She gave them a smile, but even from this distance, I can see that that smile was fake.

Soon the ball started, women dancing gracefully with poise and elegance. And by women, I mean Haruno-san.

Everything she did was coordinated and well-practiced, from the movement of her legs to how her hands held her dancing partner.

The couples began to exchange partners with each other, and I lost sight of Haruno-san.

I saw a guy around my age nearly trip over his partner's dress, after he composed himself, he just laughed awkwardly while his partner was fuming.

I forced my eyes away from the sight.

Poor sod, he's in for a lot of trouble later.

For the next several minutes, nothing really notable happened, and I was probably just spacing out while staring at the scene below.

I was jolted back to reality when I heard something behind me.

When I turned around, I saw Yukinoshita-san sitting on the floor. She must have tripped and managed to stop herself with her hands. My legs moved on their own, and I immediately went to her to see if she's alright.

"Excuse me, are you ok?" I kneeled with one leg in front of her.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said while looking down while her hair covered her eyes a bit.

"Well, you don't look fine, seeing that you are sprawled all over the floor." When those words left my mouth, I can feel the air around me freeze.

The glare she gave me was quite scary, to say the least.

I offered my hand to help her up, but she frowned and gently pushed my hand away.

She tried to get up, but for some reason, the laws of physics were against her, and she nearly tripped and fell over.

Fortunately, thanks to my quick reflexes, I managed to put my left arm around her waist before she can ungracefully fall to the floor a second time.

Instinctively, her arms reached out to something that can stop her from falling.

I felt her slender arms wrap around my neck.

Damn, that was close.

I looked down, and I saw wide her eyes stare back at me. Her cheeks were a bright shade of red and her lips slightly parted. Our faces were only a few inches away.

Suddenly realizing the situation that I was in, I was about to let go of the female beside me but a voice from near the staircase made me stop in my tracts.

"Ara, Hikigaya-kun, I see that you already acquainted yourself with my little sister..." Turning my head, I saw Haruno-san with a hand over her mouth in mock-surprise.

I tried to quickly help Yukinoshita-san stand on her own, because the prolonged intimate physical contact was making me uncomfortable. But her body refused to cooperate and still remained limp.

"What's this, Yukino-chan? Were you really charmed by Hikigaya-kun that much that you want to stay in his arms forever? Get a room you two!" Haruno-san exclaimed in a teasing manner.

I can almost imagine steam go out of Yukinoshita-san's ears when she heard Haruno-san's words.

Quickly, but gently, she removed my hold on her and went a step away from me. With a forced cough, she turned to me, her face stoic but still sporting a large blush.

The scene was quite comical, to say the least.

"I don't believe we have properly introduced ourselves. My name is Hikigaya Hachiman." I said.

"P-Pleased to meet you, m-my name is Yukinoshita Yukino." She said in a small voice.

From the corner of my eye, I see Haruno-san smirking.

"T-Thank you for helping me up Hikigaya-kun. Had you not come to my aid, I would have surely fallen in a very ungraceful manner."

Stop stuttering with a blush damnit! You're going to make me blush too!

"Hmmm."

"Sooooooooooooooo...," I looked to see Haruno-san walking towards me.

"What were the two of you doing up here, away from the prying eyes of everyone else?" she innocently asked, though the meaning behind it was quite the opposite.

"I was bored of the ball downstairs, so I came up here to watch from above." I said in all honesty.

"And you, Yukino-chan?" With her body still facing me, Haruno-san turned her head to the female in question.

With a small blush from the sudden attention, Yukinoshita-san looked to down to the side.

"There were too many people. I wanted some time by myself." She said as she rubbed her left arm.

"Ah, and here I was thinking I accidentally disturbed your tryst..." she said in a disappointed tone.

I scoffed at her assumption.

Ridiculous!

Absolutely ridiculous!

"N-Nothing happened between the two of us!" Yukinoshita-san exclaimed with a bright red face suddenly.

Stop stuttering and blushing woman! You're making this situation much more difficult to handle!

"It's as Yukinoshita-san says." Hopefully, my statement will convince her.

She looked at us for a second and gave up with a sigh.

"Stop taking the fun away..." With that, she went to me and grabbed my arm, pulling it closely to her body, and I could feel her, um..., you know...

With me stuck to her, she began slowly walking back to the staircase leading below.

Of course, I had no choice but to follow her.

"Haruno-san, your arm is a bit too close." I said in an uncomfortable tone, and I turned to Yukinoshita-san for help.

"Nee-san, you are being rude. Dead-eyes-kun is clearly feeling uncomfortable, given your proximity to him." She said and started following us from behind.

Wait...

What did she call me?

"Nonsense! Hikigaya-kun is quite enjoying my presence!" she exclaimed while giving me a wink.

Good grief, what have I gotten myself into...?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I follow Nee-san and Dead-eyes-kun from behind.

The unfortunate events that transpired earlier, mainly between me and Dead-eyes-kun, is embarrassing to even think back on.

Not to mention Nee-san caught sight of us in an...unsightly state.

Dead-eyes-kun looks to me and gives me one last pleading look, and I ignore his unspoken plea for help. He sighed in defeat and turned his head away from me.

Suddenly, Nee-san turns to me, with her phone at her left hand, she angles the screen so I can see what she wanted to show me.

When my eyes finally registered what I saw, my heart stopped beating for three heartbeats.

...

...

...

On the screen, I see a photograph of myself and Dead-eyes-kun.

His arm around my waist while my arms were around his neck. With my back arched and my upper body saved from falling with the help of his arm.

Needless to say, we were in a very risqué and suggestive position.

I felt all the blood flow straight to my face, I tried to form words but no sound escaped from my mouth.

Seeing my reaction, Nee-san gave me a sly smile and giggled from the sight as she put away her phone. I saw Dead-eyes-kun give her a sidelong glance, but he did not say anything.

Truthfully, this evening is proving to be more trouble than it's worth...

[CHAPTER END]

Yosh! How's it going bois and grils!

I'm back!

Yeah, so back in chapter 4, I said that the next chapter is gonna be released at the following week...

Aaaaannndddd, here I am uploading 3 weeks later...

Hehe...Sorry about that.

I decided not to go with the Komachi POV, because I was having a difficult time trying to match my writing to the mindset of Komachi.

Soooo, I decided to head straight to Yukino's POV at the start of this chapter!

I bet you didn't expect that!

You were expecting a Komachi POV, but it was me, Yukino!

So what do you think about this chapter? I deliberately made Haruno more like a sadistic Onee-sama here. (Blend S Reference, if you haven't watched it yet, give it a try! I certainly enjoyed the series and my sides were hurting at the end of each episode because it was hilarious show!) Also, don't forget to write a review if you want! I am always reading the reviews you know!

You can always write down some suggestions and ideas for me to read!

Don't forget to SMASH THAT like and subscribe button! (lol)

6

As usual, I couldn't take a nap properly on my train from Tokyo to Chiba, and I just sat there, mindlessly looking outside, observing the view of tall buildings and congested roads.

My Father wanted me to stay with him a while longer, but he relented and gave me leave to go home alone.

As if I would want to attend one of those annoying parties, but I had to admit that the beds in our room were great though.

Regardless, I wanted to go home as fast as possible, I still had work today too you know.

Plus, I wanted to stay away from Onee-sama, I'm getting bad vibes from her. Oops, I mean Yukinoshita Haruno. Her little sister was quite cold and rude, even labeling me as dead-eyes-kun. But I think its fair, I did call her Sigh-chan.

I walked away from the train station; we arrived roughly around 30 minutes after our departure from Tokyo. I called a taxi as I was too tired to walk all the way home.

Thankfully, there wasn't much traffic, and we arrived home in no time. I paid for the taxu fare and stepped outside the vehicle.

Ah, how I've missed you, door-chan, and you too doormat-chan, sorry for stepping on you by the way. Finally, I am away from the horrors of the outside world!

I was broken from my inner monologues when heard quick footsteps from inside the house, it was probably Komachi.

"Onii-chan welcome back! I'm glad your'e here because I was so lonely this morning. Mom had to go out early." She opened the door and tackled me.

"Yes, yes, I am the best Onii-chan in the world..." I say as I walk inside, with her still clinging to my chest and her legs dragging on the floor.

She lets go of me and brings in my bag, which I left outside. With a sigh, I collapse on our carpeted floor.

Home sweet home...

I heard Kamakura meow from somewhere in the house. What a bad cat, not even welcoming me home. I would choose genetically engineered cat girls over Kamakura anytime!

"Wheres Dad?" Komachi asked, noticing the absence of our Father.

He has something important to attend to, so I just went on ahead. I wanted to come home as fast as possible to see my cute imotou." I said the last part in a sarcastic tone.

Your next line is, "H-Haaah? W-What are you saying? Stupid Onii-chan!"!

"H-Haaah? W-What are you saying? Stupid Onii-chan!" She stuttered and stumbled over her words.

I also felt her lightly kick me leg.

Kicking a man while hes on the floor? 100 years of dishonor! Also, what she said was a completely overused line by all little sister figures in nearly 99.9% of anime that I have watched.

"Your souvenirs are inside my bag." I mumble.

"Yay!" Her earlier demeanor of embarrassment was replaced to that of glee and excitement.

"So, Big Bro, how was your trip? Did you finally bring a girl home?" she asks as she begins to rummage through the stuff I brought with me.

My mind goes back to what happened last night on the Ball and my meeting with the Yukinoshita sisters.

And, umm...the embarassing moment I had with Sigh-chan, which was unfortunately witnessed by her elder sister.

Come to think of it, when we were walking down the stairs after that little incident, Haruno-san suddenly giggled, and when I took a glance behind me, Sigh-chan looked like she had seen a ghost, with her already white complexion becoming all the more whiter.

I wonder what that Snow Woman saw that made her pale?

"The only girl that I need in my home is you and Mom. I bet that scored a lot of Komachi points!"

She lightly giggled at my reply.

"Ok, anything new you wanna tell me?" she inquired.

"Well, I learned that I got the highest entrance exam scores in Sobou." I say hoping that she would praise me for my efforts. Ha!

"That's to be expected. Anything else?" she said in a bored tone.

Oi, I appreciate that she thinks that highly of me, but the way she said it made it sound like it wasn't a big deal!

I sacrificed my blood, sweat and tears you know! Figuratively speaking of course...

"Hmm, there's this store in front of our hotel that sells souvenirs. I got ripped off there." Tch, I'm never going back to your store, old man!

With a stretch, I felt some of my joints pop, and I got up to get some breakfast.

"There's some eggs and miso soup in the refrigerator." Komachi said as she tore open the bag of souvenirs and began to inspect them.

I was too lazy to heat the food, so I just ate them as it is.

"These are pretty nice!" Komachi exclaimed as she dangled a shiny keychain of Tokyo Tower in front of her.

"Tell Kawasaki-san to come over, I bought stuff for her and Kei-chan too." Hmm, now that I think about it, how many times have the two of them visited our house?

"Hoohh, whats this? Are you making a move on Kawasaki-nee, Onii-chan?" She said with a trashy teasing smile.

Its good to see that she got that trashy smile from Dad.

"Umm...I guess I bought them as a sign of thanks for hanging out with you...?" I say as I cocked my head at my own words. I don't even know why I bought them in the first place.

At my reply, she sighs and continues rummaging through the bag like a raccoon. If she continues to sigh like that, I will be forced to call her Sigh-chan 2.0

With that said, I continue my breakfast, but my eyes fall on our wall clock.

8:20

I'M ALMOST LATE FOR WORK!

With a rush, I stuff all the food in my mouth and quickly drank some water.

"Onii-chan, I'm happy that you love my food very much but slow down! You might choke!" My cute imotou exclaimed in an exaggerated manner.

"Yes, I'm in a hurry you see." I zoom towards the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Ten minutes later, I quickly rush upstairs to get a change of clothing.

I grab whatever I think was decent and went downstairs.

"Oi Oniichan, I know that you got a job so you can stop trying to hide it." Komachi coolly said.

What? How did they know?

I gave her a questioning look.

"Mom saw you the other day at that bookstore; her place is not far away from where you work y'know..."

Hmm...I forgot to take that into consideration...

Maybe Ill drop by later...

"Ah, I see. Then see you later." I put on my shoes and went to the door. I was about to decide to ride my bike, but I ultimately decided against it My intuition tells me that I'm going to go somewhere after work tonight

"Ok, stay safe!" I heard her voice as I closed the door behind me.

(--)

"Hikigaya-kun, what do you do on weekends?" Shiromeguri-senpai asked while chewing her food. I was going to reprimand her but my bubbly senpai was too cute.

"Well, I stay at home, read books, play video games and sometimes go cycling around the neighborhood." That's what every guy my age does these days, right?

Wait, I bet they hang out with their friends too...

We were currently having lunch in the staff room. I bought a Chinese take-out and decided to eat here with her. Shiromeguri-senpai had a homemade bento for lunch, along with some green tea. I can hear Tatsumi-san talking to someone on her phone in her room.

"What kind of games?" she asked as she picked up a slice of carrot with her chopsticks.

"Fighting games and RPG adventure. I prefer games that have a deep story line."

I remember a few years back when I was playing Pokemon on my Gameboy on the corner at school. Some kid accidentally bumped into me, which caused me to press a wrong button, leading to me being unable to catch Entei and the bastard ran away again.

Shiromeguri-senpai closed her eyes, while chewing her food with full cheeks.

Needless to say, it was so cute I wanted to hug and pat her head right there.

"Say Hikigaya-kun, I want to get a habit of reading a book, but I don't have any particular tastes yet. What do you recommend for a beginner like me?" She asked.

Hmm This was sudden...

I think for a bit while slowly chewing and swallowing my food, with Shiromeguri-senpai patiently waiting for my reply.

What to recommend, I wonder...?

"Ok, lets start with topics that you might get interested in. What do you know about Greek Mythology?" I slowly ask her.

"Greek? Umm...I think I know Plato, Aristotle and Karl Marx...?" She looked up in wonder, half-questioning herself in the process.

The first two were Greek Philosophers, but how did she associate KARL MARX with Greek Mythology?!

Plus, the guy was a German!

"Ok, what about history?" I inquire again.

"I get easily get bored of history...hehehe..." Her laughter trails off, her eyes refusing to meet mine.

Hey! History can be fun to read too you know! Ill let this slide for now, but I will make an effort to make Shiromeguri-senpai see history in a new light.

My favorite topics in history were the unification of Japan and Rise and Fall of the Mesopotamian Civilizations.

"Literature, like poetry and epics?" I ask.

I always wanted to join a literature club back in middle-school, but they refused me because they said that I look too creepy to be able to appreciate literature.

How does ones look even connect to how he can appreciate and write literature?

"Too many deep words..." She replied.

"What about Egyptian Mythology?"

"I'm not fond of any kind of mythologies..." she says with a worried smile while scratching her cheek with her finger.

By Ra, this is going to be difficult...

"Hmm, Ok. Lets go to novels. What do you think about Horror Novels?"

"Your'e asking me that right off that bat?! I'm scared of stuff like that!" she exclaimed while forming a cross with both of her index fingers in front of me.

Oi, I'm not a ghost, nor a demon...

But if I had a choice, I'd rather become a vampire.

Wait, with my eyes, I'll probably be mistaken for a zombie...

"Mystery and Psychological?" I say with a tired voice, this is surprisingly mentally draining me...

"Hmm, I'm indifferent, I guess?"

"Science Fiction?"

"Too complicated, some explanations are too complicated to understand." she says.

Hmm, I can relate. I barely understood what just happened after I finished Neon Genesis Evangelion, even though its an anime and not a Novel.

"What about romance? Surely a girl like you would like to read them, no?" I say hopefully. I always avoid this genre, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and most the story is just plain bland.

She lightly blushed, but managed to hide it quickly.

"I used to read them before, but I stopped because I think it was becoming unhealthy..."

Oh?

"How so?" I was genuinely curious.

"Well, reading stuff like that, especially if your'e a girl, gets to your head you know? It also gives you unrealistic expectations to guys around you. You expect them to reach the image that you created from them in your head. In the end, your'e the one being unfair to them and everything you did was useless..."

I was taken aback by her reply, and I didn't really know how to answer. After a bit of thinking I managed to form a vague, yet comprehensible reply.

"Ah...that makes sense when you put it that way." I say quietly.

I have recently learned to never have expectations, or at least lower them to that point that when things don't turn your way, you wont be too hurt because you already had low expectations in the first place.

Just like every group activity in my middle school. I always knew that no one would want to group up with me, so I made it a point to never expect too much, that way, the pain was bearable, at least...

I guess that's how I started to become the pessimistic, realistic and nihilistic person that I am today...

"So yeah, since then, I avoided romance novels." She said with a troubled smile and twirling a strand of hair.

"I see, well, I can't think of any other things that you might get interested in reading..." Well, I still had manga and Light Novels up my sleeve...

Ah, to heck with it, it's not like I have anything to lose anyway.

"Shiromeguri-san-"

" Senpai"

"Shiromeguri- senpai, what about manga?"

Her eyes lit up for a moment.

"Oh, so you read manga Hikigaya-kun?" She says with a hint of interest in her voice.

"From time to time, yeah." I reply.

Manga is the type of thing that you cant say that you like a lot at the start of the conversation. You have to know where the person you are talking to stands on the subject.

"A lot of the guys and some girls in my class read that stuff...maybe Ill give it a try." She replied with her mouthful. Ah, I can see a piece of lettuce stuck between her teeth...

I grunted in reply as I finished my food.

"Shiromeguri-senpai, our lunch break is almost over, around ten minutes at least." I say with a glance at the clock.

Her eyes widened in surprise, then glanced at the clock behind her.

"Ah! Silly me!" With that she began to hastily shove her food in her mouth.

"Please don't rush eating. You might choke, and I would have to carry your workload this afternoon." I say as I neatly wiped my mouth with a tissue, then disposing it in the nearby garbage bin.

"That's what you're worried about?!" she exclaimed. A bit or rice went flying to my face, but I quickly managed to avoid it.

"Ill be going ahead to check our inventory." I say as I head towards the door.

"W-Wait for me!" She called out.

(--)

The clock struck 6:00 pm.

Finally, my work today is over, my back hurts from all the lifting I had to do. Some new shipments arrived and the wheel on our cart broke.

So, I had to do everything using physical labor.

Of course, I couldn't let this slide, I refuse to work while there's a faster and more efficient alternative at my disposal! So I told Tatsumi-san of my predicament, and she said that she'll get the cart repaired as soon as possible.

Needless to say, I hope she keeps her word...

"Thanks for the hard work, Hikigaya-kun!" Shiromeguri-senpai calls me from the other side of the room with a comfy smile.

"You too." I remove the employee vest from my chest and cleanly fold it and place it on my locker.

With that done, I sit on the chair in the middle of the room and wait for Shiromeguri-senpai to finish so we can go home together.

*Whats this, Hikigaya? Your'e already going home with Shiromeguri-senpai?*

Oh please, if my Mom found out that I didn't accompany my female co-worker to the train station, she would disown me and kick me out of the house.

Plus, we have been doing this procedure for a week already and I don't really have a reason to deny her request, nor do I feel uncomfortable in her company.

"Hikigaya-kun, do you mind joining me for a while longer? I have a few things to buy." She looked at me with wide and expectant eyes.

Damn, how can I say no when shes looking at me like that?! This is so unfair! Is this Shirmomeguri-senpai's new passive skill?!

I made mental calculations on the possible amount of time that this...request, might take to finish.

Hmm...

"Well, I don't have anything to do this evening, so I don't mind, I guess." I say in a bored tone after glancing at my watch.

She sighed with a hint of disappointment.

Oi, what did I say wrong?

"You sound like you're just coming with me to kill time..." she said in a dejected tone as she put her purse over her shoulder and began to walk towards me.

W-Well, I cant deny that there's a bit of truth in what she said just now...

Before I can reply, I hear Tatsumi-sans voice.

"Hikigaya-kun, Meguri-chan."

I turn around and see Tatsumi-san just exiting the restroom.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Hmm?" Shiromeguri-senpai follows after me.

"Follow me; I have something to give you." She says as she turns her back on us and heads to her office. Her hair swirling in the process, while my eyes lingered a bit on her long and slender legs.

Wow she looked pretty cool.

I looked to Shiromeguri-senpai with an eyebrow raised, and she shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

Hmm...

I got up and went to the office, Shiromeguri-senpai following close behind. Of course, I open the door for her.

She mumbled thanks as she walked past me and I followed her inside.

When we entered Tatsumi-sans office, she was already sitting down on the chair behind her desk waiting for us to take a seat.

"Well then, I have something important to tell you and you may not like it."

I hummed in response and Shiromeguri-senpai nodded her head.

"There was a certain miscalculation this month. We had small misunderstanding with the mall authorities regarding the rent payment. Unfortunately, I had paid them too much and they agreed to allocate the extra portion to next months payment. We're a bit thin on cash lately..." she said with a troubled tone.

"So, I decided to cut your salaries a bit. Its only for this month though."

Hmm, that's understandable, guess.

"Ah, I see..." Shiromeguri-senpai says in a far-off voice.

"But don't worry! I still plan to compensate you one way or another!" Tatsumi-san exclaimed loudly and startling me in the process.

Don't do that please, I might get a heart attack.

She opened one of her drawers and fished out two pieces of papers and gave them both to us.

My eyes slightly widened in surprise, when I received mine.

"This is...!" I hear Shiromeguri-senpai's voice from the side.

"That's right! Its a free three-month membership to a taekwondo studio that my cousin owns!" Tatsumi-san explained.

Tatsumi-sans bookstore, Tatsumi-sans Taekwando Studio, whats next? Tatsumi-sans Ramenhouse?!

"Wow this is pretty neat, isn't it Hikigaya-kun!?" Shiromeguri-senpai cheerfully said and looked to me with expectant eyes.

Being weak to those kinds of looks, I looked to the side to prevent myself from feeling too self-conscious.

"Y-Yeah, I guess so..." I say as I try to avoid making eye-contact with her.

The wall over there was pretty interesting...

"Your salaries will be back to normal a month from now. I'll inform you the details of your Taekwondo membership on a later date." Tatsumi-san said as she took her ledger and began flipping through the pages.

"We're going to be Taekwondo masters, Hikigaya-kun!" Shiromeguri-senpai said in a cheerful manner.

"I highly doubt we can become masters in three months, Shiromeguri-senpai." I give her a small strained smile.

Well, it might be possible. If we had a hyperbolic time chamber, a portal to another dimension where time passes 10X slower, or we had the power to stop and resume time infinitely...

"Thanks for informing us, Tatsumi-san. We will be going on ahead." Shiromeguri-senpai stood up and I followed suit.

"Ok, thank you for your hard work. See you tomorrow." She waved at us and I closed the door behind us.

Shiromeguri-senpai looked down on her clothes and began to straighten up herself.

She wore a sky blue long-sleeved blouse today, and wore a long flowing white skirt that ended a few inches above her feet. After checking herself one more time, she opened her small purse and began rummaging through it.

During that time, I was just patiently leaning on the wall near the door that led outside of the staff room.

My Mom always told me to never tell a girl to " Hurry up!", doing so will get them triggered and give you the silent treatment.

Hell hath no fury than a woman pissed off. Did I say it right?

I heard an "Hmph!" from Shiromeguri-senpai, and she finally turned around and faced me.

"Well Hikigaya-kun, shall we get going?"

(--)

Our first stop was the grocery.

We already bought a bunch of stuff, but not really a lot. Even so, I insisted to use the cart so I can lean and put my weight on it from time to time. I had to admit that it was a bit childish, but it was fun nonetheless!

We stopped at the fruits section, and Shiromeguri-senpai began examining the watermelons. All the while making a, "Hmmm~" sound. One caught her eye, and she grabbed it and put in near her ear then tapped it a bit.

She made a face that said that she was unsatisfied and turned to me.

"Hikigaya-kun, what do you think about this one?" She handed me the fruit.

I have no idea what I should do, so I just imitated her.

Pound! Pound!

"I have no idea what I'm doing..." I confessed and put the fruit back on the fruit stand. She lightly giggled at my reply. Come to think of it, is there even a scientific basis on why we pat a watermelon? How does the resulting sound correlate to the fruits ripeness?

I will do further research on this, and write a thesis. When I present this to the scientific community, they will award me with a Nobel Prize and a small loan of a million dollars.

Of course, they would have to force me to stand on the stage, and when the lights fall on me, "I'm going to say No, turn those lights off! OFF!"

"Neither do I." She replied with a small smile, and went on ahead, with me following close behind her.

Her left hand gripped the front of our cart. Almost like she knows that I'm going to get lost.

Ah, this takes me back when I was at the grocery store with my Mom when I was a kid

I followed Shiromeguri-senpai to the coffee and milk isle. She quickly put her desired items in the cart and I told her that I would be going to the other side to pick a creamer.

Hmmm...There's too many to choose from, I cant pick

"Hikigaya-kun," I hear Shiromeguri-senpai's voice from my left side, "are you having trouble choosing?"

"Hmm." I nodded to the shelves.

"Ill help you pick one." From the corner of my eye, she stood next to me with our shoulders touching, and began to stare intently at the coffee creamers in front of us.

"Hmm~." She put a hand under her chin and furrowed her brows.

For the next few moments, we were boring holes at the coffee creamers, but my ears caught the conversation of some people within my vicinity.

"What are the two of them doing?" An elderly female voice asked.

"I don't know..." Came the reply of an elderly gentleman.

"They look pretty young, are they newlyweds, I wonder?" The female voiced asked herself, more than to her male partner.

"Cant be, they are probably girlfriend and boyfriend."

Good grief, what a cliché scenario.

Am I in a crappy light novel?

Or even worse, am I in a fanfiction?

While I was not really bothered by their comments, I took a glance at the female beside me, and she was the exact opposite.

Her cheeks were slightly pink, and when her eyes met mine, she yelped and quickly grabbed a random product in front of her.

Ah, I wanted the other one though...

"Hikigaya-kun, lets go." She says while leading me and holding my arm.

Oi, too close! Too close!

The elderly couple, who made the situation a bit awkward, caught our eye and smiled at us. Shiromeguri-senpai gave them a sheepish smile while I nodded at them.

"Shiromeguri-senpai, don't let their words bother you. We probably look like siblings from another perspective." I say, wanting to extinguish the awkward atmosphere.

While walking, Shiromeguri-senpai looks to me with questioning eyes and a tilted head.

"Huh? Really?" she asks.

"I dunno, if I had brown hair at least, maybe that can fool them." I broke eye contact with Shiromeguri-senpai because she was now giving me an intense analyzing look.

She looked like she reached a conclusion inside her head and returned her gaze to the front.

"Hehe, I just thought about you with brown hair and you looked weird." She says with a small giggle.

The thought went to my head, and I immediately cringed just imagining myself with brown hair.

As we were walking, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

That can only mean one thing...!

I slowly and discreetly looked behind.

Apart from a few random people, there were no suspicious individuals in sight.

Hmm...

"Is there something wrong, Hikigaya-kun?" Shiromeguri-senpai's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Ah, its nothing. If you don't have anything else to buy, lets to the cashier and go out of here." I say, eager to go home already.

She nodded her head and we made our way to the cashier.

I noticed that she was still holding my arm, I wanted to tell her to let go of me, but I couldn't think of the proper word choice to make it sound like she was bothering me or making me uncomfortable.

I sighed in defeat, in the end, I was the only one being overly self-conscious...

(--)

We just got out the grocery store, my purchases at my right hand and Shiromeguri-senpai's at my left. She finally let go of me right arm, ah, I can feel my joint pop from its prolonged non-movement.

"So Hikigaya-kun, do you want to go somewhere?" She asked as we sat down on the nearby bench to rest our tired legs.

"I'm going to go to the sports store I saw earlier, a tennis racket that I had my eye on for a while finally went on sale." I nearly forgot about that racket from how busy I was on these past two weeks...

"Do you mind if I go with you?" She asked with hopeful eyes.

"Well, not really-"She cut me off before I could finish what I was saying.

"Great!" She said with a loud voice that earned the looks of a few passerby.

I gave a tired sigh. I'm too tired to deny her anyway...

After resting our legs for a bit on the nearby bench, I dragged my weary body, with Shiromeguri-senpai by my side, to the sports establishment.

We went straight inside, and I got the racket without any problems.

With curiosity shining on her eyes, Shiromeguri-senpai asked, "Hooh, is that the on you want, Hikigaya-kun? May I see it?"

I handed her the top quality racket that was a bit expensive, but now that I had saved a bit of money, this baby is now mine!

The racket was made from high-grade material and was very light too. Common rackets tend to get slippery on the grip as time passes by, but this was specifically made to prevent things like that from happening. Its always a long-term investment to buy something of high and superior quality, rather that something that's cheap and was standard-quality.

"Its pretty nice." She commented.

"That's all I needed, Shiromeguri-senpai, lets go to the cashier and go home." I say with a bit of more enthusiasm in my voice, especially the go home part.

I held the racket a little too close to my chest as we made our way to the cashier, but on the corner, I accidentally bumped into someone.

At that moment, I felt a cold and wet sensation on my t-shirt.

I look down on my t-shirt, now stained with and splattered with what appears to be orange juice.

Tch...

With furrowed brows, I look down on the perpetrator, and I see that it was actually a girl.

The girl in question had blond hair, whether it was natural or artificial, I do not know. She wore a pink frilly blouse and a pencil skirt that ended several inches above her knees; she also wore fashionable and carried with her a small purse.

My Riajuu alarms are going crazy!

"Hey! Watch where your'e going you idiot!" She said in a loud voice and an angry facial expression.

Goodness, how rude...I can see Shiromeguri-senpai frown at the girl from the corner of my eye.

I said nothing but offered her my hand to help her up, but that seemed to make her even angrier.

She swatted my hand away like an annoying fly.

That hurt my feelings more than it hurt physically...

Without my help, she briskly got up and held the remnants of her spilled juice. I see some of its contents of her purse.

Oh my, it looks like fuel to a flame...

She looked at me again, this time I had a clearer vision of her.

Objectively speaking, she had a body that would make most girls make a run for their money. Her clothes accentuated her pretty figure, which went well with her flowing blond locks of hair. What she was wearing was what I could call fashionable and trendy. Her legs also looked pretty toned and slender.

*Hikigaya, do you have a fetish for legs?*

I'm not going to answer that.

Anyway, her green eyes full of fury met my dead and hollow ones.

"Now look at what you did! My purse is ruined, you creep!" She exclaimed.

I shook my head and gave a sigh, I have no time for this.

"Sorry, but you should also be aware that food and drinks are not allowed inside this store. If you hadn't brought that beverage inside, it would have saved us a lot of trouble." I say in a bored tone. Good grief, this is one of the many reasons why I avoid going to places where there's too many people. Things like these are bound to happen, one way or another.

It took a few seconds for her to fully absorb what I said, haha riajuus, always have slow cognitive processes.

When she finally did, she seemed even angrier than before.

I sensed that things would escalate even further, and I thought of the perfect plan to end things right here.

"I'm quite in a hurry and I have no time for this. So for conveniences sake, I'm just going to apologize to you." I say as I give her a slight and stiff bow.

You might say that that's pretty low, but I don't care about trivial things like that at the moment.

That seemed to please her a bit, and I could see her anger cede a bit. She still looked pissed off though...

Her gaze lingered on me, and I realized that she was taking a good look at Shiromeguri-senpai, almost like sizing her up.

Shiromeguri-senpai on the other hand, held her gaze and gave her a troubled smile, but her eyes were firm.

"Tch, well, I'm sorry too for being rude. Just be careful next time..." She said in an irritated and sarcastic tone, and went out of the store. Her blond hair swaying as she walked away from us.

"Creep..." she muttered when she thought she was out of earshot.

Pff, an insult that basic has no effect on me!

Well, at least she had the decency to apologize, but that might have been her sarcasm on her part though...

I turned to Shiromeguri-senpai, amazed at her calming and serene aura as usual. If I was in front of a million people, about to make a speech or something, my nervousness would go away once I was within Shiromeguri-senpai's passive aura skill Area of Effect range.

She began to rummage through her purse and took out a few tissues.

"Well, that was something..." She muttered as she closed the distance between us and began wiping away at my chest, eager to at least lessen the mess on me.

I should be embarrassed, flustered, or stuttering with a blushing face, but I felt like this was natural. Almost like how a Nee-san would take care of her younger siblings when they make a mess of themselves.

Huh, so this is what having a Nee-san is like...

I wish Shiromeguri-senpai was my Nee-san...

When she looked satisfied with her work, a member of the staff came by and we explained what happened.

Of course, I was the one who had to apologize in behalf of Blondie.

Good grief, I looked down on my shirt and remembered that I was stained, at least my racket was safe

"Hikigaya-kun, go buy a new shirt, you look icky!" Shiromeguri-senpai said as she pushed me towards a bunch of t-shirts that were on sale.

"Hai, hai..." It was useless arguing against her, and I was too exhausted to do so anyway...

I picked a random t-shirt, and payed for my purchases with Shiromeguri-senpai in tow.

We were walking to the exit of the mall, and we passed by Tatsumi-san's Bookstore. It was already closed, and I realized that it was getting late.

My stomach imitated the sound of thunder, and I saw Shiromeguri-senpai held a hand to her mouth and began to giggle.

I looked to the side to hide my embarrassment. Damn you stomach...

"You must be hungry, Hikigaya-kun, I heard that you know. Do you want to get some dinner?" she asked while giving me a small smile.

While I would seize this chance any day to get a free meal, I was already very tired and wanted to go home as soon as possible.

Well, assuming that she would be the one paying anyway, seeing that she was the one who invited me. But that would have hurt my pride as a man...

"Ah, maybe next time, Shiromeguri-senpai, I'm already worn out you see." I weakly replied.

She gave me a searching look, and then had a look of realization.

"Well, you do look like your'e going to collapse any second now." She said with an amused smile as we continued walking in a comfortable silence.

The sky was dark, as expected. It feels strange hanging out with someone until early evening. Come to think of it, this is the first time I hanged out with an acquaintance...

No, calling Shiromeguri-senpai a mere acquaintance would be insulting to her.

She had helped me a lot, these past few days at work. From the moment I met her, she never showed any hidden intentions, or fake personalities. Nor did she give any observable discomfort when she speaks to me. Whenever we're at work, I would sometimes observe her from afar, trying to figure her out. Oftentimes, I would try my best to look deeply into her words, and I would find myself at a loss, for I failed to see any kind of malice in her...

Be they on the outside or inside.

I may be getting ahead of myself, but I think I can say that Shiromeguri-senpai is my first...

... friend.

The thought made me smile, and she noticed it too.

"What are you smiling at, Hikigaya-kun?" she asked with curiosity as her head tilted to the side.

I shook my head, a small smile still framing my face.

"Its nothing."

With that she nodded at me and resumed looking ahead.

We reached the station; the place was abuzz with crowds of people, just looking at those crowds made me dizzy. We stayed outside the crowded area to say our farewells.

"Well, Hikigaya-kun, I'll be going this way." She motioned behind her.

"Yeah." I hand her the bags that I've been carrying for her. She reached out her hand, and our fingers made contact for a moment, before separating.

"I had fun today." She gave me a grateful smile. Truly, a smile that you would want to protect.

"Yeah, me too." I reply.

She inhaled deeply and gave a long sigh. From that simple act alone, I could tell that she too was tired.

It's amazing how a simple sigh can give so many meanings.

"See you tomorrow then, Hikigaya-kun." She gave me a small smile and a wave.

"Ok, stay safe, senpai." When I said that, her smile grew bigger. I was trying to suppress the blush that was about to adorn my face.

I returned her wave, and she turned away from me and disappeared into the crowd of people.

I turned around too, and reveled at the sight.

"Well, time for me to go home..." as well I muttered as I walked into the crowd.

(--)

"Haa-chan! Welcome back!" I hear the voice of a small girl.

"Welcome back, Onii-chan!" I hear Komachis voice.

What is happening here?

Those thoughts ran through my mind when Komachi opened the door and greeted me, while Kei-chan hugged my right leg.

"K-Kei-chan? What are you doing here?" I look down on the little girl that gave me a cheeky grin.

"Kei-chan and Kawasaki-nee are here because Mom invited them for dinner!" Komachi explained.

"I see."

With that Kei-chan reluctantly let go of my leg so I can change into my indoor flip-flops.

Wait, Kawasaki-san is here too?

I heard Mom call Komachi, and she quickly went back, but not before motioning me to lean down a bit so she can whisper into my ear.

"Kei-chan and Kawasaki-san are here because Kei-chan wanted to play. Mom arrived from work and invited them for dinner. So make sure to score a lot of points from Kawasaki-san! Tehee~!" she whispered and skipped away towards the kitchen.

Good grief, now my little sister is planning behind my back.

Plus, I thought I told her to stop saying that annoying "Tehee~!", I felt many of my brain cells die when she said that.

Kei-chan began to pull on my hand, motioning me to with her to the living room. I began to walk awkwardly, the difference in our height, plus the fact that I had to slouch a little, made it look like I was a Homo Erectus.

When we reached the living room, I put the stuff that I bought on the sofa, and I saw Kawasaki-san in the kitchen with an apron around her. The apron hugged her figure nicely, and I can see her long pretty hair tied in a ponytail.

I don't know why, but seeing her like that inside my house made me flustered.

"A-Ah, Hikigaya, your'e back." She said with an awkward smile.

"Y-Yeah, I'm h-home...?" Why am I questioning myself?!

"Welcome back, Haa-chan! Saki-chan~, can you be a dear and put these on the table~?" I heard my Mom from inside the kitchen.

"Y-Yes!" She broke eye contact with me and quickly went to attend to my Mothers request.

"Haa-chan! Lets play!" Kei-chan squealed while still holding my hand. She also pointed to some toys that were cluttered on the coffee table.

That Gundam really looks familiar

Same with that Doremon toy and T-rex...

Hmm...

Hey! Those are mine! Komachi or Mom must have gotten them from my room.

As much as I want to sit down and play with Kei-chan, I was also terribly thirsty.

"Let me get a glass of water first, ok? Haa-chan is very thirsty." I patted her head while she pouted. Her mouth forming into and upside down V.

Kyah! That's so cute!

With that, I went to the kitchen to quench my thirst. I saw Mom expertly handling the pan, while occasionally changing the intensity of the flame, while Kawasaki-san was watching intently. Komachi was preparing the table while humming a tune.

Mom would sometimes give her inputs on her cooking, and Kawasaki-san would ask questions on the proper manner in cooking the dish.

What they were talking about went through my head because cooking isn't exactly my strongest attribute...

After quenching my thirst, I went back to the living room as promised, and began playing with Kei-chan.

She picked up a toy dinosaur and started making guttural sounds, trying to mimic the sound of a Tyrannosaurus-Rex. I chose a Gundam, and I made it fly above as if I was the one piloting it.

Suddenly, she made the T-Rex fly towards the Gundam, its jaws holding the head of my robot.

"Haha! I win!" she exclaimed.

Wait, we were fighting?! Someone give me the manual for this game! I want a rematch! A rematch, I say!

"Kei-chan, thats cheating. T-rexes cannot fly." I say.

"I still win!" she made a bratty grin that reminded me of Komachi.

Good grief...

We continued playing after that, and shortly before I was about to ask if the food is ready, I heard my Mother's voice "Haa-chan! Kei-chan! The food is ready!"

Upon hearing that, Kei-chan got up, held my hand, and began going towards our dinner table.

On the head of the table, sat my mom, flanked by Komachi to her right, then Kawasaki-san. Kei-chan sat to my Mothers left, and I sat next to her.

Oooohhh, the food looks good!

A large chunk of tuna, grilled to perfection lied in all its glory at the center of the table. The other dishes were chicken curry, my personal favorite, some Japanese salad, pork ribs, boiled eggs, and of course, miso soup.

Of those dishes, I only know how to cook chicken curry and boiled eggs haha.

This was a good change to the hotel food that I've been eating yesterday.

I would choose my Mothers homemade food over overpriced hotel food any day!

"Hikigaya," Kawasaki-san called to me from across the table, "I should be seated next to Keika, she might make a mess while eating..."

I look to Kei-chan, and she gave me a pleading look.

HHHHNNNGGGG! Mah hart! Mah sole!

"I think I can handle I messy mouth or two." I say with confidence, I was the one who cleaned up Komachi's mess when she was still little after all!

She didn't know what to say after my reply, so she gave a sigh of defeat.

I gave Kei-chan a thumbs-up from under the table, and she began to laugh heartedly.

My mother smiled at the scene, followed by Komachi and Kawasaki-san.

Amidst the laughter of the little girl beside me, a thought crossed my mind...

I wonder what Dad is doing right now?

Wait, I'm making it sound like he's dead...

(--)

"Hikigaya-shachou, is something bothering you?" I turn and it's one of my employees from the Chiba prefecture. I forgot the young man's name though...

"Ah, nothing, I just feel like I'm forgetting something..." I furrowed my brows and stared at the view outside. Hachiman said that this place had a beautiful view during night time. I believe this place was called, Cafe Luna. Tokyo indeed has a spectacular view at night, especially at this height where you can almost see Chiba if you know where to look.

A shame that he didn't stay for a day longer, but who am I to prevent my son from doing what he wants?

I may be his father, but I do not control every aspect in his life.

Before this all happened, my son and I barely had social interactions at home. Me and my wife would always come home late, and our children would be sound asleep as expected. This dragged on for the most of my family life.

With that kind of childhood, I'm proud to say that Hachiman had become very independent. He makes his own decisions, and takes full responsibility should negative consequences arise.

I am proud of him, yes, but at the same time, I feel like I have failed him, as a Father...

A shrill ringtone from a smartphone startled me. I glanced at my companion and he gave me a look said, " May I be excused?".

With a simple nod that I gave, he gave me a bow and took his leave.

And now I am alone to my thoughts...

"AH!" I exclaim a bit too loudly, thankfully, the other patrons in the cafe haven't noticed. But I finally remembered the reason for my presence here.

Yukinoshita-san of the local Diet invited me for a drink, I wonder what he wanted to discuss about...

And, of course I accepted, what kind of idiot would shy away from free food?

CHAPTER END

WOOOOOOOOOO! Damn this took a while to write.

I will spare you the cliche and overused excuses. (My laptop broke, so I had to write everything on my notebook and then rewrite it on my crappy phone. But now it's repaired and I successfully rewritten everything, of course adding and cutting a few pieces here and there...)

-Shachou means president.

The next chapter would have a time-skip of around three weeks after the events of this chapter. Let's just say that our beloved protagonist is very busy in those three weeks...

So, trivialities aside, what did you think about this chapter? Don't forget to write a review if you want! ( Love reading your reviews, be they good or bad ones.)

You can always write down some suggestions you know...

Ivanov117 here, saying, au revoir.

7

"Crawl back to the hole from whence you came, you lower life form (Common Earthworm)."

I turn to the source of the sound, and I saw my brother lying on top of the many sofas in the café that our mother owns. I was at the counter, cleaning everything that needs to be cleaned before we can close the shop. Mom was at the bar upstairs, probably helping out her employees.

He's been like that for a while now, just lying there, talking to himself while playing on his PSVita...

Well, I can't really complain, since he already finished cleaning the area that Mom assigned to him. My brother may be lazy, but if he needs to do something, he'll do it "As quickly and efficiently as possible!"

I sighed and continued cleaning the shelves and making sure the top of the counter is clean to the point where I can see my own reflection. Looking around and comparing our place to the other cafes that I have been to, I can say that ours was pretty good.

It had a professional and formal feel to it, and it even made me feel out of place. I'm not an interior designer, but I can say that the theme here was, sleek and simplicity.

Everything, from the chairs and tables, to the ceiling and lights had that same theme. In short, it had a really modern feel to it. A lot of furniture here was custom designed, and now that I think about it, most of the equipment here was really expensive looking. Even the customers that I served earlier had a dignified and respectable air around them.

It's Sunday today, and the sun had already sunk below the horizon around two hours ago.

After I wrap this up, the three of us were supposed to eat outside, because all of us were exhausted at the end of the day.

I had to help out at the café with the orders at the cashier, as well as cleaning the tables after the customers. Mom's bar upstairs has customers at around 7pm, so she had plenty of free time to help me out at the café below.

My brother on the other hand, just came back from his Taekwando lessons. He was at work at the bookstore Monday to Saturday and his lessons start at Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Waaahhh, that must be exhausting...

Poor Onii-chan, Komachi will make you feel really good to relieve you of the stress!

Wait, that sounded too lewd...hehehe...

Anyway, his eyes were looking more dead than normal and I won't even call him dead-fish eyes anymore.

More like, Undead Champion, or Zombie Overlord.

Hmm, perhaps NEET Emperor...?

I took a peek at him and I saw him looking at me with a red glint in his eyes.

"...Oi, you were thinking something rude about me, weren't you?" he asked with a brow raised in suspicion.

I-Impossible! Onii-chan can read minds now?!

"N-No! Haha, what are you saying, O-Onii-chan?" I say while trying my best not to stutter. To lessen his suspicion, I absentmindedly began to clean more vigorously and inspected a smudge on the counter that wasn't really there.

But it looks like it only made his eyes narrow at me. He looked like he was going to say something, but a sound from his PSVita made him switch his attention.

Phew.

The sounds from his PSVita were getting more chaotic, forcing him to put all of his focus on it. His brows were relaxed, but his eyes had an intense look on them while his fingers pushed away on the gaming console.

"You dare get back up? Stay down on the ground where you belong, you lower life form (Maggot).

Onii-chan can get weird sometimes...

"Komachi~, are you done yet? Let's have dinner!" My Mother's voice came from the room behind me which had stairs that led to the bar.

"Ah, I'll be done in a minute!" I say as I began to do my work faster because my hunger was growing by the second.

After several moments, Mom came out of the room and went to the sofa where Onii-chan was lying on.

"Haa-chan, be careful or you might fall off." Mom chided as she began to inspect the area if it was clean enough. Dragging a finger on one of the table tops and checking it, she nodded to herself.

"Yes yes..." Onii-chan said in a low and exhausted tone.

With the last of the shelves wiped of any accumulated dust, and the countertop clean, I did a stretch and basked at my work.

"Mom, I'm done here." I announced proudly.

"Ok good, let's go have some dinner! Where do you want to eat?"

After Mom told her employees upstairs that she was going home ahead, we went outside began walking while trying to decide where we should eat.

And by "we", I meant just Mom and me. As usual, Onii-chan would just reply, "Anywhere is fine.", whenever we would ask him for suggestions. Waaahh, so cool yet so lame at the same time.

In the end we decided to eat at the local family restaurant, and after being led to our table, we went straight into choosing our food.

"Hmm, what to pick..." I say while observing their menu.

"Haa-chan have you decided yet?" I hear Mom's voice.

"I'll just get a ramen and gyoza."

Ramen and gyoza huh...Ah, I guess I'll just get that too...

"Me too!"

With my reply, Mom called the waiter over to get our orders. I took out my phone to pass the time. Onii-chan on the other hand, took out his Light Novel from his bag and began reading away.

"Oi, Komachi. Don't use your phone on the table, that's rude." Onii-chan's voice reprimanded me and I hit him with my right elbow.

"Well why don't you put down your trashy light novel?" I give him a trashy grin from the corner of my eye.

He narrowed his eyes at me and put down his book.

"Hmph, fair enough."

"Haa-chan, how's your work and karate lessons coming along?"

"It's going smoothly, and its taekwando, not karate."

"Ah, silly me haha."

I give Onii-chan a closer look, he doesn't look any different since he started three weeks ago. When he arrives home, he just collapses on the sofa and takes a nap. Even though he's also biking and jogging every morning, I don't really see any changes.

"Where's Dad anyway?" I decide to ask so we can keep the conversation going, seeing that Onii-chan has refused to open his mouth to speak.

"He's been busier at work lately and he's always traveling a lot, that's what he told me." Onii-chan mumbled his reply.

"Waahh...I hope he doesn't overexert himself again..." I hear Mom mutter in a worried tone.

"Ah, now that I remember," Mom says with a faraway look in her eyes and a voice full of nostalgia, "when Haa-chan was still in my belly, your father would always do overtime, and he told me that he would sleep under his desk at his office..."

Ah, so Dad would sometimes go overboard at work huh...

"Hmph, I'm sure Dad wouldn't sleep under his desk now." Onii-chan added as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You're right, he would definitely just fall asleep on his desk." Mom said, and we laughed at her reply.

From there, the conversation went smoothly and we talked about lots of stuff that made Onii-chan grow bored. But he would talk from time to time and add his opinion on the matter. Before long, our food arrived, and we heartily ate our dinner.

The food was surprisingly good, and I was the first one to finish eating.

"Ara, Komachi, you sure are hungry tonight, all the work that I gave you must drained you huh?" Mom said with a small smile.

Ah, but I was still hungry though...

Onii-chan has always been a slow eater, and I can see that he has a far-away look in his eyes while he's eating. Seizing my chance, I swiftly move my chopsticks to the vulnerable and enticing gyoza on his plate.

With a whoosh I take managed to take my target and successfully take a bite from it.

"Oi, don't steal my food..." He said with a more tired and empty voice than usual, he didn't even bother to turn his head and look at me, he's just looking at me from the corner of his eye.

Uwaahh...I should feel guilty about this...

But I don't! Hahaha!

"Too late, hehehe~." I finish the food that I stole from him and stuck my tongue out.

"Komachi, stop teasing your brother, he's probably more exhausted than you are." Mom said and called the waiter to get the receipts of our dinner.

"Haaiiii~!"

Sorry Mom, but teasing Onii-chan is fun!

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The next day...

The cold morning air flowed through my face, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand straight. It's been around thirty minutes after sunrise, and the number of vehicles and pedestrians on the street are slowly increasing in number.

Since I started, I think I covered a distance of maybe a kilometer or two. I was supposed to jog around the neighborhood this morning, but I felt guilty since I started neglecting to use my trusty bike.

Don't worry bike-chan, you're still the one for me.

Lately, I've been spacing out a bit, more so than usual that even Komachi and Mom started to ask me about it.

Truthfully, it's because I've been contemplating my actions and the speed of the current developments. The things that my younger self would have never thought of doing.

Is changing myself good?

Why do I have to change?

Have I found a reason that would warrant an immediate need to change myself?

Currently, it feels like change is both good and bad, until you open the box to see what's inside, you can never get a proper answer.

Huh, it feels like I'm in a "Schrödinger's Cat" scenario...

Feeling that I'm about to reach the limit of my stamina, I bike towards the playground in our neighborhood to rest and go home.

As I turned at the corner of the street, I saw a girl wearing a white sweater and gray jogging pants with peach-colored hair walking her dog, I believe the breed was a Daschund. The little brown dog would sniff everything that it came across on the road.

A dog doing typical dog things.

How the girl walked struck me as strange, she's almost dragging her feet on the pavement with her shoulders and head low.

Ah, she must have been forced to walk the dog at the insistence of her parents...

I rode past them shortly, and I didn't bother looking back.

In fact, I think I saw the girl barely keeping her eyes open...

When I reached the playground, I parked my bike beside the bench and began to massage my legs to ease the pain. After that, I did upper body stretching exercises which made many of my joints pop in the process. Finally, I did squats and leg stretches to complete the morning ritual.

Ugh, my arms still hurt after my session at the Taekwondo studio with Shiromeguri-senpai yesterday afternoon...

Tatsumi-sensei was a pretty harsh teacher...

"Come on! Stop acting like little wimps!"

"Hit harder! You little sissy!"

"I expected better from my cousin's employees!"

"You! With the dead-eyes! Faster! Keep those legs up!"

"If I catch you that you're slacking off on the training program that I gave you, you're in a lot of trouble!"

Shiromeguri-senpai was terrified of sensei, and I would cower behind her in a very unmanly fashion when sensei is scolding us.

Damn, I think I even shed a tear or two now that I think about it.

*Hoh, you really are trying hard, aren't you Hikigaya? *

Leave me alone.

Just as I was about to finally take a break and sit down on one of the benches, I heard a dog's barking and I looked to the source of the sound.

The dog from earlier was running freely towards the playground.

But it's leash was free from the hand of its owner.

I watched the dog run around the playground, almost searching for something, and then it saw me and barked. The dog ran towards me with it's little tongue dangling out and its tail wagging.

"Sable!" A girly voice cried out.

I looked around and saw the girl from earlier trying to catch up to her pet.

The little dog reached me in no time and stood on its hind legs as it used my leg for balance.

Wow, this dog is a little bit too friendly. It would make for a terrible guard dog.

Its large eyes looked up to me, and I didn't have the heart to push it away. So, I reached out my hand and patted its head, which earned a pleasant sound from it.

It whimpered in joy when I scratched the area behind its ear.

That's so cute...

From the corner of my eye, I saw the girl's pace slow down as she neared me, a look of relief plastered on her face.

"I-I'm so sorry about that! Sable ran of on his own!" she said through labored breaths.

When I sat straight to look at her and meet her eyes, she flinched at me and unconsciously took a step back.

Oh, come on, you don't have to show your apprehension that much...

"It's nothing, he's a very good dog. A good dog reflects its owner's personality and how much you care for him. He is very lucky to have a caring owner such as yourself." I say as I shook my head to dismiss her apology.

Those words were the same words when a co-worker of Dad visited our house when I was a kid. She commented that Kamakura was a very well-behaved cat and is lucky to have a kind owner like me.

Needless to say, I let it go to my head and I got cocky.

She tilted her head to the side in thought, and then her eyes widened in realization.

"A-Ah! You give me too much credit!" she says while a blush covered her cheeks and waving her hands in front of her in an erratic manner.

The dog, I mean, Sable, got off from my leg and began to bark and circle around his owner. The girl was able to hold her dog, albeit clumsily, and finally lock the leach to his collar.

Now that I have a closer look at her, Peachy here doesn't look bad. She had soft features on her face, her eyes round and full of life, which must mean that she has a happy and outgoing personality. She was shorter that Kawasaki-san and had shoulder-length peach-colored hair.

I'll call her Peachy for now.

"But please, make sure to properly keep him under control next time. It might get him into an unfortunate accident in the future." I reprimanded Peachy in a slightly scolding tone, which caused her to bow and ask for my forgiveness.

After that, she stared at me, as if waiting to continue the conversation, and I began to see that she was beginning to feel awkward at the silence.

I activate my STAND, [108 LONER SKILLS, it has many abilities, one of which includes the quick dispersion of an awkward atmosphere with a lame, but effective excuse!

"You should get going, your do- I mean Sable, is getting restless." I say as I eyed the small dog.

"Ah, you're right!" With that Peachy gave me a small bow and began to turn around, but she stopped, her mouth opening slightly, as if wanting to say something.

I tilted my head in confusion and frustration.

If you want to say something, say it!

I'm not a psychic damnit! Do I look like I have a quirk or something?!

"G-Goodbye!" She raised her hand and gave me a small wave.

"Hmm." I raised mine and she turned and walked away from me. Her dog also giving my foot one last sniff before trotting away.

For the next several minutes, I was just spacing out and staring at nothing in particular.

I wonder what's for breakfast...

A notification alert came from my phone, and I slowly reached into my pocket to see what it is.

Probably just a scam message or a bill from my service provider...

I opened the device and I saw that it was a message from Mom.

Sender: Mom

Haa-chan! I forgot to tell you that your presence is required at school at Friday this week. I also forgot what it was about.

Sorry about that...hehe...

So be sure to go there, or else I'm taking away your PSVita!

Oh no, she's threatening Vita-chan! I have to take this seriously then...

Uwaah, what a drag...How tiresome...

I hope I'm not in trouble or anything...

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Greetings everyone! Ivanov117 here!

Sorry for not updating in a while. I've been reading all the Overlord Light Novels, as well as No Game No Life and I just finished the Akame Ga Kill Manga. I've also decided to replay my Skyrim with a pure Nordic Magic Caster, and I've been having too much fun lol.

You might have noticed that this is a rather short chapter. Well, I decided to chop things up a bit because I don't want too much stuff happening in one chapter.

So, in the next chapter, Hachiman would go to Sobou High to see why he was called. Who knows who he might run into, and what things he may discover?

The next chapter would be most likely released before April ends...

Adios mi amigos!

8

When Mother informed me that I was needed at Sobou High this Friday, I obediently bowed and promised to go there.

But, I can see that my mother was disappointed in me, that I was unable to be at the top of the entrance examinees.

As befits a "Yukinoshita".

She did not outwardly express her displeasure of course, but I can see it clearly on her eyes.

Her eyes that constantly compare me to Nee-san.

Nee-san, who is the epitome of perfection.

The daughter that every husband and wife dreamed to have.

A long sigh escaped my lips, while I closed my eyes and forcefully pushed these thoughts away.

With a clear head, I turn to my side and watch the pedestrians cross the road from the inside of our limousine. There's so many of them, crowds like that are bound to make me dizzy and uncomfortable.

It's already evening, and I can see many weary faces eager to go home and spend time with their families and loved ones.

I spot the occasional couple, some just walking side by side, while others walk hand-in-hand.

At the request of Mother, I was sent to pick up Nee-san at a dinner that she was invited to. The restaurant that she was at was a place that father would frequently go, from what I heard before.

Several minutes later, our driver parks the car in front of a random convenience store and informs me that Nee-san will be joining us shortly.

The right-side passenger door of the limousine opened and Nee-san entered wearing a white jacket over her red evening dress.

"If it isn't Yukino-chan! What a pleasant surprise!" she said in a cheerful manner when she entered the vehicle and took her seat next to me.

I just nodded in reply and returned to staring absentmindedly outside the window.

"Hey hey, what's with the cold attitude missy?" Nee-san said in a mother-like tone as she poked my shoulder to get my attention.

With a sigh, I look back at her and see that she's holding up her phone for me to see.

When I saw what she wanted me to see, my mind froze while my blood started to boil. I could not suppress the blush that was creeping to my cheeks.

It was that picture...

"Yukino-chan, you are very cute. So, don't ruin that cuteness with the look that you're giving me." She said.

"Plus," she added, "why do you look so upset? It's just a photo of me and my-"her words were cut short when she saw the picture that she let me see.

"Oh! Wrong picture! Sorry about that! Hehehe." She gave me a sheepish smile as an addition to her verbal apology, but I ignored her regardless.

I doubt that that was an accident though...

"Here it is!" she said as she handed me her phone back.

Nee-san was at the center of a group picture that included people near her age. All of them wore luxurious dresses and suits, as befits their status is society. They were most likely the sons and daughters of our parent's associates.

If I were in Nee-san's place in the picture, I would have had an uncomfortable expression adorning my face. I was never the most social person after all. I disliked crowds, and I was told that I sometimes act very cold and utter piercingly harsh words. Because of those reasons, I never had any real friends.

"Hmm." My eyes lingered longer than I desired, which caught the attention of Nee-san. I could not understand the reason behind why she showed the picture.

"He's not there you know." She said.

"Huh?" I asked, confused by her statement.

"You know, I asked Father if he was invited, but his father politely declined the invitation addressed to both of them...such a shame..." she said in a sad tone as fake tears formed at the corner of her eyes.

I was still perplexed by her words...

"Nee-san, I don't quite follow what you're talking about..." I say as I returned to her the phone.

"I thought you would get it by now. I was talking about Hikigaya-kun."

" So? What about him?" I reply coldly and too fast for my liking. Thankfully, Nee-san ignored it and continued.

"Waaahh, no need to be so angsty Yukino-chan. What do you have against him? I for one, just wanted to hang out and tease him for a bit. He's quite an interesting fellow."

Her tone was...mysterious.

I was not quite sure what the emotion behind her words was...

"I don't quite understand why you took a liking to him." I reply.

"What's this? Are you jealous? Well, you'll find out why if you hang out with him!"

After that, we descended into silence for the next several minutes. I almost forgot that she was sitting right beside me because of how quiet she was.

We entered the business district along the way home and saw many shops and establishments that dominated the area. I saw a café that caught my eye, its name was The Coffee Hub. Interestingly, a bar with the name, The Midnight Tavern, was above it.

I wonder if both of them share the same owner...?

The vehicle continued traversing through the streets until we were forced to stop because of the traffic light which was red.

"Hey, isn't that Hikigaya-kun...?" Nee-san finally spoke after minutes of silence. When I turned to her, she was looking outside at the crowds.

I moved my eyes to the direction that she was looking at, and amidst the sea of people, I saw him.

"Yes...I think so." I say.

He...looked quite strange.

He was dragging his feet across the pavement and his back was hunched, he looked exhausted, to say the least. He also looked suspicious because his hands were in his pockets and the people around him looked at him with guarded eyes and kept their bags and phones away from him.

It was almost as if I was looking at a different person, but his ahoge on his head gave him away.

Back at the hotel, he was somewhat impassive and looked permanently bored to death. He was distant and cold-eyed, and looked at everything with disinterest, yet, Nee-san was able to be acquainted with him.

Even with my previous statements being said, I could not help but notice that he emitted, I daresay, a strange aura of confidence, if I one can call it that, and walked with his head held high with a straight posture. Even his steps were sure and full of self-confidence.

I was not even sure if I can call it confidence.

But that was the only word that I can describe him at that moment.

As far as I can tell, Nee-san was the only person who approached and conversed with him. While he did not look approachable, he did not try and push Nee-san away and looked quite fine with her as company.

The only time he would break character was when Nee-san would get overboard with her teasing and invading his personal space.

In front of him, were two females, one adult and one nearing her early teens. From the looks of them, they must be related to him because of the similarity in their facial features.

The older of them had light brown hair, but she had a striking similarity to what I assumed to be her daughter. Their only difference was that her daughter had black hair, which was the same with her son.

Both of them were chatting away while walking, while Dead-Eyes-kun was walking behind them and would occasionally add some words to their conversation.

They entered a family restaurant, and a moment later, our vehicle moved forward to continue our journey home.

Nee-san muttered something under her breath, but I was unable to hear what she said.

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"Please call if you ever need anything, Yukinoshita-sama." My driver said as I began to make my exit from the vehicle. We just arrived at school, thirty minutes before the designated meeting time.

"Of course. Thank you." I closed the door, and a moment after that, our limousine sped away.

I began my walk towards the main building. I was supposed to meet with some of the teachers for some kind of orientation.

As I was walking, I had to agree that Sobou was indeed a very good and prestigious school, as befits is good reputation.

The surroundings were very clean, the trees that had benches underneath to provide shade for the students were trimmed and healthy-looking, even though I was still a bit far, the running tract looked to be well-maintained.

I entered the building and found a bulletin board that had an aerial view of the entire school. I hope that it included directions to specific rooms and other important places because, though I hate to admit it, I am terrible at directions.

When I was a child, I would always hold Nee-san's hand because I would always wander off on my own and would end up crying.

I noticed a figure beside the bulletin board which I had not seen at my first glance. It looked to be a male, and he wore faded jeans and a jet-black t-shirt. Around his shoulder, was a sling bag. He was also staring intently at the school map, as if forcing to memory every single detail of it.

My footsteps echoed as I began to near the board, the sound caused the male to look behind him to see what was causing it.

How could I have not noticed it before?

It was him and his ahoge.

He looked at me strangely and cocked his head to the side, as if trying to remember something important.

Wait, had he forgotten who I am?

"Good morning, Dead- I mean Hikigaya -kun." I nearly called him Dead-Eyes-kun again.

"Huh? Hmm...Umm...Ugh...Ah, yes. Good morning to you as well Sigh-cha-, I mean, Yukinoshita-san."

He forgot who I was, didn't he?

And who is Sigh-chan? What a strange name...

"What brought you to school today?" I ask him.

"Oh, I was called for an orientation or something." He said as he scratched his head and returned his attention to the board, which was quite rude.

Interesting...

"The one scheduled thirty minutes from now?" I ask again.

"Yes, that's right. Were you called as well?" He replied and turned to me with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Yes."

"Ok."

"I see."

"Yeah."

"Indeed."

"Yup."

Our conversation was becoming redundant and meaningless, and I was getting a bit irked.

"Do you mind if I come with you to the office?" I ask.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Ok, let's go." And began walking away without even waiting for me. Honestly, how rude.

Truthfully, I only went with him because I did not want to get lost and getting late for the orientation.

We walked in silence, our footsteps echoed through the hallways. We would meet the occasional teacher and janitor, but other than that we were by ourselves.

Mind you, we were not walking side by side. I was walking five feet behind him, trying to catch up to his walking speed. He did not even try and strike a conversation with me, much less, look behind him.

I also highly doubt that he was part of the top entrance examinees, he does not look the part. Though I try to keep in mind that looks can be deceiving.

We turned and walked a flight of stairs, he maintained his walking speed, while I was out of breath after a minute or so. From the second floor of the building, I can see much of the surroundings below. We passed by empty classrooms, and I caught him give me a glance and quickly look away.

We stopped in front of a room that had the sign "Faculty Room" on the top of it.

Without even turning back to me, he knocked on the door and we heard a "Come in!" from inside. He frowned, with furrowed brows, then opened the door and went in, and I followed him inside.

We were met with the familiar room layout in a faculty room that are common in the schools of our country. Long cubicles for the teachers filled with stacks of papers and office materials and equipment.

In front of us was a girl with dark-brown hair, whose hairstyle was what one would call "pigtails". She wore a white t-shirt with the words "Let's Go! o" printed on the front and black jeans. She was taller than me and Hikigaya-kun, but the difference in her height and his was only a small margin.

"Shi-Shiromeguri-senpai?" Hikigaya-kun said with disbelief. I turned to him and he had a shocked expression on his face.

"Yup yup! It's me, Shiromeguri Meguri!" The girl then made a peace sign with her left hand moved it beside her cheek.

The image annoyed me, but I remained silent.

" You're the President of the Student Council?" Hikigaya-kun asked.

"That's right!"

"How come you never told me that we were in the same school?" Hikigaya-kun asked again.

"Because you never asked your senpai silly!" the girl replied in a cutesy manner that made my eye twitch.

"That's...hmm...I guess so, but did I really not ask you which school you go to?" He said.

"Nope!"

"Ah..." he trailed off while scratching his cheek.

As if noticing me for the first time, the girl's eyes went wide and adopted a more formal posture.

"Ah! You must be Haruno-san's little sister! You look so much alike! My name is Shiromeguri Meguri, by the way." She exclaimed with wide eyes.

As usual, I am referred to as Haruno's little sister.

"Yukinoshita Yukino, pleased to meet you." I said and bowed.

"Shiromeguri-senpai, you already know me, so let's get this over with." Hikigaya-kun said in a dismissive manner.

"That's no good, Hikigaya-kun! Learn to be more patient!" she chided as she lightly slapped his shoulder.

"Yes yes..." he muttered.

"Ok! So," she turned to the two of us and put her hand on her hips, "we received a notice last week that the third one is unable to join us today."

Wait, the third one?

Could it be...?

"For now, it would be just the two of you. Please wait here so I can inform the teacher who would be handling you today. Don't touch anything!" With that she walked past us and disappeared behind the doors that led to the hallway.

There was a moment of silence, and when I turned to see what the other occupant of the room was doing, he already sat down on one of the nearby chairs and was already taking out a book from his sling bag.

The book was small, around 400 pages give or take. At the front cover was and illustration of a person in white shiny armor, unfortunately, only a small amount of the armor showed because the person was covered in blood. The person also carried a metallic spear that was taller than itself, and at the top of the spear, pierced and covered in blood, was a human head. Its face contorted into a look of pain and anguish.

Chronicles of Incursio

Hmph, I have never heard of that book.

"Do you need something?" Hikigaya-kun's voice broke through my inner thoughts.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, you were just staring at me and saying nothing."

"As if I would want to look into your direction with your soulless eyes." I replied coldly.

"Hoooohhhh..."

Instead of being offended, he smirked at my words while his eyes had a mischievous glint to them.

"Noted, thank you for the compliment." With that, he crossed his legs and resumed reading his book.

Is he looking down on me?

He is, isn't he?

"A typical reply fitting for low person such as yourself."

"Hmm..." he nodded without even looking at me.

"As expected, you can't even form a proper reply."

"Uhuh..."

"Your eyes are filled with lecherousness, I fear for my dignity as a woman."

"Oi...I'm trying to read here..."

"Your very presence is a danger to all women within your vicinity."

"Well, not to my Mother and sister..."

"I feel like I'm being undressed by your eyes."

"Hey, you're making me sound like a pervert..."

"All boys are perverts, it's in your very nature."

"Well, I can't speak for all males, but I don't really care for that kind of stuff."

"It's a miracle how you even managed to get into this school without being stopped by the security guard."

"Now that you mention it, he was eyeing me a bit too closely. He probably thought that I was a delinquent or something." The way he said it in a very blunt and self-mocking manner made me pause.

"Are you trying to be funny? That was tasteless."

"Nope. That happened this morning actually." He said as a matter-of-factly.

"..." I thought that it was a joke, I never thought that it actually occurred.

"..."

"Then the security guard was right to be suspicious of you."

"Of course, I would have done the same if I were in his place. The guard was right to stop and be suspicious to a person with my looks."

I was appalled by how self-depreciating his words can be.

"What are you here for? I believe you are here to be expelled due to that attitude of yours."

"You mean my twisted sense of humor? Hmm, maybe, maybe not. Who knows?" He smirked as he moved to the next page of his book.

Amazingly, he was not affected by the barrage of insults that I sent him.

I was impressed to say the least.

I took a seat several feet away from him. He ignored me and was very much engrossed in his book.

There was utter silence in the room, except for the sound of my breathing and the wall clock. I remembered Nee-san's request several days ago...

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Nee-san said hi."

"Who?"

I turned to him, appalled at his audacity. But instead of a mocking face, I was met with a face full of honest confusion. His head and ahoge was tilted to the side with his mouth slightly open. It was slightly amusing to look at.

"Who?" he asked again.

"Nee-san, you met her at the party, remember? The one who was with you most of the evening?" I say in an exasperated manner as I massaged by brows.

"Hmm...Oh right. Yukinoshita Haruno-san, yeah?"

"That's right."

"Ok, tell her I said hi too." And then he returned to his book.

I was expecting a more... different reaction.

Truthfully, I was expecting him to become a blushing mess and utter incoherent words coupled with stuttering on his part. But I was met with the same look indifference he gave me back at the party.

Once again, silence engulfed the room, suddenly, the sliding door the room slammed open, the noise echoing through the tranquil atmosphere of the room.

"AH!" a shriek filled the air, but it was not mine. Also, I think I saw a book fly above in Mach speed.

I turned to the its source and I saw Hikigaya-kun clutching his chest, his eyes wide staring at the door to the room. I restrained a giggle from my lips through a fake cough.

The barbarian who opened the door in a very barbaric manner was in fact a woman.

Her long legs were covered in black slacks and she wore a lab gown over her black jacket. She had a fierce, yet youthful face and her long black hair freely flowed behind her. What struck me was how beautiful she looked, and how bountiful her chest area was.

A pang of envy in the form of an icicle pierced my heart.

Hikigaya-kun cursed and walked to where he accidentally threw his book. I vaguely heard him say, "This is bad for my heart..."

"Yosh! You two, follow me!" The amazon princess, though I think queen would be more precise due to her age, exclaimed and walked away to the hallway without even waiting for us.

I followed closely, while Hikigaya-kun walked several feet behind me.

"My name is Hiratsuka Shizuka. I'm the teacher of Japanese History and Literature." She turned to us while walking.

"My name is Yukinoshita Yukino, pleased to meet you."

"Hoh, so you're Haruno's little sister? She's told me many things about you."

"Good things, I hope." In all honesty, I am quite concerned as to what things Nee-san tells other people about me.

"You, you're Hikigaya Hachiman, right?" Hiratsuka-sensei said.

"Huh? Um, yeah." Hikigaya-kun replied.

"Shiromeguri talks about you a lot."

"Ah, that's something Shiromeguri-senpai would do." Hikigaya-kun said in a soft tone.

What is the relationship between those two anyway? Are they cousins? Childhood friends? Or mere acquaintances?

Our conversations stopped there, and several minutes later, we entered an empty classroom. Hiratsuka-sensei sat behind the teacher's desk while Hikigaya-kun and I sat the chairs directly in front of her.

Of course, we were a seat apart.

"Ok, so" Hiratsuka-sensei paused, as if for effect, "do you know why you've been called here?"

I looked at Hikigaya-kun and he gave me an expectant look, as if he knew that I would try and answer.

"Well, I think it's about the top entrance examinees." I say.

"Bingo." Hikigaya-kun said lazily while resting his chin on his arm.

"You're both right.", Hiratsuka-sensei said. "Hikigaya-kun, I would like to congratulate you on being able to perfectly pass all the questions of the entrance exam. Only a handful had ever achieved that feat, Haruno included." Hiratsuke-sensei finished while giving me a knowing look.

When I heard those words, it was as if I was hit with a sledgehammer.

Hikigaya-kun was the one who beat me?

I know that there is always a bigger fish, but I expected the fish who beat me to at least look the part.

Not this monotonous and dull person beside me.

"Oi, why are you looking at me like that? You're going to turn me to stone. If you were medusa, I would have had to cut your head here and now." Hikigaya-kun's flat voice was directed at me.

"Yukinoshita, no need to look so upset, the difference between your scores aren't that big." Hiratsuka-sensei added nonchalantly.

"I'm not upset." I reply too quickly in a sharp manner.

"I highly doubt that." Hikigaya-kun said. I felt a nerve tick near my forehead.

"Hoh? And how can you say that?" I challenged him.

He gave a sigh and looked at me from the corner of his eye, not even bothering to face me.

"First of all, anyone can attest that you're upset from the tone of your voice. Your shoulders tensed when sensei announced the results, which meant that you were truly shocked and not expecting it. The way that your hands started clenching all of a sudden is a dead giveaway too...Oh and that aura that you're giving off is cold enough to make even a Russian feel cold."

I was stuck by how right he was. I unconsciously doing all of those things.

How observant can he get?

Seeing that I had yet to formulate a proper response, he shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to sensei who was observing us with amusement.

"Back to the topic at hand." Hiratsuka-sensei cut me off before I could reply. "The top three students of the entrance exams are usually given orientations. The school has high hopes on you, and they expect you to become a role model for your fellow students. Someone that they can look up to, if you will.

So, with this in mind, throughout your school years here in Sobou, the school will always be keeping a close watch on your progress. The three of you will be required at the stage during the opening ceremony for the school year, but Hikigaya-kun here will be the one to deliver the freshman speech.

It's not uncommon for students such as you to join the Student Council. And with you being already acquainted with Shiromeguri, it would be easier for you to enter if she pledges for you. But, it's your choice in the end. So, before we delve into the school handbook, do you have any questions?"

From the corner of my eye, I can see Hikigaya-kun sweating bullets. He must be nervous about the speech part.

"Hikigaya, are you all right? You look deathly pale right now." Hiratsuka-sensei asked as she sat on the desk and faced us while crossing her legs.

Very unteacher like...

As if awakened from a trance, Hikigaya-kun face returned to it's all too familiar poker face.

"Sensei, I'm not confident about my public speaking skills." He said bluntly while raising his hand. Well, at least he was honest. If he began the freshman speech in a poor manner, then it would surely cause problems in the future. His reputation will also be tarnished before the proper classes even started.

So, it was a good move from him to announce it this early on.

"Nonsense!", Hiratsuka-sensei exclaimed, "You will be fine!" she said while giving the reluctant teen a thumbs-up.

Hikigaya-kun released a defeated sigh and did not voice his concerns after that. Though he looked as if he had aged 20 years in several seconds when he made that sigh.

About an hour or two of lecturing later, the orientation finally ended, and we were allowed to go home. But a question was still lingering in my thoughts and I decided to ask sensei about it.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, you said that there were three of us, correct? Who is the third one?" I asked her just as she was about to exit the room.

"Ah, I think his name has Hayama Hayato..." sensei replied while putting her hand under her chin.

So, my suspicions proved true...

"Anyway, you can go home now, that's it for today. Hikigaya, I need you to stop by the office tomorrow for you to pick up the freshman speech, classes start in a week so you better get ready by then." With that, she walked away, her footsteps echoing in the empty halls outside.

I heard a pathetic "Waahhh..." sound behind me, the sound was pitiful, to say the least. Almost like a last whimper from a dying animal.

When I turned around, the pitiful form of Hikigaya-kun slowly got up and walked towards the door, ignoring my presence and turning his back on me.

Before he could step outside the room, he stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to me.

"Ah, I'll be going ahead, Yukinoshita-san."

"Hmm." I gave him a nod and he went on his way.

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As I dragged my feet across the floor, my thoughts wandered to the surprises that assaulted me today.

Shiromeguri-senpai was my senpai at school and that she was also the Student Council President.

I had to give a lousy speech at the ceremony thing.

And lastly, that Sigh-chan, I mean, Yukino Yukinoshita, the girl that I met a few weeks ago at the party, was actually a fellow member of the top three entrance examinees.

Waah, now that I think about it, I almost forgot who she was. That was really awkward back there, so much that I want to crawl into a cryochamber and sleep in suspended animation forever.

Thankfully, I was able to remember her when she made her signature exasperated sigh and putting her fingers on her brows while closing her eyes.

Plus, for some reason she was quite upset when she heard the results. Is she a sore loser or something? Is she trying to prove something to someone? I do recall a conversation sounding like that when I overheard her and her sister's conversation back at the hotel...

*Oi Hikigaya, that was a little too detailed, are you into Sigh-chan?*

No, not really. Why would I like a girl who suddenly insulted me not five minutes after we met?

If I was a masochist who would like a girl that insults me and treats me like a lower lifeform, then I would have knelt down and licked her feet on the spot.

But I'm not.

*Didn't you say "Ah, please step on me, Onee-sama!", back at the hotel? That's what a typical masochist would say.*

That was a joke.

Anyway, I also forgot about Onee-sama.

*Don't you mean Haruno-san?*

Ah yes, Yukinoshita Haruno. It's also no surprise that Haruno-san and Shiromeguri-senpai knew each other. Speaking of Haruno-san, Hiratsuka-sensei sounded like she knew her personally. I wonder if they were close?

I didn't quite like the number of surprises that I discovered today, if this keeps up, I will die of a heart attack before I reach twenty years old.

And I can't die yet!

I haven't even written my future bestselling book, Hikigaya Hachiman, on how to become a good Onii-chan!

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Greetings to everyone who reads this!

Hey hey heyyy, it's me Ivanov117!

This chapter was fun to write. I don't really have anything else to say except that NEXT CHAPTER WOULD BE 8MAN'S BIG DAY! How would he be able to handle the freshman speech assigned to him? Would he mess it up? Or would he do it flawlessly?

How would the characters that he met so far react to him at the ceremony?

Let's set that aside for a moment.

Some of you complained about 8man's choice in martial arts, which was taekwondo.

Remember that it was only given to him by Tatsumi-san? Of course 8man wouldn't have it in him to refuse. Because it's free! (Well, a part of his salary was deducted, so his martial arts sessions serve as a form of compensation.)

I'm not going to make him into a badass crime fighting vigilante, if that's what your're thinking...

I'll be going to Japan this May 15 and coming back by the first week of June for our school's cultural exchange program. So I'm not sure if i can write new chapters there...(This would be my 2nd visit.)

Also, please pray for me. I'm terrified of riding airplanes. Hahaha...*cries*

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

See you next time!

9

"OW! Mom, it hurts! Be careful!"

"Stop squirming and stay still Haa-chan!"

I felt Mom pinch and twist my ear.

"OW!"

"I said stop moving! Your hair is already hard to work with!"

I felt the comb rake through my messy hair, a few strands were forcefully removed to the roots.

Needless to say, a tear began to form on the corner of my eye.

Being at the mercy of my Mother as she tried her best to comb and smoothen my hair into a slicked-back style, this was not one of the things that I expected to happen this morning.

After I ate my breakfast and took a bath, Mom forcefully dragged me into the living room and began to work on my hair. Komachi was lazily lounging on the sofa, observing us with a bored expression.

"You have to look nice, today is the first day of classes after all!"

My looks are not my top priority, but I at least want to look presentable though...

"Finally, there we go! Komachi, how does your brother look?"

We both looked to Komachi and she gave me a pondering look, her eyes looking at me from top to bottom.

Hey now, if you look at me like that I'll get self-conscious.

"Hmm, Onii-chan looks like a stereotypical good-looking villain, with his cold, calculative and menacing eyes and all. If he wore a suit, then it would complete the look! Haha!" she exclaimed.

I'm not so sure if that was a compliment or an insult...

"Ok, you're good to go!" Mom said.

After looking at the mirror and checking my uniform one last time, as well as my belongings, Komachi and I bade farewell to our Mother and went outside where Dad was waiting for us with the new car.

He actually bought two, one for himself and one for family-use.

" I bought two because I was getting a bit out of place during company meetings and conferences where I was the only one who didn't own a car. So, for the past week, I was looking for a pretty badass car that could make my colleagues go, "Wow! That's Hikigaya-shachou for you!". And I picked a Toyota sports car, and also a large SUV for your mother so she can transport supplies and equipment to her café & bar!" Those were his exact words.

He's been looking pretty excited recently, and when I asked him about it, he would say "I 'm working on something big!". Please no more surprises Dad, this is bad for my heart.

The ride to Komachi's middle school was uneventful, and the sidewalk as we drew nearer was becoming more crowded with students from her school.

"After I drop you off, I'm going to go back home and get my car to work." Dad said as Komachi exited from the vehicle and we watched her disappear behind the entrance gate.

"Hmm."

"Hachiman," Oh no, he was using that voice. He only uses that voice when he's talking about something serious.

"Hmm?"

"I know you've been busy lately, with your work at Tatsumi-san's store and your lessons every weekend at the studio. Try not to overexert yourself, ok? Also, I trust you, so I'll leave the scheduling of your work to you. Just come back home before 9:00pm. If something come's up, and I'm not around, call your mother and she'll pick you up as soon as she can. Oh, I have a better idea, you can just hang out at your mother's café so the both of you can go home together."

As I contemplated my Father's words, a thought came to my mind.

"But that would leave Komachi all alone at home..."

Because I was seated beside the driver's seat, I can see Dad's expression. My words most likely caught him off guard.

"Ah, you're right. Well then, if that's the case you can just go home as soon as possible, or you can shorten your working ours during the weekdays and do some extra time during weekends."

"Ok, I'll see what I can do."

"Have you been reading my college books lately?" Dad asked.

"Ah, yes. I bring some to the store and read it whenever I can. Sorry if I forgot to ask your permission."

"It's no big deal. What's mine is yours."

Waah, that sounded really cool. If I was a girl, I would have squealed right now. You just scored a bunch of points there Dad!

"Dad, is there something that I should know that happened recently?" I ask.

"H-Huh? I have no idea what you're talking about." Then he started whistling and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

He's a terrible liar, as always.

We were only a few minutes away from my school, but as we thought the road was clear, a small dog suddenly came running out from nowhere and was running towards the middle of the road.

"Dad watch out!" I yelled out in alarm.

"What the he-!" Dad exclaimed as he pushed his feet on the brakes and aggressively moved the steering wheel to avoid hitting the animal.

The car swerved violently to the left and I heard our tires screech from the friction and the sudden change in acceleration and direction. We were only a foot away from hitting the streetlight when our vehicle finally came to a violent halt.

"Shit!" Dad cursed from his seat. Thankfully, the both of us were unscathed and we were wearing our seatbelts.

"Bloody arse..." I couldn't help but curse on my own. Even life-threatening scenarios would make me lose my cool.

I wordlessly hopped out of the vehicle to see what became of the dog. I could see the black marks on the road that our tires made, the nearest one was still smoking. After quickly walking around the car and checking for damages, I gave Dad a thumbs up and I saw him give a sigh of relief. I heard the soft patting sounds and spotted the small dog running towards me.

Wait, that dog looks familiar.

Expertly, I managed to get my hands around it's small body and lift it up in front of me.

Hmm...

This was the dog from the other day...

Its brown eyes looked at me curiously, and it tried to lick my face when I got too near. Its tail was wagging wildly, if it got too fast, this little dog might fly away.

"Sable...?" I say.

When I said its name, its ears perked up and barked at me. If Sable is here, then that means...

"OH MY GOSH ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" girl screamed behind me.

When I turned to look, the girl was running towards me.

Hmm, she looks familiar, have I seen her before...?

The imaginary lightbulb at the top of my head beside my ahoge lit up when I saw the color of her hair.

Hmm, peach...

Peachy...

Ah, it was Peachy...

She had a look of relief and fear on her face, and when she recognized who I am, it was as if she saw a ghost.

"IT'S YOU FROM THE OTHER DAY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" She screamed, this time, closer as she was moving her hands all over my body, eager to see if I was ok.

I know that you're worried and all but can you at least hold back a little bit...? I feel like I'm being molested in public.

When she saw that I was not hurt, she gave a sigh of relief.

...

...

...

And thrust her arms around my neck and put me in a bone crushing hug.

"WAAAHH I'M SO SORRY I KNOW YOU TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL THE OTHER DAY BUT I FORGOT TO LISTEN TO YOU!" she cried while I was fixated on the spot.

Oi, she's crying for real!

Aside from that, I felt her assets pressing themselves into my chest and I was cringing my body away from her. If anyone saw the scene, it would have been very funny to look at.

"I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY!" she repeated those words and stopped when I put a hand on her head.

"There there, at least no one was hurt." I say as I pat and rub her head. She stiffened at the sudden contact at first, but then she calmed down a bit.

I used this trick a lot on Komachi when she cried, and I read that this is an effective means of comforting a crying girl.

When she let go of me, her face was a mess. Her eyes were already red while fresh tears were running down her cheeks. Her nose was also puffed and red.

Phew, it's good that she let go of me, I was starting to get uncomfortable with the prolonged physical contact.

I remembered that I had a handkerchief with me, so I grabbed it from my pocket and gave it to her.

"Here you go." I said.

"A-Ah, I couldn't possibly accept that. I already caused you so much trouble..." she replied while looking away.

"Nonsense, a handkerchief not used to wipe a person's tears, especially that of a woman's, is a waste." I say without thinking.

Shit, now I regret it saying it. S-H-I-T!

It was a line from one of my Light Novels.

Waahh, that was super cringey.

The Cringe level is over 9000!

Ok that was so embarrassing I want to die...

Instead of punching me, she sported a small blush and reluctantly accepted my handkerchief.

"T-Thank you...?" She said as she batted her eyelashes at me while she looked at me with curious eyes and a small blush.

If you're gonna look at me like that, then I'll DEFINITELY fall for you. So please stop before I kneel down and ask for your hand in marriage. I steeled myself and wiped all unnecessary thoughts in my head.

"Hikigaya Hachiman." I said and did a small bow

"Hikigaya...?" she immitated my action but looked like she was deep in thought.

"Yes, and you are?"

"A-Ah! My name is Yuigahama Yui!"

I heard the door to our car open and I turned to see Dad step out of the vehicle. When he saw me, he began walking towards us.

"H-Hikigaya-kun, is that your Dad?" Peachy asked.

"Yes. Don't worry, I'm sure that he'll brush this off." I replied coolly.

I didn't notice that Peachy hid behind me when Dad was already near. Hey, Dad's not scary y'know? Yeah, he does look scary with his eyes but he's a pretty chill guy ok?

"Hachiman? Who is that girl behind you...?"

I quickly sidestepped, which made Peachy visible to my Dad.

"M-My name is Yuigahama Yui, I'm the owner of the dog from earlier..." she said with her voice barely audible.

"Oh! Is the dog ok?"

"H-Huh?"

"I'm asking if the dog is oka-" Before Dad could finish his sentence, Sable came from behind and started barking and running around him.

"There he is! What a tiny bundle of energy." Dad reached down and patted Sable's head. "It's good to see that he's alright. There's no need to apologize by the way, no one was hurt and it wasn't anyone's fault. Just an unfortunate series of coincidental events."

Hooh, Dad's so cool, he even made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

He straightened up and said, "I am Hikigaya Joushirou, and this is my son, Hachiman."

"Thank you Mr. Hikigaya, my name is Yuigahama Yui." Peachy said with a small smile.

Dad nodded when Peachy said that, and then gave me a look a that said, "Lets get going before you're late."

"Hachiman, it's time to go. I don't want you to be late for school." He turned to me after looking at his wristwatch.

The ceremony doesn't start for an hour and a half though...

"Hikigaya-kun...your uniform, are you a student from Sobou too?" Peachy asked curiously.

Wait, too?

"Mm."

When I replied, her eyes started to shine bright.

"Really?! I'm a freshman too! The ceremony is still an hour or something from starting, why are you going to school so early?" she tilted her head cutely to the side.

Even with my supreme intellect, I had not prepared a back-up plan for that question.

"O-Oh, I just wanted to get to school early, t-that's all." I say as I started whistling and avoiding her gaze.

Her mouth formed into an "O" and nodded in understanding.

Dad gave me look that said, "Hurry up!".

"Well, Peach- I mean, Yuigahama-san, I'll see you at school." I say in a rushed tone, hoping that she would sense the urgency in my voice. Thankfully, she did.

"Mm! Let's go Sable!" With that she started jogging to the direction where she came from.

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"Hey, is that the guy who perfected the entrance exams?"

"The scrawny guy with black hair and has lifeless eyes? Yeah, that's him."

"That's insane, hard to believe that there's a guy like him at our school."

"He looks really average-looking though, I expected someone different."

"Look at his eyes though, he looks like a villain."

"Yeah, like a typical Bond villain."

"He looks scary, is he a delinquent?"

"The girl who got the 2nd highest is pretty cute. I heard that she's from a rich family."

"The blonde guy who got third looks handsome. Someone said that the three of them all come from rich families."

"I know, the name Hikigaya rings a bell. I think his father is an entrepreneur or a businessman of some sort."

"Tch, typical, I bet they bribed the school or something..."

Good grief...how annoying...

Those were the words that I heard when the three us walked through the path led to the stage. But I didn't really care what they were saying.

Thankfully, the sounds that the students were causing was at a tolerable level.

The third guy, some blonde fuccboi whose name I couldn't bother remembering, Sigh-chan and myself, walked in that order towards the stage.

Sigh-chan was awfully quiet, she hasn't even spoken a word to me. Is she mad at me or something...?

Why am I even expecting her to talk to me, she's not even my friend anyway.

I saw familiar faces in the crowd.

Kawasaki waved at me from the lines of students. The last time that she came over, we both agreed that we would drop the honourifics when addressing each other.

Peachy arrived late, and was surprised that I was part of the top three.

I saw a blonde bimbo narrowing her eyes at me, and I returned her stare with a bored look. She did a "Tch", and looked away.

For some reason, Onee-sama was there too. She was standing nearest to the stage, and was one of the loudest of them all.

"Hachiman! Hachiman! I'm so proud of you!"

Teasing me this early in the morning, good grief...

She even screamed my first name, I thought of some things that would make her scream my name, but I pushed those thoughts from my head before I get flustered.

If I did, then that would mean that she won!

I don't want to succumb!

I REFUSE!

DAGA KOTOWARU!

I was so nervous earlier that I thought I was gonna faint. Thankfully, Shiromeguri-senpai was there to help me calm down with her STAND [FLUFFY HARMONY, and helped me calm my nerves. She also came to deliver a message from Onee-sama.

"Hikigaya-kun, if you feel nervous, just think about the fact that you beat all of them and deserve that position! Think of them as mongrels and lower life-forms!"

The fact that it sounded so wrong and egoistic distracted my head for a while. Which made me temporarily calm down.

She even said it with her usual smile on her face...

As I looked at the microphone in front of me, I looked to the other two.

Sigh-chan had a determined look in her eyes. She gave me a cold look that said, "Don't screw this up...".

Good grief...how cold...

The blond fuccboi gave me a refreshing smile. Don't look at me like that, what if there's some fujoshis in the crowd that's gonna make a yaoi fanfiction about the both of us?

I made a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for this bothersome activitily.

"The seasons of our world are ever changing. Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. The melting of winter's ice sustains the seeds of spring. Each season ending and starts anew. We have graduated middle school, and now the next obstacle is three years of High school. All of us are fresh seeds waiting to grow to our full potential, but that potential is entirely up to you to uncover and exploit. As time passes, you will discover your strengths and weaknesses that defines who you are. You may not be confident in your public speaking skills, but you have the skill to craft inspiring and insightful speeches. You may be excellent in doing activities alone, but you discover that you are terrible when it comes to teamwork. You might have the highest score in Humanities, but your grades falter in the Sciences. Honing your strengths and analyzing your weaknesses will be crucial in the years to come. Some of you have already found out what they want in life, while others are still trying to figure out their path. You might have been inspired by your parents, your older brother, or maybe a celebrity or an athlete. In the end, you chose someone to be your role model, unknowingly or not. No matter what background we have, we are all equals while we stand on the grounds of this institution. Whether you come from a rich, poor or middle-class family, it matters not. You may have heard of this school in the news, on the Internet or even from a recommendation from someone you know. From the moment that you decided to enroll here, you have made a commitment to yourself. A commitment that you should keep until you graduate here."

I paused and cleared my throat. But that was just an excuse, in reality, I was starting to talk to fast and my voice was quivering. Some of the students noticed, and they were whispering amongst each other.

That was a close call, it would have been bad if I had caused a blunder.

My eyes wandered to the front of the crowd nearest to the stage. Among the teachers, I saw Hiratsuka-sensei, Shiromeguri-senpai and Haruno-san among them. Hiratsuka-sensei gave me a worried look, while Shiromeguri-senpai and Haruno-san looked determined. The later, giving me a thumbs up and a grin.

The sight helped alleviate my nervousness, and I nodded in acknowledgement at them

"You have accomplished many things that have led to this day. Sleepless nights studying for the entrance exams, time spent reviewing instead of spending time with friends and family. We have all made sacrifices, no matter how small they were. But your sacrifices have earned you the fruits of your labor. Your middle school days are over, and a new page is your life is flipped. The next three years here will be difficult, and obstacles will be constantly thrown at you. But with sufficient effort and sacrifice, you will surely succeed. No man is an island, no man stands alone. Never forget the bonds of friendship that you forged in your middle-school days, but don't hesitate to have some new friends now. Many of you might be strangers to each other now but in the near future, you will call each other as friends. In time, you will learn to support each other in times of great need."

I had to stop and cough for a second there.

The last part about the friends tasted so bad in my mouth that I hope that I didn't make a strange face when I said it. It sounded so wrong coming from a guy like me, ugh, cringe material right there...

I have...to...finish this...only...a few...sentences...left...!

I activate my STAND, [108 LONER SKILLS]!

PLUS ULTRAAAAAA!

"Disregard the past and look to the future with your head held high! If you had any regrets back then, then I implore you to not repeat your past mistakes! This is your chance to show the best of your ability! Sobou has high expectations of you, and it is your job to meet those expectations! This is the freshman representative, Hikigaya Hachiman, and I welcome all of you to Sobou High!"

My throat was dry after saying my piece, and I think I did well. But I think I sounded too aggressive at the last part. Well, at least I didn't stutter or my voice cracked.

It was at that moment, where I realized that the school ground, that was occupied my more than a hundred people, was deathly quiet. The sea of students in front of me were eerily quiet, yet their eyes were on me.

It started with a lone sound, which I pinpointed to the front of the crowd. Shiromeguri-senpai was slowly clapping her hands while looking at me with a dazed expression. It was followed by Haruno-san, then Hiratsuka-sensei, then all the teachers and school directors joined. A few seconds after that, as if broken from a trance, the lines of students broke into a frenzy of cheers and grand applause.

I turned to the two beside me and they were clapping as well, although Sigh-chan refused to meet my eyes. I was standing on a raised platform on the stage so I had to literally look down on them.

"That was great Hikigaya-san!" The blonde fuccboi said while flashing me a refreshing smile. Oi, I thought I told you to stop giving me that smile? And stop looking at me like that like what the heck.

"I'm just glad that its over..." I say as I begin to step down from the podium to take my place at the center between the two of them.

"Hikigaya-san, are you ok?" Fuccboi asked me as he put a hand on my shoulder, his facial features told me that he was worried.

"Yes, I'm fine."

A gust of wind came at us, and his hair was slightly ruffled by it. A few sakura petals made flew between the two of us and I felt one of them land on the top of my head.

As the crowd began to calm down a bit, a lone girly shriek came from somewhere inside it.

I know that sound.

It's the sound that a fujoshi makes when she sees BL material, followed by excessive giggling and, for some reason, nosebleed. As my eyes scanned the crowd, I saw a girl with black shoulder-length hair with red rimmed glasses, and she had the after effects of a fujoshi after seeing BL material.

She looked familiar, and I think I had met her before...

"Hikigaya-kun, please stop ogling at women in public, it is very unsightly." A cold voice from beside me spoke.

"Yukinoshita-san, please stop lecturing and eyeing my every move. Were you hired by my mother perhaps?" I reply. We were facing forward and not looking at each other but we were having a verbal battle.

"With your eyes, every woman that you look at can be labeled at ogling."

"And with that mouth of yours, every word that comes out of it can be labeled as an insult."

"That's rich, coming from you."

"I only retaliate when I am provoked, thank you." I coolly reply.

"Are you saying that I am the one provoking you?" she said and the air around me turned cold. Unfortunately for her, I have already developed antibodies that are somewhat resistant to her verbal attacks.

"A blind man can see that from a light year away."

"I am simply doing what is expected of me."

"Well, Ojou-sama, is constantly berating me one of the expectations that you imply?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw her slightly blush when I called her Ojou-sama. But it quickly disappeared.

"Telling someone like you would just be a waste of my time."

"Hoh, then maybe someday, you would tell me, Ojou-sama..."

"I highly doubt that. Please stop calling me that, it would be preferable if I'm excluded in your sick fantasies."

"If I had any fantasies, I can assure you that you are definitely not included in them, Ojou-sama."

"Good grief..." she said and put a shoulder on her brow.

"Umm, guys? Have the two of you calmed down yet...?" Fuccboi said and called our attention from my right side.

I said nothing, and simply faced forward with a poker face. I can tell that Sigh-chan did the same from the corner of my eye. Instead of being offended by not being giving any sort of acknowledgement, Fuccboi did a sigh of relief and returned facing forward.

Good heavens, this morning is already draining my health bar...I hope I have some health potions with me...

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnnnndd, we're done!

Hey hey! I'm back from Tokyo bois and grils!

We went to SO many places that I have to ask my foster sister to remind me lol. But the one place that I wanted to visit was Meiji shrine. T'is a shame that we had no time to visit the shrine...

Ok enough of that! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.

How did you think 8man fared in his welcoming speech? I think I'll give him a 7/10 for that.

Aside from a few, EVERYONE that 8man met during the school break was there! But I think he forgot one or two of them though...

I bet some of them think that he's a pretty cool guy, but unfortunately for them, he's not!

Sorry if chapter 8 was a bit rushed. I decided to decrease the length of each chapter because when I reread chapter 7, it was a mess and so many things happened in one chapter alone.

So yeah...

Don't forget to write a review!

Sayonara minna-san!

10

The breeze gently caressed my face, like a mother's soft touch, cooling down some of the beads of sweat that were accumulating on my forehead. The Sun was hiding behind the clouds above me, so it was quite safe for me to go out right now.

Wait, I sounded like a vampire...

I can faintly smell the sea from the scent carried by the wind. It didn't make me feel nostalgia though, I'm quite indifferent about beaches. It's too hot and the sand gets everywhere and its annoying.

My solitude was interrupted by the ringing of my phone, with a frown, I placed my bento beside me to get my phone from my pocket.

From: Silly Imouto

The lunch that you made was great Onii-chan! You should do this more often! 3 3 3

With a small smile, I put away my phone to finish my lunch. She's giving me too much credit, I just followed the instructions, that's all. The lunch that I cooked is nothing special.

The past few days went by in a flash.

After the freshman ceremony, classes immediately started. I found out that I was classmates with Yukinoshita-san, to my utter disdain. Her face of horror when she found out was hilarious.

Flashback

" By an unfortunate turn of events, it seems that you and I are classmates." She said coldly when first period ended and I passed by her.

" A misfortune to be sure, that I have to endure your cold gaze day after day." I gave her a mocking bow, but I swear I saw a hint of amusement in her eyes.

" Ara, the feeling is mutual, though your gaze is quite hollow and empty." She imitated my action, which earned strange looks from some of our classmates.

I think our little game is getting a bit overboard...

The last thing that I want is for rumors to start spreading...

Flashback end

I also fell asleep during some of my classes, I even skipped lunch period yesterday because no one woke me from my nap! I was exhausted that morning because I was reading the special guidelines made by the school for the Student Council Seats.

And the Seat that I just recently occupied, is that of the Disciplinary Committee Head, thanks to the good word and backing of my oh so Fluffy and Bubbly Shiromeguri-senpai.

Without telling me first!

She just dropped it on me like an N2 mine like, " Hey Hikigaya-kun! Guess what? I made you the head of the Disciplinary Committee in the Student Council! Good luck!"

I complained to my family at home, hoping that they would see it from my point of view, but my plan backfired.

" If you back out, the Student Council and many of the teachers will think that you're a lazy bum, Onii-chan."

" I was part of school organizations during my younger years, it helped me land a good job and I gained many important experiences from it. I suggest that you accept it, Hachiman."

" Wow! That's good news! That's my Haa-chan!"

Their optimism, especially that of my Mom's, was so strong that it broke my A.T. field, and I lay on the floor wounded and my will to live broken. But what my Dad said sounded really important, so I decided to give it a try.

But I still think that this is hard work though...

And if I'm going to refuse the offer, I bet Shiromeguri-senpai is going to say, "Don't believe in yourself! Believe in ME! Believe in your Shiromeguri-senpai that believes in YOU!", or something like that...

I look to my watch and was alarmed that my next class is going to start in fifteen minutes, so I went back to eating my lunch. At a normal pace of course, it would be a shame if I chocked on my food here at the roof of our building, after all, no one would be able to help me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We had an assignment for our History subject, it was about the political structure of the early shogunate in Chiba, so I decided to go straight to the library after classes for the day ended. I did know the basic stuff but I wanted to get more in-depth information.

As I zoomed across the hallway with increasing speed like a certain blue hedgehog, (GOTTA GO FAST!) I heard a familiar voice.

"Hikigaya-kun!" a girly voice called out from behind me. There were some students, but one with Peachy hair caught my eye. Her black outer vest that was worn by female students was loose. Oi, I have the authority to inflict upon you the proper disciplinary action right now!

Ah...Peachy...

I moved near the wall so we wouldn't cause traffic for the other students.

"Did you need something?" I ask.

I forgot her name...

"Nothing! I just wanted to say hi, that's all!" she said with a cheery expression.

At that moment, an alarm that has been long dormant within me, started going off at an alarming volume.

She was one of those nice girls.

I had yet to build up an effective immune system to counter the likes of them.

"A-Ah, well...hi...?" I say while being unsure of my words.

"Hi! The freshman speech that you did the other day was really nice!"

"Oh, I see. Thank you."

I expected her to reply, but she looked hesitant. Opening her mouth to speak, only to close them again, she was also fidgeting a bit.

"Say, are you going home now?" She asks with an expectant and hopeful look.

My middle-school self would have made ridiculous assumptions on her statement and his heart race, but I am no longer the foolish child that I once was!

I am now the ULTIMATE LIFEFORM!

"I'm on my way to the library to borrow a book for advanced reading, so I have to get there as soon as possible because someone might get the same idea." To add effect to further cement my statement, I glanced at my watch in an obvious manner hoping that she would take the bait.

She did.

"A-Ah! I'm sorry that I bothered you!" She quickly apologized.

"Please, don't worry about it. Well, I must be on my way Yuigahama-san."

Thank God I remembered her name just now.

"Mmm! I'll see you around then Hikigaya-kun!" With a quick bow, I take my leave with quick steps.

But not before I catch a few words from her.

"Maybe next time then..." I barely heard her due to the background noise and the distance between us.

Strange, I wonder what did she wanted with me...?

While I was walking in the hallway on my way to the library, I became aware of the fact that some students were staring at me or giving me quick looks. Most of them looked as thought they were "sizing me up."

I was going to return a MENACING glare of my own, but I decided against it. It would be bad if negative rumors started flying around...

Well, there are already rumors about me that say that I'm a delinquent. I'm quite the opposite in fact, and I'm proud to say that I'm an outstanding member of society.

Because the library was in another building, the number of students that I encountered began to diminish in number, it was still around an hour and a half before sunset so the sun was still bright outside.

I entered the library and greeted the librarian with a bow, with each bookshelf showing information on the types of books that it harbored, I was able to find the book that I was looking for in no time.

Unsurprisingly, the library only had a few students, most of them had their noses in books, furiously reading and taking down notes. Good grief, that kind of behavior would get you nowhere. Studying should be done in a relaxed manner, doing so in the opposite kind would give you zero results.

I sat down in the quietest place of the library, a small part beside the window a few meters away from the nearest table. With a sigh of relief after having found my fortress of solitude, I took out the book that I got earlier and began doing my homework.

Thirty minutes later, I was finished and began stretching my shoulders which have gotten stiff from my sitting position. I can feel many of my joints pop and make cracking noises. From the corner of my eye, a female student was walking towards my table. She had shoulder length-hair and wore red-rimmed glasses and she carried a large book with her.

As she got nearer, I realized that she was giggling at herself as she held the large book close to her chest.

"Hehehehe..."

What the heck is with this creepy girl...?

And then I realized, that I had heard this laugh before. I couldn't remember when, but I'm quite sure of it...

She was looking down while walking, but when she looked up and locked eyes with me, I beheld a face which I never expected to see again.

"Hinatata...-san...?" The bespectacled girl in front of me had a surprised expression when I called out to her.

"Ara, Hikigaya-san, so you do remember me after all." She replied. With her free hand, she pushed away a few strands of her hair.

"What makes you say that?" I ask.

"Well," she paused and her eyes looked up, as if trying to dig through her memories, "I thought you already forgot about me because when we saw each other at the other day, you didn't acknowledge me."

"Ah, I'm sorry then. My mind must have been somewhere else during that moment."

"But still, I never expected you to be the first of the top three, much less, that you and I were schoolmates." She continued and plopped herself on the chair across of me. Oi, not even asking if someone's sitting there?

Noo! An intruder has invaded Hachiman's World!

"Well, it also came as a surprise to me when I caught wind of the news..." I mutter back. Damnit, now that she sat down, it would be too rude for me to immediately excuse myself. I want to go hoooome...

We descend into silence, and I returned to absentmindedly scanning over the pages of the book, when in fact my mind was going at light-speed on ways to escape this situation. I glanced at the girl in front of me, and she was also busy reading the book that she brought with her.

"So, did you get the job?" she asked suddenly.

"I'm sorry?"

"The job at the bookstore, didn't you say that you wanted to get a part-time job there?" she replied. Ah, I think we had a conversation like this when we first met.

"Yeah. I work there during the weekends." I say.

"Hooh, that's nice..." Her voice trails off as her flips another page of the book that she's reading.

"Hmm..."

While we were basking in silence, voices began to assault my ears. It sounded like it came from a group of noisy girls. The librarian must have been out if they were able to get away like that.

" Did you see the guy from 1-A?"

" The one who had a perfect score during the entrance exams? Yeah, why?"

" I heard a rumor that he and the girl who got second place are a couple."

" Heeh?! Really?! But he looks so painfully average!"

" Maybe she has a thing for silent guys like him? I've never seen him talk to anyone except her and the Student Council President since classes started."

" They talk weird to each other. Too formal but at the same time, its as if they're mocking each other."

Ew, gross.

The third line made me want to vomit.

Me and Yukinoshita, a couple? Impossible. Ridiculous. Preposterous. Incredulous. Far-fetched. DISGUSTANG!

If that was a joke, then it crossed the line for me!

But they were right on the last part. I haven't talked to anyone except the dreaded Ice Queen and my Fluffy Bubbly Senpai. Well, my talks with her were actually a mutual rocket barrage of insults. The girls in my class avoid me as though they were scared of me. And the guys were busy with themselves to bother me.

Hmm, speaking of The-Bane-of-my-Existence, I haven't seen her approach anyone to converse with them. Some girls are probably intimidated by her.

Well, I did talk to Yuigahama-san earlier, albeit very short. I also saw Kawasaki during the opening ceremony, but I haven't seen her since.

Ah, what was his name again, Hayasomething-san? We saw each other the other day and he waved at me, but I thought he was waving at someone behind me so I ignored him.

All in all, my social interactions since classes started were quite small. Well, it wouldn't hurt using my vocal cords every now and then...

"You're still so popular, I see." Hinata-san grinned at me behind her book.

I just gave her an exhausted sigh.

"So, what did you think about The Iliad?" I asked her. Hopefully she still remembers the pseudo-promise that we made.

Her eyes met mine and then lit up when she remembered what I was talking about.

"Ah! It was beautiful! I loved the interactions between Victor and Achilles! The ending was a bit sad, but it gave way for the next book, The Aenid!" She exclaimed, the volume of her voice increasing with every word.

Hey now, if you get any louder, I'll have to give you a good spank- I mean, reprimanding. Talking loudly in the library is prohibited, y'know?

"I see, one of my favorite parts was when they opened the gates from the inside, very clever if I may add."

"I know right? Oh, what about the book that you bought at that time?"

" The Silmarilion? It was great, I finished it in no time. The story was a roller coaster of emotions. At one point you feel happy that the protagonists were strong enough to keep the enemy at bay, and then suddenly at the next chapter they were betrayed by a someone within their ranks. It tends to get depressing at times though..."

"Hooh, that sounds interesting, I might give it a try."

Our conversation went on for some time, Hinata-san was the one doing most of the talking, while I would occasionally give my own inputs on the topic at hand.

She talked about her first impression on the school and her first days of class. Apparently, she was in class 1-B, and Hayasomething-san was her classmate. She said that many of the girls in her class were already smitten with him.

As expected of Fuccboi-san.

"What do you think of him?" she asked me, her eyes had a curious glint to them.

Oi, you should ask that to a girl, not a guy. If a fujoshi caught wind of our conversation, it would make her think that I'm a gay.

"Oh, well, I don't know. We only exchanged very few words with each other."

She gave a disappointed sigh at my reply, was she really looking forward to my interactions with Hayasomething-san? Why though?

"Well what do you think of him?" I ask her in turn.

"Hmm...so far, I think he's a go-with-the-flow kind of guy." She said after a moment of thinking.

"Why?"

"I don't know, I think it's woman's intuition."

What a vague answer, I was hoping for more details for possible blackma- I mean, family friendly data.

*Wow Hikigaya, we didn't know that you were cunning and thinking that far ahead. *

Cunning makes you think of backstabbing and untrustworthy individuals, I prefer the word, information broker.

Now that she said her part, I think Fuccboi-san isn't really a Fuccboi. I think he's one of those nice guys.

There was a brief moment of silence, both of us thinking on each other's answers. It was then that I realized how late it was, the windows around us were giving off an orange glow, that must mean that sunset is nearing.

"It's getting late huh..." she said and looked around. "Ah, we're the only ones left."

I took a moment to glance around my surrounding and true to her word, there were no other occupants in the room except us.

"It seems so." I say as I gather my belongings.

Please don't ask me to go with you. Please don't ask me to go with you.

Please don't ask me to go with you. Please don't ask me to go with you.

"Hikigaya-san, do you mind if we go together?" She says as she picks up her book and her bag.

Nooo! I wanted some alone time!

I hid my disdain and just nodded at her. If my mother found out that I refused an offer of lady to escort her outside, she would flay me alive and make my skin as her winter coat. We returned our books to the proper isle and bid farewell to the librarian.

Our footsteps echoed throughout the empty hallway, the last few beams of orange light penetrated the windows. I looked outside and saw several students going home in pairs or with their groups of friends.

"Hikigaya-san, is your house far away?" Hinata-san inquired.

"No, it's twenty minutes by walking and ten minutes by bicycle."

"I see, I still have to walk to the station and my house is three stations away. Oh, would you look that." She said and pointed outside. I followed the direction to where she was pointing and it led to a lone figure waiting at the entrance to our school.

But even from this distance, and thanks to my enhanced eyesight, lol, I can tell that it was my oh-so-friendly-and-warm classmate. She must be waiting for her driver or something.

"Hmm." I see that Sigh-chan is still know throughout school.

*Hikigaya, you're pretty known too, y'know."

Yeah but I don't really care.

We reached the main entrance to our school in no time and proceeded to change our shoes. But as we were about to walk to the exit together, a group of girls came into my field of vision.

"Ah! Ebina-san! We were looking for you!" One of them exclaimed and came to us.

Ebina? Who's that?

With a quick look behind me, I confirmed that there was no one behind us.

It's either mistaken identity, or its Hinata-san. I don't recall her telling me her full name.

"Mayase-san! What's up?"

"We have a group activity tomorrow, remember? And we haven't planned yet, so we were hoping that you could come with us."

Hinata-san's face lit up in embarrassment.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry that I forgot! Hikigaya-san, is it all right if I go?" she turned to me and asked.

Don't ask me that. I'm not your father, or your older brother, and I'm definitely not your boyfriend so please stop, you're making me feel self-conscious. I can already feel the curious glances of the other girls, so stop before there's a misunderstanding.

"Ok, I'll be going on ahead, Hinata-san."

When I said her name, the other girls had looks of confusion.

" Hinata...-san?" I could see them mouth the words.

Huh? What's with that reaction?

Hinata-san's face however, sported a blush when I said her name.

Oi, was it something I said? Did I mispronounce her name?

"Bye bye, Hikigaya-san!" She literally grabbed my arm and dragged me outside, then she waved me goodbye, with a flushed face and her companions sported confused ones as they looked at us curiously.

The group of girls then went away and disappeared from my line of sight.

With a last look at the main building, I continued my journey to the bike stand where bike-chan was waiting for me. Sigh-chan had already disappeared by the time that I resumed walking.

"I wonder what's for dinner." I mutter, and then I remembered that I lost a bet to Komachi and I have to cook tonight.

Well, I guess its curry for everyone, maybe with grilled fish and miso soup...

Good grief...the things I do for love...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Helllloooo everyone!

Itsa me, Ivanov177 eh!

So my favorite fujoshi just made her 2nd appearance! For the next chapter, I'm planning to introduce Miura (Alot of you seem to like her, for some reason...) and I already have a solid story on how everything should turn out. I was planning to add another Hikigaya x Hayama parody for this chapter for the lolz, but I decided against it. Ebina would love that though hahahaha.

Have any of you read the 12th volume of Oregairu in English translation? I haven't read it yet.

Don't forget to write a review so that I can know your thoughts on this chapter! I really enjoy reading your reviews!

Till we meet again!

11

Damnit, I should have (not) stayed up until 2am playing that damned game! I admit that I had fun, but now I'm going be late for my first class!

Komachi already left, Dad hasn't been home in a week and Mom is still sleeping.

Kamakura! You should have woken me up! You bad kitty cat!

I hurriedly took a bath and brushed my teeth, when I got out of the bathroom, Mom was at the kitchen brewing herself a cup of coffee.

"Morning Haa-chwan~...Do you want some coffee?" she yawned tiredly.

"Morning Mom, I'm gonna be late. See you later." I grabbed a piece of toast and put it in my mouth. Before she can even fully comprehend my words, I rushed passed her and went outside to get my bike.

"Bike-chan, show me the meaning of haste..."

And then I began to pedal like there's no tomorrow as if attempting to break the sound barrier with my bike.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hikigaya! You're fifteen minutes late!" Hiratsuka-sensei said when I opened the door to our classroom.

"Please forgive my tardiness." I mutter in a bored manner. That was a mistake, for I saw the signs of annoyance on her face.

She looked as if she was an inch away from hitting me with a book, but she looked in the direction of Yukinoshita-san with a suspicious grin.

She's up to something...

"Yukinoshita, did the class already select the male class representative?"

The girl then put a hand under her chin and thought for a moment.

"Not yet, I believe..."

Sensei's grin got wider at her reply.

I have a bad feeling about this.

"Then, as punishment, I want you to be the male class rep."

What the...

"Sensei, I believe that the voice of the people need to be heard, we are following a democratic system, are we not?" I say quickly.

Ha! Take that!

She gave a small scowl at my reply and turned to the class once more.

"Class, do any of you have any complaints about Hikigaya being the class rep?" she asked.

Everyone shook their heads, but I feel that they couldn't care less as to who took that responsibility.

What is this?! My plan backfired?!

"Yukinoshita?" Hiratsuka-sensei asked.

"I...have no qualms..." she said in a defeated manner.

"Good grief..." I mutter. This morning just HAD to start like this.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!" Stop being so angry geez...

"That's what I thought, now greet your new partner!"

This day has started getting worse by the hour...

"I look forward to working with you..." My mouth tasted bitter when I said those words.

"I as well..." Yukinoshita muttered.

Of all people, why did it have to be her?!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hikigaya-kun, it would be best if you don't walk too closely to me. I might get infected with your germs." She said as she cringed away from me.

"Ah, I see. I forget that a sheltered princess such as yourself has such a non-existent immune system." I silently complied to her request.

"Your germs are too advanced and complex for our current technology to effectively build a defense against." She said coldly.

"Hoh, and how did you know that? Did you get a sample of my hair? Saliva? Sweat? Did you analyze them thoroughly to come up with that conclusion? I must say, Yukinoshita-san, that is a very strange hobby that you have." I had to smirk at her with my retort.

"That is disgusting, but you just implied that you do have germs." I thought she was about to give a smirk of her own, but she stopped herself from doing so and resumed looking straight ahead.

"We do have bacteria on our body yes, but not all of them are germs. There's good bacteria too, y'now." Don't generalize that all bacteria are bad just because of a few bad ones!

"Do not lecture me on biology, I believe we discussed this already in class. We had a quiz about this."

Yes, and we both had perfect scores.

Our conversation stopped there as we continued walking to the faculty room to get the class handouts. Lunch break just started, so many students are roaming around the corridors.

A few of them were murmuring amongst each other as their eyes watched us from afar. They were probably shocked at how ghoulish I looked because of my lack of sleep.

I mean, if I was a ghoul, I would have to go to the funeral homes to eat dead bodies, but that sounds like a chore.

Ugh, I haven't had lunch nor breakfast yet.

As I was thinking about what food to eat, my stomach had to imitate the music of its people.

"..."

"..."

My face was the usual poker emotionless poker face, yet my mind was thinking of ways on how to effectively crawl into a hole and bury myself in shame. I'm thankful that Yukinoshita-san isn't one of those teasing-types.

If it was Shiromeguri-senpai or Haruno-san, they would have teased me until I wanted shave my head, change my name and move to China.

I reached the door to the faculty room and knocked before opening the door.

"Hikigaya, I'm right here." Hiratsuka-sensei called out to us when we saw her.

"I already photocopied this, all you have to do is to distribute it among your classmates."

It was a big stack of papers and I divided it equally between myself and Yukinoshita-san.

"Just come back here later, go eat your lunch first." Hiratsuka-sensei said.

"Hmmm." She gave me a searching look at my reply.

"Oi, are you ok? You look pale." She said in a concerned tone as she winced at me.

"I'm alright." I say, though I know that I looked otherwise.

"And I'm guessing that you haven't had breakfast yet, right."

"W-Well..."

"And you're late because you stayed up all night. Playing games or reading manga?"

"U-Umm-"

"Don't give me that look, I was a student once too, you know. Those are fun and all but don't forget to get a good night's sleep. I don't have to tell you to study harder since your grades are already the highest in the class."

Yukinoshita-san, who was really quiet, frowned at Sensei's words. Still the competitive type, are we?

"Don't worry Yukinoshita, your grades aren't that far behind from his. Oh, I almost forgot." Sensei reached into her pocket and fished out two small papers for us.

"These are lunch stubs that I bought yesterday and seeing that I already bought some fast food with me, you can have this."

Nice! Free food!

"Thank you, Hiratsuka-sensei." I say as I was trying to hold back my tears of joy.

"You're welcome. Now go to the cafeteria and eat, you look like you're going to collapse any second now."

We said our goodbye and exited the faculty room. I handed Yukinoshita-san her lunch stub but she politely declined.

"Cafeteria food is unhealthy." She said.

"If you say that near any of the school cooks, you're going to get in trouble." I warn her as I reflect on a similar experience back in middle-school.

During middle-school at lunch time, I always ate by myself. At one point, I caught a bunch of classmates putting stuff on my food. That was the last time that I ate a proper meal at the cafeteria.

After that, I only bought Yakisoba bread and milk in a small carton.

But at least I had a lot of savings at home.

"As a manner of fact, it is unhealthy." She insisted.

"Fine, have it your way." A moment after I said that, a stomach growled in anger, but it was not mine.

"..."

"..."

"Give me that..." she said in a cold and commanding voice, but her face sported an embarrassed blush.

"..." I handed her her's without a word, I wasn't about to tease her, seeing that she didn't tease me earlier.

I stand true to my words, I only attack when I am provoked.

Without further exchange of words, we went to the cafeteria together.

A truce, between the King of Hollows, and the Queen of Ice.

Wow that was a pretty cringy name and now I regret saying it.

However, when we reached our destination, I forgot to anticipate the sheer number of students in the area. Crowds made me uncomfortable and dizzy, and I unconsciously stepped back.

Curiously, the girl beside me did the same, although her expression said that she was way more distraught than I was.

"That's alot of people..." I mutter as I observed some upperclassmen accidentally shoving aside a fellow student.

"Indeed..." Her small voice barely above a whisper.

Without a word, I snatch her meal stub.

Whoosh

"W-What are you-"

"Go look for a table, it's easier this way. It's impractical if we both go together and there's no tables left. One of us has to get the food while the other looks for a vacant table." I cut her off before she can reply.

She frowned at my actions with a disapproving stare, but finally accepted and excused herself to do her part.

I was afraid that she might start arguing with me again, and we might cause a scene.

And pulling more attention towards myself is definitely not one of my objectives to day.

I watch her walk away, her black hair swaying as she walked.

After several minutes of waiting in line, I finally get our lunches composed of steamed vegetables, some beef curry and some tea. I spotted her sitting alone in the corner just staring off into space.

I placed our food on the table in front of her. She didn't notice my approach and was startled at my sudden appearance.

"Don't do that." she said as I placed her food in front of her like a good waiter.

"Do what?" I ask as I placed mine.

"Never mind..." she replied in an exasperated manner. Good grief, what have I done now...?

I sat down and observed that we were the only ones that were occupying the table, the nearest occupied table was two tables away. I could see some students, mostly girls, giving us curious looks and whispering amongst each other.

I swear, if I catch wind of any weird rumors...

""Itadakimasu..."" We both said in unison and started eating.

We were silent the entire time, but the silence was comforting. Quite the opposite from the chatter of our fellow students around us.

She had an air of elegance when she ate, every movement with her hands was well-rehearsed and even the way she opened her mouth was very ladylike.

She caught me looking at her and raised an eyebrow with a slightly annoyed look. I just shook my head in reply and resumed eating.

"The food was good." I say after finishing mine.

"It's...satisfactory, to say the least." she said.

After elegantly wiping her mouth with a table napkin, she looked around us and had a look of mock-surprise on her eyes.

"Ara, it looks like you managed to trick an elegant young lady like myself to eat with you. You even managed to manipulate me into finding a table where we can have privacy. I never knew that you were this cunning, Hikigaya-kun." Her eyes held the familiar glint whenever we would exchange cold and fiery words.

Here we go again...

"My mind is as sharp as that tongue of yours, Yukinoshita-san."

"Hoh, I fear for my life, now that you caught me alone and vulnerable."

There she goes again, branding me as some sort of sexual deviant...

"Do not worry Yukinoshita-san, Ojou-sans are not to my liking. Cease the fear in your heart for I will escort you to your Lord father immediately, I hope he has the ransom gold." she had a small smirk at my reply.

"Though I must ask, why, as an heir to your House, do you act...the way you are right now?" I inwardly smiled at her reply. It's good that she caught on the flow quickly.

I understood what she meant of course, and I already had an answer prepared just in case she asked me that.

"I am free as the wind and not bound to any social obligations and whatnot. My Lord father gives me his utmost trust, and for that he has my sincerest gratitude."

She frowned at my reply and looked down with a thoughtful expression.

Hey what's with that look?

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. The students around us began to get up.

"Hey, we should go..." I tell her.

"Hmm..."

I picked up our used utensils and brought it to the kitchen staff. Yukinoshita-san tried to deny my help at first, but she gave up when I refused to listen to her.

We both walked back to our classroom eager to resume classes.

"Hikigaya-kun..."

"Hmm?" I turned to her with an eyebrow cocked.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." I reply as I returned facing forward.

We might throw each other insults and taunts, but we both knew that it was just for amusement. I can see that she enjoys our verbal battles, and I do too.

It's good to speak with someone who thinks on the same wavelength as you.

Now that I think about it, today was the first time in my life that I had lunch with a classmate...

And enjoyed it...

"Hikigerma-kun, I thought i told you now to stand too close to me? Is a simple instruction like that so hard to follow?"

Tch, this damn girl never gives me time to rest, doesn't she?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ugh, I hate this.

The night air is hot and damp it feels gross and heavy. I think I just produced a gallon worth of sweat walking to Mom's cafe from the station. I received a text from Dad that we're going to eat outside tonight. He hasn't shown up in a week and he suddenly throw this surprise at me?

Good grief, and here I was about to go home and continue playing the new hyped MMORPG that came out last week. My character was a healer, one of the most sought-after party members, but also the most underappreciated class at the start of the game.

The warrior class is too mainstream and it's always in the center of attention. I prefer hanging in the back and doing my part from the background.

Our raid last night went great, and everyone congratulated each other. Although no one congratulated me...

The only one that congratulated me was the in-game notification...

After that, my party members decided to send each other friends requests, and of course, as expected, no one sent me one.

Bah! I don't need them!

If I can level up high enough, I can upgrade to the crusader or paladin class! The former boasts strong healing spells and a large health pool, while the latter has average healing spells but has higher damage output.

I don't need party members! I'll do it myself as I've always done!

I'm thinking of taking the crusader class, in a war of attrition, its more practical to get the sub-class that can take the most hits than the enemy.

As I was running numerous simulations on my head on how to level up more efficiently, three students in front of me caught my attention.

Two were males while the third one was a female.

The males wore an unfamiliar uniform, and I guessed that they were from another prefecture or maybe a school that I didn't recognize here in Chiba.

I made a detour because I checked out the local manga store, so now I was walking in a dimly lit area with only a few people around from the maid road.

As I got closer however, the female's uniform began to get clearer.

It was a uniform of Sobou High.

"Hey there missy, you wanna come with us?"

"Come on let's have fun!" The two males insisted as the took a step towards the girl, which made the latter step back in caution.

"H-Hey! Stop bothering me you creep!" The girl sounded fierce, but I can hear the fear in her voice.

This looks like a typical scene you would see in a TV series...

*Hikigaya, aren't you going to help her? *

Ugh...

"Hey, what's going on here?" I call out in a demanding manner. Three heads faced me and the two males look surprised at the sudden entrance of a stranger.

The girl turned to me and her eyes went wide. Does she recognize me from school?

"Haah? Mind your own business wimp." The aggressive males approached me and I had to internally sigh at the situation.

In the animal kingdom, male gorillas or lions would always have displays of strength when threatened, only doing violence as a last resort. Male gorillas would thump their chests and charge towards the threat, while male lions would roar and charge too.

But they would hesitate when they realize that the target is unafraid of them.

Maintaining eye-contact means that you are unafraid and makes you look threatening. While not moving from your spot means that you are unaffected by their displays of intimidation.

Doing this while make them feel intimidated, and they might even back down.

It's the same in Humans.

I am doing my best into intimidating them out of this, if all else fails, well, it looks like I'll gave to use the things that Tatsumi-sensei taught me at the studio...

The two of them approached me, as though sizing me up. The three of us were roughly the same height and build.

"You misunderstand, this is my business, the girl that you are harassing is a schoolmate of mine." I say in a flat tone.

With a small movement with my head, I signal the girl to get behind me, which she quickly does.

But her wrist was grabbed by one of the boys.

"H-Hey! Let go of me!" She yelled.

"Stop that." I say while trying to make myself sound more intimidating.

"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" One of them cheekily asked.

You might be suggesting that I would use violence, but I won't. Honestly, what kind of hooligan would go around picking fights? That would only make me look like a common delinquent.

I have more important things to do than dirty my hands with this nonsense.

Important things like playing on my Vita-chan, for instance.

"Maybe I can talk you out of this." I said in a calm manner.

"Fine, give me 10000 yen and me and my friend here will be on our way." They gave me an shit-eating grin.

"Resorting to robbery? That's a crime." I replied.

"No shit Sherlock."

"And crime could get you in jail." I told them flatly, though the weight behind my words were heavy.

"If you get in jail now, you would get a criminal history. When your schoolmates catch wind of that, your reputation will go down the drain and you might get shunned by the entire school. You might be barred from enrolling in certain collages because of that record. No college means no job. No job means no future." I say in a cold tone that would make Yukinoshita-san proud of me.

I can see their resolve falter and his grip loosen on the girl's wrist.

Time to use my untested negotiating skills to the maximum.

"Tell you what, here's 2000 yen, go buy dinner or something. Talk with your friend here on why things turned out like this. I'm sure you have better things to do that harassing girls like this, go to the arcade or something, I don't care. You should change for the better...before it's too late." I wordlessly fished out two one thousand-yen bills from my wallet, handed it to them. The guy released his grip on the girl's wrist and quietly took it from my hand.

"..."

"..." They were at a loss on what to say, their faces both held traces of different conflicting emotions. Anger, surprise, sadness, self-disgust and of course, remorse and guilt.

"Goodbye and good luck to the both of you." I say and walk away from them back to the main street. The girl followed close beside me.

When they were out of earshot, I let out a sigh of relief. Damn I was so nervous that my hands started to sweat.

"Umm..." the girl muttered and couldn't look at me straight in the eye.

"Are you alright?" I asked her and she jumped a bit.

"Did they do anything to you?" I ask her again, this time, I couldn't suppress a frown on my normally calm face.

"N-No, they didn't. They just wanted me to go with them..." she said, and this time, I finally got a look at her eyes.

Her green eyes were red, which meant that she was trying her best not to cry. She was acting tough before, but I can tell that she was legitimately scared. It's good that I arrived just in time...

"I see, that's good." I once again let out a sigh of relief. I'm sighing so much that I think I'm becoming like Sigh-chan.

"We should talk over there, it's too dark here..." she pointed to the main street.

"Mm..." I nodded at her and walked towards that direction.

I noticed that she was walking too close to me and our shoulders were touching.

Don't invade my personal space please, I already have one touchy feely girl in my life at home and I don't want a stranger in the mix.

"Thanks for saving me back there, those guys were pretty annoying..." she said.

"Hmm..."

When we arrived at the main road, she breathed a sigh of relief, and I finally got a good look at her.

She was pretty. Her blonde hair was long, but not as long as that of Kawasaki's. She also wore a cardigan of some sort over her school uniform. She was prettier than the average girl one can see at Sobou, and if we met on different circumstances, I would have thought that she was a model.

Her long-exposed legs looked smooth and toned. Is she an athlete? I guess she doesn't skip leg day.

*Hikigaya, you're sounding like a perv. *

Hmm, now that you mention it, yeah...

"Hi-Hikkio...?"

Huh? I turn to the blonde beauty beside me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi-Hikkio...?" I say with hesitation.

He turned to me with a confused look, his gray eyes met mine and I had to will myself not to look away.

"Huh?" he asked dumbfounded.

Of course, why am I not surprised?

I knew his name started with a "Hi-" but I forgot the rest of it! What was his name, damnit!?

It's on the tip of my tongue!

"Ah, hehe..." I brushed it off with an awkward laugh. Maybe he has a nameplate on? I did a quick check on his uniform and he didn't have one.

"...Oh yes, we haven't introduced each other, yet have we?" he said with a look of realization.

"Yeah..."

"My name is Hikigaya Hachiman, pleased to meet you." he said and bowed. That's it! Hi-kigaya!

He said it in a very formal manner and he even bowed too.

"Miura Yumiko." I say and imitated him.

He looked as if he was going to say something, but he took at look at my purse instead.

And then his eyes widened.

"Is something wrong?" I ask him before looking at my purse if there was anything strange on it.

"Nothing..." he said dismissively and waved his hands in front of him while avoiding my eyes.

"Well, Miuro-san, wha-"

"It's M-i-u-r-a." I repeated.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm not good with names. What were you doing in that place? Don't you know that it's dangerous to walk in places like that?" He said in a reprimanding manner, his brows knitted together to form a look of disapproval.

Oh no, he's starting to sound like my Dad...

"A-Ahaha...I was trying to find a shortcut to the station..." I say as I scratched my cheek with my finger.

"Is that so..." he sounded like he was doubting my words.

"Hey! I'm telling the truth!" I exclaimed.

"Hmm..."

The sudden sound of thunder startled me and I looked up to see if it's going to rain.

Hikigaya-kun looked at the sky with a bored expression.

"Hoh, the weather report didn't say anything about rain this evening..." he muttered to himself more than to me.

He was about to say something, but he saw something behind me and walked past me. What the heck, how rude! Is that his way of saying goodbye?!

I stood still watching his retreating figure, until he stopped in front of a nearby vending machine. He looked behind him and was confused to see that I disappeared from his side.

He caught sight of me and gave me a look that said, " What are you even doing there? Why didn't you follow me?"

Ugh, what's with this guy? I don't get him.

"Oi, catch." He said and a second later, a drink was flying towards me.

"H-Hey! What gives?!" I barely managed to catch the damn thing. He leaned down and got his own can, MAXX COFFEE huh...

"Nothing, you just looked thirsty." He said in boredom and opened his drink.

Of all words...why did have to describe me as thirsty...?

I looked at mine and it was orange juice.

Hmm...orange juice...? Why do I get the feeling of Déjà vu...

...?

Hmm...

...

...

"Ah! You were the guy at the sports store before!" I exclaim excitedly. What are the odds that we could meet like this?

"Uhuh, you were wearing a skirt back then, if memory serves right..."

Eww...

I take a step back from him and tried to cover any exposed skin from his lewd gaze.

"Eww, Hikkio, are you a perv?" I say in a grossed-out manner.

"Not really. I'm not interested in that stuff." He said and returned a cold indifferent-look at me. He was definitely being serious right now, and I feel like I'm the one being immature.

A sigh of relief escapes my lips, I honestly thought that he was one of those pervy types...

"Still, it was your fault back then." I pout and turn away from him.

"Hey, I already apologized. And you shouldn't have brought a beverage into the store in the first place." He replied. Ugh, he got me there...

Another clap of thunder rattled the sky, and I involuntarily grabbed the nearest thing that could keep me safe from the storm.

Unfortunately, that thing was Hikkio's arm.

Because he was taller than me, I had to look up to take a peek at him.

And was greeted with the same impassive gaze with a hint of annoyance and an unamused-look in his eye.

Huh? No reaction at all?

Was he emotionally constipated or something?

I was about to let go of him, but with his other free arm, he took an umbrella from his bag and opened it.

A moment later, the rain poured around us.

"You were going to the station, right?" He asked.

"Yeah...?"

"Then, let's go."

We began walking together to the station. I wanted to let go of his arm because I was feeling embarrassed already. He walked like a robot, his eyes in front and not even turning his head to look at his surroundings.

Ah, we must look like a couple...it would be really embarrassing if we bumped into someone we knew...

Oh no, did I just set up a flag...?

Slowly but surely, I let go of his arm, and he adjusted to make things easier.

"Thanks for the drink, by the way." I say.

"Don't mention it. I had some spare change on my pocket and it was already starting to be annoying." He said flatly.

Haah? What the heck was that? Is he a tsundere or something...?

I willed myself not to laugh, though my shoulders started to shake and a squeak escaped my mouth.

"Miura-san, is something wrong?" He asked in a confused tone.

"N-Nothing's wrong, Hikkio...hehehehe..." I was barely able to make a sensible reply, but he shrugged his shoulders and resumed looking ahead.

I heard a lot about him. Like he's from a wealthy family, or that he looks like a delinquent. I even heard a rumor that he cheated during the entrance exams.

Sure, he looks kinda creepy, but he's just your average high school student, from my point of view, at least.

Though he's kinda stoic and too quiet for his own good. Plus, he carries this unapproachable and intimidating aura or something.

Not to mention his eyes would make anyone stop dead in their tracks.

The rain was starting to get stronger, and my partner was walking a bit too fast.

I nearly slipped while walking on some stairs, but Hikkio managed to hold me.

His grip on my left shoulder was firm, and thanks to that, I was able to recover quickly.

That's the 2nd time he saved me today...

"I'm sorry if I walked too fast." He said suddenly.

He's surprisingly considerate...

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault, you know..." I hit him in the ribs with my elbow.

His only reaction was a grunt.

A while after that, we reached the entrance to the station.

"Miura-san, do you still need to walk from the next station to your house?" He asked.

"Yup. Why?"

Without a word, he shook his umbrella away from us to get rid of the droplets and handed it to me.

"Here."

"Eh?"

"Take it."

"O-Oh, thank you." Wow he's a thoughtful one, isn't he? You don't see guys like him every day.

"Take a bath when you get home. You were wet and it would be a shame if you missed school tomorrow." He said as I received the umbrella.

I would have slapped him for that innuendo, but, as he said, he's not that kind of guy.

So, I'll let this slide, for now...

"Yes Daddy." I nonchalantly reply as I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

If he ever becomes a father, I'm sure that he'll be the overprotective type.

His normally impassive face morphed into that of embarrassment. He had a frown but he looked funny while his face had a blush.

"Don't call me that." He said with a disapproving stare and a blush on his face.

Ok now I admit, that was a bit embarrassing. I'm sure that there's a blush on my face and I'm pretty sure that he noticed it too.

An awkward silence enveloped us, and we tried our best not to look at each other. The entrance to the station was just behind me, and I could sprint there as fast as I can for all I care.

"J-Jeez, that was just a joke Hikkio." I tried to play it off coolly.

He gave an exasperated sigh, "Miura-san, my name is H-i-k-i-g-a-y-a, not Hikkio."

Oh, I've been calling him that, wasn't I?

"Nah, I'll just stick to Hikkio." I grin at him and he had a look of defeat.

"Well, I should get going. Thanks for everything Hikkio. I'm going to drink the orange juice in the train." I grinned again hoping for a reaction.

He gave me a look of disappointment and said, "That's against the rules...".

I may be wrong but I think I saw the slightest trace of an upward curvature on his left lip.

"Goodbye then, Miura-san. Oh, before I forget." His eyes scanned my body slowly from top to bottom, and I noticed that it lingered a bit on my skirt.

"You perv!" I was about to punch his left arm but he grabbed my fist in mid-air.

"Keep quiet for a moment." He gently let go of my fist. I was honestly surprised that he managed to grab it.

"Your skirt..." he muttered as he put a hand under his chin and closed his eyes, as if trying to remember something.

I pulled my skirt down to cover as much skin as possible.

"What's with you and skirts?!" I had to keep my voice down, it would be annoying if people looked at us funny.

"It's too short."

"Huh?"

"According to the school rules, the girl's skirt should end directly above the knee or an inch above it. Your skirt is definitely beyond it."

Hey I look cute in this! And an extra inch above isn't as bothersome as it sounds.

You're a guy! You'll never understand the cuteness of this uniform!

And wait, how was he even sure about the inch thing? Did he secretly measure my skirt or something?!

"I'm going to give you a warning for now, but if that skirt remains the same next week, then I have to send you to the disciplinary office." He said with a serious air around him.

I scoffed, does he think I'm a weak girl who easily gets intimidated?

Who the hell does he think he is?

"You don't have the authority." I spat.

Again, his lips curved upwards, but I can feel as if time itself stopped.

Like...a void of utter emptiness and despair enveloped me and I found it hard to breathe.

"Oh, but I do. I happen to occupy the seat of the Disciplinary Committee Head." He replied.

Oh.

Well...

Damn it, looks like I've been caught by the big fish himself...this coincidence is just plain ridiculous.

"Fine fine, I'll get it done ok? Jeez you take your job way too seriously. You should loosen up more." I say in defeat.

He had a thoughtful look and contemplated my words.

"I'll keep that in mind..." he muttered.

Why does he always sound so cryptic?

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miura-san." He said and bowed.

"Yeah, take care Hikkio."

He gave an exasperated sigh at my words.

What is it now?

"My name is Hikigaya, not Hikkio..." he said while massaging his brow.

I stuck out my tongue and walked towards the train card scanner. I gave him a final wave, and he returned one of his own.

And then he took off his black uniform jacket, put it on his head and ran outside in the rain.

A pang of guild pierced my very heart when I saw that.

I thought he had an extra umbrella with him, why would he go out of his way to help a stranger like me, to that extent?

How kind...

He told me to take care of myself, but he should listen to his own words.

I swear, if he gets sick of this, it'll really leave a bad taste in my mouth...

Hikkio...is a pretty cute nickname, now that I think about it...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hello everyone!

I hope I wrote everyone as canon as possible, please tell me if I did ok with Yumiko. Yeah so one of the most highly demanded heroines finally makes her appearance!

Some of you were starting to think that Yukino was outright bullying Hachiman and being super toxic with him.

That's not the case, as you might have discovered in this chapter.

Their relationship is like a dangerous dance of swords, and the dance itself is quite knew to the both of them. That's all I'll say for now.

A dance of playful barbs, is what I'll call it.

So, I'm thinking Haruno next chapter or Yui...

Or maybe Saki...I dunno...

So yeah, that's it.

Don't forget to write a review! Or drop a suggestion or two while you're at it.

On other news, I downloaded Nekopara because I thought it was a cute Visual Novel.

It turns out that it was actually an eroge.

Feelssadman...

Ivanov117 signing off!

12

Ah, sweet Sunday...

The only day where I can relax and be a good-for-nothing lazy trash piece of trash...

Oh, my nihilistic and self-loathing tendencies are showing.

It's a good thing that we don't have martial arts lessons today too, Tatsumi-sensei was going to Osaka for to judge a competition or something. But I still have to go to work at Tatsumi-san's bookstore later.

I once told myself, that "To work is to lose." And I still believe that, at times.

But if working gives me a decent amount of pocket-money, along with a discount for every book that I purchase, then damn even my middle-school self would have to pause and consider his options.

I managed to buy many books for leisure and for academic research materials.

And NO, it's not THAT kind of stuff.

But lazing around is making me hungry, I want some snacks...

"Komachi, go to the store and buy Onii-chan some ice cream."

"Haaiii, Onii-chan~. Give me some money then~." She said sweetly and skipped over to the sofa where I was lying on.

Little sisters are awesome.

If you train yours long enough, and spoil her to oblivion with gifts while being extra affectionate, then she will return your actions with undying loyalty, love and obedience.

I'm proud to say that my little sister is at the top of the little-sister scale, maybe even beyond it.

I gave her 1500 yen from my savings.

"Buy as much ice cream as possible with this." I tell her with conviction, as if the fate of the world was in her hands.

"Y-Yes! I won't let you down Captain!" She replied with determination before running off to the door.

Oi, did she even wear slippers or something?

I shrugged and left her to her devices and returned to playing on my PSVita.

I already finished studying for our prelims exams yesterday, so now I have some free time.

Dad went south, I have no idea where, while Mom was visiting a friend who was hospitalized. So, because I'm the only man in the house, I'm in charge. Cash is not a problem since I have more than enough funds on my debit card.

And since I'm a good-for-nothing cheapskate, I'm confident in our survival, plus, it's not the first time that they left us alone at home.

Some eggs, cup noodles, milk, rice and salmon, and we're good to go.

I heard a "meow", and a moment later, Kamakura jumped on my chest and made himself comfortable. After stretching a bit, he rolled up into a ball of fur and went to sleep.

Uwahh...so I'm a pillow now...?

I carefully move Kamakura next to me so I can get up.

I still have 4 hours before my shift, what to do...

Ultimately, I decided to do some house cleaning. I'm quite good at housework, and I'm pretty sure that within 10 years, I'm a certified house-husband.

But I'm guessing that my parents would definitely disapprove of my path in life, so I have no choice but to succeed my father or I will be disowned and kicked out of our house.

With terrifying speed and efficiency, I scrub the bathroom, do the laundry, sweep the floor, pound the doormat, water the plants and wipe the dust from our shelves and cabinets.

And lastly, I cleaned my room just in case some friends come over.

Oh wait, I don't have any friends...

I don't know how much time passed, and before I knew it, I was basking in the satisfaction of my work while drenched in sweat.

I should open a school for housecleaning skills.

Oh, I forgot to clean Bike-chan.

I made my way towards the door, with my clothes stick to my skin, when the doorbell rang.

"Ah, it must be Komachi..." I mutter.

However, when I opened the door, I was met with three pairs of eyes.

"Oh."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi Haa-chan~!" Keika squealed and grabbed hold of his Hikigaya's leg.

"Keika! Don't be rude!" I have to remind her not to invade someone's personal space...

"I'm home Onii-chan! Look who I brought with me!"

"I'm very sorry that my Imotou bothered you, Kawasaki..." Hikigaya said with an apologetic tone.

"It's nothing, Keika wanted to see you anyway..." I wave my hands in front of me.

He straightened up and I noticed that he was drenched in sweat, ALOT too.

"Onii-chan what happened? You're sweating alot and there's a few cobwebs on your hair..." komachi said.

Keika ran inside the house before I could catch her.

"I've been cleaning, and I have to clean my bike. Komachi, bring me Kamakura so Kawasaki won't get caught up with her allergies. Don't make a mess when you go inside." He said and walked towards their garage.

"Thanks." I call out to him.

Around a week or two ago, I met him at school, just as I was about to submit the mandatory student medical information. The student council president sent him on an errand to organize the student information system, that also included the student medical information files.

He found out about my allergies and ever since then, when we came over, he would hide their cat somewhere so my allergies won't act up.

"Pardon the intrusion..." I say and remove my shoes to change into indoor slippers that Komachi provided for us.

Komachi went to the kitchen to probably get some bowls for the ice cream that she bought. I brought some snacks too.

Keika was already lying on the couch humming the tune of that anime that she really likes.

What was the name again? Pretty Cure...?

I heard a rush of footsteps and followed by the sound of a door closing.

"Kawasaki-nee! It's ok for you to come here now!" Komachi called from somewhere inside the house.

Coming here always gets me embarrassed...

Our midterm exams start tomorrow, and I haven't even started studying yet. Taking care of my siblings and tidying up the house, as well as my part-time job, my life is really busy right now.

I barely had time to study because I'm too exhausted to do so when I arrive home...

To make things worse, I sometimes arrive late at class.

"Kawasaki-nee, which flavour do you want? Chocolate, vanilla or mocha?" Komachi asked me when I stepped into their kitchen.

"I'll have the chocolate one, thank you. Keika and I will share."

After getting the bowls, we went to the living room where Keika was already patiently waiting for us.

Komachi turned on their T.V. and began browsing through the channels. I just watched with them, trying to understand what was going on.

Several minutes later, the door opened and out came Hikigaya, looking filthy with dark spots on his arm and shirt.

"I spilled the oil when I was lubricating the bike's gears..." he said flatly when I gave him a look.

"Komachi, get me a change of clothes after I finish taking a shower."

"Onii-chan, do you want to take a bath together? I can help you clean yourself~." Kyaah! What the heck was that?! That's so embarrassing to think about, and how can she say that so casually?!

Were they always this close?!

"...Idiot." Hikigaya sighed and closed the door to the bathroom while Komachi was laughing out loud.

Like a dutiful wife, Komachi diligently went upstairs to see to her brother's request. Keika was immersed in the T.V. show, and didn't even notice that she left.

I pulled out my phone and went through my school notes that I managed to save. I'm screwed for tomorrow...

At least the ice-cream is good and Keika looks like she's enjoying herself.

Komachi returned shortly, followed by a now clean Hikigaya with his hair still wet from the bath.

"What are you guys watching?" he asked from behind me.

"Pretty Cure!" Keika cheerfully said.

"Hoh..." sat down and he made himself comfortable next to me.

I saw that the ice-cream on his bowl was chocolate and vanilla, so I asked him which he prefers the most.

"Between chocola and vanilla, huh...? I love them both, I can't choose between them." he said with passion.

"I thought you liked mocha ice-cream?" I recall talking with Komachi about ice cream and asking what her brother's favourite flavour was.

"I do, but Komachi didn't bring any..." he replied.

I lifted a small spoonful of ice-cream positioned it towards Keika's mouth.

"Keika, ah~."

"Ah~." she cutely opened her mouth to the sweet dessert.

That's so cute...

"What's that?" Hikigaya asked beside me while looking at my phone.

"Oh this? It's my notes from school, I haven't had time to study for our midterms yet..."

"Do you need some help? I already finished studying yesterday." He offered.

Of course...

How could I forget?

The top student in our school was right next to me and he's offering his assistance.

"That would be great thanks." I say with gratitude, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips. He nodded and gave me an amused look.

"Let's go up to my room then." he said and motioned me to follow him.

"Komachi, me and Kawasaki are going to study for a bit so don't make too much ruckus, ok?"

"Hai~! Have fun Onii-chan, Kawasaki-nee!"

I meekly followed closely behind him, this is the first time that I'm entering into a room of someone not related to me. And a guy's room, at that...

He opened the door to his room to reveal a clean and well-kept room with a neat bed and an organized desktop computer. His bookshelves were stacked neatly and I could see a few Gundam toys and manga on some of them. On his bed was a notebook and a PSVita, and on the chair in-front of his desktop was his school bag.

I saw some anime DVD's on his shelf, most of them looked pretty old, as well as some familiar game titles like Pokemon, Tekken, Final Fantasy and Resident Evil.

I could also see picture frames on the wall on some on his desk, most of it contained photographs of him and his family.

The blinds were open, and we could occasionally feel a breeze from outside.

"Your room is pretty nice." I comment.

"Thanks, I did a bit of house-cleaning, that's why I was filthy earlier." he said.

Ah, that explains it...

From how close we were, I could smell the shampoo and body wash that he used when he took a bath earlier, and it smelled nice.

Wait, I'm sounding like some sort of perv...

"Well then," he sat down on his bed and motioned at me to sit on the chair, "what subject did you need help with?"

"A-All of them..." I gave him an embarrassed smile while twirling on my hair.

I was expecting him to tease me, or at least give me a look of disbelief, but all he did was give me an understanding nod of acknowledgement.

"Been busy lately?" He asked.

" Very busy..." I replied and couldn't help release a sigh.

Now that I think about it, this might be the only time where I can study in peace.

"Ok, so what subject do you want to tackle first?" He got up and picked up his bag from beside the bed.

"Oh, umm...how about algebra?" Just thinking about math makes my head hurt...

He did a thinking pose, then said, "All right, I accept the challenge."

I sat on the chair in front of his desktop while he just stood behind me, but not before he closed the windows and turned on the air conditioner.

When he opened his notes, I expected stacks upon stacks of papers filled to the brim with text. To my surprise, he only showed me a two index cards with scribbles on them and a notebook.

I got a closer look, and those scribbles were actually formulas that were frequently used in our algebra classes.

"This is everything that you need to know for our algebra exam." He said in a small voice.

I gave him a skeptical look from the stuff in front of me.

"I only write the most important things in our lessons, writing down everything is a waste of time."

That sounded smart, but at the same time, something that a lazy person would say.

"Go over the exercises in this notebook and use the index cards as a guide, just call me if you need anything." He gave me the notebook and then plopped himself on the bed and started playing on his gaming console.

So, he's the let-them-learn-by-themselves type, huh...I know a few teachers who have that kind of teaching style.

I sighed at the mathematical equations in front of me and began answering them the best I can.

Things went on smoothly because I had the formulas, and I took my time solving them. After half an hour, I finished everything.

"Hikigaya, I'm done."

"Let me see." I handed him my answer sheet, I felt a little proud while doing it.

His eyes scanned through the thin paper, his facial expression betrayed nothing, so it was basically impossible to know what his reactions are.

"Do it again." He said in a flat tone.

"What?"

He sighed and put the paper down on the desk, "Here, here,here aaaand here, take a look at them again. Check your writing, your 1 became a 7 so you got the sum wrong, your solution in this one is right, but the final answer is wrong, check it again, this one here, you need to use three formulas to complete it. Also, don't forget to write the square at the top-right of the number, and finally, don't rely on the formula sheet too much, just remember them and you'll be fine." He said after a moment of explaining.

I have no right to complain since he's right...

"Yes..." I blinked back my tears.

"Oh, and try to finish everything in less than thirty minutes."

This time, I definitely felt a tear run down my cheek.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you for your hard work." He handed me a chocolate bar, one of the snacks that Komachi bought.

"Thanks..." I peeled of the wrapper and took a bite from it. Ah, this tastes good...

After an excruciating time at solving the problems, I was able to get everything right this time. But it took longer than expected because I followed his advice and tried not to depend on the formula sheet.

It was impossible for me to finish before thirty-minutes, but he remained quiet when the time came and was just playing on his game.

I don't know if he was being considerate or he forgot about it.

"Ugh, we're finally done." I say as I stretch on the floor like a cat.

"Yup, good job. Now what's the next subject that you need help with?" He asked as he took a bite from his salmon onigiri.

I had to think for a moment, the most logical choice would be the subjects that I suck at, so that means...

"Biology?" I ask.

"Great, I have some notes that we can use." He said and began rummaging through his bag and brought out a few papers and an unfamiliar-looking book.

The Basics of Biology

"Hey, this isn't the book that we use at school." I say.

"This is one of my reference books, I have a few academic books and my Dad has a ton of them." he said while fixing on of the papers but one of them fell.

I picked it up, and it had the words Biology Report, and at the bottom was Hikigaya's name, but there was another name below his'.

Yukinoshita Yukino

Curiously, her name had a line that ran at its middle, as if she was removed or something.

"What's this?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Oh, that was a report that we had to do in pairs. You can use this as a guide for the topics that you need to study." He replied in a bored tone and handed me three pages of his report.

I might be wrong, but did something happen between them? He changed the subject too quickly...

I went over the papers, and it was well-made, each sub-topic was segmented into different parts according to the main topic that it belonged to, making it easy to read and understand.

"You can bring this if you want." He pointed to the report that I was holding and to his reference books.

Of course, with a prize like this in front of me, there is only one logical choice.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, do you still need help with your other subjects?" He asked.

Well, I think I can handle the other subjects by myself, hopefully, plus, I wouldn't want to bother him too much.

"I think I can do the rest by myself...I think" I say the last part quietly, but I have a feeling that he heard me regardless. He didn't inquire further.

"I'll go downstairs for a bit, be right back." With that he closed the door behind him and I heard the sounds of his retreating footsteps.

Well, what do I do now?

I stand up and walk towards the bed, it looks so comfy...

I hesitate touching it, before ultimately feeling the soft fabric against my skin. It's so smooth, I wonder what fabric softeners and detergents they use?

Before I realized what I was doing, I slowly reached out and grabbed the pillow at the head of the bed and put my face against it.

Sniff sniff sniiiiiiiiiiiiiifffffffffffffffffffff

It smells like him...

I quickly put down the pillow after I realized what I just did, I acted like some sort of closet perv. If he saw me smelling his pillow, what would he think of me?

Wait, why should I care about how he thinks of me anyway?

I take another look at the bed, and a thought that makes my face red as a tomato comes to me.

I-I wonder...

Hikigaya is a guy...

And guys are i-interested in that kind of stuff...

I wonder if his stuff, well assuming that he has any, is right under this bed that I'm sitting on...?

Just imagining the possibility is making my head spin.

Shaking my head to get a grip of myself, decided to take a look at some photographs that he had near his bed.

There was a picture of himself when he was around 3 years-old, he looked so cute back then and his cheeks were so chubby. In the next photo, he was maybe 8 years old with a smile on his face while he held the hand of his little sister while she was crying. I had to giggle to myself at the sight.

The next pictures were mostly in his elementary and middle-school days, and they were class pictures. Some showed the entire class doing outdoor activities and playing together in events, but I failed to spot him. But in the class pictures, I noticed that his cheery and innocent smile was gone, replaced by a forced one with a sign of discomfort. Those kinds of pictures were few and far in between, most of his facial expressions were either that or sad passive look on his face.

Did he have a rough childhood? He doesn't talk about himself much, nor his past.

Maybe I should ask him sometime...

No.

It's none of my business, and I'm not sure how he would react to me butting my nose in places where it doesn't belong. I might be opening old wounds and he might get hurt, or even get angry with me.

And I don't want to destroy the relationship that we've built over the past few months. Even though we don't see each other at school much, I do trust him. Heck, even Keika is already attached to him and his sister.

I sighed and lied down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. In the end, I don't know much about Hikigaya, aside from the things he tells me when I ask him. He's the mysterious type that rarely talks, that much is true, but it really pisses me off when some of my classmates are badmouthing him.

Being a not-so-sociable person like himself, I didn't know how to confront them...

So, I just resulted to giving them sharp looks of annoyance that would get them quiet from time to time, but thanks to that, I already heard whispers that said that I'm a delinquent too.

Not that I give them attention, they can run their mouths with shit for all I care.

Seriously, people these days are way too judgmental.

"That look that you have right now would make steel beams melt."

"AAAHHH!" I screamed and fell from the bed.

"Oi, are you alright?" His monotone voice that lacked any hint of concern asked me out of concern.

Hmm, how ironic.

"Damn you scared me." I mutter as I composed myself and sat on the floor.

"Sorry, I've been told that I walk too quietly for my own good, it's a habit of mine." he apologized.

"And who told you that?" I asked.

He put a hand under his chin and did a thinking pose, "Hmm, I believe it was Yukinoshita-san..." he muttered.

"You're friends with her?"

"No." He said in a bored tone.

I can't tell if he's telling the truth or hiding something...

"Then what can you tell me about this?" I pointed to the Biology report that had her name on it.

If someone heard us, I bet that I sound like a jealous girlfriend.

"Ah," he scratched his head a bit, "that had to be done by pair, as instructed by sensei you see. After a small chat, we both agreed to present our individual findings the next day. After we read each other's results, we both concluded that our respective creations were better than the other.

I refused to go with her output, since it simply had too much information, and she likewise did at mine and refused my suggestion at a compromise, she even called me a "cowardly gutless lowlife".

So, at that point, I separated with her because going with her plan exerts too much unnecessary effort." He shrugged his shoulders at the last part.

My mouth was agape, not by amazement or awe, but how stupid and petty everything sounded.

Seriously, do all smart people have arguments because of little things such as that?

Also, she called him what?

"She called you what?"

"I believe it was " A cowardly gutless lowlife"."

"Well then she must have some icy vocabulary." I say with furrowed brows.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Meh, I'm used to them. She always throws them at me when we're together. It's like a game that only the two of us play."

Oh, so that's it...

I shifted my eyes away from him in an embarrassed manner, what I'm about to ask might be a little too personal to him.

"So...are you her boyfriend?" I asked him and tried to avoid eye contact.

His face contorted into something of a combination between a scowl, an offended look and a disgusted one.

I think I felt something like I was looking into the infinite void of abyss when I looked at his eyes.

I expected a different expression from him...

"Ugh, no. Where did that come from?"

That was all he said and his facial expression returned to normal.

And by normal, I mean his usual blank and passive one. I wanted to ask more, but I'm afraid that I might annoy him too much.

"Hmm?" He asked and tilted his head to the side, which made his ahoge sway a bit.

"Ah, nothing." I say

"Well, there's your answer." after stretching a bit, he glanced at his wristwatch, "I have to go now, my shift will start soon."

"Oh, ok, I'll just study the notes you gave me."

"Hmm..."

W-What's he waiting for? He's been staring at me for a while now with that usual blank look. His intense stare was, well, intense. I even had to fidget a little.

"W-What?" I ask him.

"I have to change my clothes." He gave me a deadpan stare and attempted to strip off his shirt.

Right...

I had to give myself a massive mental facepalm at my indecisiveness.

"Oh! R-Right! Hahaha of course!" I jump to my feet, eager to escape the awkwardness.

He didn't even give a visible external reaction to how uncomfortable I felt.

Though I do see something like disappointment in his eyes, like how a tutor found out that the student he tried so much to teach still failed.

After I went downstairs, he shortly followed me wearing casual attire and went on his way.

Though Keika pleaded for him to stay, he explained to her why he had to go.

Finally, she let go of him and gave him a hug as he walked out of the door, with tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes, that is...

Well, guess I'll hang out here for a while...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry for the long wait, I've been really busy with our school's intramurals and competitions. We lost anyway, but at least we had fun. Though I think a lost a pound or two because of the stress...

To be honest, this was the most difficult chapter for me to finish, I dunno why. I had a hard time writing things from Saki's perspective, I think her's was the hardest to write.

I hope I did her some justice in this chapter.

Saki is one of the girls that I wanted to end up with 8man in canon, seeing that they have many of similarities.

Remember when 8man said "Love ya, Kawasaki!" in the light novel? Man her reaction was priceless!

Ok so I was browsing through the wiki the other day, and it said that, " Hachiman is skilled at swimming, according to the drama CD, he swam two kilometers in middle school because he had nothing else to do when his class had pool lessons."

I read all the books but I don't remember this. I was going to add this as a little thing that he can brag about but I was unsure whether it was legit or not.

As always, feel free to drop a review and let me know your thoughts, as well as a recommendation if you have an awesome idea.

Soooooo, yeah. That's all I wanted to say for now.

Bye bye!

13

"Thank you for your hard work, Hikigaya-kun!"

*pat* *pat*

I would normally avoid physical contact with another person, well, except if it's Komachi, she's the one who always comes to me.

When an overly-friendly classmate attempts to pat my shoulder as a good gesture, I would inch away at the last second.

If one of those nice girls invade my personal space, I would take a step back to maintain my defensive perimeters.

But, receiving a pat on the head from my super bubbly Senpai after an exhausting afternoon of doing student council duties is an exemption.

*pat* *pat*

I would usually inwardly demand compensation for any work that I do for someone, but a pat on the head from her is the greatest reward.

*pat* *pat*

"Hmm." That was the only reply that I could muster due to my exhaustion.

If I had one last request before dying from my current state, it would be to rest my head on Shiromeguri-senpai's thighs as she rubbed my head to ease my passing.

"Let's go home Hikigaya-kun~!" she then began poking my cheek, as if checking if I was still alive.

"Hai hai..." I get up, albeit slowly, while Senpai was patiently observing me with a smile.

That's what I call the Kind and Sweet Onee-san look.

Since the others already left, or were on errands, we were the only ones remaining.

After locking the door, we started walking together towards the exit of the school, we passed by many students that greeted us.

And by us, I mean only Shiromeguri-senpai, well I did receive a nod or two of acknowledgement but that's basically it, though I have no idea who those people were.

"Senpai, did you finish everything that the teachers told you to do?" I asked.

"Yup!"

"What about the clubs and their request of budget?"

"Hmm!"

"The weekly posting of important information on the bulletin boards?"

"Yes!"

"What about the list of all school officials and staff and their titles? We need it as a guide when we're making letters addressed to them."

"Secretary-chan already made them."

"The ink for our printer is nearly empty."

"The new cartridges of ink are in the bottom drawer of my table."

"Ok, sorry for bothering you."

"No problem!"

We were about to pass by a classroom when a girl with long silvery-blue hair in a ponytail exited from the room and locked eyes with me.

"Oh, Hikigaya..."

"Good afternoon Kawasaki." I lazily waved my hand at her and she followed suit.

She gave Shiromeguri-senpai, who was behind me fumbling with her bag, a quick look and asked me, "Are you going home already?"

"Yes, you?" I asked in turn.

"I still have my part-time job later, but I can at least go with you up to the school gate." She offered.

Hey, it's as if she was implying that I wanted her to go with me.

Of course, I don't mind the company, but...

"Hikigaya-kun!" Shiromeguri-senpai's voice riddled with urgency startled me. I turn around and she looked like she saw a ghost.

"What?"

"I forgot that the deadline for the letter was tonight! I have to go back and ask Sensei for the details!"

I knew it...

Good grief, what a clumsy girl...

"Ok, I'll be going on ahead then. If you need any assistance, contact vice-president-san and secretary-san."

"Gotcha! See you tomorrow!" she exclaimed.

*pat* *pat*

And then she ran off to the direction that we came from.

"Hey, no running in the hallways." My protest landed on deaf ears as she probably didn't hear me and continued to run.

Did she really need to pat my head before going though...?

I turn back to Kawasaki, who had observed our exchange with a curious look.

Great, I bet now she thinks that we're a bunch of weirdos.

I feel the remnants of my reputation plummet even further down the toilet.

"Well, should we get going?" I ask her.

"Oh, yeah. Let's go." She nodded at me and we proceeded to walk through the school's halls.

I am a man of few words, that much is true. I despise small talk, deeming it useless and a waste of breath, but there's something really important that I want to ask her.

"So, how was your exams?" I ask her.

"Hmm..." she put a hand under her chin and started pondering on my words.

"I think I did good, thanks for the help." She gave me a small grateful smile that looked unnatural on her cool and slightly serious demeanor.

I sigh in relief, if I found out that my student failed in the exam, I will literally jump from the top floor of my Father's office building.

"That's a relief."

I felt something hit my shoulder.

"You sound like you're saying that I'm an idiot." She said in a menacing manner that made me lose my composure for a moment.

"Ah, did I sound like that? My apologies, I was merely displaying the actions of a teacher concerned for his student. Isn't it normal for one such as myself to at least show concern to my fellows?" I reply.

Damnit, Yukinoshita's speaking habits are rubbing off on me.

"I guess..." she said after a moment, her menacing aura disappearing as fast as it appeared.

If incorporating the speaking habits of aristocrats can get me out of a tough situation like this, then I should already start practicing.

She then initiated some small talk, to my surprise, which was out-of-character for her personality. She talked about her work at the supermarket, things that happened at class today and of course, about Keika.

As usual, I just listened and occasionally inserted my inputs here and there.

If I was recruited by the Dark Brotherhood, I would no doubt be the Listener.

That was an ingenious joke, and I had to snicker to myself.

"What's so funny?" The girl beside me asked and gave me a questioning look.

"Ah, nothing." I say. At my words, she shrugged her shoulders.

I escorted her to the school gates and we separated there, after I bade her farewell, I went back to the place where students park their bikes.

I was really curious about the tennis court of the school, so I decided to take a detour and head there before going home. Tennis is one of the few sports that I'm good at, and I haven't had the chance to use the racquet that I bought nearly four months ago.

Back in middle-school, none of my classmates wanted to pair up with me. So, I usually played with Sensei during that time. He was really strict, and corrected every mistake that I did when we had practice matches. But he was a good Sensei, one of my favorites in school, if not my most favorite.

I was pretty sad when he was too busy to have a match with me in P.E., so when those times arrived, I opted to play against the wall.

The wall was a good partner. He didn't tease me nor complain nor call me Hikigerma-kun. He just played.

I am honestly itching for a game right now.

Since Komachi is sucks too much at it, and my parents are always busy, I have no one to play with.

Well, there's always the wall outside...

I hope my skills haven't gone rusty...

I caught sight of a group of male students wearing sports attire, from the ball that one of them was holding, I believe they were football players.

In the middle of their group was the alpha male, surrounded by beta cucks and nameless insignificant side-characters that were MUDA in the overall progression of the plot.

*Oi Hikigaya, that was a bit too harsh...*

The said Alpha Male, was good 'ol...

Uh...what was his name again?

Hayasomething-san?

Hayasomething-san The Combat Butler?

Upon seeing me, he said something to his man-slaves and jogged over to me.

Oi, is this guy for real?

"What's up, Hikigaya?" He called out to me as he got nearer.

What a very riajuu-like way of greeting someone...

"Hmm, did you need something?" I reply in my usual tone.

"Not really, me and my classmates were just on our way to football practice." He stopped and gave me a quick look from top to bottom.

"Say, you have a really nice build, do you play sports?"

Haah? What nonsense is this guy talking about?

"Nice build" my ass.

" Sorry, but if you really wanted me to come with you with by using flattering words, then I'm afraid you have to try harder. The effort you showed is really non-existent to the point where its insulting me. Please try harder next time, and maybe I can at least acknowledge your minute existence. Until then, please get away from me and don't breathe in my direction. If I catch you doing otherwise, I will have you executed and your body burned at the stake for everyone to see. Ta ta~"!

If I was an Ojou-sama, like a certain someone that I know, I would have said that to his face.

*Hikigaya, you absolutely destroyed him in your head! That rejection was Hime-sama level! *

"Not really." I say back.

"Oh really? Want to come to our try-outs this weekend?" He offered and gave me a bright smile.

Tch, this guy is persistent!

"I'm busy during weekends."

"Ah, I see." He scratched his head.

"Hayama, we're going on ahead!" I heard one of the nobody side-characters call out.

"Wait for me!" He laughed. "Well, I'll see you around Hikigaya." He said and raised his hand suspiciously and creeped towards my shoulder.

Don't touch me you brute!

Before he could pat my shoulder, I moved to the side to avoid it.

"Hmm." I just gave him a quick nod and began walking before I could see his facial reaction.

Ew what a creep, he nearly touched me there. I should report him for sexual harassment. I didn't look back, and their voices soon disappeared as I went further away from them.

I spent the rest of my walk in peace and quiet, and thankfully, I wasn't interrupted by any intruders.

I exited the building which I had to enter in order to access the tennis court. The total area was adequate, though I realized that it can only accommodate at least one play at a time.

How disappointing, I expected better of you, Sobu High! As a proud citizen of Chiba, I declare this as an embarrassment! I should tell the principal about this, maybe drop a hint or two here and there...

Suddenly, I heard the sound of something hitting against something. I stopped to listen what I was hearing.

After several seconds, I concluded that it was the sound of a tennis racquet hitting a tennis ball.

With silent footsteps, I traced the source of the sound to the nearby wall of the building. I took a quick look and saw a blonde girl playing against the wall, each sound made by the contact between her racquet and the ball echoing in this secluded area.

Hmm...Miura-san...What's she doing here?

*Obviously playing Tennis.*

Thank you Captain Obvious.

I took another look and saw that she's not even wearing the proper attire. Each time her body moved to intercept the ball, her skirt would slightly sway up, but not enough to show her undergarments.

What a tease!

I turned away from the sight, eager to protect my innocence from such a provocative image.

With beads of sweat running down her forehead, she stopped to catch her breath. She pulled out her phone from out of nowhere and began fiddling with it with her free hand.

Woah! What the heck was that?! Where did the phone come from?! Does she have her own personal pocket dimension?!

As I was trying to come up with a logical answer to what I just witnessed, her head turned to my direction and our eyes met.

What the heck is with these ridiculous coincidences recently?

3...

2...

1...

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Ouch, that hurt my ears...

I know that I look scary, I once heard a security guard ask his partner if I'm part of the yakuza, but there's no need to pour sulfuric acid on my maggot-infested wounds...

After calming herself down, she gave me a glare that would make other boys flee in terror.

"HIKIO! YOU SCARED ME!" She stomped over to me and was about to punch my arm. I swear her green eyes were steaming.

Whether she's just joking or she's really going to do it, I'm not gonna take any chances!

I leaned my body just before she could hit me.

*Whoosh*

I felt the shock-wave from her fist.

She gritted her teeth and tried to reach for me again, but I was faster.

"Oi, whats the big idea...and who is this "Hikio" you speak of?" I say with sarcasm when we finally got some distance between us.

"Grrrr...hmph!" She crossed her arms and turned her head away from me.

"Geez why are you so worked up?" I scratched my head in confusion.

"Why are you even here anyway?" I added.

"That's none of your business." She glared at me once more.

Hoh...giving me the cold shoulder, eh?

Two can play at that game!

"Indeed, it's not. Goodbye then." After giving her a stiff bow, I started walking away.

"H-Hey! Wait for me!" While still walking, I watched with amusement as she hastily picks up her bag, while throwing me and annoyed look, along with a second tennis racquet that I didn't see.

She hit my arm when she finally caught up with me, while I had numerous chances to dodge it, the satisfied grin on her face when she claimed victory was enough for me to stand down in the end.

So even her fiery personality has a cute side, huh...

"As I mentioned earlier, what are you doing here?" I ask without turning to her.

"Well, I was supposed to play with my gym partner, but she said that she had an appointment, at the last second..." I could hear a hint of annoyance on her tone.

"Ah..."

She walked ahead of me and started going to the tennis court. I cocked my head in confusion but said nothing.

After going to the bench, she turned to me and threw the second raquet. Of course, I was able to catch it.

"Oi oi, what gives?"

"Huh? I thought you wanted to have a match with me?" She gave me a confused look.

"I don't remember you even saying that you wanted a match..." Does she think I'm a psychic or something? I can't read the minds of complicated beings such as females y'knowww...

"Come on~!" Her face morphed into a _ and balled her fists.

"Well, ok. But I won't go easy on you." I say as I put down my bag and gave her an asshole-like grin.

Something must have snapped inside her head because she sent me a similar expression with her competitive aura emitting from behind her.

NANI?!

Is that her STAND?!

"Hoh, then I'm looking forward to it..." she cackled menacingly.

Hey now, I was just fooling around on my part. Did she actually think that I was being serious...?

I have a feeling that I just dug my own grave...

After several minutes of warming up, I deduced that I was ready and gave her the signal. Due to her insistence, I was the first one to serve the ball.

The first few minutes were dull. Her moves were nothing special, just like mine. Both of us were having difficulty playing because we weren't wearing the proper attire. More so with her because of her skirt.

Shoes-chan, please forgive and bear with me...

Our scores were 8-11, mine was the former when we hit 15-minutes. I had a feeling that she was going easy on me, testing the waters and observing me. I was doing the same to her, though I had to keep looking at her eyes or on the ball or else I might see something at her lower part that might cause me to faint while we're still playing.

I'm talking about her skirt by the way, and its still teasing me!

"Hikio, you're pretty good." She commented when she went back to the other side of the court for us to resume playing after having a quick break

"You too."

In many shonen anime, the main character, and in some cases, the villain too, would only reveal their ultimate and devastating move when they are nearing the climax of their battle. Very cliché and repetitive, if I might add.

I believe otherwise.

The battle must be won with a single decisive strike to prevent a long and costly war of attrition. A single devastating thrust to the heart of the beast. Therefore, at the start of the battle, you must give it your all and nothing less.

Just like in some of my fighting video games, it's a race to see who deals the most damage in those crucial first few seconds at the start of the battle. It was in those few seconds where one can foresee who will be the victor.

While this is certainly real life and not a war, I believe I can improvise...

So, with that in mind, I took a deep breathe and readied myself to serve the ball once more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He's fast!

At the start of our second game, his strikes were faster and stronger, while his legs moved so quickly that I was afraid he might trip.

16-11...

He already caught up with me...

His stance is really weird. His legs look so relaxed, and would only move with explosive speed when it was needed. His eyes are really intense too, and his face was calm as a still water.

I was shocked at how much he changed, that it took me a while to get my head around it.

Me, a tennis player who played in prefecture-level matches...

His strike just now was fast, I was just in time to return it. I miscalculated, the shot was too weak and too high.

A perfect time to land a powerful smash.

He leapt into the air, his racquet making contact with the ball and I began rushing to the other side of the court.

It was at that moment that I locked eyes with him.

The ball came flying towards me and I managed to return it.

I have to win! Or at least close the gap between us as much as possible!

For the next few moments, we were equally matched. I was able to get a score with a precise and quick shot.

Both of us were breathing heavily, and I could begin to feel my legs slightly shake from the fatigue.

18-12...

Damnit...

"Let's stop here." His hoarse voice called out to me. From his voice alone, he sounds even more exhausted than me, yet his face was neutral as ever.

"Yeah, that's a good idea..." I replied in-between my heavy breaths as my legs collapsed on the ground. Holy shit, when was the last time I had a match with this intensity?

Ah, I think I sprained my foot...

"Huff hufff huff..." I heard his ragged breaths as I watch him approach me.

"You're pretty good, Miura-san." He said as he offered his hand.

I gave him a cheeky grin, "You too, do you mind helping me up? I think I sprained my foot." I wiggled my right foot to show him.

He reached out his hand and pulled me up.

Unfortunately, he applied too much force, so I was pushed into his chest. The contact was brief, but I felt the rapid pounding of his heart through the fabric of his uniform. From the intensity of it, it'll take a while for him to calm down from the adrenaline rush...

"Oh, sorry about that." He quickly stepped back to give me some space, but still close enough to lend me his arm.

"There you are again, apologizing too quickly. People will think that you're a wimp." With his help, I limp towards the bench where we put our bags earlier.

"I'd rather be called a wimp than a person without manners and courtesy." He said boredly when I finally got to sit down. He sat down a little further from me, to my confusion, so I scooted closer to him.

"What the heck was that? That sounded so cool! Haha!" I laughed at him and playfully poke his cheek.

He attempted to moved his head to avoid my finger, but he just sighed and gave up.

*poke poke*

"T-That's ridiculous, and stop poking my cheek, you might catch a disease." He said in an uptight manner, but I know he was just supressing a blush by looking away.

"How did you get so good at tennis anyway?" I ask him. He was really good, I had to admit. It's been a while since I played against someone like him and it was really refreshing.

"I'm not good at tennis." He muttered.

I rolled my eyes at him, "Ok ok Mr. Humbleson, just answer the question."

"I just played it in middle-school like any other student." He said and waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

I sighed and looked up to the sky, I can already see some orange streaks creeping slowly in those dominated by white and blue.

Time flies by so fast, it's already been a few months since classes started.

I made lots of friends, I even have my own little group of friends that I hang out with.

"Hikio, who do you hang out with anyway?" I asked him as I stared up the sky.

A moment of silence.

"No one, really..." He replied.

I turn to him with a shocked expression. He must be joking, right?

"Huh? What do you mean?" I look at him seriously this time, trying to see if he's lying. As usual, his eyes betrayed nothing.

"I go to school alone and go home alone, if that's what you mean." He replied.

"No! I mean who do you hang out with at school!"

"Oh, well, same answer." He said.

"Tell me more."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye with an unreadable expression, and after a moment of thinking, finally came up with an answer.

"There's nothing much to say, except from the occasional conversation with one of my classmates, and official discussions with the rest of the student council members, I'm basically alone. I cook my own lunch and eat it alone in a quiet place. During mandatory group activities, I ask the teachers if I can be by myself, which they allow. But if it's unavoidable that I should be grouped with others, I stay quiet and just help when they ask me. It's not that they unfriendly to me, I think they are just...indifferent towards me. Not that I'm chasing after them or anything, I'm perfectly fine by myself." He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and shrugged.

That was pretty sad. I thought that he had a clique, or even a friend that he always sticks with.

"Are you being bullied?" I ask him, and I couldn't help frowning and clenching my fists at the thought.

"Who would have the gall to "bully" the head of the disciplinary committee?" He lightly chuckled.

"But, I'm used to it...being alone, I mean." he added with a melancholic tone and looked up to the sky.

I stayed quiet for a while, I didn't know what to say...

He sighed, a deep and heavy one reverberated through his body, as if trying to forcefully remove a memory that he would rather forget. I saw him give himself a strained smile.

"I apologize if I made the atmosphere depressing." He said in an apologetic tone and lightly bowed his head to me.

"Hikio, you did no such thing..." I shouldn't have asked him such a personal question...

"You can hang out with me after school or during break times if you want." I offered.

I think I can introduce him to my friends.

Truth be told, I already feel at ease with him and I feel like he'll be a great friend. Unlike other guys he has no ulterior motives. I already have some guys that ogle at me when I walk in the hallways, which, already in itself, is super creepy and uncomfortable.

He never looked at me like those creeps, which I'm really glad.

"I'm fine thank you. You shouldn't waste your time acompanying me after all." He politely declined my offer and said it in such a self-depreciating manner too. I had to frown at that.

"You should stop talking like that."

"Like what?"

"Like, unecessary self-depreciating habits." I furrowed my brows at him.

"Oh, its one of my specialties. Self-depreciating jokes, annoying sarcasm and a nihilistic sense of humour are my strong character attributes." He said with pride as he gave me a thumbs up.

"Pfff...hahahaha." I giggle at his reply, he was right about his twisted sense of humour.

I saw him look at his watch to check the time. Wow, is that a Rolex?

"Nice watch Hikio." That's definitely a Rolex. Damn that thing is probably worth a few years of tuition in your average college. I guess the rumour that he comes from an affluent family has some truth to it after all...

"Oh, thank you. I got this as a present for..." He stopped and I turned to him to see whats wrong.

"What?"

"Nothing..."

"Tell me please~."

"No."

"Pretty please~~?" I batted my eyelashes at him. Emotionally constipated or not, he's still a guy and I'm sure my lady charms will take effect on him.

"It's too embarassing and you might think that its ridiculous..." He turned away from me with a conflicted look and a slight blush.

Ha! Looks like it worked!

"Come on~~~..."

"Ugh, fine, I got this as a gift from my parents for topping the school's entrance exams."

"Yeah yeah, you're a smartass, I get it." I grummbled at him while pouting.

"Good grief..." He muttered as he massaged his brows while having a small smile.

We went quiet after that, and I don't know how much time passed until I realized that it was getting dark.

"Hey Hikio, we should go home."

...

...

...

No response.

I turn to him and see that he laid his body on the bench, his back going up and down everytime he breathed.

"Hikio."

I reach out and pat his shoulder, hoping to wake him up, still no reaction. I get up and kneel at the floor near his head so I can shake his shoulder.

But instead of seeing his eyes closed, I saw that it formed into an X.

(x_x)

...

"..."

OH MY GOD DID HE FAINT?! HE MUST HAVE OVEREXERTED HIMSELF TOO MUCH!

"HIKIO WAKE UP! DON'T FOLLOW THE LIGHT! COME TOWARDS MY VOICE!" I grab him by the shoulders and begin shaking him.

"Granpa, I see you..." He muttered in a dazed voice.

"NO DON'T FOLLOW HIM! HIKIO! FOLLOW MY VOICE! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"Ugh...tomatoes..." He muttered again while his face contorted into a frown.

If I wasn't fearing for his life, I would have laughed so hard on the spot.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hello Guys and Girls!

Ivanov117 here!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, this one was fun to write hehe.

Do you know what day tomorrow is?

That's right, it's the 12 th of September.

And do you know why I mentioned it?

It's because the first chapter of this FanFic was submitted a year ago!

This FanFic has officially reached one-year old!

I can't believe it's already been a year, it feels like it was just yesterday when I had the idea for writing this FanFic lol.

Thank you so much to those of you who were with me since the beginning!

A little story time...

I started having my own idea for a FanFic after I read all the LN. My mind was full of ideas, "What if Hachiman did this? What if he did that?", those kinds of thought. Ultimately, the majority of my ideas were already past canon, that's why this ended up becoming an AU.

The week that I first started writing this last year, a strong earthquake hit my State. Our geothermal power-plants that were deep in the mountains were damaged, along with several collapsed buildings near the epicenter.

When the earthquake hit, I was in the library sleeping. I ignored the shaking of my table, but then I realized that no one was sitting there besides me. Upon realization of the earthquake, I ran downstairs, along with many other students and teachers. There was no damage to the school infrastructure, so classes immediately resumed.

When we went to our other house, shards of our broken vases and other things were scattered on the floor, but thankfully, that was all.

Our whole State had no electricity for nearly a month.

You may ask, "Well, how were you able to continue writing the drafts?"

The answer, my dear readers, lies with the sun.

We have large solar panels on our roof, but it can only support small devices like phones, flashlights, radios, etc. So, I continued writing on my Ipad.

That is why, since last year, every morning when I wake up and go outside, I raise my hands and praise the Sun.

Jk lol.

So, yeah. That was basically the ORIGINS of this FanFic.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this and had a good laugh!

Don't be shy in writing a review (if you want), let me know your thoughts on this chapter!

See you next time!

14

Hikigaya-kun has been acting...strange lately...

It has already been several days since I noticed his change of mood. His eyes look even more lifeless and completely unfocused. He might be looking at someone in the eye during the rare times that he speaks with someone, but it was as if he was looking at something far-away. I thought this would pass in a day or so, but it has already been a week.

Did something bad happen?

"Yukinoshita, here."

"Hmm."

We were currently at the student council office, filtering out the exam papers for our class according to specific subjects that we have. This was originally our teacher's job, but he was on a sick leave. To my surprise, when that information was announced during class, Hikigaya-kun stood up and said that the both of us will volunteer to do the paperwork. I was annoyed at first and stood up to speak out but he gently shook his head when our eyes met.

"I am quite shocked that you volunteered for this, are you that desperate to escape your idle laziness?"

"..."

The silence was deafening when his reply never came. I can only hear the sounds of paper against the table when he would transfer a set of papers to another box. It was so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat. His were unfocused and only looking at the work before him. I was patiently waiting for one of his snarky replies filled with sarcasm but it never came. Thus, I proceeded to seek any kind of response from him.

"Ignoring me, are you? I see that your rudeness and inability to follow social etiquette knows no bounds."

"..."

Still no reaction...

This is very unlike him. He is typically stoic and serious, rarely smiling and rubbing his smug grin on my face whenever we would argue. His face always harboring an emotionless poker face with half-lidded eyes, making him look more tired than he looks.

But today was the first time he outright ignored me.

What happened?

I noticed that he was doing his work slowly, very different from the way he usually does things in a hurry. I decided to match his speed so we can finish this together. We were finally done, and five minutes later, the bell rang signaling the start of our lunch break. After taking the box in his hands, he wordlessly stood up and walked to the door presumably to deliver it to our classroom. I just quietly walked beside him.

"Thank you for your hard work." He muttered in a voice so small that I barely heard him. Finally, a reaction.

"You too." I say

After putting down the box, he walked to where his bag was and took out his bento. I was expecting him to take it with him and go eat somewhere else, just like he always does, but he opened it and said, "Itadakimasu.", and then began eating. I looked around and noticed that only a few of our classmates were here, the ones that stayed were talking quietly among themselves. The usual noisy and boisterous ones were thankfully not here.

Should I go and eat with him? A part of me wanted to do that, but I lacked the nerve to do so. It's been a while since we last had lunch together after all, about a month ago, if I'm correct. I stood up, but my legs refused to move no matter how hard I try. Such a simple task, but it took momentous effort to do.

I sighed.

I went to my seat and opened my own bento box. Since I live alone, I always cook my food. I have never bought those lunches in convenience stores and I don't plan to do so anytime soon. Glancing to where Hikigaya-kun was eating, I couldn't help but wonder if he cooks his own food or does his mother do it for him. My Mother never saw the need to do that for me since we have our maids back at home.

Ah, I just remembered that he mostly cooks his food himself, since he mentioned it before. I wonder how his food tastes?

As classes went by, I would occasionally glance at him to see what he was doing. He was just absentmindedly scribbling on his notebook. A teacher got annoyed by his attitude and asked him to answer an unexpected and sudden question, a topic which we didn't even discuss yet. To everyone's surprise, including my own, he answered flawlessly, which made some of our classmates look at him with their mouths agape.

Our teacher, instead of looking embarrassed or any negative reaction, was pleasantly surprised and commended him, he just sat down and returned to scribbling on his notebook as if nothing happened. When our final class ended, and after Hiratsuka-sensei checked everyone's attendance for homeroom, we began packing our things so we can go home. Hikigaya-kun usually disappears from the classroom within 2 minutes after the end of classes, but this time, just like back in the student council room, he did it in a very slow manner. My curiosity got the better of me, and I walked a small distance behind him.

The students along the corridor would give me looks of awe and admiration, things that I have been used to already. In contrast, a few were giving Hikigaya-kun guarded looks and the crowd would part before him in fear when he walked. A very useful skill I say. Hikigaya-kun completely ignored them and continued walking straight.

I wonder if he is thinking about something that is causing him physical and mental stress?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several days later...

There were around 15 first-years in front of me, two-thirds of them were composed of boys. As per instruction of the principal, they were to serve community service by cleaning the first-year classrooms for violating the school rules. Consecutive tardiness, improper attire, littering, damage to school property, etc. And as the disciplinary officer of the Student Council, I have to supervise and oversee these...savages...and keep them in-line. I have to spend 8 hours here just watching them...Good grief, I should be enjoying my Saturday morning at home reading some light novels or playing games...

I feel like a jail warden...

This was the reason why I was feeling pissed these past few days.

Some of the guys would give me sheepish smiles and scratch their head whenever our eyes would meet. As for the girls, they would give me guarded looks and look away. I saw some familiar faces from the other classes whenever I would drop by to inform something to their class representatives, but I didn't know their names. Most of them were talking with each other, I didn't mind it but if they got louder, I would have to tell them to shut it. But I didn't expect to meet Peachy here.

"Hehehe...Hi Hikigaya-kun..." She laughed with discomfort and scratched here head. It's been a while since I last saw her and I almost forgot about her existence.

Damn Hikigaya you're harsh as usual...*

Huh? Why? But it's true though.

"Hmm." I nodded at her but she looked like she expected me to say something more. Hey now, if you keep looking at me with expectant eyes, I'll get self-conscious. Since she was still waiting for me to say something, I just internally rolled my eyes and thought about possible things I could say.

A. Nice weather we're having.

B. Your makeup is nice, where did you buy it?

C. If you keep on staring intensely at me, I might get pregnant.

D. What are you in for?

Hmm...

A is too predictable, B sounds wrong, C sounds like something from a romantic comedy anime that has an utterly bland and dense MC and the show itself doesn't have any plot nor character development aside from that damned mandatory beach or hot springs fanservice episode, I guess I'll go with D then. Wait, I already know why she's here, consecutive tardiness mainly. I know most of their background since I was the one who filled a report and sent it to the principal.

"Well, try not to do it again..." I crossed my legs and checked my wristwatch. Almost time...

"Right..." I can hear the disappointment in her voice. Sorry Peachy, but I'm not in the mood to talk.

Fifteen minutes later, it was time for them to begin their sentence. I led them to the first-year classrooms where they would begin cleaning the desks, windows, floor etc. Of course, I already prepared the needed equipment beforehand so they immediately went to work when we arrived. The guys were surprisingly cooperative and did their work diligently, although they did joke around a few times, but as long as they don't bother anyone else or make a new mess, I won't mind them. I thought they were the "thug" and "delinquent" types, but I guess I was wrong.

"Tobe clean this again! This spot is still dirty bro!" I heard one of the guys exclaim.

"Oh shit sorry man! I'll be there once I'm done with this!" The guy named "Tobe" replied while he was cleaning the windows. I was mildly annoyed by their use of slang, but I just observed them from my seat.

Because I was bored and had nothing else to do, I was the one who refilled the water bucket when it was nearly empty. I got one of the empty buckets and went to the bathroom to refill it with water. However, Peachy insisted that she come with me for reasons that elude me.

"Thanks for helping out Hikigaya-kun, even though you were supposed to just watch us." She said.

Why pick the word "watch" though? You make it sound like I'm a stalker. My job was to oversee, not "watch" you guys.

"Might as well do something since I'm the only one idle." I say.

"Idle?" She tilted her head at the word when she turned to me. Ah, so she's unfamiliar with the word...

"It means not doing anything in particular." Is she the "airhead" archtype?

"Oh, I see!" She exclaimed and told me about the circumstances that led her to become convicte- I mean, punishment. I just listened and would occasionally nod or hmm in reply. It turns out that she was up late at night watching a new drama series and it made her wake up late due to her lack of sleep. Good grief, how anti-climactic. I was expecting something else entirely, not this cliché backdoor reason.

"What do you do during the weekends Hikigaya-kun?" Peachy asked me when we filled the buckets with and carefully walked back to the classroom.

"I have a part time job at a bookstore downtown."

"Woooww, that's like so mature and responsible..." she replied with stars in her eyes.

How exactly is that "mature and responsible"? More like a chore, but at least I'm well compensated and skilled enough to operate the cashier with my eyes closed. Tatsumi-san found it hilarious and creepy at the same time when she caught me doing it and Shiromeguri-senpai laughed her tears out when she found out.

"Is that so..."

"Yup! I don't think I'm up for that kind of stuff yet hehehe..."

"That's stupid and ridiculous. How can you say that you're "not up for that kind of stuff yet", if you never even tried it in the first place? Take scientists and inventors for example. If they had the same mentality as you, then they would have never invented and discovered scientific and industrial breakthroughs." I frowned at her from the corner of my eye.

Wait...

Oh.

I said something bad, didn't I?

"..."She said nothing while a shadow was over her face, preventing me from seeing her expression. Her hands were balled into fists and I could see them shaking.

Well now I've done it. Me and my big mouth. Why did I even blurt that out loud? That was supposed to be one of my inner musings, not something to be vocalized. Wait, she's crying, isn't she? Oh no I made a girl cry, which in the law that all males follow, makes me a scum of the earth whose life is lower than an earthworm. Time to change my name, shave my head, move to Hokkaido and spend the rest of my life away from civilization to stay in a far-away temple in the mountains.

I wonder how much money I can take from my bank account before the Order of The White Knights catch and hang me for my crimes against humanity? No, make that huwomanity. I am so funny maybe I should become a comedian.

"That's..." she said in a voice I barely heard. Is she going to slap me? I will endure any punishment for the grave misconduct that I have committed.

"That was so cool!" She exclaimed as she started waving her arms around. Woah, a peachy helicopter.

Wait, what?

"Huh?" That was all I could muster as I focused all of my mental power into figuring out what just happened.

"That was so cool Hikki! That sounded really cool and intellectual-like! I guess your position as the top student in our year-level and a member of the Student Council isn't just for show!"

Haaaah? What is she talking about? What she said just now was ridiculous. Plus, she's giving me more credit than what I believe is necessary. For what reason did she even mention my rank and position? Nonsense. I guess she's the type to be impressed by stuff like that. Wait, maybe she's a masochist that likes being talked down on?

And who is this "Hikki"?

*But Hikigaya, your rank and position IS impressive! From a third-party's point-of-view, at least. *

I guess you're just the same as her then.

"Ah, I see...watch where you're going." I replied in my usual nonchalant manner as I successfully managed to divert and change the flow of our conversation. I don't trust this girl because she's a nice girl, and nice girls are untrustworthy to me. They twirl you around their finger as if you're their plaything and give signals that are misunderstood by innocent and pure-hearted maidens like my middle-school self.

After my experience in middle-school with she-who-should-not-be-named, I have learned much about the mysterious creatures also known as nice girls. Though they were still a complete mystery to me. I despise them a little and I do not trust them.

Peachy gave off a relaxed vibe while I was tense, but I managed to hide it well. We arrived back at the classroom and gave the bucket to the guys. I helped here and there, but when I offered my assistance, they would politely decline so I was left to my own devices as they cleaned the first-year rooms. When it was time for the one-hour lunchbreak, I informed everyone and they gave a sigh of relief. They took out their lunchboxes and began eating at the desks, some were in their own little groups, while others were sticking with one companion. Peachy was eating with the rest of the girls and they were talking and I could hear an occasional giggle.

One of the guys invited me to eat with them, but I declined and excused myself to the Student Council room where my lunch was waiting. My lunch was simple and consisted of fried pieces of chicken and pork from last night's dinner, as well was some steamed vegetables and a hardboiled egg. I didn't have time to make my lunch into a beautifully crafted bento. Mother knows how to make it as well as Komachi, I have yet to master the art itself.

After quickly eating my lunch, I went back to the classroom so we can resume the work. Everyone was ready and I can even see enthusiasm from some of the guys. Like before, I only helped a little bit since they listened to my advice earlier regarding a more efficient way of cleaning, thus, they finished things a lot faster.

But rushing things can only do so much.

I opened the door to the other room where the girls were moping the floor. Unfortunately, the floor was still wet, causing me to slip and hit my back against the door, the loud sound reverberating through the empty hallways.

I heard some gasps from the girls, and a voice from the other room loudly asking the others what had happened. Peachy was the first one to rush to me, her eyes filled with worry. It did not hurt as much as it sounded and I managed to lean my head forward just in time to avoid collision against the wall. Still, my butt hurt though...

"Hikki! Are you ok?!" She exclaimed as she tried to see if I was hurt in any way. The only thing that hurt was my pride as a man. Before I can stand up, one of the loud guys from the other room entered and had wide eyes when he saw me.

"Woah! What happened Bro?!" Don't be loud please, it hurts my ears...and don't call me "Bro".

"I slipped and fell." I said in a deadpan manner.

I made a move to get up, but Peachy extended her hand to offer her assistance. I ignored it and got up by myself. I saw her make an uncomfortable and awkward face when I didn't take her hand and I felt a little guilty.

"Is your back ok?" The guy asked again.

"I think so..." I moved my shoulders a bit and I felt a sharp pain. I must have visibly winced because their expression changed when they saw me.

"Ah you're hurt. Let's get you to the infirmary!" With that said, Peachy began to push me in a hurried manner to the door. My voice of protest died in my throat as the others encouraged me to go have my back checked. I gave up and just wordlessly followed Peachy behind.

But I can't help the feeling that I'm forgetting something...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on Hikki, let's go inside." I turned to him and he looked as if he wanted to be anywhere except here. His eyes were half-lidded while he just nodded his head at me. I followed him inside and instead of seeing the school nurse, the place was empty.

"Ah." His back was to me so I couldn't see his expression, but I can see him giving himself a facepalm.

"Today is a weekend, the school nurse isn't here." He said as he turned to me.

"Oh yeah, I forgot hahaha." I just laughed and scratched my cheek as his eyes bored holes on me.

"It can't be helped then..." He sighed and then started taking off his shirt.

WAIT WHAT?!

"WHUH?! WHAT? WHY ARE YOU-" I couldn't hold my voice down as I tried to cover my eyes.

"Just take a look and see if there are any bruises or whatnot..." He said in a dismissive way that had no room for arguments as he finally took off his shirt.

Even though I tried to cover my eyes, my eyes couldn't help wander and take a look at his upper body.

He was lean and was unexpectedly fit which meant that he must exercise from time to time. The muscles that he had on his arms and chest looked good on his overall physique. His was also paler than I expected. He wasn't really that muscular, nor too skinny. He looked...just right.

Although the visible and prominent lines he had on his lower abdomen made me blush...

"Ahem..." He cleared his throat after I just gawked at him for several seconds. I blurted out nonsensical words while he put a hand on his hip and gave me an unimpressed look. After I calmed myself down, he sat down and faced away from me. I took a step forward to comply with his request.

After several seconds, I saw a dark part a few inches below his left shoulder blade. My hand moved on its own and lightly touched the area beside it.

"!" The hairs on his back stood straight when my fingers made contact and he suddenly sat straight which startled me.

"S-Sorry!" I exclaimed as I pulled my hand back.

"Did you notice anything?" He asked as he craned his head to the left to meet my eyes.

"Yeah, there's a small bruise below your left shoulder blade..."

"Touch it again, slowly this time."

I followed him and my fingers lightly touched the dark area, he didn't give any visible reaction.

"Take my hand and lead it to the bruise." He held out his left hand while he faced away from me. I gulped before I took his hand in mine. They were bigger and weren't as warm, maybe it's just my imagination...

Mama said that boys and men who have calloused and rough hands are hardworking individuals, but Hikki's was soft, almost like a girl.

When I led his hand to where the bruise was, he lightly touched it and gave a satisfied grunt. He stood up, and turned to me.

Woah! Don't just do that so suddenly!

"Thank you very much for your assistance."

Don't thank me while you're shirtless!

"Y-Yeah, no problem..." I tried to hide my obvious blush and embarrassment, but my eyes were naturally drawn to him.

"Your shirt..." I muttered in a low voice.

"Ah, forgive me if I made you uncomfortable." This time he lightly bowed to me while shirtless again.

He's so weird! This day is so weird!

"L-Like I said! No problem..." I watched him put on his shirt once more and I gave a sigh of relief. He checked his wristwatch and narrowed his eyes, maybe he's thinking about something.

"Let's wrap things up for today." He motioned at me to follow him and I obediently complied. When we arrived at the classroom, he announced to everyone that they were free to go. When asked if he was fine after he slipped, he replied with a simple, "Yes I am, thank you for your concern."

His words were really formal but had an icy tone in them.

"Bro! We're gonna go to a karaoke later, wanna come with us?" One of the guys asked him in his loud voice.

"Ah, thank you but I'm exhausted." He waved him off and after saying "Well, I'll be going on ahead.", he walked out of the door. I caught him move his left shoulder a bit and saw him wince again. I excused myself so I can catch up with him because I know he walks really fast.

"Hikki!" I called out when I finally caught up to him.

"Did you need something, Yuigahama-san?" He faced me and cocked one of his eyebrows.

"I'm really sorry for earlier..." I say as I played with my hair and avoided his eyes because he might get mad on what I'm about to say next.

He blinked twice and gave me a confused look as he tilted his head to the side.

"Hm?"

"I should have properly wiped the floor that you stepped on. It's my fault that you were hurt." I bowed in apology to him.

"Is that so..." he muttered and just continued staring at me. Oh no, he must be pretty mad.

"Uhuh..."

"Well, try not to do it again next time..." he gave me a small wave and began walking away. The tone of his voice was neutral as ever and he didn't give off any negative vibes.

"Wait! What about your back?" I stepped forward to catch up with him.

"I'll just get put some ice and ointment on it when I arrive home...anyway, your friends are looking for you." He pointed behind me to where the other girls were looking for something.

"Oh ok, see you around then..." He nodded at me and walked away. When I went to where the other girls were, they were talking about how creepy Hikki was.

"He was really cold to all of us girls, except for the guys and Yuigahama for some reason, well, at least he talked to her without looking really annoyed." She turned to me with a questioning-look.

"Are you two close Yuigahama?" She asked.

"Not really, we only met a few times." I reply.

"Well, anyway, he was really cold to us. Does he hate girls or something?"

"Maybe he's gay? Hahahaha!" Tamako-san said with a laugh and the other girls laughed too.

To change the subject, I asked everyone I they wanted to go to the mall or something. They all agreed and we spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and getting to know more about each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A costume party...

A COSTUME PARTY

Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!

My vote was overturned during the meeting with the rest of the Student Council members and teachers! Even the teachers are normies reeeeeeeee! I thought Hiratsuka-sensei would have my back this, but she just grinned at me and gave me a thumbs-up. After I presented them with my expertly crafted case filled with cold logic, possible management issues, time constraints, lack of manpower and participants and a special focus on the budget that would be allocated for such a useless and senseless event, they still decided to go with it! My perfect internal sabotage plan failed!

After everything was said and done, the committees were formed, along with the leaders from each year level and all the class representatives. And thus, began the preparations for the event. This was my first-time taking part in organizing an even this large, so I would always consult teachers and the other members of the Student Council before I would make any independent decisions. We sent the purchasing committees to search for the cheapest materials in different stores in the city, materials that were cheap and quality weren't questionable. Of course, we only sent the most trustworthy people, they were holding onto money owned by the school after all.

As for the food stands and such, the school already has a list of registered and trusted partners so things were more or less easy in that part. We also decided to include the all the sports club members in doing the heavy labor like the moving and transferring of equipment and such. I even saw Blondie together with the football club moving the heavy speakers and lights the other day. For some reason, it was satisfying to watch that it brought a twisted smirk to my face.

Of course, we had mandated everyone, especially the girls, that the costumes must not show too much skin. We are still in school after all, as to remind those thots, hoes, sluts, harlots-

*Hikigaya! Language!*

You get the point.

So, after about two weeks of preparations, it was finally the day before the big day. We inspected everything to the tiniest detail. We tested all the equipment and distributed the walkie-talkies among the committee members. It was really cool when I tried it, I felt like Robocop.

I was so preoccupied that I forgot to get my own costume and tomorrow was the deadliest deadline. I honestly have no idea what I should wear. I wonder if it is ok to cosplay as a student from Sobou High? If I just wear my uniform, that is.

Should I ask Komachi for help? Ugh, never mind, she will probably get all worked up on this.

Suddenly, I had a spark of ingenious.

I went to my closet to look for that particular article of clothing. When I opened it, it was there, good as new. Almost as if I only wore it once. Oh yeah, I did. Now that that was out of the way, I looked for the second one to pair it with.

The box that held all of my cringey middle-school antics, magic notebooks, talismans, enchanted rings and capes, and even my toy gun was underneath my bed. I went through my stuff, as if I was touching something disgusting and I finally found it. It's silvery plating with sharp protrusions to the side and blood red markings still looked cool, even I had to admit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's a good thing that is already the end of autumn, and it isn't as hot as it used to be. The cold weather is slowly approaching and I noticed that it was getting to get cold in the morning when I jog every now and then. I honestly find it ridiculous that we have to walk around in school wearing our costumes for the whole day. I pity those poor souls who wore any complicated costumes, I have yet to find someone who went complete overkill on their outfit. It's a good thing that mine is simple and practical. Sometimes, simplicity is the best.

When Dad dropped me off at the school gates, there were a lot of people. There were many stalls that offered things from food to one of those 100 Yen games. As expected, many non-students were attracted to the place, most of them were children accompanied by their parents or older siblings. I told Komachi to drop by if she had the time and Mom would try to come too. I met up with Kawasaki the other day and Kei-chan would be coming with her.

As I walked through the halls filled with students in their outfits, it was satisfying to see that none of the girls wore any revealing clothing. Because if they did, I will personally drag them by the hair to the principal's office, or I can call our hired muscle with my walkie-talkie and kick them out of the school grounds.

*Woah there, Hikigaya, you're sounding like a Yakuza boss. *

Anyway, some of the people that I encountered would give me strange looks. Most of them were curious looks, as if they recognized me, but my name and true identity still eluded them. I caught some looking at me with wonder, though they immediately broke eye-contact when I laid my eyes one them.

It's not like my outfit was eye-catching or anything. I just wore my suit, black slacks and leather shoes, paired with my makeshift mask from middle-school as a masquerade. Mother styled my hair this morning and took a few embarrassing photos of me posing like a character from a very famous anime. If I was a superhero, my name would be Masque-Master. All I needed was another figure posing behind me and BAM I have the power to rule [THE WORLD]. Also, the mask covered the entirety of my face except the bottom half, so I'm guessing it would be pretty difficult to recognize me in this get up.

I made a mental checklist of things to do for today. Since the opening event already started earlier this morning, all I had to do was check everything that needed to be checked and be around if ever I was needed for something. Out of curiosity, I decided to pass by our classroom and take a peek at what everyone else was wearing.

*Hikigaya, that sounded really creepy*

Shut up.

After several minutes, I arrived and except for a few bags that most presumably belonged to my classmates, the room was devoid of any signs of life. It looks like everyone was outside enjoying themselves. It's not like we have a lonely soul in our class that doesn't have any friends and spends most of his time alone in solitude. Wait, there's me. But upon a closer inspection, I saw a lone figure with long black hair sitting on one of the chairs near my own.

Woah! Scary! Is that a ghost?!

The figure wore an attire fitting for a Miko, or a Shrine Priestess. It had long red divided trousers and a white kimono jacket with some red and white hair ribbons that paired well with its long flowing black hair, it was just starting off into space, as if the wall in front of it was the most interesting thing in the world.

I should think logically here, not jump to conclusions. After a second or two, I concluded who that person was.

"Yukinoshita." My voice, although not very loud, echoed across the empty classroom. When I called her by her name, she visibly jolted from surprise. She turned to the source of the sound and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me. I didn't see it at first, but when she turned to me, she also had a golden dragon head ornament which nestled on her forehead.

She immediately frowned at me and opened her mouth to speak.

"Who are you?" She asked with a guarded tone. Ah, I understand her apprehension. If I was just sitting in this classroom all alone and suddenly some guy in a suit wearing a masquerade mask called my name, I would be startled too.

"Ah."

I raised my left hand to the bottom left corner of the mask and slowly slid it to the side to reveal the rest of my face.

"Boo."

Three seconds have passed and her eyes widened, her lips were also slightly parted while her left hand was raised near her mouth in surprise. Geez talk about being a drama queen.

"Oh, it's just you Hikigaya-kun" She said after a moment of silence and gave me a dead-eyed look. Oi, that's my trademark look don't copy me. How rude, just me? What the heck is she implying huh? Do you want to fight huh?

She gave a searching look and said, "And you are a...?"

"A masquerade man."

"A...masquerade man...?" She covered her mouth and lightly giggled while facing away from me. Oi, if you keep doing out of character stuff like that, I might have to call the police and inform them that you are an impostor.

"Haha very funny. And what about you?" I gave her a snarky reply after she composed herself.

"Are you blind? I am a Shrine Priestess." She flicked her hair to the side and cocked one of her eyebrows at me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask and walk inside the room. Now that I closed the door, the noise from outside had significantly lessened, making the already quiet room more suffocating.

"It was getting crowded outside, so I went back here." She said. "There's too many people and I don't like it so I came back here like a scared little girl." is what I understood if I read between the lines. But I won't judge her, we do share the same sentiment regarding that matter after all.

"Ah, I see." I walked past her to go to the window to see a bird's-eye-view of the festivities below. There were a lot of people now and it was getting a bit crowded. I can see some of the members of the crowd control team ushering people here and there as well as helping them out by pointing them to the right direction to where they want to go. It's good to see things in order and not in chaos. After about 10 minutes of observing, I decided that it was time to go and do what I came here to do.

"I'll be going ahead." I say to her, but not a moment too soon, she stood up and wordlessly followed me outside. I just shrugged at her behavior and opened the door for her, earning a "Thank you.", in response.

"Well, where are you going?" I ask her as she walked beside me. I adjusted my mask again so I can properly see her through the eye holes.

"Nowhere in particular." The tone she used in replying suggested that she didn't want me to pry further, so I just kept my mouth shut. With her in tow, I went to the Student Council room to get our logbook so I can check the attendance of the committees assigned to me. I was very vocal that the committees should be given more independence, so that they wouldn't have to rely on us too much, but the other teachers were very adamant on that matter so my voice fell on deaf ears. Using my walkie-talkie, I informed the committee leaders to rendezvous at a certain location so we can properly discuss the current situation. While I did so, Yukinoshita would give curious looks at the walkie-talkie from time to time, as if a child wanting to play with a toy, but unsure if she is allowed to do so.

I still had some time before our short meeting, so I decided to check out the stalls. Yukinoshita is well-known in our school, I even heard some say that she is the most beautiful in all of the first years. With that kind of reputation, many would give her looks of admiration and awe from boys and girls alike. She walked with grace and elegance and even looked more eye-catching due to what she was wearing. Unfortunately, because I was with this humanoid attention magnet, I also gained their attention. But they didn't recognize who I am so this was fine, I guess.

The smell coming from the food stalls outside was very tempting and my legs moved on their own and walked towards them. There were many people, and just by looking at the crowd I felt dizzy. I turned to Yukinoshita and gave her a look that said, "Oi, I'm gonna go there, are you ok with that?", she gave me a small nod in reply and I went to the first stall which was the Yakisoba stand. It had a sizable line and I had to do a double take if I should continue waiting in line or go to another food stand. Sweat was beginning to form on my forehead, and I discreetly took off my mask for a moment to wipe it with my handkerchief.

"Yo! Bro!" I had a feeling that I was the one being called and looked around for the punk who decided to call me by that Riajuu-like name. It turns out it was one of the guys behind the stall, waving at me to come to him. I recognized him from the food committee, but I forgot his name.

He gave me a wide smile when I came to him while Yukinoshita followed behind me. "Ah, working so hard I see..." I commented as I saw the rest of his team cook the yakisoba and put it on a small Styrofoam container, the type you see in fast-food take outs.

"Yup! Here, have one on the house and for your friend too!" he exclaimed as he pushed two of the small boxes in my hands.

Haaah? Did he just assume that me and Yukinoshita are friends? I'll have you know that-, ugh, never mind...

"I couldn't possibly take this, at least let me pay." I made a move to get my wallet, but he was quite persistent.

"Nonsense! Think of this as a token of our appreciation for your hard work these past two weeks!" He gave me another smile, this time it was pure and grateful. I sighed, relented and received the two of them. My Father once told me that it is very rude to refuse a gift freely given to you. Plus, food always tastes better when it's free.

"Well, thank you." I thank him and gave the other box to Yukinoshita. She frowned at it at first but I nudged it closer to her face which visibly annoyed her and she was forced to take it by hand. She leered at me while I just gave her my usual deadpan stare. After I thanked them again for their hard work and for the food that they gave me, we looked for a place that we can sit on so as to finally eat our food. We found a small table outside that was prepared for this event, it even had a large umbrella above us to boot. But before we could sit down, I saw that Yukinoshita's seat was dirty, so I shoo'ed her away so I can wipe it clean. As an elite cleaner in our household, seeing dirty things give me the urge to clean it right away.

"Thank you." She muttered as she finally took a seat. She looked around and observed the surroundings for a bit. What caught her eye was a student around our age in a witch costume walking hand-in-hand with her little sister, the both of them laughing and talking as they walked past our table. I could be wrong, but I thought I sensed envy in the way she looked at them.

I excused myself to buy ourselves some drinks. Yukinoshita offered to give me her share of the pay but I politely refused. She frowned at me but didn't say anything further. I got up and looked for a vending machine to buy our much-needed beverage. After buying two bottles of green tea, I began walking back but I saw something on the corner of my eye.

He was wearing an outfit that befits a prince, a royal tunic, a red cape and even a crown on his head. Princecharming was all smiles as he was surrounded by his fans. Ah, as expected of Hayato Hayama, he attracts all sorts of people with that friendly aura of his. He handled the crowd well, even I had to admit. I would certainly feel uncomfortable and nauseated if a large number of strangers were within close proximity to me. Our eyes met for a split second before I was absorbed by the crowd in front of me.

I went back to our table where Yukihime-sama was patiently waiting for me. We ate our food in silence amid the noise in the background. I saw Ebina-san, or Hinata-san, I don't know, walk by as she chatted with her friends. She cosplayed as a policewoman and it actually looked nice on her, she even had a toy gun at her hip and wore aviator sunglasses. She didn't recognize me since I was still wearing the mask.

Pretty cool, to be honest. Though I didn't call out to her because I was eating at that time and I might choke and die on the spot. I don't know if Yukihime-sama in front of me would offer her assistance, or just laugh and kick me as I was writhing on the cold ground in agony as I fought for my life.

"I have to go." I say after taking a peek at my wristwatch. It's almost time for our short meeting at the rendezvous point and I have to be there.

"I see, I will just...observe the other festivities for a while..." She said.

"Will you be alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," I say and give her a quick look from top to bottom. She was wearing a Miko costume, and I heard that those things are annoying to move in. "never mind." I give her a dismissive wave to end the subject. Being too considerate might be seen as a flirt or creepy. And since it is her that I am talking about, she would no doubt choose the latter to accuse me of being a perverted deviant out to have my way with innocent girls. Seriously, her insults can be really sharp at times and can even make me wince.

"Well, have fun and try not to scare away people with that cold aura of yours." I gave her a small smirk which caused her eye to twitch and a nerve to tick on her forehead.

"Ara, that's rich coming from a dead-eyed lowlife degenerate like yourself." She titled her head and gave me a sickeningly sweet smile. After that, I walked to the rendezvous area to meet the other committee leaders and assess the situation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, it was already sunset. The dance competitions would start in an hour, I wasn't assigned to those programs, and I can definitely go home and rest. But I realized that there isn't much I could do at home since I got bored of my games, so I decided to stick around for a little while longer. Most of the students where already waiting in line at the gym hall where the programs will be held, but there was still a significant amount loitering on the school grounds, a significant number of them were still walking to the food stalls. I know this because I was at the roof of our building.

With no other choice in my head, to the auditorium to see if the others needed my help. I wasn't in a hurry so I walked at my own pace.

Everything was going smoothly as planned, almost too smoothly that I had a feeling that something bad is about to happen. Still, it was amusing to watch the students in their different kinds of costumes lining up to enter the auditorium. Though I didn't go inside yet because the music was too loud and it getting a bit crowded for my taste, so I opted to just lean on a steel post and observe. There was a guy cosplaying as Godzilla in an inflatable suit and a girl who cosplayed as a pretty boy that even I had to do a double take. The power of makeup is amazing. I even saw one guy that wore clothes fit for a chef, but in his hands was a ridiculously huge plastic sword that was similar to what soul reapers wielded in combat.

It must be pretty useful, having a zanpaktou for combat and cooking, that is...

"Haa-chan!" A voice of a young girl broke my inner thoughts. Wait, that's impossible! No one should be able to recogni-

Before I could even finish, two small arms wrapped around my leg and a mop of blue silvery hair snuggled against my thigh. She wore a small lab gown of some sort and protective glasses on her head, she must be cosplaying as a scientist. How did Kei-chan recognize me? Is this her special power?

"Kei-chan, you're here." I kneeled down and took off my mask, her mouth formed into an "o" when she saw my face. Ah, she must have been petrified by my looks.

"Haa-chan you look so cool!" Kei-chan reached out her hand and I handed her my weaboo mask. It feels weird now that I took it off. The mask was too big for her and it completely covered her face.

HNN! So cute!

"How did you recognize me?" I asked her.

"Re...cognize...?" She tiled her head when she heard the unfamiliar word.

That's so cute...

"Hmm, how did you know who I was even though I was wearing the mask?" I ask again.

"I don't know, when I saw you, I knew you were Haa-chan right away!" She exclaimed. Wow this little girl definitely has powers. I ruffled her hair and she just gave me a big smile. Her big sister must be nearby, and when I looked around, I saw her walking towards us. Kawasaki wore a slim black vest over a white inner blouse, coupled with a slim-fitting black skirt and black stockings. On top of her head was a strange hat that I couldn't quite name. I don't know how she did it but her long ponytail was replaced by a neat bun.

"Hi there, Hikigaya."

"Hmm."

"We're going inside to watch the performances, wanna come?" She asked.

"Thank you but I'll pass. It's too crowded in there."

She gave me a "hmm" in response and picked up Keika in her arms, she had a confused look when she saw the oversized mask that Keika wore.

"Ah, so you're a..." Her voice trailed off as she couldn't quite finish what she was about to say after she gave me back my mask.

"A masquerade man." A shit, now that I think about it, it sounds really cringy.

"Oh, that's..cool, I guess...?" she gave me an awkward smile. Oh no please don't say considerate things to me or else I'll feel more pathetic.

"Well, you look really nice too." I say. I just realized that she is cosplaying as a flight stewardess now that I recognized that hat. It fitted her nicely, as if she was born to wear it.

In Riajuu-talk, she is " killing it".

She blushed when I said it and tried to move a non-existent strand of hair behind her ear. The thing was, her hair was in a bun so she ended up moving nothing and looking silly.

"Thanks."

The school speakers suddenly had an announcement, the dance performances and evening activities will start in fifteen minutes.

"Well, try and look for us if you change your mind, see you around Hikigaya." With a wave from the both of them, they walked to the direction of the auditorium.

Looking up, I saw that it was dark already. The night came earlier these days, making the darkness longer. Only a few weeks left until the snows fall...

I decided to go to a nearby bench and just read on whatever interesting articles that I come across on my phone. Along with that, I searched for the latest light novel titles and read their summaries and reviews. Most of them had bad reviews, damn reviewers can get pretty harsh on their comments. Maybe I should become a light novel writer and my first book would be an isekai genre with a ridiculously long name. I received a message from Mom saying that she and Dad are having dinner with some acquaintances. I'll just drop by the grocery later and make some hotpot or something.

For the next hour or so, I just sat on the bench and played some games on my phone. It was around that time that whatever events that were ongoing inside the auditorium finally ended, signaling the end of today's events. I waited several minutes for the crowd to thin out before I looked for Shiromeguri-senpai. She wore a witch costume with a rather large and exaggerated witch hat. I wonder if she knows the "EXPLOSION" spell? The black robe that she had was a rather nice touch.

"All right guys! The event was a success! Thank you for your hard work!" Shiromeguri-senpai used her passive skill which immediately made all people within her area of effect listen to her.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Everyone else congratulated each other. Uwahh, now comes the annoying part...

After that, around 100 student volunteers showed up to assist in cleaning and organizing the place back to normal, including the areas outside occupied by the food stalls. Even with the extra manpower, it still took us another hour to finish up. I left my mask in the locker room and took off my jacket since I was starting to sweat. Good grief, manual labour is still not my thing, I am not a slave!

I was already at the school gates when I saw Yukinoshita about to enter her family car. She noticed my presence and turned to acknowledge me.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Yukinoshita."

"Hi there Hikigaya-kun!"

Huh?

One of the open windows revealed a young lady whom I hadn't seen in a while. She gave me a cheeky mischievous smile. That all too-familiar smile. That smile, that damned smile...

"Good evening, Haruno-san." Upon saying hearing her name, she pouted. Oh please, that level of manipulation won't work on me.

"I told you to address me as Onee-sama." She gave me a wink in the process while Yukinoshita looked even more annoyed than usual. To change the subject, I turned to Yukinoshita and asked if they were going home already, to which she replied yes.

"My, how bold of you, Hikigaya-kun. To be that eager to meet our parents already..." Haruno-san's side comment made me want to give her a glare, to which I decided not to do in the last moment. The girl in front of me, on the other hand, had no visible reaction to her older sister's teasings.

"What about you?"

"Headed to the grocery to buy some ingredients." I say.

"You come with us then, we can just drop you off." Haruno-san offered. That wasn't a bad idea actually. I was going to the bigger ones downtown since our neighborhood grocery might be closed already, considering the time. I planned to ride a taxi, but since an opportunity is right in front of me...

"Is that ok?" I asked her.

"Of course!" Haruno-san jeered and motioned at me to enter the vehicle.

"Well, I'll be in your care then." Their driver opened the door for us, with Yukinoshita going first and then me. It was quite spacious inside. Yukinoshita sat as far away from me as she possibly can. Oi I'm not carrying any contagious diseases you know. The vehicle lurched forward after I told them where I need to be dropped off. Without warning, a bright light engulfed us, and I saw my life flash through my eyes. Ah, I'm getting dramatic again.

"There! A nice memory for this moment!" Haruno-san proudly exclaimed as she started reviewing the photo that she took. From the dim light inside the vehicle, I could see that Yukinoshita looked quite annoyed. Truthfully, I already expected this to happen, so I opted to just cross my arms across my chest and stare blankly outside the window.

"Aww, you guys are no fun." She said and showed us the picture. Since it was a selfie with us in the background, her face occupied most the photo, she still looked beautiful though. I already expected how I looked in the photo, looking all serious as I stared out the window with my arms crossed across my chest, but to my surprise, Yukinoshita looked the same. The only difference was that she crossed her legs.

"You look like a couple who just had an argument hehehe." Haruno-san giggled as she saved the photo in her phone. I couldn't help but do a facepalm, not out of embarrassment, but out of the ridiculousness of the situation.

In the end, what I got was a ride with a pissed off Ojou-sama, while my self-proclaimed Onee-sama giggled in the background.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi everyone!

Sorry for my prolonged absence, it took me quite a while to finish this. This was originally going to be 15k words, but I decided that it was too long so I cut it into 9k words instead. If you're wondering what Yukinoshita looks like, try looking up Mitsuha from Your Name while she was doing her role as a shrine priestess. Good movie tho, I highly recommend it. I don't really have anything else to say lol.

Thank you for reading and please look forward to the next chapter!

15

"Thank you for the ride, Haruno-san." I say as I step outside the vehicle. The air was cold, but not too cold that I would need a jacket. It's quite a relief that the grocery was still open, and I could see several patrons inside the store.

"No problem, Hikigaya-kun!" For some reason, she got outside of the car and stood in front of me. She wore plain jeans and a black blouse with frilly girly designs, but she still looked nice.

"Now, stay still." She said. I was confused, and more so when she suddenly held my upper arm.

She had an analyzing look while she patted me down, and she also began feeling my forearm. After that she let go and and walked around me with a hand under her chin. I stayed quiet, still confused but I was afraid what she will do if I disturbed her.

She finally stood in front of me and stared at me in the eye and I unblinkingly returned her stare.

"You've grown." She finally said.

"How so?" I ask.

"Well, you got taller since I last met you."

Hmm, she's right. We're at eye-level now. She did wear high-heels back then but I'm sure there's a noticeable difference from another viewing perspective. But I don't feel like I've grown. In all honesty, I still feel like the wimpy loser that I was from Middle-school. The only difference is I'm not doing anything cringe-worthy anymore.

Well, as far as I can tell anyway.

"Ah, it looks like I have." I replied cooly.

"Now don't get cheeky here, Hi-ki-ga-ya-kun, I'm still your Onee-san, you hear?" She grinned and pinched my cheek. Ouch.

"Yes yes. My cheek hurts." I say as I rubbed it after she let go. I'm jokingly exaggerating of course.

"Well, would you like Onee-san to kiss the spot to make the pain go away?" She said in a flirty and suggestive manner. The way she said it made my heart skip a beat and become delusional. She batted her eyelashes at me while I was caught off guard by how luscious here lips looked-

WOAH THERE! I nearly for that trap! If I did, I would have probably be on the floor licking her shoes right now. Or confessed to her on the spot. Whichever comes first.

"Thank you for the offer but I'm not the unfaithful type." I say in a neutral tone with the underlying meaning in my words. She's not the only one that can be such a cheeky tease.

"Eh?" She broke character as her eyes widened in surprise. Oh, her face is so priceless. If I could take a photo of it, I'd make it as my phone wallpaper.

I just lightly smirked at her as she anticipated my reply.

"..."

"..."

"It was a joke."

"Damn you." She grinned and lightly hit my arm.

"Well," I point to the grocery store behind me with my thumb. "I have to go. Thanks again and tell Yukinoshita I said goodbye."

"Ara, what a gentleman you are, Hikigaya-kun." She put her right hand near her cheek in a mocking Ojou-sama image. That said, I can sense Yukinoshita's gaze from the inside of the car, even with their windows tinted black.

I roll my eyes at her. "That's just called being courteous." I turn around and didn't look back as I entered the building behind me.

Waking up is a chore.

Getting up from your bed is annoying.

I love sleep. It's peaceful trance as the hours go by can never be compared to anything in the material world. That's why I sleep as much as I can wherever I can, even at school and at the train. I sleep during breaks, even though Yukinoshita would give me a disapproving look, and also sleep at the library if I have extra time. The librarian there already knows me, and doesn't mind me resting there. A teacher caught me sleeping once, but he sighed and gave me an understanding look with a pinch of pity on top.

Great, now my teachers are feeling pity for me. And getting pity from someone is the last thing I want.

But sleeping and waking up in your own bed at home is an entirely different matter altogether.

Some wake up alone in their room, some wake up with their cat sleeping next them and some wake up with their partner beside their bed. But today, I woke up with someone beside my bed.

"..."

When I fully registered the situation, I gave her a deadpan look while she have me a sleepy cheeky grin. Her hair was obviously messy but she still looked cute as heck.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. She pouted and buried her face into my neck, humming in a satisfied tone to herself. I sighed in exasperation and glanced down and noticed that she was wearing one of my sweatshirts. Doesn't she know that a girl wearing a guy's shirt is equivalent to a castle raising the flag of it's conqueror?

I didn't protest as she wrapped her hands around me and locked them together behind my back, effectively immobilizing me. Even through the fabric of my t-shirt, I felt her cold hands as she pressed herself as much as she can to get as much warmth from me as possible.

Poor thing, she must be freezing.

Even though I didn't mind the physical contact, someone downstairs might be stimulated too much. It is morning after all. And as a male, there are some bodily functions which I have no control on, in other words, a natural reaction. With that said, plus the one unknowingly (or knowingly) stimulating me was a female, makes this situation all the more harder to bear.

"Komachi, let go. I have to get up." I say though my voice was a bit muffled because her hair somehow found its way near my mouth.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to crawl into my bed?" I added and made a slight movement, which caused her to make a whimpering sound. I made a mental note to request Dad to put an additional lock in my door.

"Noooo~~" She replied as she pulled herself closer to me while her right leg intertwined with mine.

Oi this is going a bit too far. Even though you are my silly Imotou, there are still some limitations you know. I tried getting up but she whimpered again and her grip tightened. I have to use my secret weapon then!

I slowly moved my hands to her sides, nothing near anything provocative of course. Komachi has always been a ticklish girl, and as her big brother, I know all of my little sister's weak spots.

Wait, that sounded wrong.

I tickled her sides with my magic hands and her reaction was immediate. She squealed in surprise and she grabbed my arms in an attempt to stop me. Resistance is futile, little one.

"AH! NO! STOP AHAHAHA!" she pleaded me while the corners of her eyes already had a trace of tears. My inner sadist awoke when I saw her vulnerable and pleading face, and I intensified my assault. I grabbed both of her wrists with my left hand and pinned them above her head, neutralizing any resistance she might give and effectively making her even more vulnerable than before.

"I'm going to mess you up and leave you senseless." I declare before resuming my attacks.

The cheeky little brat that was stubborn a few minutes ago was replaced by a drooling and mentally broken shell of a human being who can't even utter a single word.

Status of Komachi: Mind Broken and Defeated.

"I'm going downstairs and making breakfast." I say as I walked towards the door, but not before covering her with my thick blanket and rolling her limp body into a sushi. Satisfied with my work and turning up the heater in my room, I open the door to go downstairs.

I don't feel really cold. I mean do feel that it's cold but not enough for me to start shivering or cover myself with a double layer of shirts at home. Maybe my jogs in the early morning amidst the cold morning air gave me a resistance against the cold?

I peek in my parent's room and I see Mom alone sprawled on the bed. Dad is busy at work and wasn't able to come home recently. He mentioned that the construction of the ship was behind schedule due increment weather impeding the progress construction. I haven't seen him in about two weeks, but he makes his presence known through other means.

Wait, I'm making it sound like he passed away...

Whenever he goes to a new place, he always sends us a package filled with food ingredients from that area. He went to Hokkaido and sent us some authentic noodles for ramen the other week. I frequently hear that ramen chefs there are unparalleled. I tried cooking the first batch, but it wasn't as good as I had hoped. Maybe I shouldn't have added too much spring onions, or my chicken stock that I added later lacked flavour. I took a mental note of my cooking so I can make it tastier next time.

Kamakura greeted me by meowing and brushing himself against my leg. He purred as I scratched the area behind his ear as he licked my hand.

I took out some eggs, olive oil, pepper, salt, garlic, onions and of course, the frying pan. Alongside the miso soup and grilled smoked salmon from last night. I was quite getting good in cooking fried rice, so I decided to make that with thinly sliced pieces of garlic. I experimented by adding small pieces of leftover fried fish, pork, chicken, beef and even scrambled eggs, the results were great.

I happened to bump into Shiromeguri-senpai yesterday and ended up leaving the classroom to eat with her in the Student Council room. After telling her that I usually cook my own lunches, she asked if she could have a taste of my lunch, to which I replied yes since I cooked too much. Her eyes had hearts when she tasted a spoonful of my lunch filled with blood, sweat and tears. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Anyway, she said it tasted great and it made me feel really happy. It was the first time that someone outside my family tasted my cooking, and said that it was great on the first taste to boot. I am not a perfect cook by any means. I made numerous mistakes and experiments that ended with failure. But I was quick to learn from them and became extra careful not to repeat the same mistake twice.

Since I was already in a hurry, I opted to just buy whatever food that was available in the cafeteria instead of cooking my own lunch. What a shame, I had no time to eat a proper breakfast, but at least Mom and Komachi won't have to worry about food for this morning.

I went back up to my room to see that Komachi was still sleeping, same with Mom. I showered quickly and changed into my school uniform after drying myself. The new black jacket that Mom bought me the other day fitted me nicely and I loosely put my red scarf around my neck. My bag was already on the sofa, ready to be taken at a moment's notice.

Just as I was about to pick up my bag and put on my shoes, the doorbell rang.

"Package for the Hikigaya household!" A person's voice called out from outside.

Interesting, what could this be?

I opened the door and saw the delivery guy-I mean girl, I think she was about Haruno-san's age. A sudden cold breeze and then a few snowflakes getting into my eye. At her foot was a box around 3 feet by 1 foot in size. This must be from Dad.

"Good morning!" She said in greeting, no doubt being courteous to customers and the like is important in a job like her's. Customer satisfaction through quality customer service. If the customer is impressed by the service given or is just a generous and kind soul, he will give a tip to the employee. Unfortunately, many culture's view of tips differ, it is either looked down upon and seen as insulting or demeaning to the employee or either one that is done without question like an unspoken rule of sorts. I read that in Dad's old college books by the way.

"Likewise." I replied. She produced a small wooden clipboard from her bag, some paperwork for me to sign, no doubt.

"Please sign here and your full name please." She pointed and I filled them out. After taking it back and checking, she gave a satisfied nod. I leaned down to pick-up the box, it was heavier than it looked.

"Thank you for your hard work." I thank her as she went back to the small truck that was parked in front of our house. Now that is an upstanding productive member of society that every child should grow up to become. I went back in and put the box on the couch. After getting my bag and putting on my shoes, I went outside and locked the door behind me.

I didn't want to ride a bike since the road might be slippery, biking in cold weather, even with the absence of snow can be dangerous. A small amount of frost might have formed on the road in the early hours of the morning, and I'm not taking any chances.

The walk to school was uneventful, though I had to slow my pace a bit because I might slip and fall and break my neck and die. But that's just me over-thinking things as usual. I craned my neck up to look at the sky. Snowflakes were slowly falling to their inevitable death when they reached the ground, a few crows cawing from the top of electric poles, two cats huddling close to each other for warmth, some cars here and there and the occasional fellow student walking to school.

There was a convenience store nearby, so I decided to make a detour to get something light to eat. Fainting half-way through the morning because of an empty stomach is not part of today's plans. Though that does not mean that I am a fragile weakling per say. This is just a necessary countermeasure, needed to preserve my dignity and to prevent my social status from plummeting even further.

I was startled by how cold the handle of the door was since I was not wearing gloves. As I pushed the door open, I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt the heaters inside. There were several patrons inside, the usual corporate slave and my fellow students. I bought milk in a carton and two melonpans. After paying for my items, I briskly walked outside so I can arrive in class on time. My plan was to eat while on my way there, but I didn't feel like it so put it in my bag.

When I turned at the corner that lead to the classroom, I bumped into Hiratsuka-sensei that was also going in that direction.

"Good morning Sensei."

"Good morning, I was just about to look for you." Hiratsuka-sensei said when she turned and met my eyes.

"What is it?"

Instead of reprimanding me for my somewhat rude reply, she narrowed her eyes and gave me a searching look. Do I have something on my face? Or is it my grotesque physical form that abhors you?

"You look...pale. Have you eaten your breakfast yet?" She asked.

"I woke up late and skipped breakfast." I shrugged my shoulders. Thanks to a certain someone, I am not in my current predicament. If that certain someone had woken me up instead of crawling into my bed and making me her personal heater, I could have avoided this.

"Do I look noticeably pale though?" Komachi, Mom, Sensei and even Tatsumi-san would frequently comment on this whenever I skipped eating.

"Yes you do."

"Ah." I got one melonpan from my bag and showed it to Sensei. "I have this though." I added.

"I'll give you five minutes to finish that. There's a pile of papers with a note "1st Years". Go to the other classes and distribute them. You can do it during lunch time." Sensei turned, her hair swaying at the motion and started walking away to our classroom ahead.

Woah, that looked cool.

Sensei's eyes scanned the room. Sharp as a hawk and piercing as a...spear...?

Anyway, he was looking for a poor soul to answer the question. It was a simple question really, stating the taxonomic ranks in order. But I'm not so sure if my classmates find it simple. I don't know about them but I have already read this topic over the weekend because I had nothing much to do since Taekwondo lessons over and would resume next year and as one who frequently watches nature documentaries, this was, as riajuus say, "A slice of cake."

*Hikigaya, I think you mean "A piece of cake."*

Ah.

Since I already know this lesson, I rested my chin on my right arm and lightly closed my eyes, only opening them if Sensei ever looked in my direction. I'm not really feeling sleepy, but for some reason my eyes felt really dry. Maybe it's from the cold wind outside.

Sensei finally called the name of his victim, the female student stuttered her answers out, which earned some restrained giggles here and there. I caught Yukinoshita lightly glaring at the ones who did, but I doubt the others here noticed it.

Ha! Nothing can escape my [Emperor's Eye]!

Our biology class continued, though I had already read this lesson in advance, I was still intrigued by Sensei's additional information that wasn't found in the textbook. After Biology came Japanese History, Algebra and Japanese Arts and Literature, and then finally, it was lunch time.

I immediately stood up and went about to begin my task in which Hiratsuka-sensei charged me with. Because I was a frequent visitor of the faculty office due to my student council duties and as on of the class representatives of our class, most of the teachers have grown accustomed to seeing me there and some of them even gives me friendly greetings. A few of the teachers started following Hiratsuka-sensei in which they would always pick me for errands. I'm not the only class rep you know!

After my internal rants and complaints, I dutifully did what was commanded like stupid blind obedient dog of the government, now where did I put my State Alchemist pocket watch...? A State Alchemist without the symbol of his rank is a disgrace after all.

I went to the different classes as instructed and left the papers to their class representatives, or in their absence, to ones who were still inside their classrooms. It was lunchtime after all, and I won't blame them if they were buying food. I met, what was his name again...Hayato Hayama, by coincidence when I went to his class to give him the papers. His beta-male man-slaves, who follow him like a desperate young girl eager to make her crush fall in love with her, were absent. Hmm, maybe they are secretly gay...?

"Yo Hikigaya-kun."

"Mm, here's the papers." I held the pile closer to him, which he immediately accepted.

I was about to walk away and spend the remaining time of my precious lunch break at the classroom, but prince charming behind me was still eager to continue the conversation.

"Have you had lunch yet?"

"No."

"Wanna go to the cafeteria? I'll treat you."

An internal alarm sounded in my consciousness, a certain statement that would cause my senses to go berserk, as if I was hit by [Golden Experience]. Only an idiot would refuse food freely offered to him. But this time, the circumstances where vastly different. To accept the offer of a riajuu would be tantamount to betraying my true self, and admitting defeat to his dreaded kind. In essence, should I accept, I would not only be bringing shame upon myself, but to every loner around the world who continue to writhe and struggle in their secret wars against our one true enemy.

"Thank you but I'll pass." I held up both of my hands as a gesture.

"Oh, did you have plans or something?" He further asked.

"You can say that." I say, though I pulled that one straight out of my ass since I would be taking a quick nap and eat at the classroom. I turned around and bade him farewell, but not before he opened his mouth to speak once more.

I arrived at the classroom and slumped back into my chair, I looked around and saw a few other students eating their meals. Yukinoshita was eating with some girls, they formed their chairs into a circle and were chatting away. She looked overwhelmed by the group, even though she wasn't taking part in their conversations. I did see her make an effort to speak up and add her voice her to whatever her companions were talking about, but she lost heart and opted to stay quiet and listen to them.

It was cringy and painful just looking at them, so I did my best in trying to ignore them. I got the melonpan that I bought earlier and started quietly eating away while the voices from the group of girls filled my ears.

It was none of my business after all.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as an Elf!

Being a Mercenary in a Different World is such a pain!

I'm Living With My Gender-Bent Version of Myself?!

A Stupid Truck Driver Hit Me! Now I'm the Dragon of Good Fortune!

Taking Care of The King's Children as The Head Maid sure is Tiring!

The Demon Lord is now my Wife?!

Attending an All-Girls School while Crossdressing as a Girl Because I Lost a bet against my Girlfriend is Harder Than Expected!

My Landlady is a Loli?!

What the...

What is this?

These titles literally want to make me vomit. After classes ended, I went straight to this place so I can look for some Light Novels or Manga, but seeing these disgusting book titles in front of me make me want to reverse time so I never had to come here in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I still believe the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover.", but these titles are just over-the-top and are just plain ridiculous.

I refuse to use my Christmas bonus from Tatsumi-san in buying these abominations!

I quickly turned away from the sight and traveled to another corner of the Light Novels section. This place was near the mall where Tatsumi-san's bookstore was located, and Mom's place was only thirty minutes away by walking. The ramen house where I would sometimes have my lunch during my working hours was near too, the old man and lady there were good folks, they would deliberately put more into my dish whenever I ate there.

I was going to buy an English vocabulary and dictionary book to practice on my reading comprehension on the language, but I decided against it. Even though I have very few English books, there were some words that left me completely dumbfounded so I had to buy a dictionary as a guide. Because of that, it took me more than a month to completely finish one book. After finishing my first English book, I became interested and began to read more, though it took quite a long while for my reading comprehension to improve. Watching documentaries in English with Japanese subtitles helped a lot, you can get and understand some words just by listening. Even now, I still consider myself as a beginner, regardless of my high performance in our basic English classes.

But after my current disappointment at the Light Novels that I saw, maybe I'll change my mind.

With a heavy heart, I moved to the different isles and picked up whatever books that caught my eye.

Lewd Illustration.

Lewd Illustration.

Lewd Illustration.

Lewd- Oh wait...Oh it's still a Lewd Illustration. But this time some guy had his hand on another guy in an indecent position. The first guy had teasing look while the second guy was blushing and seemed to be biting his lip to prevent himself from falling into the forbidden pleasure.

Ok that was too detailed for my liking.

Great, now I'm in the Yaoi section that's the territory of Fujoshis. It would be really bad if someone at my school saw me here, even worse if a blabber mouth Fujoshi sees me here and start a new rumour that I secretly like BL. Its not that new rumours about me would be bothersome, I'm already used to that. Its just that I would like my already low reputation not to get any lower.

I saw some people sitting on the ground reading when I entered since it was normal to do that here. I myself would do that at times, though not in this particular store, however. Most of the ones I saw were Middle-School boys, most likely attracted by the lewd illustrations on the covers of the Light Novels. I couldn't blame them, every guy has a phase similar to that whether they admit it or not.

I turned to the next corner that led to the shojou manga section to see if any manga that's catered towards the female audience would pique my interest. I saw some girls here and there, there was even one lady that looked around 30-years old browsing through the titles.

However, one female that was most likely reading the synopsis of the manga caught my eye, and not in a perverted way.

The one thing that I concurred upon spotting her was that she was a fellow student of Sobu High, and of course, I knew who she was, even with the black beanie that she wore over her head that nearly covered her eyes and the face mask she wore . Her red half-rimmed glasses and shoulder-length hair was a dead giveaway. Though I won't initiate a conversation, of course. That would be very out of character for me. I shrugged and walked past her, still looking for an interesting manga on the shelves.

As I got closer, I saw that the manga that she picked up had some very... graphic and intimate scenes between men, I stopped for a second behind her to make sure that I was not seeing things. Wait, is she drooling and breathing heavily? So she's a Fujoshi after all...

I shook my head and went back to looking at the shelves.

One caught my attention only a few feet away from her, A Courtesan's Wish, it was the story about a young but very talented courtesan who's reputation and beauty was known far and wide. Many men have sought after her hand, but she refused them all. She was gifted lands, money, jewels and even a seat as the paramour of a powerful Lord and a fleet of ships. But she refused them all.

Her last suitor was the Crowned Prince himself, when he asked what exactly she was looking for in a man, she shook her head and had a sad smile adorned on her immaculate face.

" My dear honoured Prince, mayhaps I will accept your offer, if you would relinquish your crown and show me the world. And maybe, just maybe, I will learn to truly love you." She said in a joking and teasing manner, one that she would always say to all over her suitors, but Prince thought otherwise.

In a swift motion, he brought forth his dagger and drew blood from his left hand.

" I swear upon The Almighty and all of my ancestors." The Prince said with conviction.

The Lady was shocked, for he had sworn upon the sacred oath, and no power in the world can undo it. They were now bound to each other whether they liked it or not.

And so began their great journey around the world, and adventure filled with friendship, trickery, laughter, pain and what it truly means to love and be loved.

Hmm, this is interesting, I'll get this one. I have a feeling that this is not your usual romantic shojou manga.

"You're gonna get that one?" A muffled female voice from behind me asked.

"Yup." I had already anticipated that she would soon approach me first because I used too much time reading and analyzing the synopsis of the manga that I'm reading.

"Fancy seeing you here, Hinata-san." I crane my head towards her.

"You too, Hikigaya-kun." She replied and lowered her face mask showing her lips forming into a small smile.

Girls at school were required to wear thermal leggings for winter and they were also allowed to wear an extra cardigan or jacket over their school uniform. Hinata-san wore a black cardigan over her blazer and a brown scarf around her neck.

"I didn't expect to see you here. No, scratch that. I did not expect to see anyone from the few people that I know at school here." I raised my eyebrow at her.

"If memory serves right, you stated that anime and manga was ridiculous...Yet, I see you in an establishment that sells them?" I put my hand under my chin and started pretending that I had a beard and that I was a detective. This time, I saw her a trail of sweat fall from her forehead slowly travelling down to her eyebrow.

"A-Ah, but I see you here as well." She finally formed a reply though she was having difficulty in meeting my eyes.

"Ara ara, Hinata-san, you are quite wrong. I remember saying that I find those people who dress up as a fictional character and spout nonsense, in an effort to become as close to the real thing as possible, absolutely cringey and annoying. I said nothing about anime and manga." The final nail to her coffin was hammered and I was the who dealt the final blow.

"A-Ack!" Her retort got caught in her throat and she started clearing her throat.

"Well, you got me there..." She looked away while she mindlessly scratched her cheek.

To her insistence, and also because she bribed me into going along with her by buying me food, I followed her to a nearby cafe where we could sit down and new manga that I bought was in my bag, and I was eager to read it right away. I didn't feel like talking though, it hurts my jaw when I do it for long periods of time. Maybe I can just read while she's talking, making eye-contact from time to time and nodding my head to whatever she was talking about. Muttering things like "Ah.", "I see.", "That's crazy.", "Woah." and "Is that so?".

I did that to Mum once, and she hit in annoyance my head as a result.

The cafe that she chose was smaller compared to my Mother's, but had a nice cozy feel to it. There were many books on their shelves as well, most of them looked rugged which meant that it must seen much use over the years. She picked a table farthest away from the entrance, most likely to avoid being seen by any acquaintances of her's.

That it understandable, if I was in her shoes, I'd definitely avoid being seen with a guy who looks like me.

Wait a second...did I just insult myself?

The waiter came to us and asked us what we would like have. I ordered some black tea with a slice of mocha cake while Hinata-san went for a frapuccino. After the waiter went away, I took out the manga and started reading, but then I was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"Ahem..." Hinata-san eyed my book with a slightly menacing look that I did not know she was capable of making.

"..." I sighed wordlessly closed it and put it down.

"Say, Hikigaya-kun..." She started after a moment.

"Yes?"

"Have you...ever been bullied?"

The question caught me off guard but I still managed to keep a calm face. I looked at her, but failed to see her eyes since her hair was in the way. I lost my voice and just refused to make eye-contact with her. Even though I mutter my...unsavory experiences in middle-school with jokes and lightheartedness coupled with my usual self-depreciating jests, it still hurts just remembering it.

"I see. I'll take that a yes then." She said after I didn't reply.

"Back in middle-school, I was a pretty normal student in our class. I had good grades and had friends. Nothing special. But then rumours started to pop-up, about me and the things I like. I dismissed them of course, seeing that most of them were exaggerations and stuff like that would soon fade away into nothing after awhile, and they did. But things were different after that time. My friends started treating me differently from before, and...well..." She stopped talking after that.

I stayed quiet, just listening to her.

Why is she telling me this? We're definitely not close, but we're not strangers to each other too.

"You can probably guess what I'm talking about..." She said with a small grin.

I had already guessed what she was talking about though.

"So...you were ridiculed because of your interests, and you wish to make a fresh start in Sobu High by hiding that fact. Now, things are going smoothly though you can't talk to your current friends about your interests so you might feel frustrated and also because you're afraid of repeating the past again. To remedy that, you might have joined groups in social media who have like-minded members such as yourself. When we first met, you hid your name from me, though I honestly don't know why. Oh, and you're wearing that beanie and face mask to hide your identity and to lower the chance of being recognized in public, nice touch by the way."

Her brown eyes widened in surprise, and then she clapped her hands together with an amused smile.

"Amazing! That's the school's top student and member of the student council for you!"

I gave her a deadpan stare with my tired eyes. "Flattery does not work on me, Hinata-san."

"Oh you can drop that. My real name is Hina Ebina. I just blurted that out since we were basically strangers to each other when we first met, and I didn't like the idea of a total stranger knowing my name."

"Ah, so I've been calling you a variation of your first name then."

"Yup, does that make you feel entitled?" She said teasingly.

"The opposite in fact, I feel absolutely cursed, upon discovering your Fujoshi tendencies and being the first one to actually know it. Strangely, I feel both cursed and honoured." I say with my words dripping with sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes and said "Hilarious."

It was at that moment that our orders came. I had almost forgotten about them after we started talking.

We spent the rest of the time just having tiny conversations and enjoying our food and drink. Since I didn't feel hungry anymore, I gave my cake to Hina-oh sorry, Ebina-san, to which she happily obliged.

"Now that you know my secret, can you read this and give me your thoughts? I need someone to go over what I wrote." She said suddenly and handed me her phone. I cocked my head to the side in wonder and shrugged my shoulders as I accepted it from her hand.

His manly hand gently touched my chest while the other forcefully grabbed me face and lifted it upwards. I lost control over my body after he out something in my water bottle. Since we were the only ones in the men's locker room, I was basically at his mercy.

" No need to be afraid, Andou-kun." Kensei-senpai whispered to my ear as I felt goosebumps all over my body. Kensei-senpai was always the leanest one in the football club and there was a rumour that he turned down an offer by a modeling agency. He was the quiet type and only spoke when needed. As expected, he's popular with the girls but I don't know if he has a girlfriend.

" Lets be friends, shall we?~" I felt his hot breath near my ear as he began to gently nibble on my earlobe.

That was all I could take before I stiffly and slowly put the phone down, as if it was a NOVA Bomb from Halo.

If I had one wish, I wanted to erase this particular memory from my brain.

Ebina-san, watching my internal horror and despair began giggling uncontrollably to the point that tears where coming out of her eyes. "Very hilarious, Ebina Hina-san. Very hilarious indeed." I say through my narrowed slits.

After a while, I received a call from Mom, to which I excused myself from the table and asked me where I was. I told her my location so she can pick me up. When I came back, Ebina-san had paid for our orders and was waiting for me to arrive so we can exit together.

"My Mom is going to pick me up."

"Alright, I'm going to take the train home. Oh, before I forget." She stood in front of me and put her fist out.

"Thanks." She said.

"Hmm." I had to internally roll my eyes at this riajuu-like gesture. I gave her a nod and was about to return her fist bump but God deliberately lowered my IQ at that moment. Instead of forming a fist, I opened my palm and ended up holding her fist instead.

"Eh?"

"Oh."

What is this? Janken Pon?

Her face instantly morphed into a laughing one. "You idiot! Hahahaha!" She laughed. I had to look down and cover my face with my left hand with a mixture of embarrassment and self-shame to escape from the cringe. While doing so, I had to suppress a smile and a laugh from escaping by pursing my lips together. Now I'm a puffer-fish.

"This is why I hate hand greetings that require physical contact. Stuff like this always happens." I say while trying not to laugh as I watched Ebina-san finally calm down.

"Lets just bow damnit." To which she nodded in agreement. We bowed together and didn't mess up, thankfully.

"See around at school tomorrow, and don't tell anyone about my secret, ok?" She said and put her finger on her lips with an amused look.

"Yes yes, your little secret is safe with me. Goodbye." I replied and gave her a wave, to which she returned one of her own.

The Fujoshi turned around and disappeared into the crowds behind her, while I waited for my Mother to pick me up in this cold weather.

"Hot pot sounds nice..." I mutter and stared mentally listing down the ingredients needed to make the dish.

Tomorrow is the winter break, only several hours to go and I can finally binge watch all the shows that I have been listing down these past few weeks. The shojou manga that I bought the around two weeks ago was really good and made me more interested in the genre itself. Also, I've been itching to buy a new gunpla model for some reason, so I have to to to Akihabara where there were many shops to choose from.

Everyone in class looked more lively, and by lively I meant more noisier which obviously irked me. As the day went by, I could hear occasional groans as they went through the homework given for us to work on during the winter break. I was not bothered, mind you. I had already made up my mind to finish everything by tomorrow so I can have more time to myself for the next few days or so.

I used to procrastinate frequently back in middle-school, but now I removed that bad habit of mine.

Because it was pretty cold on roof, I had to stay at the cafeteria to eat my lunch which was curry. While I was eating alone on a vacant table, I overheard some chatter from my fellow students at the next table. Mainly about their hang-out plans with their friends and family when we are temporarily set free from our the chains that bind us to this school. I'm guessing that its just me and Komachi at home during the days, assuming that my little sister has no plans with her friends. Mom usually arrives at around 10:00pm and Dad sometime after that, and I'm already asleep by that time anyway.

To pass the time while I was waiting for them to arrive, I would just play on the sofa with Kamakura, or watch something amusing on my phone. When my eyes began to feel too heavy, I would message them in advance that I would be sleeping.

Since I was usually the first one to wake up in the morning, it falls upon my shoulders to prepare the food for everyone in the Hikigaya household.

Once classes ended, my classmates started giving each other goodbyes and agreements to meet in the next few days. As class rep, I had to remind everyone to do their homework over the break, to which they responded "Haaaaaiiiii~". Once that was done, I picked up my bag and started to walk out of the classroom, eager to go home and take nap since it was Komachi's turn to cook tonight. Well, when she cooks, I have to take the reins 80% of the time and even with the remaining 20% I have to watch closely behind her to make sure she's doing fine.

It was as if the cold air greeted me with a kiss to the cheek when I stepped outside and I had to narrow my eyes since the air stung. As I was walking on the pavement slightly covered with snow, I saw a female black cat as I was walking, its shiny black fur was covered in light snow. Oh, a black cat! Lucky lucky! I kneeled down in front of it and stretched out my hand. She gave me a curious look before smelling and rubbing herself into my hand. The little feline gave sounds as I scratched the back of it's ears and below the chin, areas where Kamakura liked to get scratched when he was still a kitten. I gave her one last rub on the head before meowing to her and standing up to continue my walk home.

"Mama, look, Onii-san just meowed at that black cat." Said a little boy accompanied by his mother when they were withing earshot.

"Don't point! That's rude!" The mother gently slapped her son's hand away when she caught him pointing at me. She bowed her head in apology while I just nodded my head when we walked past each other. "Meow meow!" I looked behind and saw the little boy meowing at the cat while his mother just watched from the side.

When I got home, Komachi was already there and changed into warm pants and a white sweater that looked awfully familiar.

"Welcome home Onii-chan!" She then gave a me a mandatory welcome-hug after I took off my jacket. As her arms wrapped around my waist, I used my hand to grab the small portion of the sweater directly behind her neck and twist it so I can see the those little detailed information written that had the size of the shirt and from where it was manufactured.

"Hoh, so this is mine." I say upon confirmation.

"Oi! Pervert!"

After she let go of me, she ran upstairs and quickly came back with a box that was wrapped with Christmasy designs. Wait, is Christmasy even a word...?

"I got this from my friend today!" She proudly exclaimed as she puffed out her chest and put her hands on her waist.

"Ah. Is this supposed to make me feel impressed...? Because its not working." I say as I examined the small box and shaking it to hear it's contents, to which yelped in alarm, saying that whatever inside might be easily broken.

"So, did you get a gift from someone at school?" She asked.

"None." I say not a heartbeat too soon. When I said that, she visibly winced in pain at my words.

I'm not bothered by trivial stuff like that. I have never received a single gift given to me at school in my life after all, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I don't like seeing anyone in pain for my sake, especially if that someone was a family member.

"Good grief I already have my gift."

"Really? Where?"

"I have you, the greatest, cutest and most caring little sister in the world." I say with a small smile.

"Kyaaahhh! Onii-chan you're gonna make Komachi fall for you even harder!" She said as she held her hands to her cheeks and started hopping up and down while having a bright blush on her cheeks and steam going out of her ears.

It was at the moment that I had to give out a laugh, something that I rarely do. When I did so, I felt all of my stress and worries crumble away into nothingness.

Truly, your family is the greatest and most precious gift that you have.

Hi Everyone! Merry Christmas to all of my dear readers around the world!

Ugh...I know I'm late by 2 days so please forgive me...

What nonsense should I utter this time...

Oh yeah, this was supposed to be posted at around the 2nd week of December, the time that I went back to my home country after visiting my relatives in Australia. While I was there I already had a solid story in mind, but as you expected, I deleted everything and restarted from scratch again. This happens about 2 to 3 times in-between chapter releases, by the way. I finally managed to think of the story for this chapter after several days of no inspiration, and I finally had the spark of brilliance just days ago.

Maybe I'll release an extra chapter before the 1st of January if I feel like it, let me know if you want one and I'll see what I can do.

As always, thank you very much for reading HHPTR (Hikigaya Hachiman's Path To Reformation) and stay tuned for the next chapter! Don't forget to drop a review so I can know your thoughts and you can also PM me for suggestions!

Ivanov117 here saying Feliz Navidad(Merry Christmas)!

16

Hikigaya Hachiman's Path To Reformation

Christmas Day With The Family

There's a baby beside me on the train today. It's cheeks are so pudgy and had wide eyes the entire time. Since the baby was wearing her jacket, she looked even pudgier to look at. Her young brown-haired mother was quietly talking to someone on her left side while her baby was on her right arm looking at me with wonder. Staring into the very depths of my soul. Drool was also dripping from it's mouth and when the little thing yawned, she had still had no teeth.

Why do babies keep staring, I wonder...?

A darker voice in the back of my head suggested that babies can see spirits and ghosts. And the reason why they keep staring at you, is because one is right behind you. I looked behind me to see if there's anything there. There was none of course, but who knows? Maybe I was just a breath away from the ghost behind me.

Anyway, the baby was amused, just staring at me and all, and began smiling and reaching towards me. Her tiny hands grabbed my black jacket and tried pulling herself to me.

"Onii-chan look, that baby likes you," Komachi whispered to my right ear.

"So it seems..." I said as I continued watching the baby in it's futile effort.

The baby's eyes turned to my hand and reached for it. Her tiny hand wrapped around my pinky and once again tried to move it to her. Realizing that her efforts were still in vain, she was about to sniffle and cry but then I decided to just let her to whatever she wanted to do with my hand and just held it in front of her.

Her tiny hands held my pinky and thumb and then started to move them together. The action seemed to be the most hilarious thing to this tiny human since she started to laugh and squeal. But then she started to draw my finger to her mouth to bite into it, such is the nature of babies. I'm guessing this baby is around 6-7 months old since that's the time they usually start teething. I retracted my hand and started poking her cheeks to amuse her.

Her mother noticed us and initiated a conversation after we introduced ourselves. She said that they were going to Narita Airport to welcome her husband home after two weeks away because of work. Apparently, her husband's Boss was a generous and kind man who took his employees for a vacation since its December after all. That must be nice, having a boss like that, oh wait, Tatsumi-san is generous and kind too. I'm sorry for ever doubting you, Boss! I spoke with her out of courtesy of course, and because I'm better at holding conversations with adults rather than people my age.

"Your baby is very cute and healthy." Komachi finally said something since she was just quietly listening to her the entire time.

"Thank you! She might not look like it but this little bundle of joy can wake up the whole apartment complex with her cries!" I took that literally and started thinking deeply if that was indeed actually possible.

I gave a small laugh as I imagined the scenario in my head.

They got off on the next stop where they would take the bus headed to the airport. We waved our goodbyes and Christmas greetings as the door to the train closed between us. Ah, the baby was really cute, I wish I could have held her...

Mom and Dad were at home just relaxing, I wager Dad is still sleeping at this hour. Its still early though, its still 9am so we can go back home as soon as possible. We agreed to meet at the entrance in 3 hours time, more than enough to buy everything we need and hurry back home before the crowds for the train swell to maximum.

I watched my little sister disappear from my vision on her way to buy her presents. Sighing, I took off my black gloves and put them in the interior pocket of my likewise black jacket.

My first task was the gift for my Mother. I had already ordered it from the store's website earlier this week and was ready for pickup today. I personally went to one of their branches near Mother's place, but when I went there during the other day to purchase it, they were out of stock and referred me to one of their other branches. I arrived at the store in no time and after verifying the authorization details and other trivialities, I received the gift already neatly wrapped.

MISSION PASSED RESPECT

Now, for my Father's...

This time, I went to the Men's part of the department store to look for anything that caught my attention. Sadly, after circling the entire area thrice, nothing came to mind. Even after I scanned the clothes on display and carefully analyzed each shoe from the leather outside to its sturdiness, absolutely nothing made me sparked the desire within me.

Something good, utility-wise...it has to be something that Father uses all the time, or something that can improve his work performance. A thing that can help him at work...

From the public seat that I was occupying, I stood up so fast that the guy beside me gave a very unmanly and startled yelp. I made a beeline to the gadgets section of the mall and instantly went to those stores that sold that item that I was thinking about. After several minutes of looking at their displays, and reading each product's features as well as handling it to see it's weight and practicality, and of course, the price. I chose one specific product model and went to the different stores to see if everyone else sold it at the same price.

I finally found a store that had freebies with each purchase and bought a utility accessory together with it. I swiped and paid for it with my debit card and requested the employees there to have it wrapped as a gift. I grunted to myself in satisfaction after personally checking my remaining balance at my card's closest bank. My parents regularly deposit my allowance into my account. Plus my monthly pay from working part-time, also with the fact that I am a huge cheapskate who only buys out of necessity, I can say without a doubt that I still had a sizeable sum all in all.

For Komachi, I returned to the department store and went to the women's section to buy her a new and warmer jacket. Komachi told me during the other day that she would usually wear a double layer when she went to school because her jacket wasn't warm enough. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to buy her as a present. It felt awkward scanning garments for women in this particular section, seeing that I'm a male and all. On the few times that my Mother dragged me with her to buy some new clothes, I would always wait on the border of the women's section. I was not alone however, and my fellow males who were with their female companions also waited with me in that area.

I finally found one that was just the right size for my small Imotou. The outside was leather as to prevent any cold breezes and the inside was warm mainly due to the fur linings it had. The collars were nonexistent, but a simple scarf around the neck will do the trick.

With my parent's presents held by my left hand, and Komachi's on my right, I made my way back to our rendezvous point with 30 minutes left to spare.

"Welcome home. Oh, Haa-chan you really went all out huh...~" Mother commented when we arrived and saw the stuff that I was carrying. After we removed our shoes and changed into indoor slippers we placed our stuff on the small table in the living room.

"We're home." We said in unison.

"Ah, Hachiman, Komachi, you're home. I was about to go out and pick you up." My Father voice from upstairs rang. After we took off our jackets, Komachi skipped over to the kitchen to help out Mom. While I stretched my body over the sofa and felt numerous joints all over my body pop in satisfaction. Kamakura jumped onto my chest from out of nowhere and started licking my head.

"Meow..." He purred.

"Yes yes, I'm glad to see you too buddy..." I ran my hand through his warm soft body and got a purr of satisfaction as a result.

I heard my Father's footsteps down the stairs, and shortly saw him sit at his new leather sofa he ordered a few days ago. He switched on the T.V. and started watching the news.

"Hoh...the snow is quite heavy in Hokkaido..." I muttered when they showed a neighbourhood there that was already filled with 2 feet of snow.

"Ah, yes. Snowfall was already heavy when I was there a few weeks ago. How were the gloves that I sent in the package? Were they good?" My Father asked.

The package that he sent actually contained a series of winter apparel prototypes that he and his associate were spearheading that was planned to be opened in Hokkaido.

"They were nice and comfy. I especially liked the black and dark-brown one." I replied. The former was the one that I used when I went out with Komachi.

After a few minutes, dinner was ready and we went to the table to eat. Dinner was composed of fried chicken, Japanese-style burger steak, deep-fried breaded pork, smoked and grilled salmon, some frozen vegetables, king crab, caesar salad with a boiled egg on top, scallops, miso soup, rice and green tea. Though I had to give the salad a weird look, since its the first time I saw caesar salad with boiled eggs...Oh and the curry from last night.

The first thing I ate was the king crab, I had to crack open it's legs with a scissor-like tool to gain access to the soft flesh inside. After that, I slowly ate small morsels of everything. The scallops were excellent with a small amount of vinegar and a dash of salt. I tried grilling it on the electric grill on the table, but it still tasted better raw. The salmon was great if eaten with miso soup and rice, though my little sister beside me was totally ignoring the seafood and grabbing meat left and right.

When everyone was finished, Komachi and Mom put away the plates and put the leftovers in the fridge and Dad went to the bathroom to take a bath.

I took my jacket and gloves put them on once more and changed into my outdoor footwear.

"Haa-chan? Where are you going?" Mom asked me when she caught sight of me.

"I'm just going to take a walk outside." Even though it's below 2 degrees Celsius outdoors, taking a short walk was always good after such a large dinner as this.

After being told to to be careful and come home soon, I opened the door and went outside. Watching the snowflakes fall from the sky was peaceful. The sky itself had and an undertone of red reflected from the cities on the ground. I walked through the ground, my feet making crunching sounds as it made contact with the patches of snow. A sudden cold breeze made me instinctively put my hands into my jacket's pockets. I had no destination in mind, and I would walk until my stomach felt better. No other soul was walking outside, the streets before me were mine.

Walking like this and having no one else but yourself has always been comforting. It's very refreshing having some quiet time alone, your head is clear and your emotions are relaxed. Whenever I'm feeling stressed and irksome for some reason, walking around like this always seems to calm me down.

If there was a frozen lake nearby and attracted a lot of ice skaters, I would have loved to hang around there. But unfortunately, this isn't St. Petersburg, the former Imperial Capital of Russia, where they have many frozen lakes and rivers fit for ice skating.

As I passed around a corner, the lamp above me had a mirror, and I saw myself leer at my reflection with a grumpy face. Woah, did I always look like that? I look like a thug, no wonder people look at me with apprehension on the street, in those rare occasions that they had the balls to look at me in the eye, that is. It was maybe 200 meters from my house that I felt my stomach pain subside. Since I usually walk fast, the distance was nothing, and I began walking back home at a faster pace.

I came home and found everyone sitting in the living room watching T.V. After a few moments of me taking off my jacket and shoes, I joined my family to start the exchange of presents. I was seated beside Komachi and our parents were on the other side while the presents were on the table in between us.

Komachi received a pillow from Mom and new shoes from Dad, while her gift to Mom was a coffee mug with a big heart and a wallet for Dad. When Dad asked why she gave him a wallet, she replied "Because your wallet smells really gross!", to which Mom started laughing and Dad vehemently denying the stench and insisting that Komachi smell the wallet to prove his statement. Needless to say, Komachi reeled back in terror and hid behind me. Tch, that pillow looks super soft and comfy...I'm gonna steal it! I gave my first gift to Mom and eagerly watched her examine the gift with its wrapping still covering it.

"Ara ara, what could this be~?" Mom said in a singsong tone. She got hold of the wrappings and tore them to shreds, a bit too fast there Mom, a bit too excited, are we?

"Oh!" My Mother exclaimed in surprise and joy and stood up, hugged kissed me on the cheek. Even though I was confident in keeping my face stoic as possible, my Father's smirking face made me lose cool and I felt a blush on my cheeks from the embarrassment.

"It's the perfume that I always wanted!" We went to that store some time ago, and she was still having double thoughts on whether to buy it or not. Even though I was not a fan of perfume, I would get a headache and feel nauseous if the scent was too strong, I took note of it's appearance and would secretly sneak into my parent's room to see if she had bought it yet. Thankfully, she didn't.

"Thanks, Haa-chan!" She let go of me and returned to sitting on the sofa.

I gave my Father his present, and, like Mom, he examined its exterior before opening it.

"Wooow!" Komachi exclaimed in amazement followed by a "Hoh..." from my Mother as she eyed me with a small smile.

My Father removed the top cover of the box to reveal the tablet inside, along with a Bluetooth keyboard to complement it. It had a 10.5-inch display and was coloured steely grey. I'll admit that this was a bit expensive, but I honestly didn't mind.

"This is a wonderful gift, thank you Hachi." My Father rarely addresses me with my nickname, he must be elated if he's using it now. Komachi and Mom huddled together as they observed the tablet with interest and waited for it to boot up. I couldn't help suppress my smug grin as I waited for them to see the surprise.

"Your laptop is old and heavy, the future is now!" I proclaimed, to which my Mother and Father laughed.

When it finally turned on, Mom was the first one to give out a reaction she started laughing her heart out while Komachi was squealing. What the heck is with that reaction? Are you a pig? Oink oink oink.

Before the present was wrapped, I did some editing. One of them was making the wallpaper a photo of our entire family. My parents still looked the same in the photo, both of them were handsome and beautiful as if they have stopped aging when that photo was taken. I was 7 years old in the photo while Komachi was still 4 years old. My Mother was 24 when I was born, my Father 25, quite young in this country's standards. In the photo, I held Komachi's hand with a big smile while she had a funny goofy look on her face as she stared at the camera.

"AAAHHH! ONII-CHAN WHY DID YOU PICK THIS PHOTO! IT'S SO EMBARRASSING TO LOOK AT." Komachi went over to me and started shaking my shoulders. Mom told her to calm down before her shaking became too violent that it would decapitate my head and send it flying.

After everyone calmed down, it was Komachi's turn to receive her gift. When she opened it, she was delighted to see the jacket that I bought for her and immediately tried it on. I sighed in relief when I saw that it was just the right size for her.

"Thanks, Onii-chan!"

"You're quite welcome," I replied cooly.

It was Mom's turn to give her presents, and since she already gave Komachi her's, it was me and Dad's turn. Dad received a pair of premium leather gloves while I received a pair of 5 kg barbels. Nice, I was thinking of buying one. Well, these are a tad bit too heavy for me, but I'm sure I'll get used to it after continued usage. Thank you for the wonderful gift, Okaa-sama!

"You're always jogging and working out in your room during the weekends, so I thought barbels for you would be nice!" My Mother said.

"Thanks, Mom," I say as I put them down. I was right, these are too heavy for a beginner like me. If I use these, I'll end up hurting myself like a stupid newbie in a gym, the typical ones you always see during the 1st week of January. I mainly do leg and lower abdomen exercises and have never lifted weights before. And since starting Taekwondo under Tatsumi-sensei's wing emphasizes high-speed kicks and other leg strikes, well, let's just say that my arms are still scrawny. Well, there's always a first for everything as they say. Komachi gave me a book lamp, which I greatly appreciated and always wanted. As for Dad, he gave Mom a white slim-fitting long-sleeved cotton shirt that was also one of his prototypes from Hokkaido.

And finally, it was my turn. I wonder what he got me this time?

"Just a moment..." He excused himself and went upstairs. Huh? I turned to Komachi but she was engrossed in my Father's new tablet while Mother was whistling and refusing to make eye contact with me. I gave her an impassive look while sweat started to fall from her forehead.

Hmm...how suspicious...

"Here we go..." I hear my Father's voice before I saw him. From the strain in his tone, he must be carrying something heavy or struggling at least. When we finally saw him, he was carrying a long flat rectangular box that he didn't even bother covering with wrapping. Not that the wrapping would help hid it's contents anyway, I could have correctly guessed what it was even if it was covered with a gift wrapping.

It was a silver high-tech looking electronic piano, similar to the ones usually on display at the front of musical instrument stores. Thanks to my skills honed in gunpla assemblage, the different parts came together and soon looked exactly like the one in the assembling guide. We put it beside the wall so it wouldn't get in the way. The piano also had a book for beginners, even though the designs on it looked a bit too cartoony and childish...

Well, I've only touched a piano a few times in my life at school, so I had no idea what those buttons meant.

"This looks nice. Thank Dad." I say

"I know that it's a bit late but I always wanted you to know an instrument or two when you were younger." He said as scratched his head.

I imagined a younger version of myself playing the piano. With constant practice and determination, I could have become very skilled at my current age. Well, that's just my imagination anyway, this isn't an anime were playing the piano was pounded into my very being at a very young age after all. That, along with the expectations of my parents, teachers and anyone else relevant enough to be mentioned, would cause a massive amount of stress to a growing child. Inevitably, at my grandest public performance, watched by hundreds of people, I would have a mental breakdown as a result. After that, I would disappear from the public eye for several years, my name never forgotten, but made as an example of a terrible and possible outcome.

*Hikigaya, that was WAY too depressing. That went downhill faster than Napoleon's Grande Armee after their catastrophic invasion of Russia!*

Ah, my depressing internal monologues are surfacing...

"Well, there's a first in everything I guess..." I say as I slumped myself back on the sofa.

And so ended our simple, yet fun celebration of Christmas.

Well, there you have it. I hope this was a satisfying read for everyone, I had to go super Saiyan, Bankai, Dragon Force, Jinchuriki-mode, Plus Ultra, The Zone, Gear 4th, sacrifice my sanity and humanity to become a lvl 45 Edge Lord and whatever OP moves and modes out there to finish this.

Feliz Año nuevo (Happy New Year) to everyone!

17

Sometimes, I don't understand what the Head of The Disciplinary Committee is supposed to do. Am I a security organization? A punishment team? From what I've been doing since taking up the position, the meaning had become unclear. I have the authority to send students to the principal should it be needed, but I had yet to use that Command Spell of mine. As a Master, the value of Command Spells cannot be underestimated, they can turn the tide of battle in your favour.

I don't stalk the hallways looking for students skipping their classes like what you see in some anime. Seriously, who does that? That's such a waste of time and energy, practically speaking.

But what I'm doing right now, is just typical Student Council stuff. Which basically means, paperwork, bulletin board posts, requests from the clubs, etc.

"That's enough, Hikigaya-kun. Let's go home." Shiromeguri-senpai came over and put her hands on my shoulders, then she proceeded to massage them. It's become a habit for her to do this when I'm working. I was surprised when she did this the first time, and I recall shrieking in terror in a high-pitched voice. But in time, I became accustomed to her touch, and I can feel my body relaxing whenever she did it.

Wait, was I conditioned to immediately feel relaxed at the moment that her hand touches me?

Am I the test subject of an experiment, conducted by Ivan Pavlov?

"You've been tense all day, is something on your mind, Hikigaya-kun?" Her voice was soft, like a mother caring for her child. Her fingers slowly going up and went through my hair, the feeling soothing and relaxing my soul to the core.

"No, nothing's wrong Senpai...I just feel, tired...that's all." After a moment, her movements stopped, and I slowly got up and went for my bag.

"Don't overwork yourself, Hikigaya-kun. You don't have to force yourself if you can't do it." She said.

"Yeah..." I nodded at her and saw that her eyes filled with worry.

We exited the room together and locked it shut. Shiromeguri-senpai has the key, but I duplicated one for myself too. Classes ended an hour ago and most of the students already went home, seeing that it was cold outside and all. Father was currently in The Netherlands right now, personally overseeing the ship that he had commissioned several months ago. Since it was his first time visiting a European country, he was quite excited about the trip more than usual. It was just him and a few of the top brass of his subsidiary company, I think they were only around seven of them.

I honestly don't know the extent of my Father's work, and how far it had reached since it started. I was asked a few times by some of my friendly teachers out of curiosity. I was surprised at first, but we Humans are curious by nature. They asked what my parent's work was. Mother was a business owner, but I didn't know what to respond to when I was asked about my Father.

So I just say that he was a "Corporate Worker", which wasn't entirely wrong, in the broader sense of the word...

"It sure is chilly, isn't it, Hikigaya-kun?" Shiromeguri-senpai chimed a few moments after we exited the school building. From the corner of my eye, I can see her breath transform into a small white cloud before disappearing. It's true, sometimes, January is, even more, colder than December.

"Yeah," I say back.

"An onsen sounds good..." She said and closed her eyes as if imagining that she was in one right now. My thoughts became lewd once my mind wandered off on its own, and I had to use all my willpower not to mentally create an accurate visualization.

"Careful Senpai, you're sounding like an old lady." I lightly teased.

"Oh, I do, don't I?" She giggled at her reply as we continued walking to the school gate.

After exchanging farewells, I started walking towards home. Nothing notable happened in the next few minutes and I was startled when someone called my name.

"Hachi!"

Hmm, that's my Mother's voice...

I turn around and saw across the street, her head outside the car and waving at me. I crossed the street after checking for cars and jogged over to her. I opened the front door to the front seat and hopped in.

"I've been calling you all day!" She said and started the car.

"Ah, have you now? Well, I left my phone at home." I say and stare blankly outside.

"Goodness, you should always keep your phone with you at all times in case an emergency happens, God forbid."

"It won't happen again," I reply. I left my phone since I was in a hurry this morning, since Mother was the one cooking, I slept like a log and she managed to wake me up an hour before my first class. After inhaling the food that she prepared, I think I ate too much, I showered quickly and made it to school in time.

Mother has been more at home doing Mom-things lately, she would often do it when Dad is away or overseas. Komachi and I would sometimes go to Mother's cafe to help out after class, and after closing time, we would eat outside at a nearby restaurant. Though if I pester them enough, they'll change their mind eventually.

"Oh, I was at the Parent's and Teacher's Meeting last weekend." Mom said.

"The teachers are very impressed with your performance in class, Hachi. They spoke so highly of you, and how "You were a model student." in their eyes. Hiratsuka-sensei in particular said that you were very diligent and trustworthy as a member of the Student Council and as the Class Representative. You seem to have a lot on your plate this school year, Hachi. I'm happy that you're trying out new stuff." She continued.

Hmph, maybe their lot is the easily-impressed-type. Beats me, I was never born nor raised to be a trouble-maker after all. Never, in my life have I been punished at school for bad behaviour at school. I mean, with my menacing eyes and a delinquent attitude, I would most likely grow up to become a level 100 Gang-STAR.

"But," she added, "they observed that you were a little too independent for your good. They also said that you barely socialized with your classmates and during group presentations, you would personally ask the teacher if you can go alone..." My Mother's voice trailed off.

"Ah, well they're not wrong." I simply state.

"Tell me, are you ok?" She stopped the vehicle and turned to me with worried, yet serious eyes. It's been a long time since my Mother looked at me that way.

Wait, that last part sounded wrong...

"Yes, I'm fine," I reply with a straight face, though a voice at the depths of my consciousness thought the opposite. I'm not sure if I was being honest with myself, but what I am sure of right now, is that I am still hanging on.

"..."

"..."

"Well, if you say so." She started the engine again. I gulped unconsciously, something that I never do.

My thoughts, with the already cold weather outside, made me all the colder for some reason. I soon felt my eyelids close after such a tiring day.

Watching snowflakes fall from the sky is peaceful. So slow, yet elegant tiny frozen statues created by the sky. It's just the 2nd day after the end of winter break, but now I'm already missing my bed. After submitting the homework that we did during the winter break, I quickly escaped the classroom for fear that I would be once again called to assist our teacher as the class rep or some lame excuse like that.

It's time for Yukinoshita to pull her own weight too damnit!

With a steaming cup of tea in my hand that I got from my portable thermos, I lifted it to my lips to warm my body up. Oh yeah, that hits the spot...

After several minutes of drinking tea and staring off into the distance with an empty mind, I got up from the cold floor and went down the stairs to go back to class. When I checked the time, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I still had plenty of time to spare, so I went to the cafeteria to get something to eat.

There were a lot of students eating, but I managed to find an isolated table away from the main area. From there, I munched on my sandwich as I silently observed the people around me.

Shortly after I took a seat, I spotted Miura-san with her friends and hoped that she won't come over to me since I wanted some alone time.

From her body language itself, she walked with confidence, emitting the unmistakable alpha-female aura, as she led her pack from the front. I always knew that she was a riajuu, but I didn't think that she had a pack at her beck and call. They sat quite a distance from me but remained within my field of vision.

Another blondie caught my eye, but it was not Gilgamesh nor Naruto, but Hayamo Hayata.

*Umm, Hikigaya? I think you meant Hayato Hayama.*

Oh, yes. Of course.

Hayato Hayama, led his pack and settled on the table near Miura-san's. He was the alpha male, to be sure. And after his companions sat down, he went to order his food. He soon came back with a tray with what it seems to be mochi with ice cream on the inside. Damn, that looks good, the food I mean! Not him!

Thank God my internal monologues are...internal. If Ebina-san had heard them...I would have to block her nostrils to stop the flow of blood coming out of them...

A long silvery blue ponytail caught my attention. She was holding a tray with food while looking around for a place to take a seat, her head going this way and that. I watched her movements, she turned in my direction, and with a small smile, she started walking over to me.

"Good Noon, Kawasaki." I greeted her and raised my hand when she got close enough.

"Hi, Hikigaya. Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked, and I said go ahead. She did a sigh of relief and finally sat down. My eyes lingered a bit on her long silky hair as she sat down in front of me. For lunch, she had some cup ramen noodles and vegetable gyoza, paired with green tea.

"How've you been? I haven't seen you or Komachi in a while." She said.

"Same old same old. I usually don't go out during winter break, but I decided to help out Mom at her cafe." I say as I took small bites from my sandwich.

"Aahh..." She also began eating, since both of us had our mouths full, our conversation halted there for a while. But the atmosphere was not an awkward silence, mind you. Kawasaki is an introverted soul, like me. So things like these are pretty normal. But our eyes met once or twice when we were silently eating, and I had to look away to not get embarrassed.

I finished first, and whenever her eyes weren't looking in my direction, I would just stare blankly at her as she continued eating. I was about to pull out my phone, but I deemed it too rude and inappropriate to use it on the table while someone is eating.

"Hey, is there something on my face?" She asked as she wrinkled her nose as she looked at me. Oh no, she caught me staring.

"Nothing." I shrugged and tried to play it off coolly.

"Really?" Her left eyebrow arched upwards in doubt at my response.

"Yes, really," I say back.

"Hmph, ok then." She said and stayed quiet after that. What am I supposed to do now? Should I continue the conversation? If neither of us talks, we're just staring at each other or avoiding eye contact while whistling or something along those lines.

"O-Oh, Hikigaya, are you busy this weekend?" She asked.

"Um, it depends, I'm always busy. Why?" I say back.

"Oh, well, it's been a while since Keika came over to your house and all, and she misses you and Komachi." She said.

I shrugged. "You're always welcome at home to hang out, I'm sure Komachi would like having some company, and you already met my parents too."

"Wanna hang out at our house?" She blurted out suddenly.

"Um..." I was at a loss for words since I didn't anticipate such a question to be directed at a person such as myself.

*whoosh Flashback time*

Ever since I was a kid, I was never invited into a classmate's house. Some of the boys would make plans that only included themselves and ignored my poor self. Not even a single sleepover invitation was offered to me in my childhood days. So, whenever I could hear one of my classmates make plans about a sleepover party, I would either go outside or just lay on my desk and pretend that I am asleep.

"S-Since we always go to your house, maybe it's time for you to come to our's too...?" She added with uncertainty at her own words.

"Well, I can see what you mean..." I say while scratching my cheek. So it's like an...equivalent exchange...?

"Dad is away, and I already promised to help out Mom at her Cafe, and I also have lessons during weekends, so..." I continued.

"O-Oh..."

"But if I am free, then I'll tell you as soon as possible," I say quickly, thinking of a sad Kei-chan made me change my mind. Tch, I am still a pushover when it comes to things like these...

"That's great. What lessons are you taking during weekends?" She asked once more.

"Taekwondo." Her eyebrows arched upwards at my reply.

"I didn't see that coming, I thought you meant tutorials or cram school or something."

"Nah, I've never been tutored in all my life, I just study by myself," I say back. Tutorials and cram school can be expensive y'know, and if I'm taking the latter, then it's a bit too ambitious because it's still my first year in high school.

She nodded to herself and sported a thoughtful look on her face. "How long have you been doing it?"

"A few months."

"Hoooh, so can you break someone's neck?" She jokingly asked with a small grin.

"I don't know, but if I tried hard, I might be able to do it." Upon my reply, she made a horrified expression and I quickly explained to her that I was simply jesting.

"You should have joined the school's taekwondo club then." She suggested.

I made a pained expression at the thought.

Club activities, Student Council duties, a part-time job and taekwondo lessons during weekends, household work and helping out Mom would be too much for me. I'll surely go insane from that workload and get sent to a mental asylum.

"That's too much...even for me," I reply.

After a moment, she understood what I meant and slowly nodded with a look of understanding.

"Wanna go home together later?" She said and looked at her watch to tell the time. I discreetly imitated her and saw that it was only a few minutes left until classes resumed once more.

"Yeah sure. But I'll have to swing by the library later to borrow a book."

"Oh, what a coincidence, I was about to do that too."

"Ah, I see. So where is our rendezvous ?" I asked.

She blinked twice with a confused look on her face. "What?"

"Our rendezvous, where is it?" I reply back.

" Rendez ...huh?" She said with a dumbfounded expression and knitted her brows together. Oh, she must be unfamiliar with the word...

"Our meeting point," I say in Layman's terms.

"Oh! Uhh, is here ok?"

"Ok." With that, we stood up and I accompanied her to return the used utensils. Then we started walking to the exit to go to our respective rooms. Some students where already getting up, but a few were still staying in their tables and chatting. Miura-san called out and waved to me, to which I lazily returned with my own.

"Hikio!" She called me with a grin, and her companions gave me a curious look and then resumed to talking to each other. Kawasaki raised a brow and gave me a questioning look, but it was as if the Three Fates themselves have sewn my mouth shut.

Hayato Hayama was still there too, and I did not fail to observe that Miura-san closely eyed Him with a neutral expression.

"What language did the word you used earlier come from anyway?" Kawasaki asked beside me.

"I dunno." I shrugged and replied with a small smirk.

"Tch, smartass." With her free hand, she lightly hit my shoulder. It was just a playful act and made me smile a bit.

Oh no, I'm becoming a masochist.

"Ow."

"Ah! Finally we're done! Thank you again, you were a big help." Hiratsuka-sensei said as she stretched out her arms upwards, some of her joints making popping sounds. The action caused her sizeable chest to move and her shirt to tighten around them. The sight caused me a slight pang of jealousy.

"Though we would have finished this sooner had Hikigaya been here, he's pretty fast when it comes to paperwork." She added.

"Hmm," I reply. After classes, Hikigaya-kun had approached Sensei beforehand and informed her of some things that he urgently needed to do at the Student Council Office. After speaking to Sensei, he gave me a nod of acknowledgement and went on his way before I could return one of my own. After that, Sensei approached me and stated that she needed my help with compiling the class notes that she would be giving out tomorrow.

"What did you do during your winter break?" Sensei asked as she rested her chin on her hand and faced me.

"Family matters, Sensei," I reply. My Father hosted a Christmas and Thanksgiving party for another successful new year and invited many of his business associates and acquaintances. Hikigaya-kun and his parents were invited, but they never came. I kept a close eye on the entrance of the venue, so I can immediately spot them should they come. The party was terribly dull, and I wanted to go home as soon as possible, but I waited for a little longer hoping that he and his parents would come. They did not, and I had to sit at our table wishing I was anywhere away from there.

I would be lying to myself if I said that I wasn't disappointed that he never arrived. I had also worn the same dress that night that we first met several months ago, something that Nee-san did not fail to notice.

"Ah, yes. I heard from Haruno. She and I had dinner together a week ago." She added the last part as an afterthought.

"Is that so..."

"Yes. Anyway, you can go now, I still have a meeting with some of the other teachers." She groaned and checked her phone.

"I shall be taking my leave then, Hiratsuka-sensei." After bidding her farewell and closing the door behind me, I started walking to the main entrance of the building since my driver is already 10 minutes away. There were only a few students that I encountered in the hallway, since most of them had already gone to their homes. From the glass windows to my left, I can see students, some in pairs, walking to the school gate.

Among those pairs, I saw the unmistakable ahoge that belonged to my fellow class representative that I can see every day at class, accompanied by a girl with long silvery-blue hair in a ponytail. Aside from those differences, he wore a jet black coat while the girl beside him wore a light brown one. I had never seen that girl before, and I couldn't see her face since they were facing away from me.

The girl walked close beside him. If I had walked with him with that proximity, he would undoubtedly step away to put some space between us. Is she his friend? I don't know. The only friend that he admits to having when we briefly spoke are Shiromeguri-senpai and someone called "Kei-chan". The girl beside him took a step closer to him. Maybe it's from the cold weather that she seeks his larger form that exudes more body heat?

I don't know why, but I felt strange when I saw the sight, and I subconsciously frowned.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Onii-chan!" My imotou squealed and gave me a hug. Seriously, what a touchy-feely girl. Some guys would like to be greeted with a kiss in the morning, even more so in the morning of Valentine's day, but I'm not like most guys. She jumped at me with her hands ready to wrap around my person. Of course, if I was serious, I can easily dodge thi-.

*Mwah*

Her lips made contact with my cheek and she immediately started giggling to herself. Honestly, what a touchy-feely girl.

"Yeah, happy Valentine's Day to you too." I kissed her forehead and she started skipping away downstairs. What a ball of cuteness and energy.

My Father had arrived a few days ago from The Netherlands and he had quite the large baggage when we picked him up at the airport. He said that the trip was a success, and he managed to get some trade deals with a few Dutch companies. Mostly import and export deal with some manufacturing companies, and a few investments here and there, well, that's what he said anyway. Mother, on the other hand, had already started the construction and renovation of a new building that she rented near a train station here in Chiba, only around thirty minutes away by car from her first one downtown.

After I arrived downstairs and greeted everyone else, I seated myself to the table and waited for the food that was being prepared by my Father. He made a western-style breakfast that he grew accustomed to when he was overseas recently. I didn't complain though, it was a nice change of pace but I still yearned for rice. The jam that he brought with him was especially too sweet for my liking it was so sweet, that I can feel the diabeetus flowing into me. I quickly prepared a separate bento for me to suit my taste, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

With my usual morning rituals done, I took a cold bath to wake up my body. I'm not a fan of hot baths, it feels like I'm being cooked alive and I'm afraid that I'll get easily scalded. Since the weather is still a bit cold, I'm still using one of the jackets that I got from Dad from his subsidiary apparel-manufacturing firm. This time, instead of my usual black one, I opted to use my light-brown winter jacket with fur lining at the collar and on the inside.

The walk to school was uneventful, and I soon arrived at the main entrance where I changed my shoes into the indoor ones. This girls around were really jumpy, and I heard a squeal when one of them opened their locker. Most likely a letter from an admirer. I opened mine...

And lo and behold...

There was none.

I-It's not like I was expecting anything, b-baka!

After changing my shoes, I made a beeline to my classroom so I can finally sit down and read the sequel to " A Courtesan's Wish". Upon entering, and quietly taking my seat, I opened my bag and started reading away. I heard some voices from some of the girls around me, excitement evident in their voices. Good grief, I still can't believe that the Student Council, me included, and a whole battalion of student volunteers had hung up heart decorations around the school. I wanted to voice out my concern for such an undertaking, stating that this was a waste of time and resources, but I knew that I'll get beaten anyway so I kept my mouth shut.

Sensei arrived at class right on time and she looks angry for some reason. Come on Sensei, turn that frown upside down~!

Eww that sounded disgustingly optimistic coming from me.

Seriously, Sensei, a gorgeous woman like you shouldn't frown. Wait, maybe it's BECAUSE that it's Valentine's Day that she's mad? She doesn't have a date, does she? When I finished that train of thought, she turned to me and glared daggers into my soul. Come on Sensei, I know I teased you but I did give you a compliment, that has to count for something, right?

She finally calmed down and started the class, though I sensed that she was a bit too strict than usual. One subject came after the other, and in our Biology class, our teacher made a joke about love so lame that I had to put my head on the desk to try and suppress the cringe. My other classmates thought so too since some of them did the same and a few facepalmed.

Before long, it was lunchtime, and the classroom thinned out as my classmates went to the cafeteria to eat. Only a few remained, and most of them were in groups ranging from two's to four's. I opened my bento to find steamed vegetables, chicken and fish fillet and some pickled vegetables. I was about to "dig in", oh that sounded very riajuu-like, but I sensed a presence approach me from my left side.

I turned around and saw Yukinoshita walking towards me with a bento held in her hands, her eyes stern and her mouth a thin straight line. I raised a brow at her but she didn't talk and stopped right in front of me.

"..." Her eyes were cold, but they didn't look hostile upon closer inspection, which I was thankful since I was not in the mood for another verbal battle. I continued staring her down but she refused to back down.

"..."

"Good day, did you need something?" I finally say, breaking the silence between us.

"Do you mind if I eat with you?" She said and started moving the chair in front of me so we can face together. Oi, if you're gonna do it anyway, what's the point in asking my permission? Goodness, what a rude girl. Once she properly aligned the chairs, she sat down but our knees were touching so I moved a bit back to avoid being called a pervert who gets off on feeling a girl's thighs.

"..."

"Itadakimasu." She said softly and opened her bento. Her's was similar to mine, but the outside had a cute panda design and the vegetables that were on the rice were aligned to look like a cat. Sometimes I forget that the Ice Queen is just a normal girl who likes cute things too, since whenever I think of her, I immediately think of some rich smartass brat with a very prickly manner of speaking whenever she's talking to me.

"Itadakimasu..." I followed suit and started eating. I started on my vegetables first before I went down to the main course. It is very unlike her to do this, and I immediately began thinking that she wanted something from me. I went into overdrive, watching her movements for the slightest sign of something that would reveal the true reason on why she approached me in the first place.

"So, how was your winter break?" She finally asked.

"It was normal. What about yours?" I reply, trying to hide how perplexed I was. This is a very unyukinoshita-like action, initiating a conversation I mean. Did she bump her head or something?

"Is that so. Just the same as usual." She quietly replied. I wonder what aristocrat children do on winter break, probably attending parties and other social events and whatnot.

"But," she added a moment later, "I believe my Father had sent an invitation to your Father as well. I recall the both of them speaking from time to time on the few occasions that I am at my parent's home."

"Oh, did he now? My Father never told me that. He spent most of the winter break at home and would sometimes go to Tokyo to personally check the recent happenings in the firm." I replied in all honesty. I can't think of any reason why my Father would turn down an invitation. I don't mind going of course, since there is free food and all.

"I see..." She quietly said and nodded to herself.

We got quiet after that, and I noticed that she was looking at my bento with interest. I recalled that Yukinoshita lived alone in her apartment when she mentioned it one time. It must be pretty lonely, going to a home where no one welcomes you at the door with a hug or a greeting at least. I mean, even if I am the first one to arrive at home, Kamakura is there to greet me.

"Do you cook your meals, Hikigaya-kun?" She inquired and eyed a piece of chicken that I had yet to touch. Oh so she wants it huh...

"Yes, do you want some?" I offered her my bento in a gesture that she can take anything that she wanted. Wait, what if she is one of those girls in some anime that look really skinny but in fact have the biggest appetite in the entire show...?

"Don't mind if I do, my thanks." She said and reached out and took a piece of chicken and gently put it on top of her rice.

"You can take from mine too if you want." She offered up her bento just like me and I observed that the alignment of the contents were very neat and organized, very Yukinoshita-like, if I say so myself.

"Thanks." I took a small slice of carrot some tofu slightly covered in soy sauce. It was really good, especially when I paired it with the fish fillet that I cooked this morning.

"No need for you to be so modest, you can take whatever you want." She declared and lightly frowned when she saw the size of the food that I had taken.

"I'm fine with just this, thank you," I say. I am a very considerate person, and I would never take more than what was needed from someone who offered me something.

"Your cooking is...good." She said, which caused me to be a bit pleased since this was the first time she tasted my food. I'm really glad that she liked it; I was a bit nervous because I cooked this in a rush after all.

"Thank you. Yours is great too." She lightly blushed when I praised her food and had a small smile too. Oi don't go blushing now, blushing is contagious and would undoubtedly lead to an awkward situation. Thankfully, it didn't go to that, and we continued having small bit of conversation as we quietly ate at the corner of this lonely classroom of ours. We finished at the same time, and to quench my thirst, I brought out my trusty portable thermos which I had refilled with hot tea earlier this morning.

"Would you like some tea?" I asked her before she could stand up to get her water bottle.

"That would be splendid, thank you." With that, I offered her a cup which also served as the first lid of the thermos and poured her a steaming brew of tea. Her delicate fingers wrapped around them, as if to get as much warmth from them as soon as possible. I watched her take small sips from the cup, and she would close her eyes and give a sigh of satisfaction.

"Do you not have an extra cup?" she asked when she noticed that I was just pouring tea for her and not drinking from a cup.

"I have a milk carton here." I took it from my bag and showed it to her, the action making her lightly giggle. She moved several strands of her long black silky hair behind her ear, and I was enamored by the sight. As if a spell had suddenly been cast on my person. When I asked her what was funny, she just shook her head and dismissed the subject. Come to think of it, I believe it is the first time that I have seen her giggle...

And if I am being completely honest...

Her smile is pretty cute...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Ivanov117 here!

Sorry for the late update, my laptop is busted and I had to go to a nearby cybercafe to write this. Writing on my phone gives me a headache and my fingers get sore quicker for some reason and I don't have the morale to go with it. I haven't quite picked a new laptop to buy, but I have my eye on an Acer and a Dell model tho...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this and you can write down your comments on this chapter so I can see any mistakes that I made, or you can just give your opinion or suggestion! Please look forward to the next chapter!

Arrivederci!

If you'll excuse me, I have a date later huehuehuehuehue.

18

"Hey Hayato, wanna hang out later? Me and the others are going to the arcade." One of my male classmates came to me together with some of his friends.

"Yeah, let's go, dude!"

"Ahaha, sorry, but as what Sensei announced earlier, along with an official announcement from the Student Council through the school's speakers, all first-year class reps have to go to a meeting after class," I told them as I sheepishly scratched my head.

"Aww come on, can't you just skip it just once?"

"There's an attendance so..." I reply once again while scratching my cheek, which caused them to make disappointed expressions. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you tomorrow." I hastily added without thinking.

Sigh There goes my free time tomorrow...

"Ok! See you tomorrow then! We'll be going on ahead!" I waved them goodbye as we parted ways in the hallway and then I began walking to the room where we were supposed to hold the meeting. Unfortunately, my female counterpart was absent today because she was feeling sick, so it's just me representing our class.

A few minutes later, I arrived but there was a line outside, they were probably class reps too. It didn't take long for the line to start moving and I soon caught the figure of who was taking the attendance at the front of the door.

"Ryuta Futaro."

"Tae Rin."

"Hakuro Tenzen."

The students all announced their names, and once it was confirmed by Hikigaya, he bid them go inside and take a seat. I could occasionally hear a greeting from one of the students directed to Hikigaya, to which he would politely return one of his own.

"Yo Hikigaya, working so hard I see." One boy said when it was his turn.

"Good Afternoon. Please go inside and take a seat, we will begin shortly." His replies were...very professional, yet cold at the same time. It was filled with politeness and courteousness, but I didn't sense any friendly vibes coming from him. Almost like how to store workers would be very polite to customers, but only because they had to since it was their job.

I noticed one of the girls gave him a bright and charming smile that would make most guy's hearts skip a beat, but he just nodded at her to go inside as his eyes returned to the checklist that he was holding. Ouch, that must have hurt. Girls are way more affected by being ignored than guys.

"Yo Hikigaya." I greeted him when it was finally my turn.

"Good Afternoon, Hayato-san. Please go inside and take a seat, we will begin shortly." He replied in a slightly cold, yet polite tone.

He looked different somehow, in a sense that he looks tired-looking. I also noticed that he looks paler compared to the last time I saw him. I didn't know that he could be paler than he already is. His eyes were half-lidded, but whenever they would focus on you, you would see the unmistakable sharpness of his wit from the glint of his eyes. Very calculating, as if a million things had been analyzed and examined from your image at the moment that he had seen you.

His eyes kind of remind me of Yukino-chan, though his were sharper, analytical and had a certain edge to it, compared to how her's were cold and scrutinizing. Well, that's to be expected from our year's top student, I guess. I can't believe he remained at the top since classes started.

I gave him a nod and went inside to see that some of the tables have already been occupied. Each table was occupied by a pair of class reps. I spotted one of a few tables behind from the front and made my way there. To my surprise, Yukino-chan was there, though the seat beside her had a bag on it that I'm sure wasn't hers. She was reading a book and the table that she had occupied was at the front to the right side of the teacher's table. I wasn't aware that she was elected as a Class Representative too.

I sat down alone in my area, a sigh escaped my lips as I finally had some time for myself. Not that I am annoyed by my usual group of friends or anything, it's just that everyone, even the most extroverted person you know, needs some alone time every now and then. Even I am not exempted from that.

There was some chatter here and there, but it wasn't loud enough to warrant Hikigaya coming inside and telling everyone to keep quiet. Some of the class reps were speaking to their partners, but most of them were quiet and keeping to themselves.

After around fifteen minutes, Hikigaya entered the room with a satisfied look on his face. When he stood in front, all noise instantly stopped and everyone focused their attention on him. I said earlier that his eyes were very tired-looking, but the way he walked and carried himself was the complete opposite. Chest out and in a good posture, he walked to the centre, unfazed by the eyes and attention that were on him.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming today, and, I would like to apologize on behalf of the Student Council for giving this announcement on such short notice." He said and lightly bowed to us, much to our surprise.

"Don't worry Vice Prez! It's alright!" One of the guys said with a loud and encouraging voice.

"Yeah! Don't be too formal and uptight, Vice Prez! Loosen up a little!" A girl from the back said which earned a few laughs from the others.

"I see, that's good to hear." Hikigaya nodded. "The reason why you're all here is that the school is giving out forms to the first-years. An evaluation, as I would like to call it, on our stay here in Sobu High so far. Suggestions and reasonable complaints are welcome, as far as I know. As well as recommendations on areas needed for improvement. Also, you will be given a list of all the students in your respective class, and what you need to do is to write down all of them who are affiliated with any clubs in school, or those who have thoughts on joining or founding one." He nodded to Yukino and they began distributing the forms that he had mentioned. Is she his secretary or something?

"Once you have filled them out, please drop by the Student Council office so we can verify them and do some double-checking for any possible errors."

I took a good look at the forms that were given to us, very basic-looking and had a minimalist style, but had all the necessary things needed for us to fill out.

"The results of our recent exams will be released soon. As usual, it will be posted on the big general information board and bulletin boards around the school. The other week, a concerned student reported to me that one of the First Years were vandalizing the bulletin board. Apparently, he was pissed off about the results and put his frustration on school property. He was sent to the guidance counsellor and promised he won't do it again. To the class rep who is in the same class as him, please keep an eye on him." He added and patiently waited for everyone to calm down after they made a fuss about the exams and the latter. His eyes rested on one of the Class Representatives longer than needed, and he grunted to himself.

They had excited, anxious, mortified and hopeful faces about their results in the exams. Among them, only Yukino-chan and Hikigaya had a bored poker-face. Though I caught her momentarily leer at him and he returned a smirk in return when no one was looking. Huh, so they consider each other as rivals? The thought made me internally laugh. It's good to see that she's opening up to some people.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Hikigaya said to himself as he snapped his fingers as if he finally remembered something. He walked to where Yukino-chan was sitting and began rummaging inside the bag that was beside her.

"Damnit, where is that thing."

"It's here with me, you gave it to me earlier, remember?" Yukino-chan said to him and gave him a folder. With a word of thanks, he went back in front and began flipping through the pages, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Ah, here it is. As mandated by the school, we will be having an outdoor camping activity to foster "Friendship, Cooperation and Teamwork" for the First and Second Years a few weeks from now. Unfortunately, because of the sheer number of the students, it would be divide by two groups. The First Year group will be the first one to go, while the Second Years will depart on a later date. The Third Years are too busy to join us, so they will be sitting this one out it seems. Please wait for further details from either the teachers or from us."

The room immediately erupted in excited voices and cheers after he was done speaking, to his dismay which caused him to sigh in exasperation and hold his temple.

The noisiest girl, which was a table away from where I was sitting, made a move to get her phone. Most likely to inform her friends of the new-.

"Oi." Hikigaya's voice was as cold as General Winter, pierced through the noise of the room, instantly silencing everyone. A second later, the room was so silent, that you could drop a needle in the middle and everyone would be able to hear it.

It was as if time itself had stopped.

"Please refrain from telling anyone else about this. This topic will not exit the walls of this room." He said with an air of seriousness around him.

"If we ever find out about a slip of information, then everyone here will be sanctioned with punishments from yours truly, as instructed by our Adviser and the Head Principal himself. A sin of one is a sin of all, as I would like to say." He added.

The poor girl which had fallen under his gaze, faltered and was sweating bullets. With a slow and trembling nod, she put down her phone, as if it would explode from the slightest motion.

"Are we clear?" He said in a menacing voice with his usual poker-face on.

"Yes!" Everyone said in unison.

"Please don't hold this against me, I'm only doing what I'm told..." He said in an apologetic tone loud enough for everyone to hear. Many had looks of understanding when he said that. He wasn't an all-powerful entity in the school, he was only an ordinary student just like us, though he had more duties and responsibilities than your ordinary student. There are certain things you always have to keep in mind, an image to maintain along with the expectations placed on you when you're the top student after all.

He was only doing his job and what's expected of him.

His eyes softened after a moment. "I would now entertain your questions, should you have one."

A guy raised his hand and he nodded at him to stand up.

"Where are the other Student Council members anyway?" One asked him.

"Shiromeguri-senpai has a meeting with one of our partner schools. The others have cram school or are busy with one of their major subjects, especially the Third-Years. I was the only one with vacant time so yeah." He said as he partially sat down on the table and crossed his legs.

"Which school?" Another asked him.

"Hmm, I believe it was Kaihin Sougou High." He said as he scratched his chin and everyone started whispering to each other. I am quite familiar with that school. I have some friends and acquaintances over there

"Anything else?" He asked and everyone shook their heads.

"One last thing, a concerned parent came to us a few days ago. He said that his son was on a "School Trip" apparently, and it was a few days later that he went home. We found out that that was a fabrication on the student's part. The truth was that he was hanging out with his friends from middle school, skipping classes and whatnot. The local government of Chiba has informed the schools on the possible rise of delinquency on the youths. There will be a seminar conducted in a function hall downtown to address this concern and everyone is welcome to attend. We will start posting this on the bulletin boards after this meeting, and you can tell your friends and classmates about it. The official announcement will be tomorrow at 10:00 am on the school's speakers. The event itself will happen next Saturday."

"Ok, so that concludes our meeting for today. Please get the forms for your class tomorrow at the office since the forms that you have right now is just a sample. Please be careful on your way home." All of us stood up and began walking towards the door.

"Thank you for your hard work, Vice Prez!"

"Be careful on your way home too, Hikigaya-san."

He received those words as we began walking out the door and would give nods of acknowledgement. We did the same when our eyes met and he immediately turned his attention to the person behind me. I'm well aware that Yukino-chan is aware of me, but she's completely ignoring me, as expected. She didn't even breathe in my direction, much less look at me.

I looked behind me and saw that it was only Yukino-chan and him in the room, they were talking and the door closed before I could hear what they were talking about. She said something, which caused one of his eyebrows to cock upwards.

Huh, so she finally made a friend, or at least someone she's on cordial terms with...that's good. What I did back then, cannot be easily forgiven. Especially from a person with a personality like her.

Blink

Blink Blink

Huh...A white ceiling..?

Wait, this isn't my room. I don't have a big window and white curtains to my left. Not to mention my table with my nightstand and unfinished Light Novel. I look down and see white bedsheets that weren't mine. In other words, I do not recognize my surroundings.

I sat up and I realized that I was in my school uniform. A moment after that, the bell sounded, and I concluded that I was at the infirmary. With a glance at my watch, I saw that it was around 11:12 am and lunch should have started a few minutes ago. A headache suddenly assaulted me when I tried to move, which caused me to wince in pain. For some reason, I was also feeling cold, even with my feet covered in socks, they were still freezing. And for someone who doesn't feel cold that easily, this caused an alarm from within me. I instinctively put the covers over my body once more.

The only thing left for me is to snee-

ACHOO!

Sniff

Sniff

Cough

Sneeze...

Damnit, I'm sick? How did this happen?

*Well Hikigaya, you have been overworking your body recently. Too much time working and too little time resting, your body can only do so much before something like this happened.*

Seeing that I was too weak to move around, I managed to get my bag and took out my sketchpad. Being bedridden won't stop me from finishing my drawing to submit for our Arts and Culture class. Heh, that sounded really cool.

I then began thinking on what I should draw. Our teacher was very vague, and said, "Draw whatever comes to your mind on the moment you picked up your pencil!". Good grief, what a stereotypical thing for an Arts teacher to say. But he was right, I already had something on my mind when I picked held my pencil with my right hand. I moved a bit, trying to find a comfortable position for me to draw in. With that done, I began to draw the framework of my drawing.

The central lines for me to draw the body came first, then I began drawing the flesh that would cover the "skeleton". It took me a while, but I smoothed the exterior parts and edges and began drawing the fingers, legs, thighs and the chest part of my drawing.

Not too skinny, yes, just like that. Now for the legs. Long legs look nice, hmm, there we go. Hmm, I think these thighs are too THICC, it looks weird from this angle. Ah, very nice. The lower part of the body looks equally proportioned. An hourglass figure looks great, but I have to be careful not to make it too unrealistic. There, oh, yes, how could I forget the bellybutton? The arms were quite difficult, I had to physically do the pose for me to grasp it and put it on paper, same goes for the fingers. Hmm, now for the chest. What would be a good size, I wonder...?

I put down my pencil, and after sneezing, closed my eyes and put my arms around my chest as I began to use 100% of my mental power to come up with a satisfying conclusion. Definitely not an A-cup, no offense to those women who have this, of course. B is fine, but I think C is best.

With my predicament over, I began to draw on that area of my art piece, as expected, it was the easiest part so far to draw.

And now comes the hard part, drawing clothes has always been my nightmare. A frilly Gothic Lolita-style dress came to mind, but I wasn't quite skilled enough to make it happen. So a standard Japanese-style school uniform for females would do for now.

Before my pencil could make contact with the paper, however, a particularly strong sneeze racked my body to the bone.

"Bless you." A feminine voice said before moving aside the white curtains around me that gave me privacy. Of course, I knew who was my unannounced visitor from her voice alone.

"Thank you, Hiratsuka-sensei," I say as I wiped my nose with a nearby tissue.

"How are you feeling?" She asked with concern and took a seat beside me bed. I quickly closed my sketchbook, afraid that Sensei might see it and accuse me of being a Hentai Doujin Artist in-the-making.

"I'm feeling 100%," I say with my voice sounding funny from my clogged nose, not to mention that it sounded sore and dry at the end. My sarcasm did not amuse the older female in front of me, and her brows furrowed at my reply.

"Very funny. Now, hold still." She said with a serious tone, unaffected by my sarcastic reply, and leaned towards me.

Woah.

Woah.

WOAH.

Her soft slender hands held my face as her eyes assaulted me with an intense look. Our faces were VERY close and one accidental move would cause things to be very awkward. After several heartbeats, she used one of her fingers to the area under my eye and pulled down on it.

"Ow." She ignored me as she continued with her assessment, I mean harassment. Amirite? Ah, that joke was lame.

"Your eyes are bloody red, and strained. You haven't had a decent night's sleep recently, have you?"

"...yes..." I say truthfully as I have nothing to gain by lying to my beautiful teacher whose face is inches away from me. This is truly a difficult situation for a monk-like me to be in. Being in in such a close proximity with someone like her would cause my hormonal body to react.

She nodded to herself and placed her palm on my forehead to feel my temperature. Ah, yes, such a classic move, one that has withstood the test of time. Something straight out of a romantic shojou manga. Wait...

"Hmm, your temperature is higher than average." She announced as she finally put some distance between us. Whew, that was close. Anymore and I would have lost control of my body. Is she teasing me? She is isn't she? I think she's deliberately doing this to get a reaction from me. Then it's fine if I reciprocate, right? Right? Right? Right? Right? Right?

*Hikigaya, calm down. You're thinking like a hentai protagonist.*

Cease your barking, mongrel. Have you no eyes? Or are you just an ingrate mongrel who cannot see my intended jape?

"Rest assured sensei, once I feel better, I will go back to class as soon as possible-" A particularly strong fit of coughs suddenly hit and reverberated throughout my body. I didn't know when it happened, but tears came from my eyes as I continued coughing violently. It eventually reached my mouth where I tasted the familiar salty liquid.

Sensei was alarmed and put a hand on my back in an attempt to help me feel better. Even though I don't like sudden physical contact like earlier, her gesture was welcome. "That's enough." she would whisper to me as my coughing continued.

"Thank you," I say as I wiped my tears away, lone streak managed to slip past my hand and dropped onto my sketchpad. Good grief, I must look so pathetic right now...

"Goodness, I'll get you some water," Hiratsuka-sensei said with a concerned tone and hurriedly left, her quick and loud footsteps echoing in the room. She came back shortly, and I drank everything, to her insistence.

"Thank you, my throat isn't as dry now," I say.

"I see, that's good." Hiratsuka-sensei's eyes lightened up when she heard that, but quickly returned to her worried-look when her eyes fell on me. She looked at the time and asked if I had lunch yet, to which I obviously replied in the negative.

"What do you want for lunch? My treat." Hiratsuka-sensei stood up and waited for my reply. I thought about refusing her offer, but I am quite hungry and in no shape to get up anytime soon.

"Anything would be fine, Sensei," I say.

"Ok, be back in a flash and don't move from there." She said and quickly walked out of the room.

While she didn't exactly come back in a flash, she did arrive earlier than expected carrying a tray of sandwiches and onigiri.

"Sorry, this was all that was left." She said in an apologetic tone and placed the tray on my lap. A tiny part of me wanted her to spoon-feed me, but I'm not the main character of a harem anime after all.

"Thank you very much, Hiratsuka-sen-" I felt the cough coming before it arrived, and I managed to move the tray before it can spill and make a mess all over me. Hiratsuka-sensei once again moved her hand to my back in an attempt to comfort me, and I noticed that she would wince every time I coughed.

"I'm very sorry about that," I say after getting a moment to breathe.

"Don't worry about it. Here," She picked up an onigiri and offered it to my free hand, "I picked this since it's one of my favourites in the cafeteria." I wordlessly accepted it and after taking a quick look at it, began smelling it.

"Do you always smell your food before eating...?" Hiratsuka-sensei asked with an amused look.

"I do actually. To fully enjoy a meal to the fullest, I believe one must use all of his senses. Visual appeal is important, as it is the first sense to bear witness to the food. Listening to the crunch of every bite, and analyzing it, you can tell how fresh it is. The scent of the food is key on igniting that spark of hunger within us, a too strong smell might be avoided by others, while a too light smell can be understood as bland and utterly tasteless. Feeling the texture of the food in your mouth, how tough or soft the food is, should not be underestimated. It is out of the ordinary will most likely be noticed by observant individuals." I say proudly with my chest out.

It's a miracle that I didn't have a sudden fit of cough while I was talking. The Tuna Onigiri was great, the small amount of mayonnaise inside paired nicely with it. Hiratsuka-sensei ate too, and inhaled an onigiri in one go. Her cheeks enlarged as she started chewing on the food. She turned to me while doing so and it reminded me of a hamster with food in it's cheek pouches. She looked cute, but still...

Good grief, how unladylike...

The school nurse arrived with meds and a small note. She informed us that she had called my Father an hour ago of my current condition. No one answered our phone at home, so she immediately contacted my Father.

Huh? An hour ago? Then how long was I resting here then? I completely forgot about that.

"What? My Father?" I asked.

"Yes, he said that he's on his way." The nurse said. I was confused, I thought Dad was in Hokkaido? Did something happen that made him cancel his trip? As for my Mother, she is in Saitama right now I believe, as she was invited as a speaker for a university there.

Two pairs of footsteps entered the room, and we heard them in the middle of a conversation.

"-id not know that your son was here in the infirmary. Had I known, I would have called you immediately." Hmm, that's the voice of our principal.

I soon caught sight of my Father and the Principal. My Father was wearing a pitch-black business suit, his hair neatly combed and his facial hair shaved. I saw the same eyes that I inherited from him when we made eye contact. He looks quite intimidating, to say the least. The Principal gave me an apologetic look for some reason.

"Dad."

"Hachiman, are you alright? What happened?" He asked, entirely ignoring the people around him. The nurse and Hiratsuka-sensei gave us some space as my Father loomed over me when he stood next to the bed.

I then began telling him everything that happened, from when what I did when I woke up this morning, to when I finally came to here in the infirmary. My Father gave me a hard look, and on his eyes reflected that same expression whenever I would observe someone to see if they're telling the truth.

"Mr. Hikigaya, as the school Nurse, I would recommend your son to go home for now, to rest and take his medicine." She added from the side and everyone turned to her.

"Indeed, you should go home for now Hikigaya-kun." The Principal said to me, which earned a nod and a thumbs-up from Hiratsuka-sensei behind him.

I sighed in resignation and gave them a quick nod, with me being outnumbered, I had no choice but to submit to the coalition formed against me. I slowly got up from the bed and picked up my bag. Each movement somehow causing my head to hurt in rhythm to the beating of my heart.

"Thank you for watching over my son Sensei." My Father bowed in thanks to Hiratsuka-sensei and Fujima-sensei. I secretly apologized to Fujima-sensei in my mind. I really have to start practicing on remembering people's names...

"Goodbye Hikigaya-kun, get some rest. I'll inform the other teachers and Shiromeguri so they'll at least know the reason of your absence." Hiratsuka-sensei said with a smile as I gave her and the school nurse my thanks and waved them goodbye. The Principal was tagging along with us, weird...

I had forgotten that the time was currently lunchtime, and so many students were loitering in the halls walking here and there. I have learned to ignore the stares directed at me, but most of their eyes were fixated on my Father. Hey, he's not scary y'know! And it's like the first time you've seen an adult inside the school that wasn't member of the faculty and staff! Damn normies.

The Principal was assured me that he would take care of things while I was away. I think him personally saying this was...redundant, since Hiratsuka-sensei already said the same thing earlier. We separated with him at the entrance and finally reached the parking lot of the school, where I saw my Father's car. It's been a while since I entered this vehicle since he always uses this to work and all, and I only see my Father a few days in a week. I opened the door and hopped right beside the driver seat, but not before coughing again for several seconds.

When he closed the door and went inside, the engine automatically came to life which startled me.

" Welcome, Hikigaya Joushirou-san." A feminine voice from the car's speakers said.

Woah.

I heard two beeping sounds, one came from the car's speakers and the other came from my Father's...phone?

" Connection established, voice commands have been activated. Current time is 11:53 am, location temperature is at 19 degrees Celsius and GPS systems have been initialized." The voice said again and I had to hide a childlike grin from forming on my mouth. My Father gave me an amused smirk and we drove outside the school gate and into the road.

"Please send message to all departments." He said, and a moment later a beep of acknowledgement came from the car.

"Please cancel my schedule for today and tomorrow, I have urgent family matters to attend to." Two beeps came again, and this time, it was followed up by the car's voice.

" Acknowledged...sending message...sending successfully."

My phone rang, and I got it out of my bag and saw that it was from my Mother. I pressed "receive a call" and put the phone next to my ear.

"HACHIMAN ARE YOU OK?! IS YOUR FATHER THERE?! HAVE YOU EATEN YET?!" My Mother's loud voice assaulted my eardrums, which instinctively caused me to cringe away from the phone. Ah, my ears are ringing, I must have accidentally turned on the loudspeaker. Even my Father had to wince at the volume.

"Goodness, even on the phone, Hitomi is loud as heck when she's stressed out..." I hear my Father laugh to himself with a small smile.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm with Dad right now. And I've eaten but I'm still a bit hungry." I say and this time, the phone was a few inches away from my ear to avoid permanent hearing damage.

"OKAY I'LL FIX UP SOMETHING NICE- AH! THE WATER!" With that, the phone went dead, and me and my Father laughed since what just transpired was something straight from a Western 90's comedy show.

Hey guys and welcome back!

Sorry for the late update, I haven't had a good inspiration in a while. I don't write when I don't have inspiration since the result is usually bad and shitty. And I absolutely REFUSE on writing something that I didn't put my whole heart and 100% into! Also, I have an idea for a new Oregairu fanfic. It's still in my head for now but all I can say that it's main elements are, serious romance and takes place during Hikigaya's third and final year in Sobu High. Nothing is set in stone as of now, it's just a raw idea that popped up in my head when I was taking a shower lol. But that doesn't mean that I'm abandoning this fic of course.

Oh and season 3 has been announced.

Thank you for staying and reading and I hope you have a nice day ahead!

19

Day 3

"Jeez Onii-chan, you really should take care of yourself more," I say as I spoon-feed him with rice porridge that Mom had made this morning. Today was the third day that he was bedridden, he was too weak to go downstairs so I took it upon me to come to his room and feed him.

"Say aaaahh~."

"Aahh..." As he started eating, I noticed that the area under his eyes was getting darker, and he could barely fully open his eyes for a few seconds before nodding off to sleep. His arms also suddenly got thin and his complexion was deathly pale. Seeing him like this, so weak, so helpless, really hurts Komachi's heart...

Despite wearing a long-sleeved thermal shirt, his hands were very cold. We weren't even using the Air Conditioning System in his room...

"Water please..." He said in a rough voice that often cracked. In other times, I would have laughed at it, but listening to him like that reminded me of his current state. I gave him the glass and he started drinking in small sips. Today is Saturday, and he was supposed to have his part-time job this afternoon. He called his Boss last night and told her that he couldn't go. I'm glad that Onii-chan has such a caring and considerate boss. As for his taekwondo lessons tomorrow, they were supposed to have a training with another group from outside Chiba. I don't know what he told his Sensei, since he's strangely secretive about that part of his Sunday routine...

This went on for some time, me spoon-feeding him in this quiet home of ours. On the first day that he got sick, Mom had dropped her seminar in Saitama and went straight home, same with Dad immediately cancelling his travel schedule to Hokkaido. I went home that afternoon to find him already sleeping and changed, with Kamakura rolled up into a ball next to him in his room. The next day, Dad went out to buy medicine while Mom stayed behind and slept in Onii-chan's room to see to his needs.

He was so pale when he first came downstairs yesterday supported by Dad. When Mom saw how weak he still was, she forbade him from going downstairs unless it's to relieve himself in the restroom. I hope he doesn't have anything serious...

After he felt full, he took his meds and covered himself in his thick blanket. I quietly took the utensils and went downstairs to do the dishes. As I was about to close the door behind me, Kamakura trotted from the side and entered his room, staying at the foot of his bed and taking a nap there.

"What a good kitty cat..." I whisper.

As I was cleaning the dishes, my phone rang from the living room and I quickly dried my hands before picking it up and answering it.

"Hello?"

"Komachi~~! Are you coming with us today? We saw this new café in downtown yesterday and we think you'd love it!" Ah, it was just some of my friends...

"Sorry, I'm taking care of my big brother right now since he's sick..."

"Oh, is that so? Is he your Onii-chan that you love to brag about at school~~?" She replied in a teasing tone.

"S-Shut up! Anyway, I'm doing what every little sister needs to do when her big brother is sick!" I say hastily.

"Ok ok, we get it you brocon. Anyway, we'll send you some pictures later ok? We hope your big brother feels better!" We exchanged farewells and ended the call. Ugh, my friends can get too teasing sometimes it's embarrassing...

After returning to finish the dishes, I went back upstairs to Onii-chan's room. Since I was taking care of him, I decided to put a futon near the foot of his bed so I can at least make myself comfortable while I watch over him. I came to see that he was already sound asleep, while Kamakura was sleeping on the chair for his study table.

I put my hand over his head to see that his temperature was still quite hot, he also put on a facemask when I was away. I slowly and carefully sat on the edge of his bed right next to him, caressing his hair with my hand. When Komachi was still small and sick, Onii-chan would do that to me and he would sleep in my room to keep me company when Mom and Dad weren't at home.

Now is my time to return the favour! Do not fear, for I am here!

I texted our parents about his current state before lying down on the futon and going through social media on the latest happenings. To pass the time, I started watching cute cat videos and stuff since I didn't see anything interesting on my news feed.

"K-Ko... K-Komachi..."

"Haiii, your Komachi is here~. Do you need something, Onii-chan~?"

"I want to read something." He croaked out with his eyes barely opening and pointed to his closet.

"Will do! What book do you want me to get?" I get up and made my way to the closet and opening it. His bookshelves were already quite full, so he puts some of his books in a box on the lower part of his closet for safekeeping. He also divided them by type with labels like "Classical", "Western Literature", "Biographies" and "English".

"The one with the label "Light Novels"." He said, and I picked up a medium-sized box that had the said label on it.

"The title is The Honourable Mercenary of Kyoto, the illustration on the cover page is a man with long hair tied in a ponytail with a little fox-girl floating behind him." He nonchalantly said the last part as it wasn't weird. Onii-chan reads everything that interests him, I've seen him read books like Greek Mythology, Modern and Classical art styles, the biography of Oda Nobunaga, The Great Space Race, The Rise and Fall of Rome, The Unification of Japan to Light Novels and Manga.

I blushed when I saw some of the cover illustrations on some of the books. Scantily clad girls!

Scantily clad girls everywhere!

After a while, I found it, and I breathed a sigh of relief when the "little fox-girl" wore a proper kimono around herself. I'm glad that Onii-chan isn't a lolicon NEET that didn't get transported to another world after getting hit by a truck, who then claims to be a true gender equalist that wouldn't hesitate to drop-kick a woman.

"Here you go~."

He muttered in thanks and started flipping through that pages and I went downstairs to get a snack while I was listening to music. After getting a bag of chips, I went back to his room and lied down on the futon. I didn't even get to open the chips since I fell asleep a few moments after I closed my eyes.

When I came to, I looked at the time to see that an hour had passed, and I check to see if Onii-chan was still reading. The Light Novel was on his lap since he had fallen asleep while reading it. During I was napping, it looked like he wore a face mask. I got up and took the book and moved it to his desk and fixing his hair while I was at it.

"Komachi, I'm feeling cold..." He said with one eye open, but before I could react, he partially moved his blanket away and moved to the side of his bed. I understood what he meant and I plopped right by his side as I pulled the covers over us. My feet accidentally made contact with his and I felt them be cold. I was about to move them but he trapped them with both of his legs.

"You're not getting away." He said in a lazy and tired voice.

"H-Hmph!"

I looked up from under the blanket and saw him looking straight at me with a curious expression, after several seconds, he blinked twice and cocked his head to the side. I could already imagine the imaginary floating question mark near his head when he did that. Since it would be awkward for us to be facing each other, I faced away from him and nudged myself closer to his larger form. I took his left arm and put it around myself, essentially making me the small spoon. His hand rested near my tummy, and I could feel occasionally feel it when I breathe in and out. I leaned back a bit, just on the area below his neck. It was a perfect fit, as it was my place there all along.

"I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?" He asked in a considerate tone, muffled by the facemask that he wore. Stupid Onii-chan! If I was feeling that, I would have stood up and gone back to my futon on the floor!

"No, you're not."

Waaaahhh, this is so embarrassing, how did things go this way? Was I subconsciously seduced into doing this? Does Onii-chan have a mind-control power that he recently discovered and decided to test on me? No, it's my fault, Komachi secretly wants this despite me complaining right now?! I'm not making any sense!

I felt him softly nuzzle himself into my hair, the contact causing pleasurable goosebumps to form all over my neck and I couldn't help but give out a small whimper. "You smell nice."

KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"Onii-chan, you shouldn't be so straightforward in telling that to a girl, if you did this to anyone else, it would be suuuuuuuuper creepy," I say.

"Hmm, I could imagine Miu-" He suddenly started coughing mid-sentence, but he continued when it went away. "ra-san slapping me if I told her that, but I'm sure that she wouldn't be able to land a hit on me anyway." He was about to laugh but then another cough came. Since we were so close, I could feel his abdominal muscles tense and contract after every cough that went through him.

"Oh, who's that?" I ask.

"She's my frie-" he stopped mid-sentence. I craned my head to look at him, and from the corner of my eyes, I could see that he was frowning, his brows furrowed in concentration.

I didn't pry further, and I felt him shrug and dismiss what he was about to say. "Well, you're the only girl that I could say that to anyway..." He added as an afterthought and I felt my cheeks get warm. Uwaaah, that sounded like an overused, yet effective pick-up line.

"Well, you and Mom at least." He added again, and this time I lightly elbowed him in the stomach.

"You're in for a lot of trouble if I catch your cold." I yelped when he suddenly moved his left hand.

"T-This is going to cost you a lot of points, Onii-chan..." I managed to stutter out without exploding into a full-blown squeal of embarrassment.

"I know, I know." He said and even from his muffled voice alone, I could tell that he was smiling.

"I will be your heater until you're feeling alright. Extended use of me after that time will cost you an extra 10000000% Komachi-point per day penalty!" I exclaim.

"Good grief, then I'll be sure to use you as much as I can until my time ends, then..." He said, and after a few moments, his breathing relaxed and he fell asleep. Being in a comfortable position would make me feel sleepy too, and it didn't take long for my eyes to close.

Day 5

"Haa-chan you can't go out yet, you still have a fever." Mother's firm voice was directed at me from across the kitchen as I ate breakfast from the dining table.

"Ok ok, it was just a suggestion..." I say. Truth be told, I have to admit that I'm still not strong enough to go outside. I still feel a bit wobbly and my head hurts like heck. Dad already dropped Komachi in her school before going to Tokyo. He said that he just parks his car near the station and prefers to commute and walk to work since it was way cheaper than using his car every day. Speaking of his car, it surprised me the other day when it talked and all. It was one of the latest models, and he sold his other car that he bought a few months ago to buy this one instead. He also said that he sold it at a higher price since he added some customized stuff inside to increase its selling value, coupled with the fact that the guy that he sold it to was easily swayed by "sales talk". Damn, I didn't know my Father was very shrewd...looks like his SPEECH level is quite higher than I thought...

"Here's your lunch, make sure to eat everything!" Grilled salmon, a steak of high-quality beef, some cold and salty vegetables, miso soup and orange and mango mochi are in the fridge. This is overkill, I can't finish this by myself. I got up and went to the drawer where we store our facemasks, it would be bothersome if the other members of our household would catch a cold too, after all.

After putting the food on the table, and some in the fridge, she went to the bathroom to take a bath before going back to Saitama again. My Mother opened her third branch in Saitama this month, and I'm quite happy that she's successful on her own. Unfortunately, I have never visited her second and third branches yet, but I'll make sure to do so when I'm feeling strong enough. I'm quite sure that my Father's income is more than enough to support us all on his own. But my Mother is a strong and proud independent woman who don't need no man to pamper her with a life of luxury and comfort.

*Hikigaya, that last part was actually pretty funny, if you understood the reference.*

I opened the T.V after I took my medicine and started looking for news about the weather. Huh, it's still late winter? The weather is getting weird lately, must be due to climate change. I had requested my Father a few days ago to include international channels in our channel list because, well I just wanted to. I found a nature documentary about the Siberian Tiger and adjusted myself on the sofa to make myself more comfortable.

"Uwaah, an English channel? When was this added?" I turn around and see my Mother wearing a bathrobe around herself, her light brown hair still dripping water onto the floor.

"Only a few days ago," I say as I went back to focusing on the T.V in front of me. I heard her footsteps retreat upstairs, and after a few minutes, came down wearing a simple black blouse and white jeans, her hair set in place by a headband.

"You know, I literally can't understand what they're saying." She said as she started watching too while combing her hair and applying makeup on herself.

"They're saying that they found Tiger pawprints on the snow, which was likely made only an hour or two ago," I say, with mild difficulty. I'm still not a master of the language itself, and if they talk too fast or in a funny accent, I wouldn't be able to understand them too. Even though my English scores are the highest in our Year, not to brag, but the actual application and written forms are very different.

"Take care Haa-chan, remember to take your medicine on time. Your Father and I will be calling now and then." She said her goodbyes and closed the main door behind her. Her car starting up a few moments later, and I heard her move out from the garage and into the road.

Finally, some alone time.

The house was quiet except for the sounds coming from the T.V, an Englishman with his Siberian guide traversing through the thick mountain snow on their way to the campsite. The Siberian man, his voice thick with a Russian accent, began narrating how the numbers of Siberian Tigers sighted in the area have lessened over the years. They were retreating deeper into the forests in pursuit of their main prey, which was Deer.

The show ended after an hour, with the scene transitioning into a cave where a mother Tigress was nursing her offspring. Aww, how cute. It's hard to believe that something so small and cute would grow to be one of the world's largest terrestrial carnivores.

I turned off the T.V and went upstairs to get one of my Japanese-English books since I made a mental list of words that were unfamiliar when I watched the show. Sitting down on the sofa with a notebook and pencil, I began listing down the unfamiliar words and guessed how they were spelt. With that done, I began flipping through the pages, eager to expand my vocabulary and increase my proficiency in the language.

It was quite a while before I put my pen down, and I stretched my shoulders which caused my joints to pop. Seeing the time, I took my medicine which I was supposed to do every few hours. The bitter taste momentarily taking me off guard before I forcibly swallowed it with a glass of water. My body temperature is quite high, so to remedy that, I opted to wear a thick cotton sweatshirt which would cause me to sweat, and in turn, naturally, cool my body down.

I learned this from a book about basic illnesses in our school library. It was also the day before I got sent home when I rested in the infirmary. Truly, how strange.

I'm still updated on what's happening in class since Hiratsuka-sensei is emailing me the homework and projects that need to be done. Kawasaki and Kei-chan dropped by the other day, but they came without knowing that I was sick, and it didn't take long for them to go home. My thoughts soon drifted on the current status of the Student Council, and a nerve ticked at my forehead while my left eye twitched in annoyance. Most of the students keep mistaking my position, I'm not the Vice-President damnit! I'm the Head of the Disciplinary Committee! The Disciplinary Committee is an independent entity within the Student Council organization itself, as stated by the Code and By-Laws of the Student Council created by the school. I answer directly to the Principal, and not to Shiromeguri-senpai.

Though it says Committee, I'm actually the only member.

Since...well...no one wants to volunteer for the work, so I'm all alone, as usual...

But at least I became familiar with the other members of the Student Council. My responsibilities as Head of the Disciplinary Committee aren't that difficult, and when I have an hour or two to spare, I usually help them out if they need it.

I wonder if my classmates miss me, probably not...But I'm sure that the teachers do since their slave is on sick leave! Hah! Now it's Yukinoshita's turn to be their errand boy! I mean errand girl.

Day 7

I was never a fan of harem anime. So many choices, yet every choice leads to a girl's broken heart. In some cases, all the potential candidates already have a strong yearning for the main character, which is completely ridiculous. At least visual novels are more believable, where you have to interact, court and earn the affections of the girl that you want, without hurting the feeling of the other girls since they never felt anything for you from the start. It's very satisfying when playing the game, choosing the girl that you want to end up with, befriending her, having fun with her, laying the groundwork for the confession and getting that oh so satisfying "Yes." in the end.

I look around me and sighed at what I saw.

I don't like hospitals, people die here. Some pass away peacefully in their sleep, and some, unfortunately, struggled and writhed until their last moment in this world. An old man in a hospital bed with wheels passed me by. His arms were so thin and his eyes were closed. A pair of nurses pushed the bed and was closely followed by what I assume to be his son. When I entered this place, the alien scent bothered me. I'm not sure if some people notice this, but hospitals have this specific smell in the air. I can't quite explain it, but I'm sure that you'll agree with me, once you experience it yourself.

The reason why I'm here, you ask?

Well...

I was here yesterday to have a check-up and had a laboratory test after it. It was the usual, X-ray, red blood cell count, white blood cell counts etc. My Mother is horrified of needles and refused to see me getting injected. My arm still hurts from the needle though...

The results were not what I was expecting.

It was discovered that my RBC count was less than the average, concerning my age, gender and body mass index. In short, I had mild Anemia The result was me getting weaker as time went on, and the laboured breathing I would get during my jogs and when in my Taekwondo lessons only made it worsen. I recall Tatsumi-sensei commenting on my health based on her observations, but I brushed her off and told her it was nothing to worry about. Maybe that's the reason why she didn't pick me to participate in one of the prefecture competitions a month or two ago...

Now that I think back, I sometimes have difficulty breathing, after doing physical exercise and jogging...

I remember fainting after I played Tennis with Miura-san a few months ago. I thought it was just exhaustion from the sudden physical exercise. Maybe that was the time when my condition began to get worse...

One of the more obvious side-effects, aside from the ones already mentioned, was the predominantly pale skin that I have. Thankfully, since it was still mild, I didn't develop skin rashes and other unpleasant side effects. Hiratsuka-sensei, Miura-san, Hinata-sorry, Ebina-san, Shiromeguri-senpai and even Yukinoshita commented on it from time to time. Of course, I gradually noticed the change in my skin tone, but I ignored it and blamed it on the weather or something. Well, Yukinoshita's comments were more or less playfully insulting my very being instead out of concern, but at least she was aware of it. It looks like being called a "Vampire", "Pale corpse" and "Zombie" by Yukinoshita during the costume event held some truth after all.

At first, I was horrified at the possible paths that we will take. A blood transfusion came to mind, and even though I'm not scared of getting a needle piercing my skin or two, the needle used in a blood transfusion was massive, when compared to its smaller siblings. But the doctor reassured us that that wasn't needed at the moment, since things like that would only be before a major operation where the loss of blood is a concern.

I was advised to take medicine that promotes RBC production. Aside from that, I was instructed by Makatsu-sensei, my doctor, to halt my part-time job and stop my taekwondo practice for the time being, and also to eat food rich in iron to promote the growth of my red blood cells such as red meat, like beef and organ meat. Aside from that, I have also been prescribed some vitamins and minerals. Yuuka Tatsumi my Boss, and her cousin which also happens to be my Taekwondo sensei, Maya Tatsumi. I had informed them an hour ago through my mobile phone about what the Makatsu-sensei said and they readily agreed. The former already giving me my advance payment for the week which was quite unnecessary if I was being honest, but she insisted.

While my Mother was purchasing the medicine in the hospital pharmacy I'm just here in the canteen, waiting for her to arrive. Even though I only have a mild fever now, the light-headedness and headache are still here, but at least my coughing and sneezing dwindled enough.

Even though I'm using my phone, I am still paying attention to my surroundings. Any sudden movements from the people walking on the corner of my eye would instantly catch my attention, as well as footsteps and audible voices within earshot.

*Damn Hikigaya, your level of paranoia is over 9000! You would make the ultimate assassin.*

It was at that moment when I heard a voice that caused my blood to run cold and my heart to skip a beat out of horror. From the moments that I've learned of her presence, I confirmed that she was alone, for now at least. And the person that she's speaking to is on the other side of the phone. Using the reflective glass on my phone, I discreetly angled it so I can see what's behind me.

Even though her back is to me and she wore an unfamiliar-looking school uniform...that hairstyle and that voice... There is no doubt that it is she-who-should-not-be-named.

I unconsciously gulped; it seems that she doesn't recognize me yet. That's good. If she had, then I would be in a precarious situation indeed. Slowly, I got up and walked away trying to look like I'm stepping into a minefield. I would not be leaving this area no, instead, I would be sitting at a table farthest away from her. I sat down facing in her general direction to just observe and figure out why she's here in the first place. She suddenly turned, and I saw the face which captured my middle-school heart.

She's still pretty as I remember her to be, I can see why I fell for her back then.

I smiled mockingly to myself and looked down, glad that the facemask that I wore hid it from view. Oh, how stupid I was. Thinking that she liked me and all. It was only her kindness and looks that moved me into being a delusional little idiot. I had mistaken her kindness as affection towards me, and I fell for it. In my delusion, I was blind to see that she was like that to everyone else, not just to me. She was friends and kind to everyone, even a social outcast like me. She was the one who reached out to me first. My oh my, now I remember why I treat nice girls with distrust.

How truly stupid I was back then.

Admittedly, I just stared at her for God knows how long. My wounds from back then opening, but I managed to suppress and bury them into the deepest depths of my psyche. I felt my phone from the inside of my pocket ring and upon opening it saw a message from my Mother telling me to meet her outside the cafeteria. I shrugged and started walking towards the exit.

It seemed that she also had the same thing in mind since she stood up at the same moment as I, but instead of walking in the direction that I was facing, she started walking towards me. Hoh, she must be going to one of the people behind the table that I occupied. I saw her right in front of me and, for a split second, I almost stopped dead in my tracks.

Almost.

As the distance between us grew shorter, she looked up from the phone that she was holding and looked at me straight in the eye. Even though I have a facemask on, I'm not sure if that will be enough to deceive her. Fortunately, I did my hair differently today, my bangs were quite long until they nearly covered my eyes. Thank God I didn't change my hairstyle before going out since Komachi commented that I looked too edgy.

From the corner of my eye, I felt her eyes rest on mine and I felt that she didn't recognize me, which was a relief. But moments before we completely passed by each other, her eyes widened and her mouth formed into an "O". My cover was blown, but I continued walking without a change in my pace. If I walked faster, it would only cement the idea of who I truly was. So, I walked and maintained my pace.

"Hiki...gaya...?" I heard her voice, barely a whisper. But I heard it clear as day as if my brain had automatically filtered it out from the background noise.

I gulped with difficulty when she said my name.

I didn't stop, and I just kept walking.

I am such a coward.

From the corner of my left eye, I felt a single tear fall and I had to bite my lip to prevent more from coming out

I'm not quite ready to face Orimoto Kaori just yet.

Greetings to everyone around [ZA WARUDO] and welcome back!

"What?! Ivanov117 uploaded TWICE in a month?! Who are you and what have you done to him?!" I bet this is what everyone is thinking.

Well, I think I should increase the frequency of my update, and since my level of enthusiasm and inspiration for this story has been spiking recently, I think now would be a good time to update.

On a side note, it seems that Hikigaya has a health condition...I wonder how would everyone else react...? Hmmm...

If you re-read the previous chapters, you might notice some characters commenting on his unnaturally pale skin, his deteriorating health and the tiredness in his eyes. If you managed to spot that, kudos to you! I'd also like everyone to pay extra attention to how Hikigaya addresses the people around him, you'll find some clues on what will happen shortly! Oh, and Day 1 was when Hikigaya was picked up by his Father, which was Thursday.

If you have some comments, suggestions or just whatever came to your mind when you read this, feel free to leave a review or PM me!

As always, thank you for reading!

Ivanov117 out!

*teleports behind you*

"Don't forget to smash that MF like and subscribe button!"

*dabs and Naruto-runs away*

20

It's been two weeks since the abrupt disappearance of Hikigaya-kun. That said, it was expected that some rumors and gossip would arise. Some in our class were even talking about the possibility that he had transferred overseas, or that he transferred to a more prestigious school in Tokyo. It reached to the point where my curiosity on the matter could not be contained any longer, so I asked the person whom I thought he was closest with. When I asked the President of the Student Council, Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai, she too had little information, on his current status, only that he was sick. I was going to ask my Father to ask his Father on my behalf, but I figured that it would be... inappropriate. The teachers made it clear that he was sick whenever someone asked for his whereabouts. But on what specific illness he had, they refused to tell.

I came to school earlier than usual, and upon arriving to the classroom, went straight for my seat. As time went on, our room slowly but surely began to fill up with students, along with the chatter that they were making. I opened a book that I brought with me from my apartment and began reading. I recall seeing several Manga on the bookstore that I frequent during the other day, and it reminded me of him.

Hiratsuka-sensei soon arrived and started our lesson for the day. Not five minutes had passed since she started when the door to our room slid to the left and revealing who the person behind it.

And the said person was...

Oh my...

I expected him to look sickly and frail, but on the contrary, he looked as though he was nursed to health by Apollo himself. One of the more obvious changes was his hair, it was still long, but not long enough for it to look messy. Though he still looked pale, he had some color on his face now unlike his unnaturally pale complexion from before that I would almost always point out. Unfortunately, he would always brush me off whenever I told him that. The dark circles under his eyes were almost completely gone, which made his eyes look less "sleepy-looking". As for his eyes, they still look sharp as ever. Still sharp as always.

"My apologies for being late." He said in a bored tone and bowed in apology to Sensei, who was still staring at him wide-eyed.

After that, he calmly walked to his seat without a care in the world. Our eyes met when he was walking to his seat and he gave me a nod of acknowledgement, and I returned one of my own.

When classes started, I would sneak glances at him to see what he was doing out of curiosity, mostly out of boredom and also to see any changes to his mannerisms in class since it has been two weeks after all. During our Algebra class when Sensei was writing down equations and formulas on the board, I saw him just staring at her. But it was not the "blankly staring" kind of stare, his eyes still looked quite sharp and alert. It was at that moment that I saw his right hand which held his pen move above his notebook. At first, I thought he was just mindlessly moving it around, just like what one does when boredom strikes, but I saw that the movements were deliberate. Huh, even I do not possess the ability to write down notes without looking down on them for long periods of time.

Truly, what a peculiar sight to behold.

Even more surprising, was the fact that he was updated with our topics on all of our subjects, he did not fail to answer every question that our teachers threw at him, to their pleasant surprise. Who was the one who fed him information, I wonder...?

When lunchtime arrived, he was asked by several students, and a small circle formed and surrounded his seat. The questions were mostly about the reason for his absence, and I listened closely to his answers. It seems that after catching a cold, he was sent to the hospital for a check-up and then bedridden for a few days at home. He said nothing about his particular illness, and no one in class was brave enough to ask him directly about it, since even he was hesitating. Try as he might, he can't hide his feeling of discomfort from my keen eyes.

His seat-mates invited him to join them for lunch, but he politely declined saying he has to go to the faculty room to submit all of his projects and homework during the time of his absence. They nodded in understanding, and as soon as he went out of the door, they harboured disappointed expressions on their faces.

"Yukinoshita, can you give this to Hikigaya? He accidentally gave this homework to me that was supposed to be for his other subject." Sensei approached me and I nodded obediently as I stood up. Knowing how fast he walks; I have to make haste to catch up to him. Goodness, and here I was about to enjoy some peace and quiet while eating my lunch in the classroom...

A few moments later, I saw his figure walking towards the faculty room and a few times some students greeted him, and he courteously greeted them back in return. Though after passing them by, he would scratch his head, almost as if he was wondering who those people were. But since it is him we are talking about, that's probably that case.

I remember meeting him here at school before classes started, and even though we were acquainted before that time, he had momentarily forgotten who I was. At first I was appalled, but then I saw that he wasn't lying.

"Did you need something?" He said when I finally caught his attention just before he could open the door to the faculty room. Goodness, how rude. Sometimes he's stiffly polite, and then the next second he's outright rude to me.

"I see your illness took away your ability to properly greet people with the respect they deserve," I say in exasperation.

"Well, you're not wrong, to say the least." He yawned while covering his mouth and shrugged "Good morning. That was rude of me. My apologies."

"Good morning. Sensei told me to give this to you. He said that it was for your other subject." I hand him the papers with both hands. There were quite a few since the number of homework and projects that we received increased these past few days.

He blinked twice and cocked his head to the side when he received them, and then gave out an "Ah." After flipping several pages or so.

"Hoh, so that's where these went. My thanks." He muttered and one of the papers fell to the ground. I knelt down and retrieved it, when I flipped it over, I was surprised at what I saw.

It was a drawing, a beautiful one at that. The figure was a female with long black hair and black thigh-high stockings wearing a standard Japanese-style school uniform. From the amount of detail in this work of art, one can say without a doubt that the creator of this had a clear vision in mind and was skilled. She crossed her legs while eating peacefully under the shade of a tree. Using her left hand, she tucked several strands of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes were also covered by her bangs. Whether this was deliberate, or the creator had too little time to focus on the eyes, I could not tell. Though the point-of-view of the drawing was strange, since much of the girl's thighs were visible to the viewer.

"This is quite impressive. Did you make this?" I say when I gave it back to him.

"Y-Yes." He replied with wide eyes and a light blush on his pale cheeks and quickly took the paper.

Wait.

Did he just...?

Did he just stutter?

The most stoic, serious and uptight person I know in school, who is both widely feared and respected is flustered?

He cleared his throat, and the rosy tinge on his face disappeared a second later. "Anyway, thank you." I was impressed by how he quickly regained his composure, almost like he practices this every morning in front of a mirror in his room.

"Would you care to join me for lunch?" I say with the main reason why I'm doing this is to interrogate-I mean, ask him on the cause of his absence. When it comes to things like these, I was always the curious type, and I believe he will not mind if I ask him a question or two.

"Sorry, I'm eating with someone after this." He discreetly looked at his Rolex watch and tapped his foot. Whether he did that subconsciously or not, I read the message loud and clear.

"I see, some other time then, perhaps."

"Perhaps." With that, he bade me farewell and closed the door behind him, leaving me alone in front of the door.

Haaahh

haaah

huuuufff

Good grief, these stairs are seriously going to kill me. Looks like my Doctor was right, it will take a long while before I return to the peak of my original physical performance... Even the short flight of stairs earlier made me stop to catch my breath, with the destination I have in mind, I'll surely get even more tired. After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the top and opened that door that was in front of me and I was momentarily blinded by the sunlight.

Good grief, I don't want to collapse on a flight of stairs.

Breathing in the air and looking around, I confirmed that I was in fact alone. Ah, being by yourself is truly the best feeling in the world. Nothing beats eating peacefully under the shade on the roof of your school building. With my new and bigger lunch box in hand, I sat down on the floor where there was shade and opened it to see its contents.

I was forbidden from doing many things, like cleaning the house, riding my bike, walking to school, cooking, washing my clothes, exercising, lifting anything heavy and other trivial stuff. Anything that might require me to exert physical effort to a certain extent. My parents made this clear after the day I got a check-up at the hospital, they even threatened to take away my debit card what the heck. It's not like I'm gonna die if I lift a kilogram or two. It was also during that day that I had seen her of all people .

I would prefer not to talk about it.

Anyway, the food I had was a mess of vegetables, rice and slices of premium beef that my Mother made this morning. I have no qualms with my Mother's cooking, just her arrangement in my bento got me triggered and my instinct to organize it before eating kicked in. I owe my Mother and Komachi a lot since they were the ones who took care of me. Komachi especially would sleep in my room to keep me company and check my temperature. She said that I was extra touchy-feely when I was sick, but I don't remember doing anything touchy-feely to her. My memories of the days that I was bedridden were blurry, to say the least.

The early spring weather is quite pleasant, a gentle breeze softly caressed my skin like how an ara ara Onee-san would pat her little brother's head. Ah, I wish I had an ara ara Onee-san to spoil me rotten, just like how I spoiled Komachi when she was little. Wait, I spoil her even until now...

"That's nice and all but weren't you eating with someone today? Yukinoshita invited you to lunch earlier, but you declined. "

Ah, the person that I'm eating with today, is...well myself. Don't judge me if I want to eat by myself, what's wrong with that? And I didn't lie, I am eating with someone. There are innumerable entities within this vessel. Knowledge contained and stored over the millennium of reincarnation, and soul-splitting, wherein a single soul splits and inhibits the body of two separate people, and then centuries or so later, returning as one along with the memories and knowledge they acquired. In my previous life, I was a simple fisherman from Kagoshima, the one before that, I was an artisan, an engineer, a slaver, a merchant, a mercenary, a teacher, a wife of a powerful Lord, an admiral, a treasure hunter, a rebel. So many lifetimes from different eras and places around the world. I dunno, I just made that up right now.

"That's an interesting idea for a Light Novel, to be honest. "

Ugh, looking back, she saw my drawing. That was super embarrassing. The one that I based my final output on the drawing I made a few days ago, this time I added a more detailed scenery and a vibrant background. The colouring was a pain in the ass though. The reason why it was embarrassing for me, was because I made the girl on what I imagined how I would look like if I was one. Added to the fact that that the image was also based on the covers of my ecchi manga...If she discovered the reason, I know she'll make a conceited look on her face, while her eyes are slightly shadowed, with only the reflection of her pupils visible and say:

" So, you visualized yourself as a female and drew it for homework for our Arts Class? How disgustingly cute."

I'm already feeling the chills running down my spine. Even I would die of embarrassment if someone, especially her, said that to my face.

"HIKIGAYA-KUUUUUUNNN~~!"

Aww, here we go again.

After having the wind literally knocked out of me, Shiromeguri-senpai's arms wrapped around me like a Boa Constrictor squeezing the life out of their prey. Wait, am I the prey? Am I about to be devoured by my Onee-san figure? Well, I can't necessarily say that that's a bad way to go. So, please carry on Senpai, violently squeeze the life out of me and free me from my fleshy prison. You know, aside from the bone-crushing force that's being applied to my ribs, I can also feel something else that's pushing into my chest.

"It's good to see you too Shiromeguri-senpai," I say.

"Yup! Good to see that you're back! I missed my kouhai! It feels weird having lunch with Tatsumi-san without you during the weekends." She let go and patted my head. Oh yes, I missed her head pats. Being so close to the source of the Fluffy and Bubbly aura, I greatly felt its effects and my mood started to lighten up.

After classes ended, I went straight to the Student Council Office to see if Shiromeguri-senpai or the other members still has some work for me to do, if some teachers left homework and projects for me to do while I was absent. I was going through my "corner" when the door opened, and Shiromeguri-senpai suddenly assaulted me.

With both of her hands, Shiromeguri-senpai grabbed both of my cheeks, not my ass cheeks mind you, and started feeling and moving them around.

"Senpowai whoat are yuo dooinnge?" I managed to mumble out.

"Nothing, I just felt like pinching your cheeks since they don't look deathly thin anymore. Well, you are still quite scrawny, but you get it." She said and continued. Uwah, that was a thinly-veiled insult, was it? Even Kei-chan isn't exempt from making comments like that. I remember her saying that I looked like an "Extra pale vampire that hasn't sucked blood in a bazillion years." Good grief, even little kids are making fun of me.

"Ok!" she said and put her hands on her hips with a satisfied look on her face, "What does my recently-brought-back-to-life kouhai need that he came here today?"

"I was wondering if the teachers or the Principal left something for me to do," I reply.

"Nope! We already did your workload while you were gone."

"Oh, I see. Sorry for being a burden." I scratched my head and apologized. Huh, is this the guilty feeling that corporate slaves feel when one of their co-workers do overtime in their stead?

"Don't be silly, we're all in the same boat, Hikigaya-kun. Anyway, how are you feeling and do you mind telling me what happened these past two weeks?" She asked. Shiromeguri-senpai is one of the very few people that I trust, and someone that I look up to and call...well...a friend, so I did not hesitate in telling her all that had transpired and answered all of her questions, the talk went on for quite a while.

"Aww, that's so cute. Hikigaya finally called someone a friend. "

*Wipes tear from eye*

S-Shut up!

"Hooh, and how did Tatsumi-sensei react?" She asked. Shiromeguri-senpai had quit the Taekwondo after around four weeks since she can't balance everything all at once, her exact words were "There's too much food on my plate and I can't eat all of it.". Being a 2nd year, as well being the President of the Student Council can really fill your daily schedule. Not to mention having two part-time jobs on the weekends and some days on the weekdays...

"She said that she feels guilty, even when she saw the signs of my Anemia, and dropped hints here and there. In the end, I was the one at fault since I'm stubborn, or maybe I didn't understand what the underlying meaning in her words was." I say and shrugged.

"Umu, you should always listen to what others have to say, especially to your elders, Hikigaya-kun!" she said and lightly smacked my head.

"Yes, Senpai..." I just bowed and accepted defeat since she was right.

"That's better. Now, what about your medication? Don't forget to take them on time, and you have to eat a lot before taking them since some of them are pretty strong, ok? Otherwise, you'll hurt your tummy." Shiromeguri-senpai said and waddled her finger around, like a mother explaining something to her child.

"Yes, Senpai..."

"Sooooo when are you allowed to go back to our part-time job?" She asked.

"I'm not very sure myself. Unless my parents approve it, I'm still banned from working and doing anything that puts my body into too much stress."

"Hmm, ok. Oh, we have already finalized the all the paperwork for the field trip, we already have the tickets, and the campsite is already booked and is waiting for our arrival next week. Me and the others already went ahead to inspect the area, together with the Principal and some teachers, and they gave green light."

"Ah, is that so..." I had completely forgotten about the field trip event; it didn't cross my mind once. Perhaps that was the nagging feeling behind my head that I would think about often...

"Senpai, if I still feel unwell next week, I would like to be excused from this event," I say. I still remember that day that I played Tennis with Miura-san when I fainted right after the game. I woke up to her slapping me with a panicked and very worried-looking face. After I woke up and got a hold of myself, we went to the nearby convenience store to buy some water since I badly needed it that time. She even went so far as to offer to walk me home, to which I vehemently declined. Good grief, my pride as a man would NOT allow it, it should be escorting her home instead of the other way around! Well, Miura-san has a pretty strong personality, so I doubt there would be any need for me to escort her abode.

Anyway, my point is that if I stress out my body with too much physical labour, I might pass out in an ungraceful manner. It was good that a kind soul like Miura-san was kind enough to wait for me and wake me up, but what if my classmates would just leave me on the ground and poke my dying form with a stick? Good grief, the Ice Queen might even sit on a chair in front of me, cross her legs and demand me to lick her shoe if I desired her assistance. It would be bad if I passed out in the middle of chopping wood, and I hit my head on a rock and I would die due to internal bleeding.

Or if I suddenly feel faint while swimming, and then I drown. Well, that's assuming that the place had a pool or a river...

Or if I trip while hiking, which would cause me to fall down the mountainside and break a dozen bones on my body.

Or if I -

"OK HIKIGAYA WE GET IT STOP WITH THE DEATH FLAGS YOU'RE MAKING US UNCOMFORTABLE! "

My apologies if my paranoia is off the charts.

"Ah, that's understandable. That's why you should get well as fast as possible! Oh yes, I almost forgot. We received a letter of invitation from the Association of Schools in Chiba. "She said and handed me an envelope that contained the said letter inside. "It's a- "What she was going to say was cut short when my phone rang, causing me to quickly retrieve it and see who it was. When I saw that it was from my Father, I turned to Shiromeguri-senpai and said, "I'm sorry, Senpai, it's from my Father.", to which she nodded and shooed me away outside the room to give me some privacy. Thankfully, there were very few students around.

"Hachiman, I'm outside your school to pick you up." I heard my Father's voice from the other end of the line. Ah, I forgot that I was to be picked up from now on...

"Sorry, I'm going there right away," I say and ended the call.

When I went back inside the room, Shiromeguri-senpai was already in front of the computer with a notebook in hand, her eyes darting to the screen and page respectively. "Senpai, my Father is here to pick me up," I say and pick up my bag.

"Ah, so soon? I wanted to talk some more."

"What's inside the letter about anyway?" I ask just before I was about to turn the handle of the door and leave.

"It's a surprise~! Open it yourself and see~!" She said in a sing-a-song voice.

"Well, see you tomorrow then Hikigaya-kun~!" She smiled and waved at me, and I returned one of my own out of courtesy.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." I closed the door behind me and started walking to my destination. Even though walking down the stairs is easier compared to walking up, I still had the occasional shallow breathing or two. I finally reached exited the building and my Father's pitch-black car was soon within my sights, and him standing and leaning on the door while talking to someone on the phone. He wore his usual corporate suit, but his hair was slightly untidy and his eyes looked tired.

"-ick up Komachi after Hachiman, yes I'm outside his school and- oh, he's here already, ok, I'll see you tonight." My Father ended the call and put it back in his pocket.

"Mother?"

He nodded and opened the door for me, to which I went inside bag first and sat beside the driver's seat. But not before I heard the voices of a group of students nearby who were most likely waiting for their other companions to arrive. From the corner of my eye, I confirmed that they were all females, going to hang out after school in the mall or something. Typical riajuu behaviour.

" Isn't he the big fish who's the Head of the Committee something?" One of them asked.

" It's the Disciplinary Committee, you idiot." Another replied, sounding harsh, but it's clear that she meant no harm.

" Yeah, that's one expensive-looking car though hot damn."

" I didn't know that you were a car-guy, I mean car-girl, Junko." This one said in a curious tone

" Hey don't blame me, my older brothers and my Dad always talk about that stuff."

" Yep, that's him, the one who topped the entrance exams and all the exams that followed to date."

I sighed and closed my eyes, continuing to listen to what they're saying would only cause my current headache to worsen. Good grief, sometimes having enhanced senses thanks to my STAND: [ 108 LONER SKILLS ], can be such a pain. You tend to hear things that you would rather not hear.

*Hikigaya, your chunni-ness is showing. *

Silence mongrel.

"Your Mother is at the supermarket right now; do you want anything in particular?" My Father asked as he turned on the engine of the car.

"Hmm, some grapes would be nice," I said and he nodded and texted my request to my Mother. I remembered the letter the Senpai gave me and I retrieved it from my bag. Turning it around, it had the official seal of the local government.

Huh, I wonder what this is...?

Here's the new chapter my dudes and dudettes.

Can't think of anything worthy to put here...

So...yeah.

Please enjoy this and look forward to the next chapter!

21

School camping activities are such a hassle. So many things to prepare and take into consideration. Even more so if you are a Class Rep, and EVEN MORE as a member of the Student Council. Reports, memos, notices, letters, waivers and other paperwork that makes my headache. Had I known the amount of work to be done was this large, I would have declined Shiromeguri-senpai's offer for the vacant seat in the Student Council last year. But I did not want to disappoint Shiromeguri-senpai and my parents, so I just accepted the offer.

I had to temporarily surrender my position as Class Rep to Yukinoshita since we had extra work to be done in the Student Council with the graduation of the Third-Years are only a few weeks away. She said that she didn't need help since she can do it alone, her strength was admirable, to say the least. I voiced my concern, of course, saying that the burden might be too much for her to bear, but she just frowned and said "You underestimate me, Hikigaya-kun." and walked away. Uwaahhh, that was so typical of her, and I nearly called her out and spit venom, but I figured that was too petty of me. Well, if the workload becomes too much for her, at least I'll get the satisfaction of saying "I told you so." to her.

"Hachiman, what are you thinking about? You look deep in thought." My Father's voice broke the silence inside the car.

"Nothing much," I say and returned my attention to the quickly passing scenery on my left. We had left Tokyo an hour and a half ago. The tall skyscrapers still imposing from this distance, and we can see smog that huddled around the city like a winter jacket. The highway that we're on right now led to the Shizuoka Prefecture, and it's my first time here. If I open the top window of the car, I'm sure I can see Fuji-san once I take a good look around. But that is too dangerous since we're travelling at 95 kp/h.

To my parent's insistence, I was to be dropped off by my Father at the site instead of taking the bus like everyone else. I wanted to ride with my class on the bus, but a stern look from my Mother made me gulp down any complaints that I would throw at them. My Father was kind enough to take time from his busy hectic schedule to drop me off.

Following the navigation system installed in the car, we turned to a forested area, and after several minutes, came into a clearing with a few cars parked and the main building where the employees entertained the guests. We parked, and I immediately got out and retrieved my bag that contained all the necessary things that I would need for the duration of our stay here. Of course, I brought Vita-chan with me, and a small pocketbook about philosophy that I bought from the 2nd hand bookstore a few days ago.

"You have everything with you?" My Father asked as I was checking my belongings to make sure I didn't leave anything important.

"I think so," I say as I lifted the bag to my shoulder.

"Ok. Have fun and be careful out there. Remember not to do anything that might stress you out."

"Haiiiiii..."

"Well, I'll see you in a few days since I'll be gone."

With that, I bade my Father farewell and watched him drive out of the clearing and back to the road that would lead him to the highway.

Upon closer inspection, I saw my fellow First Years grouped a small distance away with their respective class advisers and class reps in front of them. I quickly walked to them, eager to get to the shade as fast as possible.

"Hikigaya-kun! Thank goodness you're here. Please be a dear and make a headcount of all the First Year classes, ok~?" Shiromeguri-senpai jumped at me from out of nowhere, handed me a paper pad holder, and then ran off to where the teachers were. Good grief, I didn't even have time to get my bearings, and there is already work to be done. I went to where my class was, and sure enough, Yukinoshita was there in front waiting for further instructions from the teachers.

To get her attention, and also to annoy her, I used the pad holder that Shiromeguri-senpai gave me to lightly hit the unaware Yukinoshita on the head. She was startled and turned to see who was daring enough to hit the Ice Queen on the head.

Of course, only I, The Monotonous King, or Hachiman The Unfeeling, has the balls to do that.

"Don't do that." She said and leered threateningly at me.

"So what's happening right now?" I dismissed her hostility and crossed my arms around my chest, looking at the different faces of our class lined up. She narrowed her eyes at me one last time and sighed in exasperation.

"Everything is going smoothly so far; we're just waiting for the last bus that is carrying some of the latecomers."

"I thought you weren't coming since you didn't ride on the bus with us...?" She asked with a questioning tone. Well, that reaction is expected, since I did not tell anyone after the final orientation yesterday that I would be coming here in my Father's car...

I just shrugged at her and she gave me a deadpan look. "Have you checked the class inventory? About the food ingredients for the following days?" I asked.

"Yes."

I nodded at her and returned my attention to the pad that I held. I then began walking around the lines of our class doing a headcount on everyone, and only four were unaccounted for. They all had excited looks on their faces with their backpacks and sling bags and other necessities needed for a typical camping trip. Most of the girls looked pretty bored, many of them complaining about everything and taking photos of themselves. The guys on the other hand were restless and eager to move on to the next phase instead of just standing around here.

After doing the headcount of my class, I went to the other First Year classes and told their respective Class Reps to do the headcount and report to me after fifteen minutes. I watched with satisfaction as they diligently followed what I said and hurried back to their lines. Ah, it feels good to be the one ordering around. I won't deny that being a member of the Student Council has its perks. Go my workers, work for the hive with all you have, for I am your Quee-, I mean, King!

When I came back to my class, the teachers were about to start giving instructions, to which everyone listened very closely. Since I had already read the list of activities today and for the next two days, I went through the list of our inventory and equipment. I felt someone poke my shoulder, "Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita's cold voice reached my ears and I turned my head to her.

Wordlessly, she motioned with her eyes to look behind me, which I did, and saw a lady wearing sunglasses and a camouflage cap waving in our general direction. She wore ripped jeans and a simple black t-shirt, but even if she's wearing a red evening gown or a potato sack, I know who that person is. What a good older sister, looking out for her somewhat cold imotou and all.

"Oh, she's here," I say in a dull tone as I observed her older sister from afar. It seems she spotted me and the frequency of her waving has increased tenfold. What does she want with me? The last time I saw her was...when they gave me a ride right after that tiresome school event if memory serves right.

"Yes, it seems that she wants to speak to you." She said as she viewed her elder sister with the same nonchalant dull look that I have on right now.

"Hm, any idea about what, exactly?"

She rolled her eyes in a very unYukinoshita-like fashion and said, "Goodness, why don't you just go to talk to her and find out yourself?"

"Will do Ma'am." I started walking to where Haruno-san was staying, right under the shade of a tree right on the edge of the parking area. The closer I got, the more her smile grew. She didn't carry a bag or anything, I'm assuming that their car is somewhere parked here, waiting for her to depart from the area. But still, she has way too much time coming here.

"Yosh, Hikigaya-kun! You're looking well-dressed today." She said and placed her hands on her hips.

"Good Morning Haruno -nee-san. Thank you, though I don't feel well-dressed at all."I replied, causing her smile to grow even wider. I was just wearing a simple white buttoned polo shirt and light brown shorts and sandals. Without socks, by the way. Sandals with socks look funny, especially when western tourists wear them.

"Hmm!" She said and sat down on the base of the tree, she looked up at me and patted the ground beside her. I quietly sighed and did what she bade me do. I sat down and a small distance away from her, the grass was also dry, which was a relief. She didn't say anything and just continued staring off into space.

"So, is there any particular reason why you called me?" I say after a minute or two of silence. A calm breeze washed over us, and a few leaves fell from the tree above us. When I looked above, I locked eyes with a small bird, its beady eyes looking at me and cocked its head, as if curious of our presence.

"Yes, I have a favour to ask you." She replied.

"Hmm..."

She turned to me, and from the corner of my eye, she had a worried look on her face and a troubled smile.

"I know it's a rather tall order, but would you...take care of Yukino-chan?" she said.

Goodness, I thought it was something serious, not something as trivial as this.

"Of course I'll take care of her," I say too quickly.

My reply caught her by surprise and caused her eyes to widen and her mouth to form into an "O".

"Sorry, let me rephrase that. "I'll take care of everyone in my class." was what I meant." I waved my hand and apologized. I should have worded it better. "If something bad happened to one of them, which I pray doesn't happen, the Principal would have our heads. Plus, it would make me look bad. I mean, as the only class that has a class rep that is also a member of the Student Council, I have to be extra careful since many of the teacher's eyes are on me. Not to mention that I have to keep a close eye on the other classes and make sure that no one is fooling around." I say.

She pouted while slowly nodding and having a look of understanding, which looked quite funny and out-of-place. "Looks like the teachers have high expectations of you." She said and I couldn't help but agree. I feel like I gave out too much information, which is something I never do. But I think Haruno-san is a good person. I mean, she did give me a ride the last time we met, and she always treated me like a kouhai and, to her self-proclamation, a little brother. I call her Nee-san but there is no depth to what I say, I just go along with whatever she says so she'll stop bothering me.

"Yukino-chan is looking forward to this, she was more vocal to Mother on her reasons for coming." She said.

"..." I say nothing, and instead reflect on her words and the deeper meaning behind them.

Haruno-san just confirmed my suspicions about their family. As one of the prominent families here in Chiba, it would make sense for their parents to be extra strict on their children, especially when they were daughters. Yukinoshita was sheltered, and even though her intelligence is unquestionable, there were some very basic things that she didn't know and things that she can't relate to. Being bad at directions from always travelling in their family car with her driver, her unfamiliarity with those cheap street foods and her inability to properly connect with people. And with what she just said, it would mean that their Mother is strict and does not easily allow her daughters to do whatever they want.

Typical rich people problems, I guess.

"Just...keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do anything that might hurt herself." She said.

"She's a Class Rep and ranked 2nd in our Year's rankings, I'm confident that she won't need my help. It's almost like you're saying that she's the clumsy type." I say back, though at the back of my mind I was annoyed at the thought of babysitting Yukinoshita during our stay here. I already have a full plate and I have no intention of biting off more than I can chew, thank you very much. And I don't want to add babysitting a spoiled holier-than-thou Ojou-sama to my to-do list.

Wait...the last part came out wrong...

"And who do you think is preventing her from being ranked 1st?" She said with feigned ignorance with an innocent smile at me.

"Oh please, she'll have to try harder if she wants to be ranked 1st," I say while rolling my eyes, my voice dripping with pride and arrogance. I would always tease Yukinoshita about being ranked 2nd, and her reaction is always predictable and the same. Her left eyes would twitch, while she tried her best on maintaining her calm and composed smile while verbally attacking my eyes and appearance.

She laughed light-heartedly at my words with no malice hiding behind them. Just, a refreshing laugh.

After that, Haruno-san started talking about the recent happening in her college life. Just hearing her complain and whine about her subjects, homework, projects and additional extra-curricular activities. She said that her favourite subjects were those related to business. No surprise since her father is a businessman and part of the local Diet, after all, it wouldn't be a surprise if, after graduation, she would follow her Father's footsteps and one day replace him in their company.

"Oh yeah, I heard that you got sick the other week." She turned to me with a look that said "Tell me more, I'm curious."

"It was nothing, just mild anaemia," I say.

"What?! Anaemia is not a joke, Hikigaya-kun! It's a condition, that if not treated earlier and properly, can become a serious concern in the future." She exclaimed.

"Yes, I know all of that. But I'm fine now." I dismissed her concerns with a wave of her hand, but she still didn't look convinced. After sighing to herself in resignation, she added, "Well, if that's what you say...".

"So!" Haruno-san exclaimed as she clapped her hands to get my attention "Do you accept my request?" She said and turned at me with an expectant look.

"Ugh, that's part of my responsibility now..." I say as I held my temples, saying something, again and again, is bad for my head. Not to mention that it's starting to get irritating.

"Hehe, I'll take that as a yes then~." Haruno-san chimed with a satisfied smile on her face. "Don't worry Hikigaya-kun, I'll make sure to return the favour. You never know that having me indebted to you might come in handy in the future, you know~?"

"Wait..." I say since something that she said bugged me, "how did you hear about my condition?" I asked.

"Ah, well our Fathers have a mutual friend that had her birthday last week, and since Yukino-chan didn't want to go, I went there in her stead. I...ugh... heard, about it when the two of them were talking. Hehehe..." She had a mischievous laugh and her reply surprised me.

"And by heard, you mean to eavesdrop, am I right?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Haruno-san wink at me and laugh, and I just shrugged and watched as the final bus arrived.

"You know, you should close your eyes at the last second when chopping wood. What if a sharp splinter flies right to your eyes?" I say as I watched a small group of First Years chopping firewood in front of me. Their reaction was immediate, wide eyes with an utterly horrified expression on their faces, as their minds began processing a detailed image of what I just said.

"H-Hey! Not cool!" Hearing their complaints caused a sadistic smile to form on my face. As I snickered at myself and walked away from them, the smell of something burnt from overcooking made me stop in my tracks. I located the source to one of the small grilling stations nearby and saw a lone figure helplessly looking at the charred remains of her would-be lunch. Feeling bored since I have nothing else to do, and also because it was someone that I knew, I walked to where she was cooking.

Yuigahama-san looked pitiful; she turned the overcooked food over to see if all of it was charred. Unfortunately for her, it was. Looking around as I approached her, she was alone, and a small tray of raw meat was right beside the grill. She also wore an apron around herself with a cartoon character at the front. Her peach-coloured hair was also neatly in place with a headband. Was she experimenting all on her own...?

"So, this is where the burnt smell came from..." I say when I was within earshot. She quipped when she heard my voice and gave me a troubled smile.

"Oh, hello Hikigaya-kun..." She said as she scratched her head.

"Hmm, where is the rest of your class?" I asked.

"Oh, they're unpacking their things in the lodges. The boys went to the woods, while most of the girls went back to the lodges since they're still a bit stressed from the bus." True, I did see a small group of boys run to the woods before I could call out to them. I'll have to tell their Class Rep to be more watchful later...

I nodded at her and proceeded to inspect the black fruits of her labour. "Ugh, what had these poor chickens done for you to burn them this badly...?" I say after confirming that they are, "Fucked up beyond recognition.".

Please do pardon my language.

"I know, I messed up..." She said in a crestfallen tone and sulked, I can already see the dark violet lines that show whenever a character in a manga or anime would feel sad or depressed.

Seeing a pink spare apron near the benches, I wordlessly went to it and wore it around myself. The cartoon character that I had on me was a brown bear. Yuigahama-san looked at me with a curious expression, and when she understood what I was doing, she looked elated and stood straighter.

"I'll show you how it's done," I say as I tied the loose cloth behind my back. Hmm, that sounded a little too arrogant, for my taste...

"If you'll have me, of course," I added.

"Please teach me, Sensei!" She perked at my words with a grateful look.

"The first thing you need to do is to know what you're dealing with," I say as I handled the raw meat that was laid in front of me.

"Fish is the most delicate, followed by chicken, pork and beef. The last two are interchangeable depending on the cut. Before putting them on the grill, you have to know how much heat you're giving them on each side." I took a piece of beef with my hand and slowly put it on the grill.

"Let's start with beef first. Since this is a thin strip of meat, it cooks faster than, let's say, a medium-sized slab of pork. That also depends on the intensity of the heat. " The beef was slowly cooking, and I turned it to cook the top side.

"See? That didn't take too long." After a few moments, the beef was edible, and I put it on a clean plate that Yuigahama-san was kind enough to provide.

All this time, her eyes were glued to the grill, focused and absorbing everything that I was saying to her. Whenever I said anything, she would vigorously nod her head. She tried touching the chicken earlier, but I swatted her hand away and told her that she should wash her hands first, as is customary when cooking anything. She quickly washed her hands and went back to my side in a flash.

"Ok, now you try." I hand her the tongs and her delicate fingers brushed against mine, I then stepped back to give her some space.

I lightly tapped her shoulder. "You're too close to the fire, step back a bit. A sudden ember might startle you." She silently complied with what I bid her to do. Since I judged that she was doing fine so far, I went to where the ingredients were and started marinating the meat with the condiments that were there. Soy sauce, barbecue seasoning, pepper, salt and lemon were all they had, so I mixed them all in different amounts and put them in plastic Tupperware.

"What are you doing, Hikigaya-kun?" Yuigahama-san's asked as she leaned down to see what I'm doing.

"I did the liberty of marinating the remaining meat for you. You store these for a few hours for the condiments to soak into the meat. This will be ready just in time for dinner time tonight." I say. When I was younger. the first thing that I learned to do in the kitchen was marinating meat. Since my parents come home late, I just warm whatever leftover food there was in the fridge. Komachi was still very small at that time, so obviously she can't help me in any way. I would prepare and marinate the meat that they bought at night, so they can cook it in the early morning before going to work. Thanks to being exposed to that at an early age, I know my way around spices, sauces and basic culinary knowledge attributed to making your food tastier.

"Oh, you didn't have to go that far..." Yuigahama-san said and went back to check the meat.

"Nonsense, I did this because I wanted to." I closed the lid on the last container and stood up from the bench to wash my hands. I stopped to see how her cooking was going, and I grunted to myself in satisfaction when I saw that she already made a fresh batch on the table. "Ha! This was easier than I thought!" she exclaimed and laughed to herself with her chest out and her hands on her hips. Celebrating a trivial victory too early will always end up badly...

After I dried my hands, I went back to her to find her sitting down on the bench waiting for me to try the food that she cooked. Goodness, what a cocky grin that you have, Yuigahama-san, it would be a shame if, by pure chance, the meat that you grilled tasted out of the ordinary...

"Fufufu, I'm done!" She said when I sat down on the other side of the table in front of her.

"Hmm...they look good..." I comment to fuel her ego, and her immediate reaction was as expected, being more full of herself and laughing with her chest out. Yuigahama-san, if you keep laughing like that, I fear that your melons might break free from their bonds, hit me in the face with the energy of a thousand Tzar Bomba's, causing me to break my neck and die. I noticed that the meat was shiny, which was not unusual if you dipped it in sauces or cooking oil before grilling it. Even though without those two, the meat's natural oil will always come out when exposed to high temperatures. Although, there's something strange about it, and I can't explain why...

"Well, I'll go first..." I say as I picked up a strip of beef with my bare hands. It felt crispy, and I moved it towards my mouth to take a bite out of it.

I had to blink twice and have a moment to process what I just tasted while Yuigahama-san looked at me with an expectant expression, eager for me to praise and commend her food. I slowly chewed the food in my mouth, making sure that what I am tasting right now is definitely what I'm thinking it is. "Yui...gahama-san..." I finally say after managing to collect my consciousness since the moment I took the food into my mouth, my mind blew in all directions.

"Hmm?"

"What did you put in this...?" I said with a straight face and forcefully swallowed what I just ate and put down the remaining food that I had in my hand.

"Salt!" She exclaimed and reached out to where the ingredients were and grabbed the "salt" dispenser. I slowly nodded to her and took it from her hand. Wordlessly, I opened the lid and examined its contents.

"Are you sure that this is salt?" I asked her.

"Of course!"

"I see, why don't you eat it then?" Yuigahama-san nodded at me and proceeded to bite into the piece that had been idle on her hand. After a second of chewing, her face exploded into shock and disgust, and she almost spits the food out to my face.

"BLEH! WHAT'S THIS?!"

"It's sugar, you mistook it for salt." To prove my point, I handed her the small container which contained the " salt", AKA sugar, so she can see it for herself. I watched her reach into it with her finger and taste it. After confirming that what I just said was true, she made a look of disdain and put her head on the table, disappointed at herself again. Huh, looks like I was right when I said that celebrating too early is just asking for karma to kick you in the balls. Well, she's a girl, and she doesn't have ba-, ah, never mind...

"Don't feel too bad, everyone makes mistakes..." I say as I try to cheer her up. I don't like watching depressed people flail and complain about how the world is unfair, it reminds me of my middle-school days, which in turn, causes me to cringe when I think about the cringy stuff I did back then.

"I'm so bad at this, even my Mom doesn't let me near the kitchen at home..." She said to herself and started mumbling incoherent words. Since I did not know what to do in this situation, I just nodded at her words and looked at the depressed peach-coloured girl in front of me with a mixture of disinterest, contempt and confusion. Sighing to myself, and blaming my onii-chan instincts that have just resurfaced, I reached out my hand to her unmoving form to pat her head in an attempt to uplift her spirits, but I stopped at the last second since touching someone to comfort them is very out-of-character for me. I mean, we're not even friends, and the only person that I can do this to is my dearest little sister. Yuigahama-san might even call me a molester. Instead, I cleared my throat to get her attention, and she looked up at me with those sad-looking brown eyes of hers.

"This isn't a waste though," I say which caused her to tilt her head, and I saw a small spark of hope in her eyes. Seeing that I finally got her attention, I continued, "Since the sweetness stands out too much, you can't eat this as a single dish, but you can use this as an ingredient for another. Mixing this with curry should do the job just fine, the sweetness should be absorbed by the curry, but would not be noticeable. As for the meat, you can just add this to the overall dish as an extra ingredient."

Yuigahama-san sat straight up so fast that it startled me, and I can see the stars in her eyes. "Wow, I didn't know you can do that! I think one of my classmates brought curry to the class!" She reached into one of the grocery bags nearby and fished out a box of curry mix and gave it to me. I'm more impressed how she got that from the bag without looking. Maybe it's a skill that all females are innately born with? PREDICTIVE EQUIPMENT LVL 10 EX .

On the other hand, what? Bringing curry to a camping trip? You know, now that I think about it, it's kind of odd to bring curry here in the first place. Like, who does that? Seriously?

"This will do," I say and gave it back to her. "I'm sure you don't need my help in making that later, at least one or two of your classmates must know how to cook this," I added. Just thinking that Yuigahama-san will cook this alone makes me nervous and anxious. What secret ingredient will she add next? Tune in on the next episode of Yuigahama Yui's Bizarre Adventure: Culinary Storm!

"You're surprisingly good at this, Hikigaya-kun," Yuigahama-san said while she rested her chin on her hand and faced me. The way her eyes looked was unnerving like I was at a job interview or something.

"Haaah? Do you think that just because I'm a guy I don't know my way around the kitchen? Goodness, Yuigahama-san, I did not expect you to be very discriminatory towards the opposite sex. " I asked her with a challenging tone as I arched an eyebrow at her. She shrunk from my gaze and started frantically flailing her hands around, all the while failing to explain herself. Oh no, I must have looked and sounded like a stereotypical high-school delinquent. I mean, there was a time that three delinquent types were walking towards me on the road. I just finished my part-time job and heading to my Mother's cafe, so it was already evening back then. They were the full package, dyed hair, red contact lenses, ripped jeans and a leather jacket while walking slightly hunched and giving everyone around them a good leer or two. They didn't break eye contact with me and I kept my disinterested gaze at them. When we were near enough, they grinned and nodded at me, and I did the courtesy of nodding at them in return. The other pedestrians started to be wary of me and kept their distance. In the end, I had my own space to myself with a radius of about 1.5 meters.

Am I part of them now...?

"Hey, I'm not mad or anything," I tell her, and she immediately calmed down and had a look of relief. I heard footsteps from afar, and also female voices. Maybe a group of three or four female riajuus chatting away without a care in the world.

"Thanks for helping me out, Hikki! I owe you one!" Ah, she went back to that nickname, I was hoping that she had forgotten about that. Hikki, Hikio, good grief. What's my next nickname? Hikitani, Hikibro, Hikiko or HikiAlter? A sudden chill went up to my spine, and I had the feeling that I accidentally triggered a flag.

Yes, you do owe me one, Yuigahama-san, and I expect you to come to my aid should I need it in the future.

Yuigahama-san thanked me with a wide smile that made my heart skip a beat. O-Oi, stop smiling at me like that please, you're going to make me feel flustered. Even though I am quite resistant to feminine attacks like these, it doesn't mean that they don't deal damage to my A.T. Field. Though I had to personally thank her in my head since she paved a way for me to escape.

I stood quickly, eager to begin my hasty retreat before the pack of female riajuus make spot me. Since their presence alone would tick me off, it would be best if I go before I outwardly show my displeasure to them.

"Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you around."

"You too, Hikki!"

After giving her a polite albeit too-hasty farewell, I started briskly walking away and turn at the corner, at the same moment, I heard the group of girls jog to where Yuigahama-san was at the grill station where there was shade. The topic of their conversation eluded my sense of hearing as the distance between me and them started to widen.

When I went back to my class, everyone looked at me with curious glances, I caught some guys almost burst out in laughter, while the girls would look away and giggle while covering their mouths. Good grief, what's happening this time? Is there something on my face, or it is my face? Is there a prank on me right now? Did they find out that I always pick the childhood friend or the ara ara Onee-san archetype in my visual novels and dating sims? Or worse, have they discovered my browser history, and now know about my kinks and fetishes?

*Calm down Hikigaya, we don't need to know about the last part."

"Hikigaya-kun! There you are, where were you during the mee-" I heard Shiromeguri-senpai's voice and I turned to her. She was wearing hiking shorts that ended below her knee, a white t-shirt that had the words "My Reality." printed in Latin phonetic cursive letters and a cap of the same colour. Shiromeguri-senpai took a good look at me and then burst out laughing at the next moment. Oh great, she's part of this prank too? Is something wrong with what I'm wearing-

When I looked down, I found out that I was still wearing the pink apron that I used in helping Yuigahama-san. The cartoon bear printed at the front even had smudges of food here and there when I used it to clean my hands.

"Ah." Those were the only words that came out of my mouth as I undid the knot that snugly tied the apron to my body, while Shiromeguri-senpai laughed at my silly look.

Evening came following an afternoon full of games and activities. I didn't join in any of them since I was forbidden to do any sports-related activities or anything in particular that can physically stress me out. It would be bad if I faint again, after all. Yukinoshita handled the class well and refused my help during those activities and games, which was a relief. Instead, I just watched everything from afar at a nice spot that I found under the shade of a tree and with the novel that I brought with me, I was quite content being by myself at my spot. The location gave me a wide view of the surroundings, and the chirps from the birds nearby had a calming effect on me. It was around 5:00 pm that my class started preparing dinner. I stood up from my spot and proceeded to walk to where they were preparing the ingredients.

"What is our food for tonight? Is everything ok?" I asked a classmate who was cutting green onions on the chopping board. There were around eleven girls all doing their part in preparing the food, from opening the plastic packages that contained fish, to cutting vegetables into bite-sized pieces and preparing and mixing the miso soup. The way their hands moved around, I can tell that they knew what they were doing. Unlike a certain peachy airhead, I know...

"Oh, Class Rep. Well, Yukinoshita-san decided that we should have fish fillet, some miso soup and steamed vegetables." She replied and stopped what she was doing. I asked them if they needed help with something, and they said that they had everything under control. Seeing that my assistance was not needed all I needed to do right now was to wait for the food to be served.

I went near the small fire a small distance away from where their chairs were positioned around it. The only occupants were two unfamiliar-looking girls talking amongst each other, they spared me a glance and returned to the topic of their conversation.

"I hear that Reina-chan is going to confess tonight!" One said in a whisper, though it doesn't count as one right now since I heard it from around two and a half meters away...Or maybe my sense of hearing levelled up, I don't know.

"What?! Tonight?! I thought she was just messing around?!" The other replied, barely containing her voice.

"To him?"

"Yes! Him!" The girls started shrieking and laughing like maniacs from an insane asylum. Their feet started stomping on the ground out of excitement like cavemen doing a primitive mating ritual to attract a potential mate. I cringed as I observed them from the corner of my eye, I feel my IQ decreasing the more I stay in their AOE.

I sighed to myself and stood up, eager to escape this too-personal conversation which I want to be of no part of. I strongly dislike gossip after all. Gossip was one of the things that ruined my middle school life.

Goodness, even here, I have no solitude.

I headed back to the male-only cabins to charge my phone since it only had 9% power remaining. You can hear the noise from the inside before you even stepped on the porch. The first floor was the common hall, where you can eat your meals and just sit down and talk. Some of the guys were playing on their portable gaming consoles, others were playing board games and a few had their heads plopped on the table. We shared this cabin with the boys from the other class so it comes as no surprise that I saw several unfamiliar faces.

Oh who am I kidding, there were MANY unfamiliar faces.

I went upstairs and nearly bumped into a guy being chased by an angry-looking shirtless fellow. The latter was babbling about someone drawing the male genitalia on his abdomen. When he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, the hall erupted in laughter as they beheld his shirtless form with an out-of-place drawing on his stomach. Good grief, I am surrounded by children.

"Oi, no running on the stairs," I called out to the two that just passed me. They muttered their apologies and the shirtless one finally caught his suspect and was currently strangling him. I arrived at my bed and promptly fell on it in exhaustion. To pass the time, I charged my phone while listening to music. An hour later, I went downstairs to go to the restroom and it was at the same time that two girls were at the door telling us that dinner was ready.

"Hey! No girls allowed! This is the man-cave! Girls are gross!" One of the boys said and those nearest to him agreed to what he said.

"Gross I didn't want to go inside anyway. I bet it smells disgusting and messy in there." They exclaimed while laughing and walked away. Their voices were drowned out by the complaints of the boys inside.

"Shut up! You just can't stand our manliness!" One said and they roared in approval. Not all of them were joining in on the bandwagon. A few watched the events unfold with looks that said "These guys are idiots, but funny idiots." Hayama-san watched his friends do the stupid stunt with a troubled smile, no doubt he didn't want to join in since if he did, it would damage his reputation even though this was just for the laughs with no malicious intent.

To get everyone's attention, I clapped twice and they all turned to me. Since I was still at the stairs, they all had to look up to me.

"Ok, everyone you heard her, let's go eat so we can sleep early," I say with a loud enough voice that reached the entire hall. They acknowledged me with drawn-out "Haaii~~..." and started moving immediately. Like a good shepherd, I herded my flock outside to where we ate on the foldable tables. I saw many familiar faces in the crowd, Hayama-san was there eating with his friends, wanting to eat but every time someone would strike a conversation with him, he had to put down his chopsticks and listen to what they had to say with a strained smile. Sucks to be popular riajuu huh. Miura-san was chatting a bit too loudly with her girlfriends but quieted down when I caught their attention and put a finger to my lips to which she sent me an apologetic smile. Yuigahama-san from the other group was kind enough to drop by and give me a bowl of curry as thanks that they cooked with my advice which I shared with Shiromeguri-senpai and Hiratsuka-sensei. Ebina and Kawasaki were nowhere to be found, they must be in the other group with Yuigahama-san. As for Yukinoshita, she shared a table with some of the girls from our class, though I noticed that she was starting to get irritated at her companions since they spent too much time talking. During the few times that I ate with her, she's just like me. Someone who doesn't like talking while eating. I don't like it since it hurts my jaw.

I ate with Shiromeguri-senpai and the rest of the StuCo, unfortunately, we were missing two members, namely our VP-Sports and Finance who were Third-Years since they were preparing for their exams. With Hiratsuka-sensei's support and Shirmomeguri-senpai's approval, I approached the Principal about a certain issue. I proposed a new seat in the StuCo. Now I am officially part of the Council, but aside from my disciplinary head duties, I am also the head of all committees during school events.

I informed the Principal of the lack of a central figure who sees the concerns of the committees since Shiromeguri-senpai can only handle so much when wherever she looked, someone needed her consent and approval for something. If she knew how to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu, then I'm sure there would be no problems like the aftermentioned.

*Wow Hikigaya, you're moving up the ladder huh?*

I was the one who proposed, but I didn't want to take up the position itself. Our Vice-President, Chisako Mai-senpai was a very capable 2nd year, and usually helped me out whenever Shiromeguri-senpai was absent. She was the one who would always buy snacks whenever we had some extra work to do. On our last meeting with the teachers, she sneaked me a can of Maxx coffee and I will forever be in her debt. Unfortunately, she plans to step down once the current school year ends since she wants to focus on her studies in her Third Year so she refused my proposal. Just like myself, she was appointed to that position by Shiromeguri-senpai. The only position in the StuCo that requires an election chosen by the student body is the President, the rest are appointed by him or her and with the sponsorship and support of the previous StuCo. Instead, Chisako-senpai said that I should merge that new position and the one that I hold right now. It was sound logic, and everyone else agreed to her.

Though I have a feeling that I got tricked...

Since the girls were the ones who cooked, prepared the food and set the plates and utensils, it was only natural the boys would do the dishes, clean the tables, collect the trash and sweep the ground. Everyone in front of me was doing his part, and it was very satisfying watching them do so in an orderly and organized manner. The girls went on ahead to go freshen up in the female-only public bath after they excused themselves. As for me, they politely refused my help, saying that they can do it by themselves and that I should just "Sit back and give out orders."

What the heck, I'm the one giving orders since THEY were the ones who voted for me to be the leader for the entire duration of the camping trip this morning! It's like they're making it sound like I'm oppressing them or something, good grief. I mean, I did say that Hayama-san should be the leader, arguing that he was better suited to it than he was. But a single smile from Prince Riajuu while saying "I think Hikigaya would be the best option, don't you think?" was the last nail to be hammered on my coffin. Tch, damn riajuu, using these commoners to unite against me was a dirty move. Well, using the term "unite against me" is a bit paradoxical since terms like that are used against tyranny and unjust rule, but they're using that same logic against me on the basis that I should rule them, even though I don't want to. This should be a new thing in psychology...

I went on ahead back to the cabins to get my new clothes, eager to take a bath and tuck in for the night.

You were expecting a continuation after the line-break, but it was me, Ivanov117!

Jokes aside here is the new chapter and I quite enjoyed making this. I hope everyone had a good laugh or two while reading, this story has the "comedy" tag after all. If you can name all the references I made wrote here, then kudos to you good Sir/Madame!

If you don't mind spending a minute or two, I'd like y'all to write on the review on who is your favourite girl so far in the story and why. I'm curious to see one who's taking the lead so far lol.

To those saying that there's too much Yukino screentime(word time? idk), ofc she has a considerable place in the story since she's Hachi's classmate after all. And to the one who said that the Hachiman and Komachi scenes are a bit too incesty, yeah...I think you're right...I should lessen those scenes.

So yeah, that's all for now. As always, thank you for reading and please wait for the next chapter!

*Deploys smoke bombs and disappears*

22

Ah, that was a refreshing shower after such a tedious day of doing...

Absolutely nothing

I walked out of the showers with water still dripping from the tips of my hair. I think I should get these trimmed, Mother said that it's getting a bit too messy to look at and I think she's right. I revelled at the cold air that met me outside, smiling to myself since I was the first one to shower, meaning I have more time to sleep tonight. It was quiet as I started walking back, I heard a few laughs here and there and the occasional loud music from the distance that echoed in the night. There were still some people talking on the vacant benches and chairs outside a round table, but there was no one at the fire. When I went inside, they were already preparing to go to the showers so the place was slowly but surely thinning out. I had a sudden urge to get myself a glass of milk, so I went to the fridge and poured myself one.

After putting my laundry and towel back in my bag, I walked outside with the glass and sat on the vacant chairs, I laid the glass on the table and checked my phone, where I saw two missed calls from my Mother a few minutes ago and a text from Komachi that said: "Big Bro! Mom said that she wanted to talk to you!".

Shrugging at the text and dialling my Mother's number, she answered after several rings.

" Hachi! How's everything going on on your end?" My Mother asked inquisitively, the background noise was odd, it was quiet, but I could occasionally hear the distinct sound of a piano and a violin playing.

"It's fine, I guess," I say in my usual neutral tone.

" Hmm, well I and your Father are having dinner at this fancy restaurant in Chiba right now, he just went outside since he got a call."

"Ah, is Komachi with you?"

" She was too tired to come with us so she just cooked something up at home." She said.

"Let me guess, you're at the top of a tall hotel overlooking the city, right?" I said. I recalled the hotel that I and my Father stayed at when we went to Tokyo last year, yeah the cafe there had some decent food.

" Gotcha!" My Mother said in an amused manner, causing a small smile to form on my face.

" Anyway, I just wanted to check on you, be sure to take your medicine alright? Be careful out there and remember what the Makatsu-sensei said about the things you're not allowed to do yet."

"I can manage."

" I believe you, dear. Oh, your Father is coming ba- wait, is that HARLOT making advances on him? You damned bi-Oh! You're still on the phone! Hehehe! Sorry that you had to hear that Hachi, I'll call you later, ok?" My Mother said and quickly ended the call.

I am once more reminded of which parent I got my tendency to talk to myself from. Even at home, Mother would seldom talk to herself whenever she is reading a particularly interesting book or just cooking for us.

Just like me.

On the other hand, I was quite shocked at her choice of words. I didn't know that she could be... territorial. Are all women like that? Women are scary!

I heard footsteps approach my table, and I instinctively turned my head to the source. Clad in green jogging pants and a white sweater, Hayama Hayato walked with his hands in his pocket and head down with a melancholy look on his face. When he was near enough, he looked up and was surprised to see me.

"Oh, Hikigaya, it's you." He stopped walking and his eye wandered to the vacant chair across the table that I occupied. "Do you mind if I sit there?" he asked.

"Hmm." I nodded to him in affirmation and he sat down in a way that told me that he had a lot on his mind to cause him to look visibly distressed.

I returned my attention to my phone and after replying to Komachi's text, started playing one of the popular gacha games that caught my interest last week.

"Do you have a minute, Hikigaya?" Hayato-san strained voice called out to me.

"Depends on how long you're gonna talk." I gave him a sideways glance and arched my brow at him.

He laughed to himself, but it was quick. "You sure do know how to pick your words."

"And I'm proud that I have a trait like that. So go on, I'm listening." I put down my phone and properly faced him, curious to hear what he has to say, though a bit annoyed that I have to be his psychiatrist.

After a moment, he started. "How do you turn down a girl without hurting her feelings?"

My initially curious expression turned into a deadpan one in an instant. Good grief, who does he think I am? A filthy stinking fuccboi Riajuu?

"I believe that person that you should be asking is yourself. Do I look like a guy that gets confessions left and right? Not everyone is like you." I say in an annoyed tone.

"No, I didn't mean it that way. I just wanted your advice."

I started thinking about his question, but a conversation that I heard earlier this evening brought me to discovery, and I immediately had an idea.

"Reina." When I said that name, he had a shocked expression and then immediately started looking around us. When he confirmed that there was no one nearby that can eavesdrop on our conversation, he whispered "How did you know?"

I shrugged at him, "Well it's hard not to miss a conversation about a certain girl confessing tonight to a certain guy. And given that you're undoubtedly the most popular guy in our Year..." I say while looking at him from the corner of my eye.

"Oi, you're popular too, maybe even more than me." He had an amused grin on his pretty face.

"From your point of view, perhaps. But I think being the apple of every girl's eyes and friends with everyone sounds better than them being the Head of the Disciplinary Committee of the Student Council, male Class Rep of the highest class in our year and being the 2nd person in the history of our school to pass the entrance exams with perfect results." I say as if what I am right now isn't such a big deal.

His grin grew wider, "You don't yourself enough credit. Not anyone can be like you."

I gave him a small amused smirk of my own. "So, here we are, two of the most well-known guys in our Year, casually talking about our popularity in this table. You finally manage to escape from your usual companions to find some alone time, while accidentally stumbling upon lonely old me."

"Ok back to the topic, are you, friends, with her?" I waved the air in front of me as if dismissing everything that we have talked about a moment ago.

He had a troubled look and scratched his cheek. "Uhh, that's a bit hard to explain-"

"Acquaintances?" After thinking a bit, he nodded and I continued.

"Let me guess, did her friends introduce her to you?" He nodded again.

"Now, are you interested in being in a relationship right now?" I asked him. He started contemplating my words, putting his hands together in front with his face strained in thought.

"No." He said after a while, he showed determination on his face which told me that he wasn't lying.

I shrugged and leaned back on my chair, "Well there you go. Tell her "I'm happy that you feel that way but I'm not interested in being in a relationship right now." and if she asks if she has a chance in the future, I'm afraid you're on your own on that." I say.

"Good grief, these infatuated girls confessing their love and seeking a boyfriend at our age. They should focus on their studies instead of looking at boys all the time. What they have right now is just crushes and admiration, nothing to confess and fret about. What are they, single lonely 35-year old women preying at younger men to have a one night stand with?" I started ranting before I knew it, and Hayato-san winced at my words.

"Yes, but how do I say it without hurting her feelings?" He pushed the question again and I had to roll my eyes at his question.

"You are TURNING her down, so of course you're hurting her feelings. There is no other way around that. You can not reply to her right now, but what you're doing is delaying the inevitable. " I say in a matter-of-fact. "You can choose to be friendly to her, but she might think that she has a chance, which then causes her to dig her grave deeper into the abyss that I would like to call, "The Turned-Down Void"," I added.

"So what do I do? After rejecting her, I mean."

"Ugh, I don't know, just treat her as an acquaintance. Though if you treat her too warmly out of pity, it might look like you're leading her on-again, which might cause her to think that she still has a chance again, leading her to call you out and confess to you, again." I shrugged, at this point, it feels like I'm spouting nonsense and I honestly don't know what I'm talking about.

He looked down, the gears inside his head turning as he thought about my answer. "You know, you're good at this." He said and laughed more at himself in a mocking tone. A laugh came from someone who has no other options left, and it sounded sad. But I did not pity him, not in the slightest. I stayed quiet and observed him. For someone like him asking this question to someone like me...I have no idea what drove him to do such.

"Well, my extensive time spent on romance manga and novels have finally become useful, I guess," I say in a lame attempt to lighten the mood.

"You confirmed that you're not interested in having a relationship right now, yes. But do you like anyone in particular?" He was caught off guard by my question, and I can see the visible signs of hesitation given from the body language that he unconsciously did.

"Well...yes..." He said quietly.

"I see, is she the reason why you're not interested in anyone else?" He nodded wordlessly at my question. Hoh, someone that he likes huh, it must be a fellow Riajuu I bet. Birds of the same feather flock together after all. Or maybe he's a Stand User and he's subconsciously drawn to her.

Ah, I see his situation now. So basically, he only has one girl in mind and isn't interested in the ones that have confessed to him. How admirable, to say the least.

"If...you were in my shoes...what would you do?" He finally spoke after a moment.

"Is that a joke?" I say to him.

"Come on just answer the question."

"This planet will have achieved world peace, cured every single disease, prolonged the average lifespan of Man to 200 years, terraformed and colonized Mars and invented a faster-than-light ship engine before that will happen. But, on the minuscule chance that that happens, I would do exactly what I just told you." I say in a deadpan expression. Good grief, this conversation is going in circles.

"Even though you'd hurt her?"

I scoffed "I would rather turn her down HARD once than to make her fall numerous times, each fall more painful than the last. Plus, I have a feeling that she already knows that she's gonna get turned down. No doubt there are a few rumours about you turning down girls that have confessed to you. Her courage is admirable at least. Doing this for her is a mercy, I say." He frowned at my words and was deep in thought. I can understand how hard he's trying to not hurt anyone, and I can respect that, but in this particular scenario, it is impossible. Leaders that have a personality like that always lead people to ruin.

You can't save everyone. Necessary sacrifices have to be made for the greater good.

"In the end, it's all up to you, Hayato-san," I say and returned my attention to my phone.

"Yeah, thanks for the talk." He gave me a smile as bright as the Sun and I put on my imaginary sunglasses. After thanking me, he attempted to stand up, but there was still one more question that he had on his mind, it seems.

"Do you think I should be blunt?" The look that he had in his eye told me that whatever he was going to do entirely depended on my answer.

"Knowing myself, I would say something harsh before I think. But for someone like you to say that..." My voice trailed away and he visibly flinched when I turned to him.

"Unless you want to destroy your carefully made image, have bad rumours circulating against you, receive glares from every single female in school, then I highly advise against it, Mr Popular." I gave him a smirk as he visibly shuddered at my words.

"Thanks, well, I gotta go I guess..." He pointed to the building that received the guests, the one that we went through this morning. I arched my eyebrow at him at his silent message.

"Really? Let me guess, behind the building? Good grief, how tasteless." I say in disbelief. That girl has terrible taste in choosing a place to confess.

He chuckled at my answer, "Really Hikigaya, sometimes you're just too smart for your own good." After giving me a wave, he started walking, though after several paces, his head drooped low and his walking posture slightly became slouched.

"Huh, never thought I'd give love advice to a Riajuu..." I mutter to myself as the intro song from the game on my phone started playing.

Damnit, my jaw hurts from too much talking...

Our supposed schedule for this morning was a wake-up exercise that lasted for 30-minutes and then breakfast immediately after it. But, since yours truly was forbidden from doing the former, I had the option of sleeping and staying in bed until breakfast was ready. Of course, I was not trashy enough to do the aftermentioned, so I opted to help cook the food with the rest of the volunteers. But before I did that, I decided to go to the cabin where the teachers that were with us were staying so I can borrow a list of our activities today and for tomorrow.

As I got nearer, I saw a tall lady standing in the sunlight, she wore jogging pants and a pink long-sleeved t-shirt, in her arms, wrapped in a blue blanket, was a baby. I didn't see Ino-sensei yesterday, so I thought she wasn't with us. Ino Hanami-sensei was one of the more popular teachers in our year level, and she taught us world history and culture. She was popular because she treated us like a little sibling, and also because she was tall and pretty, like her husband and co-teacher, Hiro Hanami-sensei. Hiro-sensei on the other hand taught English and was quite popular among the female students.

"Good Morning Sensei." I greeted her when I got near enough. "Oh! Good morning to you too, Hikigaya-kun!" She smiled warmly at me and beckoned me to come closer.

"Tania-chan! Look! It's Hikigaya-kun!" When the baby heard her name being called, she slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to her mother and then to me, when she saw me and I saw a momentary glint of recognition in her eye, she began reaching out to me with her hands outstretched.

"Baabuubuhh aaaaiiii!" She started making those cute baby noises which caused a smile to form on my face.

Ino-sensei gave me her daughter, and I adjusted her so that I held her back with my right hand while I supported her bottom with my left one. Though this position has its downsides, since her head was resting on my shoulder, I felt her drool damped my shirt. But I didn't mind, though it's a different story if she puked on me.

Hiro and Ino-sensei were some of the teachers that I was on friendly terms. I always felt that they favoured me in class since they both would always pick me first to present our homework and essays. It also helped that after classes ended, I would always approach Hiro-sensei in the faculty room seeking his assistance on a question or two, which he would then happily entertain me and answer all of my questions until I was satisfied. It was also at that time that Ino-sensei would drop in during our private discussions holding her daughter which she picked up from the daycare.

It came to no surprise that their baby also developed a liking to me as well, and Ino-sensei would happily push her into my arms every time.

Of course not just to me. Tania-chan was loved and adored by all the teachers in the faculty, even Hiratsuka-sensei, who said that she dislikes children, hold her from time to time.

"I'm surprised to see you here Sensei, especially this bundle of joy right here." As if on cue, Tania-chan gave out a high-pitched noise and started laughing to herself.

"Ah, yes. We were supposed to drop Tania-chan at my brother's house, but he was away on a two-day trip outside Chiba..." She said.

"Oh, what about Hiro-sensei?" I asked and Ino-sensei pointed to a group of male faculty members jogging in the distance and I saw his unmistakable figure wave in our direction. Just like his wife, Hiro-sensei was also quite young and good-looking, he even secretly told me that he received several anonymous letters from his female students last valentines day, much to his wife's amusement. If Ino-sensei was a yandere, I shudder to think what she would have done to the girls that sent her husband those letters.

Ino-sensei gave me a copy of the list and insisted that I carry Tania-chan this morning and show her around.

"B-But Sensei-" I started but she shook her head and said, "You'll do fine, Hikigaya-kun, and Hiro trusts you. You are his favourite student after all~." She winked at me with a mischievous glint in her eye, and I could not help but sigh in defeat.

"Tania-chan, Mommy will go with have a quick exercise this morning, ok? Don't cause too much trouble to Hikigaya-kun." After kissing her daughter's cheek which caused her to squeal in delight, Ino-sensei jogged to where the other teachers were.

I moved Tania-chan a bit so she can see my face.

"Well Tania-chan, looks like it's just me and yo-" The baby sneezed at my face and laughed as she repeatedly hit my cheek to her amusement. I just pinched her cheek and positioned her in a way that she was also facing the same direction as I am. Now that I think about it, what should I show Tania-chan first? Wait, she's a baby! She won't understand what I'm saying anyway!

I noticed a group of boys jogging around the area, nothing unusual, except that their backs were leaned low while their arms were straight behind them. In other words, the group large of young males in the distance were Naruto-running. The one that was at the forefront of their pack was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"NARUTOOOOO!"

"SASUKEEEEE!"

Their high-pitched voices reached my ears, and I just stared at them in the distance with a deadpan expression. "Ah, youth..."

"Tania-chan look," I held her in place with my left hand and I pointed to the males in the distance. "you see those guys? Those are degenerate weaboo weirdos doing weeb stuff. Avoid them when you grow up, ok?" Tania-chan looked to where I was pointing, looked up at me and then attempted to bite her tiny feet. I have no idea what that means in baby language.

I made my way to where the other class was which was only composed of girls who were exercising and sat on the vacant benches a small distance away from them. Huh, the boys I saw earlier must have been in this class as well. Of course, me holding a baby that they had never seen before was quite the sight, and I easily garnered the attention of many of the girls. I put Tania-chan on the table where she sat, unfortunately since she was too young to learn how to properly balance herself, I still had to hold her back to prevent her from falling on her back.

I forced myself to just keep my attention on the baby in front of me and not on the group of students that were still in my field of vision. Girls exercising in public are dangerous, their chests go up and down in rhythm to their body movements. And of course, your eyes are naturally drawn to them like moths to a flame. Well, that only goes for those well-endowed female students.

After they were done, a lone Lioness separated from the pride and sprinted towards me, smoke rising from her nostrils and leaving a large dust cloud behind her. I say Lioness because of the colour of her hair and also because of her strong personality that I learned from observing her at a distance.

"KYAAAAAHH WHAT A CUTE BABY!" Miura-san squealed in a high-pitched voice as she got closer and I had to cringe at her. Oh no, why did I come here? How could I forget that all young girls love babies since it stimulates their maternal instincts? I could already see several, no, A LOT of girls walking in my direction.

S-H-I-T! I had unknowingly stumbled into a horde of females hell-bent on carrying my baby!

"Auuuueee ueee~?" Tania-chan turned to me as if puzzled as to why I had such a horrified expression on my face.

Miura-san jumped beside me and focused all her attention on the baby, pinching her cheeks and poking her belly. Tania-chan looked at the stranger beside me and instinctively reached to me. Miura-san on the other hand had a downcast expression on her face when she was being ignored by the baby.

"Heh, that's what you get for not greeting us first," I smirked at her from the corner of my eye. I suddenly felt my ear get twisted and yanked, and I had to call out to my attacker.

"Hey! Quit it! That hurts!" The female refused to heed my words filled with pain and anguish and had a sadistic smile on her face.

"Getting a bit cocky, are we? H-i-k-i-o?" She cackled menacingly as her smile further widened as I squirmed in pain.

"My dear Muira-san, I have no idea who this Hikio person is. Perhaps you have mistaken that gentleman for me? Now, cease what you are doing, since it is very unladylike." I managed a retort, but she increased the pressure and I had to back down from the pain.

"Fffueeee ahahahaaa!" Came the delighted sound that came from Tania-chan as she just watched what was happening in front of her with joy. She started clapping her hands and slapping my arm that held her in place. Oi, little brat! You're joining too?!

" Awwww what a cutie!"

" She's so chubby I want to pinch those cheeks!"

" Oh my gosh her smile is so cute!"

" That pyjama is sooo cuuuuuuteeee~~~!"

Oh no, I'm surrounded by the horde. How could I let them close? I completely forgot about the other girls that had already blocked all escape routes.

Miura-san let go of my ear and returned her attention to the baby, this time she was doing this more slowly.

"Look at you, you're so cute~~~~!" She said as she held her tiny hand. Tania-chan looked at the stranger once more with an inquisitive look, and then she gave out a squeal and a toothless smile.

"Awwwwwwww~~~~~~~!" Every female around me said in unison, and I could already imagine the hearts that would float around.

"What's her name, Hikio?" Miura-san asked as she continued to play with the baby.

"Tania-chan."

"What a pretty name..." She said and the other girls agreed to what she said. Of course, as she led her own pack of females, those nameless characters had no choice but to agree to whatever their leader said. Miura-san was now supporting Tania-chan's back and the latter looked around the faces of the strangers that surrounded her.

"Is she you little sister?" She asked, and I was about to answer her, but then an idea sprang from my head.

"Nah, she's my daughter ," I say in a matter-of-fact tone and my most casual voice. By pure coincidence, Tania-chan bobbed her head up and down after I finished.

The reaction to my statement was instantaneous.

"EEEEEEEEHHHHHHH?!" Came the sound of the surprise around me, and I had to wince in pain. Tania-chan lost interest in Miura-san and she reached out her arms to me, which I accepted. The girl beside me whoever had a dumbfounded look on her face, her arms were limp as I returned the baby to my arms.

"But you're so young!" A voice from the crowd said.

"So? Is there a problem?" I say in a serious deadpan voice that had a hint of challenge in it. If Yukinoshita heard me right now, no doubt she would accuse me of imitating her ice-cold voice. They immediately backed down, their eyes darting to me and the baby in front of me. I can already see that they're comparing my physical features to the baby that I held. Although it's still impossible for anyone to accurately predict as to who she got her looks from since she is still a baby and all, I have a feeling that Tania-chan would grow up having the more noticeable physical features from her Father, Hiro-sensei.

...

...

...

"That was a joke."

" YOU CALL THAT A JOKE ?!" Their voices filled with a mixture of anger, frustration and relief. I received several slaps on my back, and I felt someone pinch my side. How petty, these physical attacks do not affect me. Ah, it seems I have agitated the females. Well, now that I think about it, from another person's view, it would be quite hard to tell if I was joking. Seeing that I rarely joke about things at all.

When I looked to my side, Miura-san was already preparing to strangle me for my antic. Hey now, if you try that, then I have no choice but to do the secret Joestar technique...

Forgive me, Master, I have to go all out just this once... * cringe*

"She is Hanami-sensei's daughter, she left her in my care while they're doing the morning exercises," I say and everyone nodded had looks of understanding. Tania-chan was getting restless, it looks like she's getting tired from sitting down. She looked at me, her big eyes telling me what she wanted me to do.

"Ok, here we go," I say as I stood up and carried her once more. Miura-san looked sad and I had a feeling on what the specific reason was. Ah, she must want to do that, right?

"Do you want to hold her?" I say as I moved closer to her.

"E-Eh?! Are you sure?" She said in surprise as I closed the distance between us. Miura-san reluctantly readied her arms, and a small circle formed around us as the other girls watched with eager curiosity. Tania-chan looked at Miura-san with a curious look, then looked up to me. "Go on," I say with a small smile and she went into Miura-san's arms.

Because she was not used to carrying babies, Miura-san had some difficulty in deciding where to put her arms. So I still had to stay close to her to teach her.

"Ok, so use the entirety of your left arm for her to lie on, position her head in a way that makes her comfortable, now your right hand should be below your left to support her weight. If she starts squirming, it means that she isn't comfortable." We were in such proximity to each other that if one of us tripped over the other, we would both be in an awkward position. Like the ones, you see in those harem, ecchi anime.

"Ahhhhh what if I drop her?!" Miura-san said in a stressed tone when I stepped away from her, her eyes widening as I left her on her own devices. "Hey! Oi Hikio come back here! Help me out!" She started pleading with me, but I ignored her.

"Relax, you're doing fine," I say as I sat down. The girls around us started flocking to Miura-san and the baby she had in her arms. I watched the events unfold in front of me with amusement. After a while, Miura-san relaxed and started cooing Tania-chan and slowly rocking her gently. Some girls were bringing out their phones to take pictures. Tania-chan laughed and giggled from the numerous tickles that she received from the girls. I thought it was just something in my eye, but then I realized that I was wrong and went to Miura-san. She was tearing up, and tears were already flowing from the corner of her eyes and she was biting her trembling lower lip.

"Hey, M-Miura-san, is something wrong?" I cautiously say to her, since I don't have the slightest idea of what was happening. She looked up to me with a stupid smile, her eyes red and puffy from the tears.

"N-Nothings wrong Hikio, it's just that..." She said between hiccups, and I unconsciously gulped.

"She's so cuuuuuteee~~~~!" She exclaimed before rubbing her face on the baby that she held. Tania-chan was confused, and grabbed some of Miura-san's hair, causing her to have a messy look when she finished nuzzling the baby.

"Good grief why would you cry over something so trivial...?" I mutter to myself, and Miura-san giggled with teary eyes when she heard me.

"You won't understand Hikio, you're not a girl."

" Yeah! It's a girl thing!" A voice from somewhere exclaimed.

" Cute stuff make girls cry ok?" This time it came from behind me, and the girls nearby nodded in agreement.

Tania-chan was getting bothered by the crowd and sounds around her, and I could already sense that she was a few moments away from crying. I took her back into my arms from a surprised Miura-san, and she looked sad while letting her go. She squealed in delight when she recognized who was carrying her.

"Aww, I want to hold her too..." One said and the others agreed in unison.

"Sorry, but Tania-chan is getting stressed from all of this," I say. They pouted at my reply, but they knew that I was right.

"So...I must get going if you don't mind." The crowd slowly dispersed, but not before Tania-chan got several innumerable goodbye kisses and tickles which made her laugh squeal. Hey, where's my goodbye kiss...? Oh yeah, I'm not a trashy harem protagonist after all.

Miura-san was the last one to approach me.

After kissing Tania-chan on the cheek, she turned her attention to me, and what I saw startled me.

The sweet smile that she gave to Tania-chan in my arms was gone. Now she had she frowned at me with her brows furrowed, her aura of friendliness gone in an instant, and I gulped at how fast she changed. Instead of the temperature dropping, it increased as I saw a fiery look in her green eyes. I was about to open my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it first.

And all she said was a single word.

"Idiot." Her voice dripped with venom and hostility that made the hairs on my arms stand. I think that if I wasn't carrying a baby right now, she would have slapped me on the spot for the whole world to see. And I would have been too shocked making me rooted to the spot and unable to dodge her slap.

Then she turned her back on me and stomped her way back to their cabin, leaving me completely baffled by what just transpired. To say that "I have no idea what the f* just happened" is an understatement. Did I do or say something which caused her to act in that manner? I honestly have no idea.

Was everything that happened earlier just an act? Or did I do something that offended her after our little commotion? I can only speculate since I'm still at a loss.

Miura-san's form disappeared inside the small building, the girls that followed at her heels had troubled looks on their faces.

I looked down to Tania-chan, completely oblivious to what just happened.

"Hey, Tania-chan, did your Hachi-nii do something wrong?" I asked her.

She began to stifle a cry, and not long after that, began sobbing. I had to softly coo her by slowly rocking her back and forth until she calmed down and I wiped her tears away, all the while deeply pondering if I had hurt Miura-san in some way.

Hello comrades, Ivanov117 here!

This has to be the most enjoyable chapter I've ever written so far, to be honest. I always love writing cute scenes that make your heart flutter and feel warm on the inside. Goodness, why was Miura so upset, I wonder...? Was it indeed something 8man had said? Was he aware of what he was doing? Get ready for some Saki action next chapter bois and grils!

I have received death threats(jk lol) in Spanish, English, French, Indonesian, German, Polish and Vietnamese from the hardcore incest fags. Fine I won't completely remove the HachixKomachi scenes damn stop sending me that fanart in my mail like bruh fkn hell.

Yeah, that's it for this chapter.

Oh yeah, I'll be going to the US to visit my relatives, and I won't be able to update in the following weeks. Though idk, I might have a sudden burst of inspiration and start writing there, you never know I guess. \_( ツ )/

You can review if you want tho.

As always, thanks for reading and please look forward to the next chapter!

23

I watched a group of teachers jog by, their foreheads slick with sweat as the early morning Sun kissed their faces. There was still some chill left in the air, but not enough for me to shiver. I sat a distance away from where my class was preparing breakfast. I did not quite get enough sleep last night, so I opted not to assist in the cooking of this morning's food. Together with the fact that I did not jog, as what the majority of my class is doing right now, I find myself just staring off into space. I am paradoxically not the most athletic person, but I am above average in the sports that I played during middle school. Though my stamina is not something worth boasting about, to my disappointment...

Today, the academic events and contests would take place, namely quiz bees, spelling bees etc. We were missing a contestant for the former, so I went to find Hikigaya-kun last night to discuss what action we should take. He made it clear from the beginning that I have his consent and support in any decision I should take, but I still wanted his opinion. After all, I was the one who managed everything yesterday. Of course, he offered his assistance, but I declined.

All I saw him do the day before with the games and events going on was sitting under the shade of a tree and peacefully read a book and play on that phone of his. The image was very painting-worthy, to say the least. While I was going from place to place making sure that everything was going smoothly, he was just doing that.

I was exhausted, and I was very close to asking him for help.

But I refuse to do it.

"Don't come running to me when things start to get rough. Good luck." He said in his usual poker-face expression. Though I felt a strangeness in his tone as if he was testing me.

Doing so would make him right on what he said, and I refuse to give him that pleasure.

I went from our sleeping quarters last night and walked to where I saw him last, eating outside his assigned cabin. He ate with the rest of the Student Council and Hiratsuka-sensei, as I recall. An unfamiliar-looking girl with peach-coloured hair came to his table and gave him something, and soon left our group. She must be an acquaintance of his from the other class. As I drew closer, I spotted two figures that were engrossed in conversation. From his hair and the shirt that he wore, I confirmed one of the figures was the one that I'm looking for. I saw that he was engaged in a conversation with another boy with blonde hair.

Seeing that scum makes my blood boil.

As I observed them from a distance in the shadow behind their cabin, and I concurred that their topic was something Hikigaya-kun did not enjoy talking about, from the way his eyes frowned during several times in their talk. From the many times that I have been with him, he would always have an unchanging expression on his face; half-lidded eyes, a tired sounding voice, his lips formed into a permanent neutral line and his rude habit of sometimes not turning to the people that were conversing with him, only preferring to look at them from the corner of his eyes.

I had told him that the last one was very offensive, and he had an air of arrogance when he did it. He apologised for it and never did it again.

Although he would snicker, and I would give out a small laugh during our occasional banters, we know there was no malice in whatever words came out of our mouths.

Last Valentine's Day, the Class Reps received chocolate from the Student Council after classes ended as a small token of thanks. Being a Class Rep and Student Council member at the same time, he received two boxes of chocolates.

*Flashback*

"Yosh yosh Hikigaya-kun, Happy Valentine's Day and thank you for your hard work..." Seeing Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai lightly pat Hikigaya-kun's head was very unexpected. The latter having a satisfied look on his face as he received head pats from the former. I have never seen him make such a face, nor did I think it possible for him to make one. It was so out of place for someone as serious and stoic as him, seeing how he looks so used to this, I didn't know that they were, umm...close.

"Uwaahh, Hikigaya-kun is so clingy to Shiromeguri..." Another voice came and an unfamiliar black-haired girl with short hair skipped over to us. Like Shiromeguri-senpai, she started rubbing her hand on his head, but in a shocking display, she clung to him from behind and wrapped her arms around her waist. Seeing him being smothered by the two older girls was distressing coming from someone such as myself uncomfortable with close physical contact. The newcomer was also very comely, her height, beautiful dark brown eyes and her feminine figure were the first things that I came to notice. Her legs were also toned and I have reason to believe that she is quite athletic. She was several centimetres taller than Hikigaya-kun, easily towering over him and the Student Council President. Because of the height difference, she had to lean down on him from behind. Her bust was...impressive for someone of her age to possess.

S-Seeing her rub those blobs of sinful flesh on Hikigaya-kun's back...

G-Goodness! How i-indecent...!

Hikigaya-kun seemed outright unbothered by the two females that had sandwiched him. It is almost as if he is accustomed to this. Perhaps he has an older sister and an endearing Mother, which might explain how he is utterly unfazed by what was happening.

"Thanks for the chocolates earlier Hikigaya-kun. Here you go, your reward and also my Valentine's Day gift...~" The newcomer presented a canned coffee that I'm not quite familiar with. When he saw it, the expression he had on his face was that of a treasure hunter finally stumbling upon the Holy Grail itself.

"Thank you, Chisako-senpai. If you keep this up, I'll definitely marry you..." His words were something that was supposed to be said with passion and love. But instead, he said it in a monotone manner with a dead-eyed look in his...well, eyes. The new girl behind him laughed and let go of him. She finally noticed me, since I was silent the entire time and watched things unfold in front of me with a mixture of amusement, horror and curiosity.

"Oh! You must be Yukinoshita, right? I'm Chisako Mai, 2nd year and Vice President." She greeted me with a formal smile.

"It's good to meet you, Chisako-senpai. I am the class representative of 1-A." I returned her greeting with an equal amount of courtesy. I was a familiar glint on her eye that made me sweat nervously, I always see that on Nee-san when she's about to tease me.

"Ohhh, has my kouhai here given you complimentary chocolates yet?" She said. Before I knew what was happening, her arm was already around Hikigaya-kun's neck when he gracefully avoided it with astonishing speed. It was so fast all I saw was a blur, and he had already taken a step back from Chisako-senpai, eyeing her carefully.

"You'll have to be faster than that if you want to put me on a choke-hold, Senpai. I won't fall for it like last time." He said as Shiromeguri-senpai lightly clapped her hands from behind them.

"Tch." The tall girl clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"And to answer the question," he fixed his black blazer that had become slightly undone, "no, I didn't give her anything of the sort."

"Aww, that's a shame then..." Shiromeguri-senpai said from behind, and held in her hand was a box of chocolates Hikigaya-kun had given her earlier. "Thanks for the chocolates again Hikigaya-kun!" From the corner of his eye, he looked at me with an expression that said "Well, do you want one?"

I discreetly shook my head, earning a shrug of response from him.

After that, we excused ourselves and went together to change our shoes, since his Mother will pick him up and me by my driver, I had no excuse to turn down his offer in waiting together outside. I had unfortunately received several cards from secret admirers when I opened my shoe locker this morning. And I'm sure I have several more when I open it right now. I have no time to indulge myself in such nonsense.

I patiently waited beside him as he changed his shoes, and eyed his empty locker curiously. I expected him to receive a letter from some girl, but it seems I was wrong, as I am sure no girl out there is brave enough to give him one. I also ignored the stares that I was sent our way, and the ones I'm feeling coming from behind me right now. Seeing two of the most recognizable First Year students together during Valentine's Day is sure to create a rumour or two. I care not for petty gossip, and the companionship between us has never changed even though we both knew of them hanging in the air. No trace of awkwardness was present. We have more important matters to attend to than to focus our attention on this insignificant matter.

He is unlike any person I have met in my life, perhaps with the exemption of Nee-san. Thankfully, we both think alike. Great minds think alike after all.

I admit that he has bested me in academics, but I refuse to concede defeat.

He is a worthy rival.

"It seems that you didn't receive a letter this year," I commented as he gave me an annoyed look.

"Like I care for crap like that. Leave me alone, my little sister gives me all the love I need on Valentine's Day. Also, Valentine's Day is just a marketing tactic employed by Japanese companies imitating western countries, it has no place in our culture. When I become Prime Minister, I will eradicate every trace of it in our country." He said as he puffed out his chest. I can unironically imagine him putting that in his political campaign...

"Alright then, Prime Minister Siscon Hikigaya-kun. As a piece of advice, don't openly voice out your affections to your little sister." I say while giving him a sarcastic clap.

"Shut up."

I wordlessly walked past him and went to my locker and heard his footsteps close behind me. When I opened mine, around five pink-coloured letters fell and rested on my feet. The male beside me let out a low whistle and leaned down and casually picked them up.

"As expected of the Ice Queen. I see two letters that wrote your name with the wrong character. Ugh, this one is in English writing; the penmanship is horrible and the grammar is nauseous." He said and handed me the letters without a word.

And I crumpled them and threw them in the trash a small distance away from me.

He winced at my actions.

"I should feel sorry for the poor sods that wrote those, but I can't do so." He sighed, gave the garbage bin a lingering look and resumed walking. I followed him not a moment too soon.

"That is very much like you."

As we started walking out an unfamiliar average-looking fellow approached us from our right, carrying what seemed to be a letter of sorts, but backpedalled when he saw the person that was accompanying me. A look of surprise and slight fear on his face. Hikigaya-kun was quick to call out to the stranger, but before he can, the newcomer stuttered a quick apology and bolted inside the building.

" What a cowardly fellow..." I heard him mutter and continued. "I have a vague idea on what his business was. No doubt he thought of the wrong assumption when he saw me with you." He said as we both watched the retreating back of the newcomer with disinterested expressions.

"I'm sure we both know what his intention was, Hikigaya-kun. No need to feign ignorance. And about the last part, I don't care what other people think, and I'm sure you don't as well." I said as we finally exited the building. The weather outside was still cold, so I pulled my jacket closer to my body. Hikigaya-kun on the other hand was unfazed by the sudden drop in temperature and did not bother to adjust his jacket.

"Hmm, well you're right...but still..." his voice trailed off as he discontinued what he was about to say.

I was supposed to quickly go home to avoid situations such as these, but that changed when he offered me his company, which I accepted. I had no reason to deny him, and his company was not unwelcome.

Fascinating...

I should have him by my side at times, to avoid being confessed to in school. Well, only Valentine's Day perhaps, but still...I must discover what other things he can be useful to me...perhaps as a bodyguard or my assistant in the future...

Despite openly voicing his complaints on literally anything about work, he is quite efficient at doing tasks.

Now, the only problem would be how to go about it...

Hehehehehe...

"O-Oi, why are you smiling and giggling creepily at me like that...?" The discomfort was clear from his voice as he inched away from me. He gave me a wary look, his reaction amused me.

"Oh nothing, it's just that your presence is very useful after all." I leered and gave him a small mischievous smile, all the while thinking about how to use him in other means.

"You talk as if saying that I'm a tool to be used as you see fit." A cold shiver went up to his spine and I am quite sure it was not from the cold weather.

*Flashback End*

I walked to where his cabin was located, and outside was ready bustling with activity. The tables and chairs were already out in a place while those doing the cooking were working in the cooking station nearby. Some boys were exercising and I saw Hayama-kun with them. From the corner of my eye, I saw him look in my direction, but upon registering me, he quickly looked away.

Coward.

I looked around, but I did not see him and decided to take a look inside their cabin. I finally saw the person that I was looking for inside the cabin sitting on the benches while reading a small pocketbook with one hand.

But what surprised me was the baby that he was holding with one arm that sat on his lap. The baby seemed to be sleeping peacefully and rested on Hikigaya-kun's chest.

Oh my, what a precious thing.

"Good Morning." He said, not even looking away from his book.

"Good Morning." I sat down across him eager to discuss and finish what I came here to do since I have other tasks to attend to, but the baby that he held was very distracting. Its chest going up and down as it breathed and its tiny hand held Hikigaya-kun's pinky finger. The baby had dark shoulder-length hair, so I was not quite sure what its gender was.

"Is that baby a boy?" I asked.

"Tania-chan is a girl." He replied.

"Tania...that's a pretty name," I say fighting the urge to reach out and poke the baby's chubby cheeks.

The baby yawned and started stretching her limbs, craning her neck here and there and opened her eyes. She rubbed them with her hand and Hikigaya-kun stopped her.

"Tania-chan, don't rub your eyes too much." He gently said as she looked up and gave him a big toothless smile, her baby saliva dripping from the corners of her mouth. He then used the cloth of her shirt to wipe it off. After adjusting her on his lap and fixing her messy hair, to which she tried to reach out with her hand to bite him, he produced a pacifier from his pocket and put it on her.

"You can't bite me silly, you still don't have any teeth." He said and pinched her cheeks.

The baby turned her attention to me and just stared at me with wide eyes.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"O-Oh yes," I couldn't take my eyes off the baby that he held. "we are still lacking a participant for the Quiz Bee, I still haven't found a suitable candidate. If we don't get one soon, I fear we will be disqualified." I say.

He put a hand under his chin in deep thought. His brows knitted together and his eyes deeply focused in concentration. He does this quite frequently when asked to solve a problem in front of the class or when he is requested to give his opinion on a certain topic for our essay. The baby looked up at him and after seeing what he was doing, imitated him.

"Pfff..." I restrained a giggle with all of my might, but the baby that was staring intently at me while imitating the one that held her in place was making it very difficult. It did not help that she was also chewing on her pacifier.

"Ah." His right hand formed into a fist and lightly hit the palm of his left hand.

"Have you thought of someone?" I asked.

"Why don't you join?" He said as he started playing with the baby on his lap, which earned a squeal from her.

I blinked twice before his suggestion registered. That certainly was not a bad idea, and I'm sure either of us can win and earn a score for our class. Had this been a two-person team, we would completely dominate this competition and emerge victoriously.

"Hmm, well, if the situation permits...then I believe I can join. But who will manage our team while I'm gone?" My question was left hanging in the air, and I was beginning to think that he might volunteer himself for the task at hand. But I know he won't since I told him that I will not ask for his help.

"I know someone." He said flatly.

"And who would that someone be?" I replied with an equally flat tone.

"Someone who can get the job done." His stubbornness was clear, and it would be difficult for me to force him to yield to me. I know because I have only succeeded a few times.

I sighed in exasperation and glanced at the baby that has not broken eye contact with me. "Can you give me a name, at least...?"

He simply shook his head. "He can do it. He owes me a favour or two."

"Oh, and if you win, I'll give you this." He showed me a sealed letter and waved it in front of him. It looked nothing special.

"What is that?"

"You'll find out when you win. Isn't that right, Tania-chan~~..." He smothered the baby and laughed, causing her to accidentally dropped her pacifier. Her tiny mouth forming into an "O" as she followed the pacifier that fell with her eyes. With his one hand, he carried her and leaned down to pick it up.

"Can you hold her while I wash her pacifier?" He said and I stood up and readied my arms to receive the baby. It's my first time holding one, but I am sure I can handle it.

"Eeeeaaahhhh!" The baby cringed away from me and buried her face in the fabric of his shirt, her tiny hands clasped tightly on it. Hikigaya-kun laughed at the baby's reaction and his cheeky grin became wider.

"Don't worry Tania-chan, even your Hachi-nii is afraid of her sometimes." He said and tickled the baby to cheer her up. He went to the sink to wash the pacifier with his free hand, and while doing so, I followed behind him and poked the baby's cheek in an attempt to cheer her up. She just made an annoyed face and turned her face away from me.

I have just been rejected by a baby, and I don't know what I feel. Though I do feel an emotion akin to sadness and disappointment.

"Looks like Tania-chan doesn't quite like you," Hikigaya-kun said as he made the baby girl laugh and squirm from his tickles.

"I didn't know that you were good with children."

"I volunteered out in the neighbourhood day-care before. I used to dislike babies and toddlers, but taking care of them changes your outlook later on." I was surprised, to be honest. I did not expect an answer like that. He did not look like the type to volunteer for things like that. Though if I said that to him out loud, it would surely make me sound like a judgmental simpleton.

"Ah, is that so..." I stepped closer and went eye-level with the baby and she eyed me cautiously.

"Tania-chan, why are you so defensive to her? Do you want to carry her?" He said to me and I nodded. I stepped closer and readied my arms.

"Try smiling at her to make her feel at ease." I followed what he said and gave the baby girl a small smile. After blinking twice and getting a word of encouragement from Hikigaya-kun, she reluctantly went to my arms.

"Hey properly position your arm."

"I know I know."

"She's squirming, that means she's uncomfortable."

"Silence."

"Shut up and listen to me. Between the two of us, I'm the more experienced one."

"..."

"..."

"Yeah, just like that." His voice finally calmed down, but he still stood quite close to me. I did not mind the proximity between us since he reassured me. Holding a baby is quite a new feeling, she looked heavier than I expected and very warm and soft too. Like a heavy marshmallow...

She looked at me with wide eyes, shifting from me to Hikigaya-kun's. No doubt she is still wary of me since I am unfamiliar to her, but I'm sure Hikigaya-kun's presence is calming her down. Now that I think about it, what is her relationship with him? A little sister seems to be the most likely answer, though a baby cousin or niece is possible...

"She doesn't look like you," I say after analysing her physical features. The only visible similarity that they both have is the colour of their hair.

"Huh?" Confusion masked his face from my words.

"I thought she was your little sister...?" I say.

"No, she's not. She's Hiro-sensei's daughter." He said and another surprise came to me in such a small time. From my observations, the couple were very friendly to Hikigaya-kun, almost to the point of favouritism, I say. As much as teachers hate to admit, they all have that one favourite student they love. I did not envy him, but being a Teacher's favourite has some advantages. Though I did not expect him to be close to them to the point that they would entrust their infant daughter to him. It seems that he is more popular and on friendlier terms with the teachers than with his fellow students.

What an amusing thought.

After getting comfortable, the baby looked up at me and smiled in a way that made my heart flutter. Using her hands, she started feeling and touching my...chest. I was frozen in place and Hikigaya-kun was in the same boat as myself, having an awkward look on his face while his lips usual straight-lined neutral lips became crooked, not knowing what to do nor say in this precarious situation.

"O-Oh..." Those were all the words that came out of my mouth since I was still speechless to form any proper sentence. Hikigaya-kun did me a favour by looking away, which I was quite thankful for. Tania-chan... after several more moments of feeling me, made a disappointed sound and started squirming from my hold.

"She must want some milk."

When I heard him say that, I felt my face blush with the force of a thousand suns and steam going out of my ears.

"I... ugh, let me take her back to her Mother..." I heard him say and I idly gave him Tania-chan. She looked more delighted to be back in his arms than when she was with me, to be sure. She must like him.

"Sorry, that sounded weird..." He muttered an apology and scratched his head.

"T-There is no need for you to apologize, what just happened was an instinctive reaction for a baby of her age," I say while putting on an air of seriousness and calm composure.

"Yeah, you're right. It's Tania-chan's fault! It's time for your punishment!" He exclaimed before tickling the baby, causing her to squirm, squeal and jerk her legs. It was nice to see this side of him, instead of the cold stoic class rep and member of the Student Council that everyone always sees. Even though his eyes are another matter, the smile that he wore right now was pure and full of warmth, and I couldn't help to smile as well.

He must love children.

"Wanna go give back Tania-chan to her parents together?" He asked.

"Of course, but I get to carry her," I replied and he gave me back the baby. This time, she was more comfortable since she did not squirm as much as before and started playing with several strands of my hair.

He opened the door for me and we went to where the teachers were staying.

"For both our sakes, I hope she won't touch you too much this time." He said casually, and I did not get as flustered as before since I anticipated that he will say something similar to that. Though I could not resist a slight blush from his comment. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tania-chan's hands resting comfortably on her chubby tummy.

I elbowed him for his perverted remark.

"Pervert."

"Good luck with the quiz bee. Tania-chan, say good luck to Yukinoshita-nee~~..." I say in a drawn-out and monotone manner since I was too tired to get hyped up for anything. Goodness, carrying around a chubby baby like Tania-chan for the entire morning strains my arms...

"Ebebebabababa!" Tania-chan made another one of those baby sounds, causing a small smile from the Ice Queen in front of us. Wow, she made the infamous Ice Queen smile, what power...! I used her arms to give Yukinoshita a goodbye wave. From the corner of my eye, I saw Miura-san walk by a small distance away, most likely going to watch the quiz bee with her friends. She turned and locked eyes with me, her face hard and neutral, and disappeared into the crowd.

I sighed; I still had no idea the reason behind her sudden outburst this morning.

Yukinoshita on the other hand leaned down and patted Tania-chan's head before thanking us and going on her way to go where the contestants were supposed to say.

"Looks like Tania made another friend today, thanks for spending time with her, Hikigaya," Hiro-sensei said beside me where we presided over the event. Hiro-sensei was in charge of the quiz bee today, and I sat beside him under the large tent together with some of the teachers and Shiromeguri-senpai. The one speaking the questions would be Shiromeguri-senpai, while I'm here to...umm...wait, what am I here for, exactly? Aside from carrying Tania-chan with me, that is.

"Ne Tania-chan, what are we doing here anyway?" Since I made her sit on the table in front of us, she started playing with my face and nearly put a finger up my nose.

"Eweweweeeeehhh!" she grabbed a handful of my bangs and started pulling on it.

"Oi oi let go."

"HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE 2ND PORTION OF OUR ACADEMIC COMPETITIONS!" A deafening voice from the speakers assaulted my ears, thankfully, I managed to cover Tania-chan's ears just in time. The voice came from Shiromeguri-senpai who started introductions with her bubbly attitude.

"This is your Student Council President Shiromeguri Meguri and Head of The Disciplinary Committee Hikigaya Hachiman!" Senpai then thrust the microphone in front of my face bidding me say a word or two.

I sighed, "Good morning to everyone, I'm looking forward to a fair battle between bright minds. If we catch you cheating, you're automatically disqualified by default and sanctioned." My voice literally dripped with boredom, and Hiro-sensei cringed while Yukinoshita glared at me from afar. I felt a chill go up to my spine when she eyed me with menacing intent. My voice had a more visible effect on the contestants, they looked demoralized and lost all enthusiasm upon hearing my voice.

"Hikigaya that sounded pretty lame." Hiro-sensei commented.

"Uwahhh, Hiro-sensei is right..." Shiromeguri-senpai agreed while covering the microphone.

"Aauuueeee..." Tania-chan made a low sound from within her throat and pouted at me.

Wow, even Tania-chan was disappointed in me...

While Shiromeguri-senpai was introducing the contestants, Hiro-sensei analysed the questions that were prepared beside me. His brows knitted together and his lips were pursed. After a while, he put a hand under his chin and stroked his non-existent beard.

"Hikigaya, who prepared these questions?" He turned to me and asked.

"The Student Council."

"Ah, yes of course..." he said and returned his eyes to the papers. "Why? Is there something wrong Sensei?"

He scratched his head and sported a doubtful expression. "It's just that some of these questions may be...too difficult to answer for a Highschool student..." his voice trailed off as he watched Tania-chan play with the toys that he brought.

"I'm sure that it's not too difficult Sensei, they are Sobu High students after all," I reply with confidence. He nodded at me and we both turned our attention to the quiz bee in front of us.

What he didn't know, was that the questions that I added made up at least 60% of everything, the remaining 40% were made by Shiromeguri-senpai and the others. It would have been boring as a spectator if the questions were relatively easy after all. That's why I decided to...spice things up, even though it might have been unethical and an abuse of power.

But hey, they don't need to know that, do they?

We watched the event go on in front of us and occasionally gave our inputs and insights on some of the given questions. Ino-sensei and Hiratsuka-sensei shortly joined us, and I enjoyed their company as we talked.

"I have always been fascinated by alternate history, a single change in a particular point in time would have a profound effect on the future. Like what would have happened if Japan united earlier before the unification movements?" Ino-sensei spoke with passion.

"That would have had a major effect on the political climate, to be sure." Hiratsuka-sensei replied.

"Assuming that trade was controlled by a centralized government, the economy would have flourished and measures are taken to actively counter-piracy in the seas around the coasts," Hiro-sensei added.

"ACHEEEEE!" Tania-chan's high-pitched sneeze startled us and we all shared a laugh as Ino-sensei wiped her infant daughter's nose, to which she angrily tried to avoid but to no avail since I held her in place. I'm sorry little one.

The adults then started talking about adult stuff like taxes, politics and their careers. Since I had no interest in listening to them and also to give them privacy, I went to a quieter part under the shade of the tent together with Tania-chan.

"Let's go Tania-chan."

"Oooouuhhhhh..." she said as I stood up and walked away. While I was walking, I smirked as I heard some of the questions that I added to the quiz bee.

"Uwaahhh, I'm so bored..." I mutter as I idly watched the events being held unfold.

"Uuuwweehh..." She made a similar bored-sounding sound as she sat on my lap. She too seemingly got bored of the toys that she played with earlier, and was now in a similar position as I am. I brought out my phone to play one of the daily quests from the gacha game that I recently started playing. The name of the game was FGO. It was quite difficult to play since Tania-chan would instinctively reach out and grab whatever was within arm's reach of her, and that included my phone.

When I die and become a Heroic Spirit, I want to belong in the Caster-Class. Ah, but that also depends on my Spirit Origin...

Or maybe I'll be reborn as an Avenger-Class, after a life of being unjustly judged by society just because of my appearance. After a life filled with hardship at the hands of society (especially from the brutal teenage girls with their equally brutal insults), I will become the spirit of vengeance itself. Hell-bent on eradicating injustice around the world by any means necessary. My alignment would most likely be Chaotic-Good. Aside from eradicating injustice, I would also be removing all asshole Riajus on this planet.

I just hope that my title as a Heroic Spirit isn't EDGELORD.

The only thing left for me to do is to decide what to do to make me even a considerable candidate for becoming a Heroic Spirit...

Ugh, anyway...

Tomorrow would be the final day of our camping trip, and on the morning on the day after, we would be going back to Chiba on buses. Though my Mother insisted to personally pick me up on that day...I want to ride the bus too damnit!

I had also managed to convince Hayama-san to facilitate the practices of our teams for tomorrow's pop dance competition. Men and women's volleyball was moved to tomorrow afternoon since we had some unexpected things that happened yesterday. I had wanted to join the tennis event yesterday, but the thought of fainting again stopped me from doing so. I should seriously take better care of myself; I don't want to get hospitalized and cause any more trouble to my parents...

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

Yukinoshita was immediately surrounded, praised and congratulated by our classmates and teachers. Giving her smiles and clapping their hands as she walked by. She won the quiz bee by a landslide and only had very few incorrect answers. She acknowledged them with nods and a small upturn of her lips but did not grace them with a full-blown smile.

Almost as if she rejected The Human Instrumentality Project just like Shinji Ikari at The End of Evangelion.

"I expected no less. Thank you for your hard work." I say and then held Tania-chan as she sat on my lap. "Tania-chan, say congratulations to Yukinoshita-nee."

"Shhhhhhhehehehe!" She laughed as she imitated the people around her and clapped.

"Good work Yukinoshita! Now we'll win the competition for sure!" Hiratsuka-sensei came and patted her shoulder, puffing out her chest out of pride. And it was quite difficult in trying to restrain my eyes from landing on them.

"Hoh, don't be so sure yet Hiratsuka-sensei. I believe with your win; we are tied among the teams now." Ino-sensei approached her with a menacing aura. I forgot to mention that these two teachers made a bet on who would win the competition. Naturally, they betted on their respective teams.

Hiro-sensei made a troubled smile as he watched his wife and Shiromeguri-senpai announced the end of the quiz bee followed by a 30-minute break before the next event started. The crowd began to disperse and Yukinoshita made a sigh of relief. I see she still dislikes crowds, and I share the same sentiment.

"So..." she locked her eyes with me after patting Tania-chan's head and shaking her tiny hand. Her gaze said that she was expecting from me, and I had already prepared her reward.

"Here." I gave her the letter that I promised her, her finger clasped it and I let go. She examined it and her eyes widened when she recognized the seal.

"This is...the official seal of the city...how did you get this...?" she muttered with a hint of amazement.

"Yes, and it's yours. That was originally given to me, but...I have... well, other plans on that day. It's a big deal to have that with you. And also, because I'm a lazy piece of shi-"

"Hikigaya-kun, please refrain from speaking profanities while in the presence of a baby." She cut me off and pointed at Tania-chan who was looking back and forth between us with curious eyes.

"Sorry. Anyway, that's yours and if I were you, I'd open it when I go home."

She arched a brow at my words but didn't say anything. After a few more silent moments she opened her mouth and said, "I demand more."

"More what." I arched a brow at her.

"A prize. Being suddenly part of a quiz bee without any sort of preparation is more troublesome than you think, even for one such as me. " She said and crossed her arms, her eyes arched and giving me an expectant look.

The audacity...!

" Haaaah? What do you want? Do you expect me to hold your hand and treat you to an expensive dinner? Or go to a ridiculously expensive cafe with overpriced coffee and pastries? No thank you. You're already loaded enough to do that yourself. Go ask your Onee-san to do that with you, I have more important stuff to deal with." I gestured with my hands as if I was shooing her away, and she did not like it in the slightest.

She visibly cringed and made a disgusted face. "Ugh, what made you think that way? Pretentious disgusting lech." She cleared her throat and continued. "The thing that I want is a favour. Simple as that."

A favour? What could she want now? This girl is getting too pushy and ordering me around. But, on a serious note, what could the great Yukinoshita Yukino planned to do that she needed a lowly mortal such as myself to help on the matter...?

"What kind?" I asked.

"Nothing yet, though I may need you to do to a certain something for me in the future." She said and I immediately grew suspicious. I don't know what she is planning, and neither do I want to be a part of it, but my growing curiosity on the matter was building up.

"..."

"..."

"Tch, fine. As long as it's not very troublesome..." I say and admitted defeat.

"Good to see that we agree." She had a sly look on her face that reminded me of a snake's. I feel as though I willfully fell into an obvious trap. My eyes fell to her hands and I noticed something odd.

"Now, do you mind telling me who is currently facilitating our team while I was away?" She asked, but before I could answer, I noticed something off.

The envelope that contained the letter was gone.

"Hey, where's the envelope?" She gave me a confused look and I saw her move her hand that had held it several moments ago and suddenly got wide-eyed when it wasn't there. She looked down and was frozen in place when her eyes rested on something. In other words, she was looking at something on my lap.

When I looked down on the infant that I held, I understood what she meant. In Tania-chan's tiny hands was the letter that I gave to Yukinoshita only several moments ago, I have no idea how Tania-chan managed to get that. But what caught me off guard was what she was doing with it. She was slowly moving it closer and closer to her mouth where she will chew and make a mess out of it. The only question that I had on my mind at that moment was how did she able to grab it from Yukinoshita in the first place...?

"TANIA-CHAN NO DON'T EAT THAT!"

"Hoh looks like we won..." I muttered to myself after Hiro-sensei announced the results. My team screamed and shouted in celebration, some dancing and jumping up and down. Victory music was blaring from the speakers, confetti was fired into the air, with several coloured strings landing on my head. I looked around and saw the other classes joining in, even the ones who lost could not resist. Our sports teams did wonderful this morning, they broke the tie that held us with the other class and made victory possible. Near the place where the teachers were staying, I saw Hiratsuka-sensei in equally good spirits, laughing and exclaiming that she had won the bet against Ino-sensei. Please act your age Sensei, you're not a teenager anymore. Now Hiro-sensei was requesting a representative to take the trophy and say some words.

I discreetly eyed the girl beside me and nudged her shoulder. She managed to find me at the front of this crowd and stand next to me to also listen to the results. I can feel how focused her eyes were and the aura of anticipation that I felt. Hoh, she must want to win. To be honest, either result was fine for me. If we had lost, I would have just shrugged my shoulders and congratulated the winners. No use crying over spilt milk after all.

"Oi, that's your cue."

"What? I did not agree to this." She gave me an annoyed look and arched her brow.

"Go on, just do it." I nudged her again.

"You can't force me to." She was being defiant and crossed her arms around her chest and I'm starting to lose my patience. I had to sigh in exasperation because what I'm going to say next will cause me to let go of the small amount of pride I have left.

"Between the two of us, this is your forte. What if I screw up and bite my tongue or something? That would be bad, yes?" I say in my most convincing tone. I felt the gears inside her head twist and turn as she thought about my words.

"Well, if you put it that way. I would like to avoid embarrassment just as we were starting to celebrate our victory. I guess even such a trivial thing such as this takes too much of an effort for you, does it Hikigaya-kun?" She smirked and gave me a belittling look and started walking to where Hiro-sensei was standing. Haha, you think you've won? Fool! I just gave you a small amount of time to be in the spotlight! I could go there if I wanted to!

He gave her the microphone and cleared her throat before speaking to it. Her victory speech was brief, yet every word held a deep meaning to it. The heads around me nodded as they all agreed to what she was saying. After she was done with her piece, Hiro-sensei bade the winning class come forward to take the picture.

The girls quickly sprinted to get a good position in the photo, followed slowly by most of the guys who weren't as photogenic as them. Since we were the Representatives, we stood at the centre holding the medium-sized trophy together and I had to resist the urge to wiggle away from my current spot since it was getting too close for comfort.

"Yo Hikigaya." I heard Hayama-san's voice from beside me. Since he was right next to me I didn't bother turning my head to him since doing so might lead to a yaoi-like situation. I saw a familiar face in the crowd already looking for BL material. Ebina-san gave me a thumbs-up from the opposing team. Finally, I've found her at last. She said she wanted my help the other day, though she didn't say what exactly.

"Ah, hello." I return him a lame greeting of my own.

He brushed it off and continued, "You know, I was expecting you to be the one to step forward, being the de facto head of our team and all." I arched a brow since his voice was low, but still loud enough for me to hear him, I remained quiet, "Tell me, why didn't you?" he asked and I started wondering. Though it didn't take too long since the answer was obvious.

"I figured that she is the more logical choice to speak for the team between the two of us," I reply as I watched the last students come over to us and look for a spot to stay.

"Hoh is that so..." He said and trailed off. We watched some of the officers-in-charge of the documentation hastily prepare that camera that stood on a tripod.

"...Thanks Hayama-san." I say.

"Hm? For what?"

"For yesterday, helping the teams prepare I mean."

"Oh that. Well, I don't mind, you did give me advice the other day, remember? Oh, and you can drop the -san already hahaha." He said in a grateful tone and patted my right shoulder. Oi oi oi oi oi, when did you put that hand on me? Is that sexual harassment? Get your hand off of me BRUH. Tch, this guy...getting too friendly with me...I don't remember acknowledging you as a friend, Bro.

Yukinoshita was quiet the entire time. Whether she was listening in on our conversation or outright refusing to acknowledge our existence, I don't know nor did I care.

"Ok! Everyone smile!" The one behind the camera said and caused everyone to smile too early.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

I didn't know if I smiled when the photo was taken, but what I do know is that I didn't make a goofy face at least.

"You sure you're not going to come to ride the bus with us Hikigaya?" Hiratsuka-sensei asked as she stood in front of the entrance of the bus. After celebrating our victory yesterday noon, the afternoon and evening was just free time for us students. Of course, I just spent most of my time sleeping, reading or playing on my phone when I wasn't helping out my class cook and clean. Last night, we had Japanese-style burger steak for dinner to celebrate, even though it was quite a bit expensive for my taste.

This morning, we made a quick breakfast that consisted of grilled fish, vegetables and the last of our meat, and after making a run for the showers since we were going to be late, made it to our rendezvous with only five minutes to spare. Ugh, even my hair is still a bit wet.

Right now, the first buses had already left, and the one carrying my class together with the teachers revved their engines.

"What time is your Mother coming?" Shiromeguri-senpai followed up with a question of her own. She's been trying to convince me to go with them on the bus all morning, no doubt she's worried because I'm being left behind.

"I'll wait for my Mother, she's already an hour and a half away I believe," I say to the both of them which caused them to look at each other with worried looks. Hiratsuka-sensei sighed in defeat and looked at her watch after glancing behind her.

"Well, if your Mother is already on the way, then I guess it can't be helped." She scratched her head. "We're going on ahead then, see you on Monday Hikigaya." She said and walked up the bus.

"WAIT!" I heard a voice, which caused me and Shiromeguri-senpai to turn to the source Hiro-sensei was walking quickly towards me while carrying Tania-chan. "I got the bus number wrong and now Ino already left..." he said while having a sheepish look on his face. Oh, so that's why I didn't see them both this earlier...

"You can go on this one, Sensei. My Mother will be picking me up." I say. "Tania-chan," I went eye level with her to catch her attention and when she recognized me, started reaching out with her arms like before. I laughed and lightly patted her head. "Not this time little buddy. I'm not riding the bus with you. Bye-bye." I held out my palm in front of her and opened and closed it, she slowly imitated me when I waved it in front of her. I smiled, which caused her to smile in turn, and pinched her cheeks.

"Ok, I'll see you on Monday then and don't forget about the project that I assigned ok?" he said and stepped inside the bus. Tania-chan looked confused when I didn't follow them at the bus, and they disappeared from my view when they turned at the corner.

Shiromeguri-senpai soon followed Sensei, but not before patting my head and saying "Don't talk to strangers ok? We have a lot of work to do next week, so get lots of rest this weekend!" and then she followed Hiratsuka-sensei and the doors closed. The bus lurched forward, and I saw several of my classmates wave at me from the inside of the bus through the glass windows, and I gave them my own. I caught a glimpse of Yukinoshita seated at the back of the bus and she gave me a quick nod of acknowledgement. When the bus disappeared into the wooded road, I walked back into the main building and went to the guest's area to wait for my Mother. I had already informed the employees, so they didn't bother to approach me as I entered.

There were already new guests that had arrived, a bunch of foreigners, two men and women, to be precise. They had fair skin and seemed about in their late twenties. The first pair looked identical, with their blonde hair and facial features, I think they are siblings. They were speaking to the receptionist and I can tell that they were not going anywhere. Both parties looked confused with their messages not getting to each other. The foreigners were speaking English with a heavy accent from a language that I can't determine. I sighed to myself and walked towards them.

" Excuse me." I caught their attention and they had not expected me to walk up to them and speak in English. "Do you need some help?" After a few more moments of awkward silence, one of the men shook off the initial surprise and stepped up to me.

" Oh yes yes yes we do thank you very much!" He exclaimed and bowed his head repeatedly in an exaggerated manner. I had to suppress a wince from the cringe since they were those types of foreigners...and it bothered me how he say "Yes" three times in a row...ugh, why did I even do this in the first place.

" I can help you translate if you want," I say and for the next fifteen minutes or so, I acted as a translator for them. Their questions were predictable, price of the lodging, cooking your food outside, amenities and facilities etc. But even I had a little bit of difficulty expressing in translating some of the words, but thankfully, my message came out clear. They rented one of the rooms and brought their food to cook. The guy at the reception finished their transaction and called a co-worker to go and check the place that was being rented.

" Were you with the bus full of young kids just now?" The woman with a boyish haircut asked me.

" Yes, I'm staying behind," I say, and when I didn't say anything further, nodded to herself. She was probably expecting me to continue the conversation, but I clearly remembered Shiromeguri-senpai's words earlier. "Don't talk to strangers." That was what she said, and I intend to follow it. This was just an exemption since they looked like they needed some help.

" So you stayed here with them? How was it?" The first guy asked.

" It was good," I say and continued. "The facilities here are great, you made a good choice in picking this place."

" That's good to hear. We saw this place in our recommendations and decided to rent a car to come here. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Lukas, this is my sister Maria. We are from The Netherlands." They bowed in greeting and I returned one of my own. Oh, so they're Dutch. So that's the reason behind their heavily-accented English.

" My name is Lars." The tall skinny guy that had been quiet all this time finally spoke.

" I am Tess." The girl with the boyish haircut held out her hand for me to shake. Lars looked startled and lightly elbowed her. The both of them started speaking Dutch, and Tess, who had an initial look of confusion, finally looked like she understood what Lars was getting at. I curiously listened to their language. Ok, so it's Lukas, Maria, Lars and Tess. Shit, too many names! I'm starting to get overwhelmed!

" I'm very sorry for my friend's rudeness," Lars said and I raised a brow at him.

" It's fine to do a handshake here, but we don't do it," I reply. They look relieved at my answer and the girl named Tess reintroduced herself once more but opted to bow instead. The typical reaction, but a bit taken too seriously by foreigners. It's not like handshaking is considered a massive insult here punishable by death. Seriously, we're not as uptight as the rest of the world thinks.

Lars just smiled and his companions started bombarding me with questions.

Oh no.

NO!

DAMNIT!

I run to the parking lot where our buses were supposed to be, only to find it empty except for a few new family cars. Looking at my watch, I was already late by thirty minutes since I took too much time in the showers. It also didn't help that no one bothered to wake me up this morning, causing me to wake up late and be the last one to finish eating and wash most of the dishes that were left in the sink. The tables were cleaned sloppily so I had to clean them again.

Tch, useless classmates...

Great, just GREAT, now I'm stuck here until my Mom can get me and who knows how many hours that's gonna take?

I stomped the ground in frustration and sat on a nearby large rock, unceremoniously flinging my bag at the base of a tree in the process. I took deep breathes to calm myself down, and slowly my rationality came back to me. My parents always told me that I was too hot-headed for my good.

Now, what other options did I have left? I could always call my Mom, but as I said before, she's busy at work and that goes the same for my Dad. I don't have our class adviser's contact information, even though she had told us to save it on our phones in case of an emergency. Damnit, now I regret not saving it and adding it to my contacts...

After sighing to myself and getting the dust off of my bag, I stood up and walked to the main building to call the school so I can at least inform them that I was left behind. Hopefully, my class figured out that I was missing and the bus is turning around right now, but I guess that's just wishful thinking. A certain someone always told me that being a blind optimist in these kinds of situations is always bad. Come to think of it, I didn't see him at all while we were here. Keika and I dropped by last week when we met Komachi at the supermarket, and I gave her some fruits so he can eat them. His fever was quite high on that day, so he wasn't able to come down the stairs...

Poor guy, I hope he's back to normal now.

A sudden gust of wind caught my surprise, and with it, came that certain smell before a storm arrives. When I looked up, a large dark cloud was already slowly moving in the direction of the wind. Woah, that is massive. I didn't see a thunderstorm forecast this morning in the news on my phone. From the looks of things, it'll be a few minutes before the downpour starts, and I do NOT want to be outside when that happens. I walked to the building with my bag in hand.

When I entered through the glass doors, the cold air from the air conditioning was a welcoming feeling. I then went to the guest's area so I can sit down and get my bearings. There was no one at the reception table and I noticed a group of foreigners being led by an employee to their lodgings on the upper floors. They were speaking in a language that I'm not familiar with. I found a vacant bench near the vending machines after buying a can of apple juice. I was still leaning down to pick it up when the doors opened and I instinctively turned my head.

The first thing that I saw was his familiar ahoge on the top of his head.

His eyes were on his phone and we soon made eye contact when he looked up from it. A small grin made its way into his lips when he saw me, and I wondered what caused him to do that.

"There you are, Kawasaki." He said as he started walking towards me. I straightened up and unconsciously started fixing my hair. As he got closer, I noticed that he had a look of relief in his eyes and I somehow felt that he was pleased, if not happy to see me. I hope I don't sound pretentious when I said that...

"H-Hey." I give him a lazy wave and he looked amused. Honestly, did something good happen? He looks too... positive today. And it's unnerving me.

"Looks like I didn't have to scour the place looking for you. It would have been bad if I got caught up in the rain while looking for you. Boy am I glad to see you." He said with a smile, he was radiating an aura of happiness which is out-of-character for him to do. What's his deal? Maybe he ate something bad which caused his personality to make a complete 180?

"Uhh, you too...?" I reply with uncertainty.

"Get your things ready. You're coming with me." He just stated plainly.

"What?" I blurt out, not understanding what he meant and where we were going. He gave me a confused look at tilted his head to the side. "You're stuck here right? You can go with me since my Mother is going to pick me up," he said.

"Wait wait wait, this is going too fast. First of all, how did you know?" I asked him.

"Oh, Sensei called me a few minutes ago and told me that a student was left behind here. I asked her what was the name of the student, and when I found out that it was you, I just told her that you'll be coming with me since we're in the same neighbourhood." He said and shrugged his shoulders. Oh, that makes sense and was thoughtful of him.

"Oh, but what about the bus? What if they're coming back?"

"They'll handle it. My Mother should be here in a few minutes." He replied.

"Oh, ok." It took a few more moments for me to get my head around what he just told me, but I knew what the right words to say at this moment. "Thanks a lot, that was kind of you Hikigaya," I say with a grateful smile. He returned one of his own, albeit a small one, and I felt my cheeks get slightly warm.

"Let's take a seat there while we wait." He pointed to one of the tables that had a bag on top and went there as I tailed behind him. We sat down and he rested his head on his arms on the table.

"Still sleepy?" I asked and opened the juice that I brought with me.

He grunted a reply which I took as a yes and said, "We had to wake up early to prepare the meals and cook for the class..."

"Ah. I didn't see you during our entire three-day stay here though."

"I was just in our cabin the whole time, only going out to help out with the cooking and to occasionally meet with the teachers and the rest of the Student Council..." He said with a muffled voice since his head was still on his arms.

"I see..."

"Well, what about you?" He rested the side of his face on his arm and looked at me, but it looked goofy to look at.

"Hmm, I guess we're on the same boat, except for the last part. Oh, we won the table tennis on the first day, I barely managed to score a few hits too." Since we were the only people here, it was deathly quiet. Thunder suddenly rocked the sky above us, and I jolted from the sound. Hikigaya was unfazed by the clap of thunder and continued to just stare at me with a bored expression.

"By the way...who was your cabin leader?" he asked.

"I forgot her name...Why do you ask?"

A menacing aura filled with dark intent suddenly surrounded him. His eyes were shadowed and I felt the temperature drop causing the hairs on my arm and at the back of my neck to stand. He smiled, but there was no trace of warmth in them. Instead, I saw a sinister one that made me think that he was a demon from the lowest pits of hell itself.

"Oh, nothing. Incompetence must be punished...no? Especially one as great as this. Leaving behind a classmate while on a field trip is no laughing matter. Your Class Rep isn't going to get off lightly because of this. Tsk tsk tsk, the Principal will be furious when he hears this. I can imagine detention, several days' worth of suspension, school service and a meeting with her parents..."

Oh.

Right...

He's the head of The Disciplinary Committee...

"Oh wait, never mind. I can just look up your class in the office next week." He suddenly said and quickly returned to normal. "Finally! Someone to report! Hehehehe..." I heard him mutter but he stopped when he noticed me staring.

I laughed awkwardly and quickly racked my brain to continue the conversation. It was quite difficult because I'm not the most talkative person in our class after all. Though I wasn't able to say anything since a strong downpour just cut me off and started hammering outside.

"Oh, it started raining." I caught myself saying

"Hmm." He just hummed a reply and started playing with his phone on the table.

Stupid me! What the heck was that?! "Oh, it started raining."?! That was so damned obvious! That was probably the stupidest, blandest and most obvious thing to say! I mentally slapped myself for that stupid comment on the weather.

"By the way, are you back to normal now?" I asked him because I remember that he was sick a week or two ago, not to mention that he was absent from school for two weeks. I do hope he managed to catch up to their new topics and lessons in class. "I'm fine now, but I'm not allowed to do sports and whatnot for a while longer." He said while not breaking eye contact with his phone. He sighed, "I know I can do it, but I just don't want to test my luck."

"Anemia, right? Komachi told me all about it last week."

"Yeah, nothing too serious for now. Honestly, it's nothing to worry about. I just have to eat more than usual, take my medication for another two months and stop doing my part-time job. I even stopped going to Tatsumi-sensei for training. Ugh, I miss taekwondo..." He said everything so nonchalantly, but from the way he said the last part, I have a feeling that it makes him feel down.

I frowned and felt like he was underestimating his condition. I've read that an anaemic person sometimes suddenly faint when under high stress and have laboured breathing which causes panic attacks. Because of the lack of blood in the body, the heart takes a bigger effort in quickly transporting everything everywhere to compensate for the lack of precious blood. Even though you're breathing normally, the lack of oxygen makes you feel like you need to breathe in more. And the lack of oxygen to the brain causes headaches, dizziness and fainting. I did my research, and I think I've got the gist of things.

But at the same time, I know he's responsible enough to follow what his doctor advised him.

For a little while, we just silently listened to the rain outside. Neither of us said anything, but the silence that enveloped us was comforting. I sighed and rested my head on the table like him. This is the first time that I got some quiet time these past three days. The girl's quarters were noisy, full of chatter, loud music and laughter. I just wanted to sleep but those things always kept me up. That's why I had a lack of sleep on the day after and I didn't even participate much in the events.

*Yawn*

His phone suddenly had a notification, and I saw him slowly open it.

"Oh, looks like Mother's here." He said and moved to get up. I followed suit. After getting our bags and making sure to check our belongings, we made our way to the main entrance, but before we opened the doors, I had to say something.

"Hey, do you have a jacket or something?" I asked him while eyeing the rain outside, it was still quite strong, but at least the wind had died down a bit. Through the glass, I spotted his Mother's car parked a distance away with the lights blinking.

"Yeah, what about you." He took out the said jacket from his bag and unfolded it.

"Uhh...no..." I had a sheepish look on my face as I laughed awkwardly. Damnit, I should have listened to Dad...

He nodded and said. "Ok, we can go together under mine." He put it over his head and beckoned me to follow him. It was barely big enough and we were quite close inside, but at least it kept the rain away.

"I hope you don't mind if we walk. It would be problematic if we ran through the wet ground and slipped."

"Ok." I nodded at him.

We stepped outside and slowly walked under the rain with his jacket over our heads. I didn't even have to hold onto it since he was already doing it for me. He was facing forward with his eyes slightly closed to protect it from the rain. I used my left hand to hold him so we can walk in sync, our footsteps soon matched.

I accidentally stepped on a puddle that I didn't see, time seemed to slow down as I lost my sense of balance and started to fall. Luckily, a firm arm had already made its way around my waist.

"Woah, Kawasaki are you ok?" I looked up at him to find his face filled with worry. The rain started to hit me since the arm that protected me had prevented me from falling. My eyes were hit and I instinctively put my hand to protect them.

"Yeah, thanks for that." I shivered when his arm was around me, causing goosebumps to form on my neck. His reaction speed was impressive and I had a feeling that he was expecting me to slip. Ugh, I should have walked slower and didn't get reckless. I got up and he removed his arm from my waist.

And then flicked my forehead, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"Eeep!"

"I told you to walk slowly." I was startled since I didn't expect him to do that. His right arm returned to sheltering me under his jacket. The look on his face reminded me of my own whenever I'm reprimanding Keika or any of my younger siblings for doing something that I specifically told them not to do.

"Y-Yeah, sorry." I was too embarrassed to look at him in the eye, but I heard a hum of reply from him. We resumed walking and I noticed that his pace was slower, so I slowed down too to match his. He's taller now, I mean the difference in our height wasn't that much before, but now I can notice it. Even in my class, I'm the tallest among the girls. Boys grow fast huh.

He opened the door for me at the passenger's seat and I said my thanks as I went inside. I was immediately greeted by his Mother who was complaining about the weather. The door to my left opened and he rushed inside as well, the tips of his hair slightly dripping with rainwater.

"Saki-chan! Haa-chan! Sorry that I couldn't park closer!" She deeply apologized when she saw how slightly wet we were from the rain.

"It's fine Mom." He said and started storing away his wet jacket and rummaging through his things.

"Yeah, thanks for giving me a ride, Auntie." I gave his Mother a grateful smile. God knows how many hours I would have had to wait in there if I decided to wait for my Mom...

"No problemo! Now, are we ready to go?" She looked at us for confirmation and I turned to Hikigaya beside me. After fastening our seatbelts and with a simple nod from him, his Mother returned her attention in front of her and started the vehicle. A small white towel suddenly fell at my lap from his direction.

"Dry your hair with that." He said and I did what I was told. I started with my slightly wet scalp and made my way down. Ugh, sometimes having such long hair like mine can be a hassle, especially when drying it. At least it's straight and smooth, not having curly ends here and there. If I did have the latter, I think I would have liked to cut my hair short than to put up with it and the extra effort needed to maintain it.

"Good thing I brought extras..." I heard him say to himself.

From the corner of my eye, he stopped drying his hair and just watched me with fascination as I dried my silvery-blue locks with the small towel that he provided for me. His eyes following my fingers as I ran them through my hair. Captivated, would be the right word, I think. I wasn't creeped out or anything like that. Instead, I was delighted that he likes it and I smirked at myself at the thought. Hehehehe...

"Say," I said and turned to him, while still doing my hair, "do you think I should cut my hair short?" I asked to poke a reaction out of him.

He widened his eyes as if I just told him that he was going to be wed to the daughter of the Emperor, " WHAT?! NO!" He nearly screamed out. Well, not nearly since he did scream but...yeah.

"Hachiman! Don't startle me like that! We're on the highway!" His Mother exclaimed and he quickly apologized.

He cleared his throat once to compose himself from his slightly flustered face. "To answer your question, I think your hair is fine as it already is. It suits you."

"R-Really?"

His mother answered for him this time. "He has a good eye like his Mother! He's right y'know. Your hair is really pretty Saki-chan and it would be such a shame if you cut it short." I saw her grin at me from the mirror.

"Oh, I see. Thanks." Being someone who isn't used to being complimented, I just gave a shy reply as I returned my attention to my hair. We were still around two hours away from Chiba, notwithstanding any possible traffic ahead. I just idly watched the scenery pass by in a blur. The countryside was a refreshing escape from city life, being surrounded by nature and all. I learned a lot during the trip, but I'm not sure if I'd like to go with my class again. If given the chance, I'd like to go with myself or at most with one person.

My eyes started to get heavy and I caught myself almost nodding off. Hikigaya had already closed his eyes and leaned on the headrest behind him, but he would occasionally open them from time to time. For a little while, I copied him but the headrest was too hard and wasn't comfortable to rest on. I just kept fidgeting in my seat until I heard his voice.

"Come here." He said with one eye lazily open and beckoned me to come closer. After I unfastened my seatbelt, I scooted closer to him. "What?" I say while once again fastening the seatbelt next to him.

Wordlessly, he used his right hand and gently guided my head to his shoulder. His hand was really warm and I couldn't find it in myself to resist.

"You can lean on me in the meantime. We still have ways to go." He muttered and returned his hand to his lap.

"O-Oh. Thanks..." I was too tired and sleepy to be embarrassed, so I made myself comfortable with him. After re-positioning myself a few more times, I finally found a position that I felt comfortable in. I unconsciously matched his breathing, and our chests went up and down in unison. His eyes were closed, but I can tell that he's still awake. I felt the small signs of his heartbeat, and it was a relaxed rhythm. My eyes started to close as I felt sleep finally take over me, but not before I heard something from Auntie that would have made me cover my face in embarrassment if I wasn't too tired to do so.

"Hoh, how cute..."

EYYYYYY WUS POPPINNN muh childrons!

It's ya boi Ivanov117 back again with another chapter!

13k words, wow.

Home sweet home after two weeks in the US, and I've been writing there and even on the plane and in our rented car too. Mexican food is love, Mexican food is life.

Okay, let's put my ramblings about my trip to the side and talk about the more important stuff, yes?

First of all, Yukinoshita asserts her dominance and flexes her strength once again. She refuses to be below him and we can see some friendly rivalry between them. Well, I don't think Hikigaya is aware that she sees him as such, but maybe he's seen some hints here and there...I'm sure he won a lot of points when she found out that he's good with kids!

Now for Saki-chan! She and Hachiman are getting closer huh? It helps when you're neighbours, and your little sister is charmed by him. Sometimes coming over in the weekends to play and hang out and all. Hachiman was an absolute CHAD when he protected her from the rain, and he won a lot of points on her when he let her sleep on his shoulder!

His Onii-chan instincts are always on high alert!

As always, reviews and PM's are welcome. I don't mind reading through them, it helps me understand the reader's perspective and how they interpret some of the scenes.

24

The rain outside continued to hammer the car as we sped back towards the city. Because of the rain, vision on the road was only limited to about 10 meters at most, causing us to move more slowly and my Mother to turn on the headlights. I had already texted Hiratsuka-sensei and Shiromeguri-senpai that Kawasaki was with me and we were on our way home. Sighing, I opened my phone with my left hand and used the GPS app to see where we are right now. To my disappointment, we were still quite a distance away, and it looked like the rain won't let up anytime soon. Ugh, I want to go home and sleep...maybe eat a bowl of spicy cup ramen noodles too.

Or ice cream, either is fine.

A slight movement on my right shoulder alerted me and I turned my attention to the mop of silvery-blue hair. I had put my arm around her to keep her from moving too much, and whenever there were sharp turns and such, I would gently place my hand on her head. She had fallen asleep half an hour ago, and I couldn't sleep anymore. I watched her sleeping form; she had a serene look on her face, her eyes covered by her hair and her lips were slightly parted as she breathed. She nuzzled her head on my shoulder, and I just watched her.

When I looked at the mirror, I saw my Mother give me a sly grin and giggle to herself. Damnit Mother, not now, please. Thankfully, I didn't get flustered earlier when I made such a bold move. I just said whatever I had on my mind and my hands moved on their own. I was afraid that she might slap my hand away or something, call me a creep, but she just went with it and muttered her thanks. My Onii-chan instincts activated, and before I knew it, I found myself in this current situation. I don't know why I'm so calm, I'm sure other boys of my age, I think, would be a fidgeting flustered mess if they were in my shoes.

Truly, what I did was a purely platonic act with no ulterior motives in mind, a simple gesture of goodwill. Of course, if I was in her shoes, I would have gladly accepted an offer for me to lean on her shoulder with a straight face.

I do hope she won't think that I'm a creep or anything...

Eventually, after another hour or so, the rain had lessened quite a bit and we were soon welcomed by the tall buildings of Chiba. Kawasaki was still asleep, though I felt her phone vibrate a few times, I should tell her that when she wakes up. I asked my Mother where my Father was, and she said that the ship that he had commissioned had already arrived at the port of Tokyo, and there was a party scheduled to celebrate its safe arrival. I barely see him nowadays, him being always busy and all. He said that he has a futon in his office where he would sometimes spend the night when it got too late to come back home to Chiba. I thought that it might be dangerous, but I remembered that he owned the building and security measures had already been considered. Come to think of it, I've never been to his workplace...

Thirty minutes later, we entered our neighbourhood and stopped right in front of our humble abode. It was a shame to wake up the person sleeping peacefully beside me. I mean, I always wake up a bit annoyed whenever someone or something wakes me up.

"-saki...Kawasaki..."

Ugh...

I felt being lightly shaken by my shoulder with a soft gently voice calling me.

"-saki...we're here..."

I groaned and groggily opened my eyes, and lifted my head from his shoulder. The rain had lessened to a drizzle and we were already in front of their house. He looked at me with a blank expression as I was still taking in my surroundings and fixing my hair. Wordlessly, he opened the door to the left side of the vehicle and stepped out. Shortly after, the door to my right opened and he was already carrying an umbrella over his head. I was about to go and grab my bag but he had already taken our bags with his other hand. This guy really thinks and acts in advance huh.

"Come on."

I turned to Auntie at the driver's seat and thanked her, and then she directed her attention to her son, "Hachi dear, cook up some lunch for Saki-chan. We still have lots of food in the fridge, you can just reheat them in the microwave. I still have to go back to downtown." He nodded at her and I stepped out of the vehicle. We waved and watched her speed away, and after a few moments when she disappeared from view, started walking to their front door.

"I hope you'll stay for lunch." He said.

I gave him a small sheepish smile. "Well, what Auntie said earlier was more or less an invitation so...if it's not too much trouble, then I'd love to."

He nodded at me and opened the door. We changed our shoes into indoor ones and he placed our bags on the couch. Komachi must be out since her Mother didn't mention her being home. We heard a meow and Kamakura's head appeared from the stairway.

"Oh snap. I'll go get Kamakura and put him in Komachi's room." He hurriedly said and grabbed the cat and ran upstairs. I nodded at him and lightly laughed when he nearly tripped as he carried his pet. My allergies aren't acting up like before the time I came here when I would repeatedly sneeze until my nose got red and itchy. Now, it does get slightly itchy from time to time, but not too much. Thankfully, Kamakura's hair is quite short and he prefers to stay on the ground instead of on the sofa from what Hikigaya had said.

I made myself comfortable on the couch and heard the opening and closing of a door upstairs. He came down with a towel and some fresh clothes in his hand. "I'll take a bath since we got slightly wet from the rain earlier. I'd recommend you do the same." He said. Oh yeah, we got slightly drenched earlier and it was...my fault.

I blinked twice at his statement and thought about it. Well, what he said was very logical, but being a girl, I have some reservations... ah to heck with it! I still have some new clothes here anyway, and he's not that that kind of guy, he's probably only being considerate for my well-being! Plus, I don't want to get sick! "Ok, I'll go after you." He nodded at me and he disappeared into the bathroom.

To pass the time, I took out a sandwich that I had made back at the camp from my bag and started munching on it since I was getting slightly hungry. My phone vibrated and I saw that it was a text message from my Mom asking me where I am. I quickly replied and told her everything that happened this morning. After a few minutes, she replied "Ok, I'll see you home then. Don't forget to thank Hitomi and her son for their hospitality." And promptly ended the conversation. I was a bit sad that she didn't ask me anything else or how my day went, she was never the most expressive Mom to my siblings. Always working with my Dad, to support our family, but rarely having some time to spare to spend with us.

Sometimes I forget that my Mom and Auntie were friends who worked in the same company a few years back. They would sometimes drink after work and eat dinner together. Unfortunately, after Keika was born, Mom had to work in another company that offered a higher salary, at the cost of longer working hours, that's how they lost connection for some time, both of them became busy with their families, even though they lived in the same neighbourhood. They became friends again when Auntie became the Chairwoman of the neighbourhood association since there was a meeting 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. I heard that they would sometimes meet and talk over a cup of coffee from Hikigaya.

The unmistakable sound of a door opening caused me to look behind me. He wore beige shorts and a simple white t-shirt as he dried his hair with a white towel. "Sorry for the wait." He said as he started making his way to me.

"Not really. Do you always take a shower that fast?" I say and arched a brow at him. He nodded at me after giving me a pink towel for me to use and started making his way to the kitchen. I smelled the familiar gentle scent coming from him that I took note of whenever we walked together at school. "I'll fix something good for lunch. Do you want anything in particular?" He said as he put his head inside the fridge looking for something.

"Anything is fine," I call out to him before closing the door to the bathroom.

The inside was similar to what we had at home. A small sink with a mirror, and under that were several drawers that most likely contained toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. A small wooden basket for used clothes just before the screen door that led to the bathroom. I took off the indoor slippers that I wore and started taking off my clothes. After placing them on the basket, I went inside and closed the screen door behind me. Just like before, their layout was surprisingly similar in our house. A large bathtub that was slightly elevated and a mirror in front of a red plastic stool for you to sit on while you wash. Near the mirror was a shelf that contained the shampoo, conditioners, body soaps etc. There was also a control panel on the wall that had many features, we had those at home but it broke.

As I was about to turn on the water in the shower, I was startled when the control panel made a tune and I heard his voice from the other side.

" Kawasaki?"

"Y-Yeah?" I say after standing up and pressing the "Speak" button.

" Oh good this thing still works. Anyway, you can use whatever shampoo or body soap you like on the shelves ok?"

"Okay." The control panel ended with a beep, leaving me alone to my thoughts. I shrugged and turned on the water to the shower, eager to take a refreshing bath and get a new change of clothes. Instead of warm water hitting my face, I was met with a bone-chilling temperature that made me shriek in surprise.

"AAAAAHHH!" I cringed away from the water after turning it off, I shivered as I stood up and adjusted the temperature to a warmer one. The control panel beeped again, "Oi! Kawasaki! Did something happen?!" His voice sounded slightly frantic and filled with worry, hearing me suddenly scream must have startled him. I dried my hand and pressed the button again.

"Sorry, I was just surprised at the cold water that's all," I say

I heard him audibly sigh in relief, "Ugh, damnit. Sorry about that. I sometimes like showering in cold water. I should have returned the temperature to normal. My bad."

"No, it's my fault, I should have checked it first. Sorry for startling you."

" Anyway, if you need anything, just press the button." He said and the line on his end closed with a tune.

Once I turned on the shower and adjusted the water temperature, I FINALLY started what I came here to do. I picked the shampoo that he used since it had the same aroma and started washing my hair with it. It smelled nice, and I think I'll buy one just like this once I go back to the grocery. I do have a day off today, but I have a shift tomorrow and the day after. Come to think of it, would that make him think I'm a creepy girl if he found out that I'm copying him? I mean, if some guy did that I would be creeped out.

On the other hand, if it was him then...

I wouldn't mind, I guess...

I forcefully shook my head because of the direction where my thoughts were headed.

I took my time cleaning myself and enjoying the heat of the water, and rinsing myself one last time, I stood up and grabbed my towel to dry myself. Ah, that felt good. Nothing beats a refreshing shower after all. I can hear something being fried from their kitchen, and I wanted to go outside as soon as possible to at least help him out in preparing lunch for us. I lightly dried myself a bit and closed the screen door behind me as inspected myself in front of the mirror. I had put the towel around my hair in a neat bun to prevent it from dripping on the floor. Satisfied with how I looked, I went to get my new clothes from my bag, but I realized something.

I forgot to bring my clothes inside with me.

I gave myself a facepalm. Why did I forget that of all things? Ugh, this isn't me at all! I carefully opened the door at peeped my head out while the rest of my body was behind the door. I saw him still in the kitchen diligently chopping vegetables, while simultaneously checking the flame under the frying pan and seeing if the rice was already done and ready to eat. Through the sound of something being fried, I heard him humming the tune of a familiar song, but I couldn't exactly tell what. What he was cooking smelled good, and I heard my stomach rumble in response.

"H-Hikigaya...?" I called out to him after mentally preparing myself.

"Hai hai Hikigaya desu~." After putting down the knife, turned his head to me and I instantly saw his eyes widen before quickly looking away from me. It was quite funny, looking at his half-lidded eyes suddenly enlarging like a balloon when he saw me. I inwardly rolled my eyes at him. Oh come on, now that was just plain overreacting! It's not like I'm stark naked, I'm only showing my head for God's sake!

"Can you get my bag? It's on the couch beside yours." I say and pointed him in the right direction. He nodded while not daring to look at me and went and retrieved my bag. I gave him a smug grin when he started walking towards me. There was still some pink left on his cheeks while he refused to look at me in the eye with a disgruntled expression.

"Pfff, look at you, getting flustered from such a little thing." I teased when I received my bag. Even if he's the most serious person in our year, he is still a guy, and his earlier reaction was to be expected. Still, seeing him look like that was worth the embarrassment on my part.

He put a hand on his hip and shook his head at my response. "Lunch is almost ready. Finish up quick so we can eat. You could have used the control panel you know..." He said and walked back to the kitchen. After closing the door and quickly changing into my new clothes which consisted of a casual light-brown free-flowing skirt that ended below my knee and a white long-sleeved semi-fitting blouse. I had bought the latter a few days ago and this is the first time that I'll wear it. After using their hairdryer, a bit, I tied my hair into a ponytail. I did a few twirls around the mirror and nodded to myself. Hoh, I feel really pretty in this. I put my laundry inside my bag, and after I checked myself once more in the mirror to make myself more presentable, combing and straightening my hair a few more times, went outside.

He was just putting the stir-fried vegetables, which smelled amazing by the way, on the plate when I walked up behind him and stood on my toes while holding his shoulder for balance to see what he was cooking. I looked to the dining table and he already made pork and chicken tonkatsu with sliced cabbages and coleslaw and grilled salmon with a side of miso soup. Wow, I must have been in the bathroom longer than I thought for him to cook this much...

"You cooked quite a lot; can I help with anything?" I say.

"Hmm, well can you set the plates and chopsticks?" He said and turned to me, but not before giving me a top-to-bottom look and arched an eyebrow.

"What's with the get-up? Going for a job interview or something...?" He said cheekily.

After poking his rib as payback, I replied. "I just bought these a few days ago. Might as well wear them."

He nodded, gave me another complete look, and said. "I see. You have good taste. Well, it suits you, Kawasaki." He returned his attention to what he was doing before seeing my reaction.

I blushed, of course, being complemented out of nowhere is pretty foreign to me. The way that he said it so nonchalantly said that there was no underlying meaning to what he said. Like he was just stating an obvious fact. After shrugging to myself and thanking him, I then went to where they put their utensils and placed them on the table. On a closer look, he cooked more than needed, I think you can feed about four people with the food on the table. He sure went overboard...

I pulled my sleeves up to keep them from getting in the way of my hands and went back and disposed of the leftover ingredients like some bits of cabbage here and there and the eggshells. There was still some meat left so I put them back in the freezer to prevent them from becoming spoiled. When I opened it, it had a surprising amount of ice cream and mochi desserts. For the spices, condiments and remaining breading mix, I returned them to the small cabinet where they belonged. I cleaned a few spills here and there, all the while being careful not to get my clothes dirty. I caught him eyeing me while I was leaning down after putting the half-sliced cabbage back in the lower vegetable compartment. Ha! Caught red-handed! Instead of quickly looking away out of embarrassment like I was expecting, he held his gaze and hummed to himself.

"..." He put a hand under his chin and nodded to himself after muttering something.

"What?" I asked him with a serious face. I was tempted to say "Like what you see~?", like in movies, but that was WAY too embarrassing I think I'd die if I say that. Plus, I don't want him to think that I'm that kind of girl!

He slowly clapped his hands a few times, " Omedetou, you knew your way around our kitchen more than I anticipated." While his praise was out of nowhere, I guess he's right. I have been here many times already during the weekends whenever Keika would want to come over and play with them. On the rare occasions that she would be at home, Auntie would always invite us for lunch, which I couldn't refuse. Since his shift started in the afternoon, he would play with Keika until the time came for him to go to work, and it just so happens that my part-time job at the grocery store starts at that time. Regardless, I couldn't help a blush from his words and walk past him with his arm in tow. "C-Come on. Let's eat."

"Hai hai..." He said in a drawn-out manner and just lazily followed me. He sat at the head of the table while I sat on his right. Looking at the food in front of me and from the aroma that it gave off, my stomach rumbled in response. Hiding my embarrassment as best as I can, I looked to him to see if he heard it. He had a poker face on but slightly cracked when I turned to him. He lightly started chuckling when he saw me pouting at his reaction.

"Hahahahaha."

"H-Hey!" To get his attention, I softly kicked his leg and he immediately stopped. "Fine, fine geez...can't I laugh every once in a while...?"

""Itadakimasu..."" We said together and started eating. Since the fried chicken looked quite appetizing, I reached out to it first. Unfortunately, we had the same idea since we both had our hands on the plate at the same time. He quickly retracted his hand and I followed suit. "Please, after you." He said gestured and I accepted.

After taking a bite, it tasted quite good, the sauce that came with the chicken also complemented it quite nicely.

"This is pretty good," I say after sipping a bit of miso soup and getting a piece of pork.

"Thanks." After that, we continued eating while having small bits of conversation here and there. The vegetables were quite spicy, and I started heating up and sweat a bit. I observed him see if he was the same as me, but apparently, he was unaffected. I opened the top button of my blouse to try and cool myself down.

"Are you feeling hot...?" He asked with an arched brow when he saw me do it. I felt a bit of sweat trail down from my forehead to the side of my face before I could wipe it away, his eyes were glued to it the entire time.

"Oh, sorry. Spicy foods aren't my strong suit..." I say and gave him an apologetic smile. He got up and went to get a fan in our direction. When I felt the air hit me, it instantly cooled me down considerably.

"I didn't know that you liked spicy food," I say in an attempt to make conversation with him. This is my chance to get to know him better! I mean, even though we've known each other for almost a year, I still know quite little about him. He hardly talks about himself and when asked, his answers are either vague or too short. It's hard for me to admit but I still don't know much about the boy beside me.

He shrugged at me. "A bit. Sometimes I get the sudden urge to eat something spicy, usually spicy ramen noodles or curry rice. It's the same with my Father." I nodded and watched as he continued eating the remaining chicken and vegetables. For me, to play the part of a grateful guest, I sliced off a chunk from the salmon and paired it with the soy sauce on the table. I tasted heavenly when I ate it with the miso soup.

"Ah, Keika is the same as me. She can't handle spicy food. Though Taishi doesn't mind it." I say.

"Taishi...your little brother?" He asked with a questioning look. Oh, he didn't meet Taishi yet huh.

"Yeah, including him, there's still three other siblings of mine that you haven't met yet," I replied which caused a small grin to form on his face. "Sounds like your house is quite lively."

I unknowingly let out a tired sigh when he said that. Just thinking about it already makes my headache. Between taking care of my other siblings, doing school work and my part-time job, I barely have time for myself. Mom must be at the house today since she didn't call me to go home as soon as possible. My parents usually come home from work at around 10:00 pm, and by that time we're already asleep. Though sometimes, Mom comes earlier and we cook dinner together. In the morning, both of them send my three youngest siblings to school, while Taishi and I walk together until we separate further down the road.

"It is," I say.

He smirked at my reply and said, "Tell me about it, Komachi can be quite a handful sometimes, not to mention being a bit of an airhead..."

I ate a little after that, but I was just waiting for him to finish so we can do the dishes together. His phone rang from his pocket, and he got it out while sipping from some miso soup. The contents inside the message must have bothered him since he immediately had a tired look in his eyes after putting his phone down.

"Was it Komachi?" I asked before eating small broccoli.

He shook his head. "No, just a message from Shiromeguri-senpai telling us to get ready since we're going to start the preparations for the Third-Year graduation next week. Good grief, work again..." He said and his mood immediately went spiralling down.

"How did you end up in that position again? What was it, Head of the Disciplinary Committee?" I asked.

"A recommendation from Shiromeguri-senpai, she appointed it to me since I'm the one who...uhh... you know. Did this, did that..." His voice trailed off as he shrugged and looked away, I immediately understood him. For someone like him, he is very modest about himself, never bragging about his achievements and being arrogant. Almost as if he's embarrassed to talk about it. I know some people who would act like arrogant little shits if they were like him, acting high and mighty, thinking themselves to be superior to everyone else.

In other words, he's a big shot on paper, but he refuses to acknowledge the whispers from the students around him. Be they praises and words of admiration, or of spite and jealousy. He shrugged everything off like it was nothing, and continued acting like he was just an average student.

"-saki?" He suddenly called out.

"Y-Yes? Sorry, I spaced out for a sec there. What were you saying again?" I apologized and got a hold of myself. That was... rude for me to space out mid-conversation.

He had a look of understanding. "As I was saying, was the food to your liking?"

I vigorously nodded my head in response to his question. "Of course it was!" I blurted out too loud earning a laugh from him.

After finishing the remaining food that we had on our plates, we put them away and I put the leftover food in their fridge. For someone as skinny as him, he ate quite a lot since there was only a small amount of food left. He put away the food waste in the organic garbage bin after putting the plates in the sink. I was about to roll my sleeves up and wash the dishes, but he called me over to the couch while holding a small bowl with a spoon. He wordlessly gave it to me and opened the T.V. and sat down. I followed suit and on the coffee table was some vanilla and mocha-flavoured ice cream.

"I'll do the dishes later. Let's have some dessert first." He said as he scooped a bit of mocha while he looked for an interesting channel to watch on the T.V. I raised a brow at how... relaxed he is right now, more relaxed than I had ever seen him before. "If you say so..." I say and got myself some Vanilla.

After several channels, he stopped at one the caught his interest, an anime of some sort, it just started its opening song. It was a school setting and one can already see who the main cast was due to the colour of their hair and with their distinct characteristics, like in most anime. He leaned back and rested on the cushion behind us and I did the same. We had some bits of conversation here and there since I started getting into the show as well, the animation and soundtrack were amazing. I asked him if it was the first time that he saw it, and he said yes. He didn't look at me in the eye though and just nodded while having a slight look of discomfort in his eye. It was already halfway into the show that I realized how close I sat next to him; our thighs were stuck together.

O-Oh, so that's why he looked bothered and would fidget now and then...

Without making it too obvious, I reached out my hands towards the ice cream while making it not look like I scooted slightly away from him. We were still quite close, though he now had a more relaxed look in his eye.

After the show ended, he got up and insisted that he'll do the dishes alone. Of course, I wanted to help him, but he put a gentle hand on my shoulder and made me sit back on the couch. After asking if I was done with the ice cream, to which I said yes, he got the used plates on one hand and the ice cream on the other.

"Now now, just stay here and relax. I'll do it myself." He said, which caused me to pout as he had an amused look on him when he went back to the kitchen. Sighing to myself, I returned my attention to the T.V. and looked for something interesting to pass the time. It was a cooking show, the chef showed a salmon for the audience to see, before filleting it in seconds with a very sharp knife. He made three more dishes before I heard Hikigaya's footsteps come toward me.

"Oh, it's Ushio-sensei." He exclaimed from the kitchen just as he was finishing things up and wiped his hands dry.

" Sensei? You personally know him?" I asked him with surprise evident in my voice.

"Oh no, I sometimes watch his show and take note of some of his recipes, that's all." He said and returned to sitting next to me. We both watched with fascination as the chef brought out a slab of beef, it looked normal to me, just your average everyday beef. Hikigaya on the other hand had an intense look on his face as he watched the T.V. screen.

"Holy shit Wagyu Beef...A5 too..." He muttered to himself.

"What's so special about it? It looks like regular beef to me." I asked since I didn't quite know what the hype was about. I do hear about Wagyu Beef but I never bothered to know more about it.

"It's super expensive, and the cattle that belong to the specific breed undergo strict feeding, breeding and care. Their meat is incredibly tender, from what I hear. And it also has a buttery flavour which made it famous in the first place." He said. I just nodded and resumed watching the T.V.

The chef then sliced it into cubes and rectangles and carefully placed them on the grill. Hikigaya was enthralled by the sight, there were some stars in his eyes when I turned to him. After a few minutes, the beef was grilled to perfection and the camera crew made a ridiculous close-up shot of the chef eating the beef. The audience roared with laughter when they saw the sight.

"Want to eat some?" He suddenly said.

"What?"

"Wagyu Beef. My treat."

"Huh...uuummmm...but why...?"

"Because I want to." He shrugged and had a childlike glint in his eyes that made me feel that if I said no, he would grab me by the hand and drag me to a wagyu restaurant downtown. He looked very determined and I gulped since it was quite difficult for me to say no because he had unknowingly inched his face closer to mine. He smelled nice; it was a gentle calming scent that I slowly grew accustomed to. I can see my reflection from his irises, the girl that I saw looked nervous and speechless with a slight blush. Uwaah, is he doing this on purpose? I highly doubt it, maybe this is normal for him since Komachi can be quite... clingy to him at times.

"U-Uuuummm..." I mumble not being able to form any words given the situation that I'm in.

"..."

"Uhhhhh..."

"..."

"Ok fine..." I relented and he immediately nodded and pulled away from me. Phew, if that had taken longer, I doubt I can take it. I would have probably fainted out of embarrassment on the spot.

"So, when are you free?" He asked.

Hmm...tomorrow and the day after that is a no go. Same with the weekdays, if I don't go home soon no one will be there to cook for my siblings. I also don't want to bother and tire him out on the weekday after school since he still has work to do...So that only leaves the weekend next week, but I also have my part-time job...ugh, this was warder than I expected.

I scratched my head in frustration. "I don't think I'm free next week, but I'll contact you when I am," I say.

He blinked twice at my question as if there was something off about it. "You have my contact information?" He tiled his head to the side when he asked.

"Oh, I just realized that I don't." Ah, that was stupid of me. He got his phone and gave it to me with his number already displayed on the screen. Once I retrieved mine, I copied it to my phone and gave it back to him. I waited for him to say something, but he just stared blankly at me, as if waiting for me to say something too. It was a bit awkward since none of us spoke, but he thankfully broke the silence first.

"So...what do you want to do?" He asked. Well, we had lunch and dessert, watch an anime together along with the cooking show just now...what is there else to do? I mean, it's not like I'm in a rush to go home or anything, but I can't think of anything else for me to do here. With my head devoid of any answer, I just shrugged my head at him, hoping that he has an idea in that brilliant mind of his.

In the end, I decided to go home and give him some privacy. After grabbing my things and waiting for him to lock the door to their house, he walked me home with an umbrella above us. The sun was already peeking through the clouds, and although it still wasn't hot, he insisted to stay under an umbrella since he said he gets sunburns easily. Around twenty minutes later, we stopped right in front of our house, and I asked him if he wanted to come inside.

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"Oh...well. Thanks for giving me a ride, treating to lunch and walking me home." I say awkwardly. I didn't expect him to deny my offer and my plan failed before it even started.

Tch.

He had a look of amusement from my reply. "Did you have to spell everything out...?" He laughed a little and I started laughing too.

"Cut me some slack, I'm not good with words y'know." I replied. It's been a while since enjoyed myself this much, he's a pretty good guy to hang out with, once you get to know him better. He's one of the few people that I trust outside of my family. It's no wonder Keika likes him, and I have a feeling that Taishi will too. Come to think of it, aren't Taishi and Komachi schoolmates...?

"Well, don't let me keep you. I'll see you around Kawasaki."

"Yeah, you too." He curtly nodded in return after I gave him a small wave. He lingered for a moment as if wanting to say something more, but decided against it. With that, he promptly turned and walked away, I watched his back for a little while and he didn't look back once. He turned around the bend and disappeared from my sight.

Hello, it is I, Ivanov117!

This chapter is dedicated to the HachiSaki fags (me included).

So, there's a ton of cute and sweet moments in this chapter, enough to cause diabeetus I say.

I'm here already, so I might as well say it...

This IS a Harem, but not every girl is a candidate. I'll leave it to your imagination on who are the "Main Girls" and "Supporting Girls" in this story. Personally, I don't dislike harem anime, but when there's simply too many to choose from, the story tends to get shallow and uninteresting for me.

As the Author of this Fanfic, I just felt like you guys and girls needed to know that, so you can get an idea of the future as well.

Anyway, it's been two years since I wrote and posted this story, and I don't see that ending anytime soon. What started as a hobby, became...well still a hobby lol. As long as I am motivated, I'll continue to write to my heart's content, since that is my passion. I was inspired by the more well-known Oregairu fanfics here, (I'm sure you've already read some of them) and I wanted to add my own story here as well.

That's how this all started.

I do hope that this story inspired you to become a writer, or made you interested in writing.

To my fellow Writers, it's not too late to update your story XD jk btw.

As always, reviews are quite welcome since your feedback (whether good or bad) is very valuable to me.

I'm uploading a new chapter in a few days, so please look forward to it!

25

Good grief.

So noisy.

Good grief.

*Hikigaya, you said "good grief" twice. *

Silence mongrel.

So many people, so much chatter, ugh I'm losing my appetite. I want to eat in the roof but it getting quite warmer lately, I don't want to die of heatstroke. There were more people here than usual, more to my liking honestly.

Last week, we suddenly received a surprising amount of complaints from the student body about the food in the cafeteria. They said that it was bland, too expensive and they wanted more variety, but what they're doing is causing more trouble for us. Over the weekend, we had submitted a report to the principal but we still had no reply on the matter. The students complained, but here they are rushing into the lines to get their food. I for one, am quite content with the food that I ordered. Grilled salmon, vegetable salad, curry rice, miso soup, tea and fried chicken and pork cutlet covered with scrambled eggs, all for 1600 Yen! I admit that it's a bit pricey, but it's a good deal in my opinion. Plus, I have more money to spare than I know what to do with, so no one has the right to pull out the "Huurrr-ddduuurrr-oh-its-too-expensive-you-could-have-eaten-3-meals-with-the-price-of-what-you're-eating-hurr-duurr!" card on me!

Jokes aside, I need to eat quite a lot since the medication that I'm taking is quite strong, three of them, to be exact. Also, I wonder what was going on in the mind of whoever decided to add this Super Meal lunch in the menu...? Some sort of glutton perhaps.

A girl wordlessly sat in front of me, carrying a tray of food that she had bought, two sandwiches and some juice, to be exact. Finally, she's here. I was beginning to think that I got the place wrong.

"That's quite a lot you got there, Hikigaya-kun." Through her red half-rimmed glasses, she eyed my lunch with a blank look. Curiously, the look she had right now reminded me of my own. "Hmm." I hummed in reply as I cut a small piece of pork with a knife and dipped it in the sauce. I blankly looked at her, expecting her to talk more, but she opened her food and started eating away as well.

"So...did you bring the goods?" She whispered in a low voice while looking around us, making sure our voices would not reach the other tables.

I gave her an unamused look and she continued to do the act. "Ebina-san, why are you making this sound like a drug deal...?" At my reply, she rolled her eyes at me and pouted.

"Oh come on, you could have just gone along with it. You're no fun Hikigaya-kun." She said and took a bite into her sandwich. The object of interest that she came here for was on the lower part of my body.

And no, it's not what you're thinking about you pervert.

I handed her the manga that was resting on my lap, and she swiped it so fast all I saw was a blur.

"Oi, be careful with that. I went to Akihabara just to get myself a copy on the week that it was released." I say.

"Yes! I've been waiting for this for ages! I loved the 1st part of the series, y'know, the one that you recommend and lent to me a few weeks back." She said excitedly and put it in her bag. The reason why Ebina-san is here is just to borrow that manga of mine, she somehow correctly guessed that I had a copy of it and asked if she could borrow mine. A woman's intuition is a terrifying thing.

I continued quietly eating my lunch, intent on finishing it before the next period starts. Ebina-san was the same, preferring to eat first and talk later. She finished first and started sipping on her juice.

"Hikigaya-kun, are you part of any clubs right now?"

I shook my head. "I'm too busy to partake in after-school activities. We still have some work to do at the Student Council office after all. Not to mention the incoming graduation of the Third Years..." I say.

"Hoh..." She made a bored nod at my reply.

"The year went by in a flash huh. I still remember talking to you in that bookstore, and seeing you on the pedestal at the opening ceremony." She reminisced while having a far-away look in her eyes. I couldn't think of a follow up to her statement, and I just nodded and hummed in reply. True, the year is almost coming to a close, three weeks from now the current school year will end, and after the school break, we'll be the Second Year. The school principal and owners had already shown us the cost figures of last year's opening ceremony. The rest of the StuCo members were quite shocked. Shiromeguri-senpai turned pale, Chisako-senpai screamed "Holy shit!" and the others were just a mix of the two.

It nearly gave me a heart attack. Though I do recall our Treasurer nearly fainting...we had to fan Senpai and take him to the infirmary.

That was not a joke.

Needless to say, the opening ceremony last year was too flashy and had many unnecessary costs in it. They decided to cut some corners and just do it in the auditorium or the gym. I for one, welcome the idea. It lessens the trouble for us who have to work behind the scenes.

"I hear the Japanese Archery Club is recruiting new members since The Third Years are graduating and all." She shortly added, I arched a brow at what she might be implying.

Archery huh...

"And you're telling me this because...?"

"No reason, I just heard it from my classmates and I thought you'd like to know." She shrugged and emptied her juice. After quickly going to throw away her garbage, she went back to her seat.

"Do I look like an Archer-type to you?" I asked and imagined myself dressed in the style of a Japanese Archer in a competition. Lean arms, a strong and straight back and eyes sharp like a hawk.

She gave me a searching look and narrowed her eyes. "Yes."

"How so?"

"Hmm...I heard that you know Taekwondo, were the fastest runner in your class during P.E., denied an invitation from the Football Club and that you're pretty good at Tennis. So, it's quite obvious that you have a knack in terms of athletics. Oh, and because Archery looks cool and all." She shrugged again while moving her arms as if drawing a bow.

I widened my eyes at how much she knew.

How fast does information spread in this school?! How did those people know?! Am I being stalked?! And that was before I got hospitalized. Now I just watch P.E. Class from the sidelines since I'm still not allowed to overexert myself.

"Ugh...what you just said were not wrong, at least. I simply have no time for any clubs...I'm still a below-average pianist..." I mutter the last part under my breath, just thinking about it gives me a headache. Teaching yourself how to play the piano was more difficult than I expected...

"If it helps, I'll throw in a club recruitment campaign event recommendation to Shiromeguri-senpai once the new school year starts. There's no guarantee if it'll be passed through. But you and your friends have to manage it" I say.

She shook her head. "No, you don't need to do that Hikigaya-kun, it'll just cause more trouble for you. And I just wanted to let you know just in case you were interested, that's all."

"The only club that I'd be interested in joining is the Gaming Club, well, if it existed anyway." I jokingly said, and she looked amused by my reply.

"Now that I think about it, you're too cool for Archery, you'll probably ace it in no time!" She laughed at her joke and the small smile that I had on my lips, instantly disappeared.

She didn't see it because she was being called by one of her classmates. "I gotta go Hikigaya-kun! I'll give this back to you in a few days!" With that, she excused herself with my manga in hand. I gave her a small wave as she went to her classmates. I watched her back for a bit before I started spacing out. The voices were slowly drowned out by a ringing in my ears until I heard nothing. My vision blurred, the people around me turning to ghostly apparitions moving in slow motion.

What she said bothered me. Not just those she uttered, but by those around me as well. Ever since the start of the 1st semester here at school, words that I shouldn't be bothered by, and yet...

They do. They bother me more than I believe, and it scares me.

" He's the Perfect Student!"

" Even though he's a bit serious, he's cool!"

" He gets perfect scores without breaking a sweat!"

" He's even part of the Student Council, what a guy!"

" He's quite athletic too!"

" I wish I was like him!"

" His Dad's also a pretty big businessman from what I hear!"

" He has a perfect life!"

Those were the words that the populace defined me as. I don't blame them, no. For it was my actions that they based their definition of me. My actions alone. Actions that I continue to question to this day. I know that everything that I'm doing it for myself, but at the same time, my gut says otherwise. It's been eating away at me from my core.

Why am I doing this?

Shallow words and empty praises, that's all they were. I don't feel anything when I hear them. Embarrassment? Maybe, but that only happened a few times. It quickly lost its effect on me after a while.

Pride? I don't know. Can you feel proud about doing something exceptionally well, yet it goes against everything that you believe in? Can you feel proud knowing that with every praise that you hear, you are reminded of your dishonesty? Can you feel proud being praised, yet a voice from the deepest part of your mind reminds you of your inferiority? I don't know anymore. I don't have the answers right now, nor do I foresee it coming to me soon.

...

...

...

But on the inside, I still feel the same as before.

A loser, gross, creep, disgusting, ugly, unsightly, a loner with no friends...

It seems nothing has changed at all. I am confused as to what I've been doing up to now.

Was the goal that I set for myself shallow and meaningless...? Was everything for nought...?

I dislike liars, but I can't bring myself to hate them if I knew what the lie was and under what circumstances it was made of course. An example would be a liar forced to create a white lie. They exist for a reason, to preserve something that is deemed worth existing, be it a shallow friendship, or a thinly-veiled carefully made persona to show the world.

I dislike liars.

But now that I think about it...

The biggest liar of all...

Is me.

26

"Hikigaya-kun."

"..."

Hikigaya-kun."

"..."

Still no reply...? Is he ignoring me...? He has been staring off into space for some time now, ever since that girl that sat with him went on her merry way, skipping with glee and all that holding what appeared to be a small book in her hand. I have seen her speak with him before, and I saw them together in the library a while ago while I was doing an errand as a Class Rep. They seem to be comfortable in each other's presence. He had a blank look on his face, and if you are close enough, his eyes looked visibly empty. I have commented many times before on his eyes, but now they look truly empty as if those were pools of the abyss itself. If I don't call his attention, he might stay here for the rest of the afternoon like that. If it were any other student, I would have cared less. But since it was him, then I can at least make sure my fellow Class Representative comes to class on time.

With a sigh, I reach out and lightly tap his shoulder. That must have greatly startled him since he nearly jumped from his seat. He turned while clutching his heart with his right hand, and I saw first hand those eyes of his before they turned to normal upon recognizing me.

"Y-Yukinoshita, you startled me..." He said.

I hummed in reply, and added "Apologies, if I had left you in your previous state, you may have stayed here until classes ended. You were quite deep in thought, and my early attempts to call your attention was futile."

He blinked twice at my response and grimaced. "Is that how it looked like? Well, I can't say that you're wrong though..." I sat across him and continued nibbling on my sandwich since I did not have enough time this morning to properly make lunch for myself. I had to compromise and make a sandwich instead.

"By the way," I say "the invitation letter that you gave me, why did you refuse it?" I ask. The envelope that he gave me during the field trip was an invitation letter from one of the prestigious hotels in Chiba. I was honestly surprised that he turned down such an invitation. A few members of the Student Council were there, but I did not know them personally. So I opted to sit at the farthest side of the table away from them to avoid any unnecessary awkwardness and conversations with them.

If he was there with me, more specifically beside me, it would have certainly eased the tension at the table and made me feel more at ease.

The event was a seminar about leadership and human behavioural patterns under stress, it gave me much insight and many of the speakers were businessmen in the city. Owners of restaurants big and small, directors of some schools, Heads of some Chiba-based companies and hotels and also some local government people in charge of the different districts.

It included his Father of course, and some of my Father's associates were there too...

He shrugged his shoulders and casually sipped on his tea. "I didn't feel like it since it was during the weekend and all. I wanted to laze around at home. My Father also records the entire event for safekeeping and future use, so I can just watch it at home." He said simply.

I sighed and gave him a deadpan expression after hearing his first reason. Honestly, this boy has such a complicated way of thinking. Sometimes, it's either his way of thinking is quite complex and difficult to predict or it's so simple that I failed to acknowledge it as a possibility because of its simplicity. I can't understand him at times...

"Why are you looking at me in disappointment...?" He asked.

"Nothing..." I say and finished my lunch. He shrugged again and after finishing his food and returning it to be cleaned and washed, we got up and started walking back to the classroom.

"Is something on your mind? You seem troubled." I say. Even though we walked, I could see that he had a hard look on his face, his eyes once again were unfocused, which led me to believe that his mind is wandering elsewhere.

"A lot." he finished with a small mirthless self-loathing smile and shook his head. His sigh sounded like it came from a mentally stressed and exhausted person. I frowned at his action, and it unnerved me how he was acting very strangely.

While we were walking, a group of female First-Years walked in front of us from the hallway from the right. They spared us a small glance and continued walking, though when their eyes rested on me, I slightly felt hostility emanate from them. At the centre was most likely the "leader" of their group since she had an air of authority around her. She was undoubtedly beautiful, even I had to admit. They were chatting, but not enough to cause public disturbance to their fellow students around them. Hikigaya-kun on the other hand eyed one of the girls with an unreadable expression. Hoh, did one of them catches his eye, I wonder? Perhaps the blonde-haired leader of the group is to his liking?

He suddenly knelt and picked up a piece of paper and put it in his pocket. I just ignored him, and a few minutes later, we stood in front of the door to our classroom.

I felt the air around him change.

He straightened his back and, and flexed his shoulders causing some of his joints to pop. He audibly exhaled once and closed his eyes, and then slid the door open. To my surprise, he stepped aside and opened the door for me and I thanked him. Many of our classmates saw this and I was quite embarrassed, so I quickly headed to my seat. Most of the girls nodded at his act in approval, while a small number rolled their eyes and resumed to what they were doing. His head turned once to the chalkboard and called the boy who was on duty today to clean it again. The boy obeyed and dutifully stood up from where he was talking with his friends and several minutes after the chalkboard was cleaned once more, Sensei arrived and classes resumed.

During class, he had a far-away look in his eyes and when he is not staring blankly in front of him, he looks down on his armrest tapping his finger and sometimes scratching his head in frustration, as if the conclusion that he arrived after thinking for a while was wrong and completely not what he expected.

I daresay he looked quite sad and frustrated at himself.

Meet me behind the tennis court. You know, the place where we played for the first time?

Y.

Truly, I did not expect Miura-san to give this to me in such a discreet and manner. How very, as millennials say these days, "lowkey". Our eyes met for just a fraction of a moment in the hallway, but she managed to somehow get the message across. When she was walking in front of us in her little group, I eyed her every movement, keen to find out if she was trying to tell me something, and my intuition proved correct once again. When she took something from her pocket, a small piece of paper fell out. She emphasized it very well since it took her a few moments to do so because she fiddled inside her pocket a bit. I just casually picked it up, and Yukinoshita beside me didn't seem to care.

I walked to the destination on the letter, the place brings back memories every time I think about it. I finished quickly at the StuCo room and said my goodbyes to the others. There was still some time before sunset, an hour at most, and there were still several students loitering around the campus going to their clubs and all.

She was sitting on the bench facing the tennis court, since the bench was facing the court, her back was to me. She seemed to get impatient since her left foot was tapping the ground. To make her aware of my presence, and not to scare her like last time, I made my footsteps more audible, and I noticed her perk at the sound. I sat on the far side of the bench with our bags between us.

"..."

"..."

I sighed at the silence and decided to make the first move. "...you could have just told me straight away, what if I didn't get your message earlier?"

"...you were always so busy with the StuCo and being a Class Rep, I couldn't find time to approach you..."

"Hmm..." I hummed in reply. True, I was getting busy these days and I can feel the physical exhaustion taxing on me. I can see what she's getting at. Classes are going to end a few days from now, and another day or two after that would be the Third Year graduation. I'll tell Senpai that I'll have a day off tomorrow so I can at least rest a bit...

"So, any particular reason why wanted my presence?" I ask and turn to her. Instead of the proud and confident girl that I always see, I saw shame and guilt on her face as she refused to make eye contact. She gripped the hem of her skirt tightly and her legs were squeezed together.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you during the field trip! That was a childish thing for me to do and I really regret it!" She exclaimed and bowed her head to me an apology. Uwahh, if someone saw us from a distance, it might look like she's confessing to me...and another rumour to add to my already large pile of false rumours in the school...

"Apology accepted," I reply quickly and motion for her to raise her head.

"EH?!" She looked at me as if I had said that I was going to sell my kidney to fund my addiction to gacha games. Which definitely hasn't crossed my mind before! Also, I have a debit card, and if it comes to it, I can borrow my parent's credit card.

"What?" I ask, confusion evident in my voice.

"Just like that!? You're not gonna yell at me or get mad?!" She said exclaimed once more, fueling the confusion within me. She had a mixture of relief, confusion and frustration on her face, which I can't exactly describe how she made it.

"Umm, why would I get mad at you?" I shrugged and continued. "All you did was yell at me and leave me confused, and that's not something I'd honestly get worked up about. I get yelled at by Hiratsuka-sensei a lot when I make a sarcastic reply or make fun of her. At most, you made Tania-chan cry when you left. You must have scared the poor thing..."

"Oh, and I'm not one to hold on to grudges so...yeah..." I added as I trailed off. Miura-san finally remembered to close her mouth and slowly nodded. "But I'm curious, what made you mad at me in the first place?" I was genuinely curious and wanted to hear her answer. She laughed awkwardly at my question and looked to the side while scratching her head.

"W-Well...hehehe, it may sound petty and I won't blame you if you'll think less of me. Remember when you were helping me carry Ino-sensei's daughter...?" She played with the tips of her hair by twirling them around her finger.

I nod.

"Umm...how do I say this...I...?" With every word she said, her face seemed to get redder, and I was starting to get anxious by the second. The suspense is killing me, and I subconsciously scooted closer to hear her properly since the volume of her voice was going down with every word she uttered. Just say it damnit! Don't make me bring out [ ] and skip this nonsense!

"I-I thought you... t-touched me i-inappropriately when you helped me carry Tania-chan, but after thinking a bit, it was probably just her leg when she moved it...yeah..." Ooooooh, so that' s what she was mad about. Hmm, I see...But I think I did brush against them by accident when Tania-chan suddenly squirmed...She looked to the side with a frustrated blush, and after a few moments, my eyes wandered on their own downwards. It was definitely a mistake.

"So basically," I started not thinking too deeply on my words with my eyes still glued to her tatas "you thought that I deliberately touched your boo-"

"SHUT UP PERV!"

Her hand flew towards my cheek, and I caught it just in time. (Thank you Tatsumi-sensei for being especially thorough when teaching us how to block!) She must have anticipated my action since her other hand followed, and I caught it again. I was about to make a victorious grin, but she was somehow pushing me back.

"Hey hey hey, I just did that by reflex!" I explain to her. For some reason, either my arms failed me or she suddenly had a boost of strength. Yikes, a Berserker!? At point-blank range-?! I'm about to get overpowered and I'm slowly leaning back! She's going to pin me on the bench! She even has a maniacal grin on her face and steam was going out from her nostrils!

I'm going to end up as a bottom!

And I absolutely refuse being so!

DAGA KOTOWARU!

*Hikigaya, we think being a bottom should be the least of your concerns right now...*

"Brutish Gorilla-! Stop this and get off of me!"

"Who are you calling a Gorilla?!"

Her hands were an inch away from my face as I desperately tried to push her back. It was to no avail since she's putting her upper body weight against me. I don't know what she plans to do to my face once her hands reach them. Slap them? Maybe. Pinch them? Perhaps. Rip them to shreds? I don't know. At this point, I am literally on my back on the bench and she was on top of me, in other words, she was straddling me. I felt her supple thighs through the fabric of my pants when I tried to squirm away from her.

This is totally unfair!

Is she doing this on purpose?!

She is, isn't she!?

Mongrel! How dare she lay her filthy barbaric hands on-!

"That overly formal way of talking always pissed me off! Looks like Yukisomething's talking habits finally rubbed off on you huh?! I never liked that upstart bitch one bit!" She hissed as my final defences broke and her hands reached their target. Time seemed to slow down as I saw random moments from my life flash before me, akin to the ones you see before your death moments later.

The first time I got called Hikigerma-kun...

That one time I expected to be invited to a house party during middle school, only to end up disappointed...

When I pulled my first SSR Servant...

Keika jumping on my sleeping form while I was taking a nap on the couch...

The day I got my Rolex watch...

When Tania-chan pulled on my lip yesterday...

When I accidentally walked in on my Mother taking a bath...man that was super embarrassing I wanted to die...

Wait, those moments were totally random and didn't make any sense!

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I scream like I never screamed before, perhaps even enough to bring a banshee to shame.

*Somewhere in the campus, two girls were walking home together when they heard our poor main Protagonist's ear-splitting scream*

"Ebina, did you hear that?" Girl A said stopped and looked around for the source of the sound. Girl B did the same before laughing to herself after relating the sound to something she read before.

"Yeah, I heard that. It sounded like a guy being dominated by a girl! I bet he's an M and the girl is an S!" Girl B exclaimed and laughed even harder. Girl A did not quite understand Girl B's joke but laughed together with her all the same.

*Back to the aftermath of the Hero's humiliating defeat.*

My cheeks, my poor cheeks...I can't feel them and I bet they're beet red. I rub them to ease the pain that they went through.

"There there, Hikio. The pain will go away in a few minutes." Miura-san said as she patted my other cheek in an attempt to cheer me up. After making her way with me, she lifted herself from my defeated form with a victorious cackle. And then, she pulled me up by the shoulders and started violently shaking me, all the while yelling at me to "Man up wuss!".

I rolled my eyes and looked at her without turning my head. "And whose fault do you think that is?". Her response was a devilish smile. Tch, look at that ridiculous smile, right after she pinched my cheeks until I felt they were gonna rip. I will have my revenge!

"I still want payback," I said in a tone that might have sounded too serious since I saw her twitch at my reply. "F-Fiiiiine, I'll do whatever you want. Fire away." She crossed her legs and rolled her eyes at my reply. I might be mistaken, but I think she is doing a terrible job at masking her amusement from the current situation. Her lip was painfully trying to twitch upwards, but she's barely managing to suppress it. She must be secretly enjoying our exchange.

"By the way, when I said, "I'll do whatever you want.", I didn't mean it to be taken literally. I can volunteer at the StuCo or something, or I could introduce you to some of my girl friends if any of them catch your eye. Of course, I still have to pick out the ones who are interested, for that matter. If you want, we can go to the mall together and shop for clothes or watch a movie, your call. But you have to hurry and make up your mind, classes are gonna end y'know. I'm a woman of my word after a-"

I lightly karate chopped her head which caused her to yelp and stop mid-sentence.

"There, we're even," I say and got up from the bench while holding my bag. My parents were busy today so they couldn't pick me up and I have to walk home. When I turned to her, she had an initial look of surprise, before beaming at me and getting her bag. Woah! That smile was dangerous, it made my heart skip a beat damnit! That was definitely a sneak attack.

"What're you gonna do this break?" She asked out of the blue.

I put a hand over my chin and pondered on her question. "Once I get the green light from my Doctor, I'll go back to my part-time job and resume Taekwondo, I guess," I reply after a few moments of thinking. Her mouth formed into an "O" at my reply.

"Hooooh, that sounds really like you Hikio, and Taekwondo? I didn't know that you knew martial arts. And come to think of it, I heard from a few of my classmates that you part-timed at a bookstore in the shopping district."

I nodded "I just picked it up along the way since it was offered to me. I'm a cashier and a staff member at a bookstore in the shopping district. My boss is awesome and cool, she gives me discounts on the books that I buy there and snacks too." Uwaah, reminiscing about my part-time job and Taekwondo makes my heart long for them even harder. Don't worry Boss Yuuka and Maya-sensei! I'll go back as soon as possible!

"Is that so, well, I don't think I'm ready for a part-time job yet. But I have thought about it a few times..." She said. It's not uncommon for people my age to start looking for part-time jobs, it serves as a work experience for the future and also to get some extra cash of course. I immediately deposited my first paycheck and saved it for the next few months to give my family their Christmas present last December.

She gave me an opening, and I immediately went for it. If there's a hole, it's a man's job to thrust into it! "True, you'll probably strangle any customer that you have the tiniest disagreement with," I say cheekily.

A tick formed on her forehead, but the slap that I was expecting didn't come. "S-Something like that, probably." I matched my pace with her's, so we took our time walking to the school gates and most students were going home. We must have taken more time than I thought since the sky already had some streaks of orange. If I didn't catch her message during lunch, I should be at home right about now. Several minutes went by with not a word between us and she opened her mouth to speak once more.

"Sooo...we're good, right...?" She slightly turned to me and asked from the corner of her eye. Good grief, what a stubborn girl. I already told her that there's nothing for me to forgive her for.

"Yes."

She pouted and looked disappointed at my reply. "Can't you think of saying anything else? It's like you think otherwise."

I can't blame her for thinking that way since I'm physically and mentally exhausted today and I want to go home as soon as possible where my poor lonely imotou is eagerly awaiting my arrival at the door. But before that, I want to make her feel at ease with the way things are, at least. I don't want things leaving unsaid and I have the perfect idea to remedy that.

"I'm sorry if I sounded unconvincing, I'm just really tired, that's all. Today was a long day for me. Do you want to go to a convenience store? I'll buy you whatever you want." I offered helpfully.

She scoffed with amusement at my reply and had a smug grin. "Heeeeeeeh, are you treating me like a little girl and bribing me with snacks now...? That's like, suuuuuper creepy Hikio. I hope you don't say that to younger girls..." She used my tactic against me. This used to work on Komachi and Kei-chan, but it proves to be ineffective at girls my age...

"Fine, suit yourself. I'm getting ice cream." I say and run past her, leaving her in the dust.

"H-Hey! I didn't say no! Wait for me damnit!" She said and started running after me. A tiny grin found itself on my face as I deliberately slowed my pace so she can catch up to me.

For the moment, my thoughts of existential crisis and fear for the future from earlier today hid at the very depths of my mind. Those thoughts will, unfortunately, stay with me for my remaining years here in Sobu High, and I hope I have the mental strength and resolve to do what I feel is right when the time comes. If I make the wrong choices, I might end up going back to square one. I still feel like I'm being dishonest to myself, but thinking like that won't do me any good. Regardless, it will always be at some dark tiny corner in my mind until I convince myself otherwise. Doing the correct thing doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do, especially when your "other" self is saying otherwise.

At least for now, I found myself smiling and enjoying the present.

"Rocky Road! I want Rocky Road!" The voice of a certain fiery blonde-haired Riajuu reached my ears as she tried to catch up to me and I couldn't help but softly chuckle.

The graduation ceremony went great, there were no problems during the event, and the minor complications that popped up were swiftly taken care of by Chisako-Senpai and our Secretary. As for our two outgoing members, namely the Head of Sports and Head of Finance, we congratulated and took pictures with them. Today was the first event that I used my position as the Head of The Events Committee, and with the help of the rest of the Council, the members of the different clubs at school that I requested to volunteer and the helpful advice of our teachers, I can confidently say that today was resounding success. The auditorium was packed with the families and friends of those who would be leaving this institution with their hard-earned diplomas in hand. Hiratsuka-sensei was a bit teary-eyed while watching the ceremony and I couldn't resist teasing her. In revenge for my cheekiness, she twisted my ear until it got red while Shiromeguri-senpai and the others laughed from the sideline.

Currently, I was helping out the documentation team by using their camera and taking pictures. All of a sudden, a slender feminine finger poked my cheek, just as I was about to take a shot of the venue from the stage.

I turn to the side and saw my self-proclaimed Onee-sama grinning at me from ear-to-ear.

"Haruno-san, I didn't expect to see you tonight," I say, with surprise evident in my voice.

"Yup, a kouhai of mine invited me to see, and I couldn't possibly reject her invitation!" She exclaimed and showed me a bundle of flowers that she hid behind her back. "I brought these for her, beautiful, aren't they?"

I'm no botanist, nor have I ever had an interest in flowers, but they looked pretty from my perspective. "Yeah, they look nice." I nod lamely and agree.

"Riiiight?!" She, in turn, nodded vigorously to my reply. Her smile never wavered once, and it was getting contagious. Woah there, I nearly started smiling like her. Get a hold of yourself Hachiman, if you don't, you'll make a fool out of yourself in front of this SS-ranked Danger Beast!

"Did anything interesting happen with you lately? You seem in a very good mood." I ask.

"Of course! I'm happy to see that Yukino-chan was well taken care of during your field trip! She was really cold and stingy when I asked her about it, so I went and asked Shiromeguri instead. I was right to leave her in your hands." She happily declared.

I shrugged at her and snapped a photo. "I didn't do anything. She seemed fine on her own as always. If I suddenly started getting too close to her while following your request, she might think I'm a creep." We didn't interact much during the field trip, well for me at least. Aside from that morning with Tania-chan and at the awarding, we kept to ourselves. It didn't help that the groups were divided by gender too. I had no interest nor reason to seek her out when we were there.

"You have my thanks regardless Hikigaya-kun! Now it's my turn to honour my part in the deal. If you have trouble with anything, or just want to hang out and stuff, just give me a call and I'll see what I can do!" She said and produced her phone from her pocket, most likely so we can exchange contact information. I just nodded and brought out my phone, and after a moment or two, my phone rang and notified me of a message from an unknown number.

First message~! Hello Hikigaya-kun! You better save this number!

-Yukinoshita Haruno

"Got it." I say.

"Great! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and give these to my kouhai. Keep up the good work, Hikigaya-kun!" She said and went on her way. "Oh! I almost forgot!" She exclaimed and quickly came back to me. "If it's not too much trouble for you, would you care to join me for dinner? A new restaurant opened at the shopping district yesterday, and I wanted to try eating there." Her offer was very tempting. My Father always said that "Food always tastes better when it's free!" and I always kept his words to heart. But on the other hand, I was really tired and I bet I look haggard-looking right now. Not to mention I and the rest of the StuCo will be having dinner in light of the success of the event, and it also serves as a small party dedicated to us for completing the school year.

"We have a dinner after we finish up wrapping this event," I say.

"Aww, that's a shame then. But no worries! Your break starts tomorrow, right? There's plenty of time for this Onee-san to spoil you rotten as thanks~!" She said and started playfully hitting my rib, trying to get a reaction from me.

"If you say it like that, Yukinoshita might get jealous of me. You shouldn't forget about her y'know. She's your real sibling after all." My words must have taken her aback and she stiffened for a moment at my words, and I regretted it immediately. I knew that there was some tension between those two, it's just that the elder was the one who hid it very well. And I also didn't bother knowing more about it from them, since it was none of my business, so I have no idea how much my words weighed on her.

"I'm sorry, I said something that I shouldn't have. I'll refrain from spea-"

She held up her hand before I could finish and softly shook her head with a sad look. The pain in her eyes right now was like a stab to my gut. Seeing someone always happy and cheerful, suddenly making that expression and knowing that you're the cause of it, is extremely painful. I felt guilty, and I clenched my fists at my carelessness and stupidity.

She gulped before sporting a resigned look on her face, she tried to smile, but it ended up being a grimace. "Now now Hikigaya-kun, we both know that you don't mean it and there's no malice in your words." I didn't know what expression I had on my face, but I can't look her in the eye. I felt her soft hand pat my shoulder, and I reluctantly laid my eyes on her.

"I'm sorry..."

"Shhhh, I said it's fine. Don't worry about it." She softly said and I slowly nodded at her words. She smiled and patted my head.

"Well then, I gotta go! My kouhai is waiting for me. I'll be waiting for your call one of these days Hikigaya-kun~!" She quickly stepped down from the stage and crisscrossed through the crowd. The smile that she had as she excused herself was definitely forced, and I have a feeling that she'll linger on my words for the remainder of the evening. I shouldn't have said that, seriously.

Damnit, I feel really bad.

I have to make it up to her somehow...

Sup y'all, it's me!

Reading your reviews from the previous chapter was entertaining since it went downhill in the 2nd half. I bet you lot were surprised at how the chapter took an unexpected turn! Idk why, but after finishing that particular chapter and rereading it innumerable times, it made me feel depressed for a while lol. Maybe I'll start replying to some of your reviews and put them here in the next chapter, idk tho.

As always, reviews and PM's are welcome and I'll gladly read all of them!

Bye!

27

You know, I always preached now and then that all I want to do is to laze around all day at home playing games, reading books or using my computer for whatever purpose.

But after the 1st week of me doing such things, my repetitive mundane routines became maddening, and I wanted to do something else. So, after visiting my Doctor with my Parents for another checkup, Makatsu-sensei finally gave me the OK and allowed me to return to my part-time job. Upon my return, Tatsumi-san and Shiromeguri-senpai were delighted to have me back on board the crew. The three of us had dinner that evening at the ramen restaurant that I frequently go to. The old couple recognized me, and they treated us warmly.

A few days after that, I went back under Tatsumi-sensei's wing and resumed my lessons. I had quite a lagged behind the rest of her students, but I don't mind. It was fun going back to sparring and teaching the newcomers the ropes and basics. Although she kicked my ass on my 2nd day there and was brutal in her methods as always, I got a bruise or two on my legs, but it didn't hurt much as I thought it would. We only had lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so I had plenty of time to work. I was very careful not to overwork my body to exhaustion again, so I opted not to jog in the mornings like before and went straight home after finishing my part-time job.

On another note, aside from Shiromeguri-senpai at work and occasionally Kawasaki when I go to the local grocery, I didn't see anyone from school much. Even though it was the school break, Senpai would sometimes call some of the members to do some work at the school to help with the enrollment for the incoming entrance examiners. My Father asked me if I wanted to go with him during his business trips abroad, but I declined. I just wanted to work and resume Taekwondo, not to mention practising on my piano. Good grief I have a lot on my plate. Komachi wanted to go, but my Mother forbade her saying that she's still not mature enough. As for her, she spent her days helping out at my Mother's cafe doing whatever my Mother asked her to do. I'm told that she's decent when handling the cash register, but is clumsy when it comes to mopping and cleaning the tables. Mom chewed her out the other day because she accidentally broke several plates and glasses, thankfully she was unhurt.

As for Haruno...she didn't contact me again, and I was too much of a coward to reach out to her...

The days turned into weeks, and soon the new school year would start. A new class, a new group of classmates and a new homeroom teacher. Though I honestly wouldn't mind it if it were Hiratsuka-sensei once more, God knows how much her simple words of encouragement helped me out the past year...

"Hachiman," My Father's voice broke through my inner monologues and I instinctively turned in his direction, "have you decided where we should eat lunch?" he sat on his office table while reading something on his tablet with on hand, while the other picked his nose with his pinky finger. One of his legs going swinging back and forth out of boredom and a few buttons on his suit jacket were loose. Right now, he didn't quite fit the image of being a Founder as well as Director of a few Chiba and Tokyo based companies. He looks like more of a corporate slave on a break after a tiring meeting with his colleagues that bore nothing notable. All that's left to complete the picture is a beer can and an ashtray with a still-burning cigarette and beer beside him, well, Mother said that he stopped smoking after I was born so that was already out of the picture. I guess even he gets tired of acting maintaining his image huh.

"I don't know, what about those lunches in Lawson?" I reply from the sofa that I was lying on. The door to his office was locked, so I didn't have to worry about hastily fixing my position in case someone walked in. The space that his office occupied was larger than what my Dad expected. He was a minimalist type of person, one can deduce once walking into his office. A sofa, coffee table, his work table, some cabinets, that's it. It didn't help that the furniture was very cheap-looking, but I think they have a very aesthetic feel to them. Mom said otherwise and scolded him for always being a cheapskate, her exact words were "Joushirou what exactly am I looking at? I feel like I'm in a prison cell for goodness' sake!".

"If your Mother heard that, she would undoubtedly get triggered. How does pasta sound? I think there's an Italian restaurant nearby." He said.

"Nah."

"Ramen?"

"I don't want to sweat in this get-up and that's not good for you."

"Hamburger?"

"Too Western."

"Pizza?"

"No."

My Father sighed and rubbed his temples. "What about burger steak and fried chicken?" After thinking for a moment and because I was starting not to care about what to eat, I nodded at his answer and he stood up from the table and started fixing himself. As for me, I got up from the sofa and smoothing down some of the creases on my shirt and pants. I wanted to wear my shorts and sandals today, but my Father wouldn't have them. I was forced to wear slacks and my white long-sleeved shirt, along with a black suit jacket similar to him even though it feels a tad bit stuffy. Good grief, even though it's mid-Spring, the weather sometimes gets hot all of a sudden. This is why I regard Autumn as my favourite season, it is not hot, but not cold enough to wear a jacket. Well, until late-Autumn, at least.

Outside of his private office was where the employees of the firm worked. It looked like your typical office where white-collared workers worked, so it's nothing special really. Though I had to admit that it was larger than I thought. My Father announced that he would be having lunch early, and everyone acknowledged him. Some were too busy talking to someone on the phone while others were entertaining the clients that came to them with their concerns. After taking the elevator down and exiting the building, he told me that the restaurant is only within walking distance, so I shrugged and I followed him. Unsurprisingly, there were already a lot of people on the sidewalk so we had to walk single-file. After walking roughly for fifteen minutes, we found ourselves in front of a restaurant that gave off "Fast food" vibes.

I turned to my Father with a questioning look. "And here you said that I should avoid buying those packed lunches in Lawson..." I say.

" Judge not the book by its cover, but by its contents. The interns said that the food here is great so let's give it a try." He said and opened the door and I followed suit. The layout inside was fitting to that of a traditional Saize and had a homely feel to it. We sat down and started scanning through the menu on the table. They offered a sizable array of food, which was very common in Saize everywhere. A waitress came over to us and ask us for our orders.

"Hmm, I'll have some chicken, steamed gyoza and Japanese-style burger steak with rice thank you." The waitress repeated my Father's orders, and after confirming it, turned to me.

"Same, but replace the gyoza with Caesar salad. Oh and some tea too please." She nodded and went to the kitchen to have our orders on the way. After taking a quick look around, there was only a handful of us here, though that's understandable since a Saize isn't exactly what working corporate slaves eat during lunch. Some food here can take around twenty-five minutes to prepare, and time is a luxury that no corporate slave can just throw here and there. Places like these usually get filled to the bringing during weekends, especially during the evenings.

"I'll just reply to some of my emails, there's still a lot of work to be done..." My Father said and put his tablet on the table which he brought with him. He also got one of those pocket-sized notepads from his coat pocket and started writing on it after glancing at the screen on the tablet.

I hummed in reply and just stared off into space while waiting for our orders since I left my phone at his office. I felt his stare at me and I questioningly tilted my head at him.

"You look rather dashing in that outfit, I'm glad we bought that for you. Oh, what about the watch? Are you wearing it right now?" To answer his question, I lightly pulled down the sleeve of my left hand and showed my watch to him.

He nodded and his eyes returned to the screen but continued the conversation. "By the way, are they back in The Netherlands already?"

Ah, he must be talking about Lukas and his sister Maria, as well as Lars and Tess from the party. I had met and conversed with them while I was stuck back at the camping venue. As crazy as it sounds, they were the children of my Father's foreign contacts and were here in Japan to attend the party that he gave them an invitation to. The four of them didn't know my Father personally, but when they mentioned my surname to their parents, they instantly knew and called my Father to confirm their belief. I met their parents during the party, they seemed like good folks.

It came as a massive surprise to me to find them there at the party, and, to my Father's insistence, I tagged along with them with the rest of the evening. My jaw was practically hurting when we finally went home from all the talking I did, they threw question after question about Japan and I answered them as best as I could, it also didn't help that I had to reply in English...They told me that it was their first time in Japan so I understood their excitement, at least...

"I think going back by the end of this week," I reply.

"Hmm, you should have gone with them, make some new friends and all." My Father said helpfully.

"Ugh, I'll just get in the way. I wouldn't want some kid tagging along if I was on a vacation..." I say they were quite older than me, my first assumption was that they were in their early twenties, but I might be wrong and they might be a lot younger, say eighteen or nineteen. Foreigners look older than their age, almost as if they physically mature faster than their actual age. At my reply, he had a thoughtful face and shrugged to himself. "Well, I can at least see what you mean..." There was a temporary standstill between us, but he asked a question that caught me completely off-guard.

"Do you have friends at school?" He asked and eyed me carefully with those eyes of his, the same ones that I happened to inherit from him. He would know if I was lying to him, I bet. I guess I have to answer as truthfully as possible.

"I guess, I interact with Shiromeguri-senpai and the rest of the Council every day after class..." The first person that came to my mind was Senpai. She was the first person that I got acquainted with at school and always helped me out when I was having trouble with my new responsibilities and duties. She was an ideal responsible Senpai and older-sister figure that anyone would look up to, always looking out for me and making sure that I got things right. She taught me lots of things, and I always sought her advice when things got tough, plus she was very easy to talk to and didn't judge me for my looks unlike the people from my middle school. At first, I thought she was just keeping up an act, but as time went on, I realized that I was very wrong at my first impression of her. Perhaps that is the reason why she was well-liked by everyone at school. As an older brother to a little sister, I always felt like I needed someone older that I can rely on. Being relied on can feel nice at times, but it can also make one feel exhausted and drained at the end of the day. Fate did not give me that luxury of having an older sibling, but at least Senpai was there to fill the gap in the meantime.

"You already told me that before, what about your classmates?" He followed up with another question.

"My classmates...? Hmm...I get along with them." I say not quite sure at what I was saying. True, I do get along with most of them and I don't mind helping them out with their projects and homework. Frequently doing the latter gave me the image of the "Helpful soft-spoken and smart Archetype." It's not that I wanted to be called like that for my reason for helping them, it's just that I wanted to help them out. That's all, nothing more. Since my scores were always higher than the Ice Queen's and they were more afraid of her, it made sense for them to come to me. But because of my position at the Council and the reputation that I earned from the entrance exams, I still get the feeling that they think I'm stern and cold-hearted. Good grief, they must be those weebs that think that the StuCo in most anime is tyrannical school organizations that oppress the rest of the student body...

Seriously, who thinks like that...?

Anyway, most of my class has a good opinion of me, and during the first few times that I declined their invitation to eat with them, I bet they felt that I was too conceited to lower myself for them. I just wanted to eat alone by myself, and they started to respect and understand me for it. Though I had to admit that I was coerced into doing it with the guys and some of the girls a few times since I can be quite a pushover at times. As for Yukinoshita, well she's the one who comes to me to eat lunch together on the few times that she did it, and not once have I approached her with the same intent.

*But Hikigaya, didn't you say that you wanted some alone time and wanted to eat by yourself? Why would you just let her do as she pleases while you decline your other classmates?*

Heed my words carefully, Mongrel, and engrave them into your brain.

There is a difference between eating with a group of rowdy boys and girls and eating with one person who hardly speaks when eating lunch.

"Do you get along with Yukinoshita-san's daughter? He told me that you're classmates with her."

I shrugged my shoulders at him "More or less, I guess."

"Ah..." He said in a distracted manner and trailed off as he resumed his attention to his work. Several minutes went by, and a bell dinged from the counter and the waitress came with our orders in hand. Once she placed it on the table and excused herself, I was quite surprised since the food serving was more than I expected.

"We can just take out the leftovers, you know." My Father voiced my thoughts and I just nodded. After thanking for the food, we started eating. I went for the salad first and then to the burger steak, the meat was very juicy and tasted great. The chicken was a little bit salty, but it was alright, as for the gyoza, it wasn't anything special. We ate in silence since both of us prefer to focus on eating rather than speaking when eating with another person. Komachi should learn a thing or two from us since she's the only one in the family who's chatty when eating.

"Can't say that I'm disappointed. Maybe I'll eat here again." I say after wiping my mouth with a table napkin after drinking my tea. My Father hummed in reply and called the waitress for us to pay the bill. As expected, we had a lot of leftovers, but no worries, Dad has a small refrigerator inside his office.

"That goes for both of us."

So far, the ride back home was a quiet one, and I had a feeling that my Father wanted to tell me something but didn't quite know when to time it right. The streets were filled with people on their way to the station and wherever their destinations were in mind, while we were inside our car on our way back to Chiba. Traffic wasn't an issue, since my Dad had already plotted a course that would give us a route with minimal traffic on the road. My Mother and Komachi were already at home waiting for our arrival.

"Sorry that the meeting took too long, something came up." He said without looking at me, the tone in his voice was neutral, so it didn't sound apologetic.

"It couldn't be helped," I reply.

We soon entered the unofficial residential district that housed apartment complexes big and small. From what I hear, the price range of the apartments that were here ranged from "Super cheap" to "I can buy a new car with the rent that I need to pay." You can see lots of people going in and out of the buildings, and there were convenience stores and groceries strategically placed nearby too.

Several moments after we entered the district, my Father pointed to one of the apartment complexes beside the road that was still quite a distance from us.

"You see that tall white one with a greenhouse at the top?"

I inch closer to the window, eager to spot it to know what he was getting at.

"Yes, what about it?"

"I worked as a real estate agent before. We would personally go with our clients and show them the place that they were interested in. It ranged from houses to apartment rooms and entire floors with vacancies. I just graduated from college back then and I was still inexperienced, but I sold my first unit to an elderly couple."

Hmm, this is new. I didn't hear this story from him before.

"During my college days, I entered in a lot of part-time jobs to pay for my rent, bills and other expenditures. After graduating and landing my first real job, I stayed with the company for two years until I was transferred to Chiba, and I met your Mother. Uwaah, Hitomi was so cold to me back in college, but for some reason, she warmed up to me during our final year together. Eventually, we became close enough for me to call her a friend. You already know that we were classmates in college, and after hanging out a few times and several dates later after work during the weekends, I became her boyfriend."

I gulped uncomfortably since this was embarrassing to listen to.

"Anyway, after we got married and you came along and I had to do overtime at work to support your Mother. Those first few years are a blur right now in my memory, since all I ever did was work and save for the future. Your grandparents were helpful too, but as much as possible, I didn't want to reach out and ask for help from them. I would even sleep under the desk at my workplace and bring my change of clothes. Sometimes I would skip meals since I was doing two jobs in one day, it was nauseating to work like that, but it was a miracle that I held it together. Hitomi would always get angry at me and cry for pushing myself to the brink of my limits, but I had no choice since your Mother was pregnant that time and heavy with you.

But I have to admit that working like that for years, I amassed quite a sizable fortune and saved and invested here and there. My first boss showed me the ropes in smart investment and saving, so I got into that stuff early on. Your Grandparents passed away before you were born, and I used my inheritance wisely. That's how I founded everything last year. Investing in stocks is scary, you know? One day the value is three times as high as your initial investment, and on the next, it plummets and I feel like my heart stopped. Oh, I remember that time some shady loanshark lady tried sedu-" He stopped and gave himself a facepalm.

"Damnit! I got off topic there!" He exclaimed and cleared his throat.

"Well," he continued. "what I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to go through what I experienced back then. Your Mother and I have been working hard these years for you and Komachi's future. We still feel guilty about the fact that we didn't have much of a presence at home since we were working ourselves to the bone since we were kids, but we'll make it up to you. We have already made plans for both of you, so you don't have to worry about anything at all."

We left the residential district behind us with my Father's words still lingering in my thoughts.

"Thanks." I simply say.

"No need to thank me, that's what Fathers do."

"Good luck on your first day Haa-chan~!" My Mother's voice called out to me as I was about to step out the door to our home, as for my Father, he slept at the office last night because he had to do overtime. She made breakfast this morning since after I was hospitalized, it was either Komachi or her that cooked in the morning. She already made me lunch and Komachi woke up so she can see me off.

"Onii-chan wheres my goodbye kiss~~?" She skipped over to me and was already leaning her face, her lips pursed together waiting and expecting. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Good grief, this little sister of mine must be watching those trashy drama series.

"Chuuuu~~~..."

I pinched her cheeks and ruffled her hair, and she cried out in dismay. "Dummy," I say before opening the door and going outside.

The morning Sun welcomed me as I walked to school, and the dew that was on the leaves of the plants that I walked past was already starting to dry or drip to the ground. On this day one year ago, I walked this same path to school and gave the opening speech. I still cringe about that speech, it was too positive to my liking. Well, today Shiromeguri-senpai was the one to give it, and the school administrators decided to make it simple and moved the ceremony to the gym. I for one, welcome simplicity and practicality, it makes things easier for us at the council after all.

Since it was still quite early, I decided to drop by the convenience store nearby to buy some snacks for later. The doors automatically opened before me and I stepped inside, seeing it mostly empty from my vantage point. I went to the aisle where they sold the melon pan and other pastries and nearly bumped into someone.

"Oh, my apologies." I quickly say.

"Ah, sorry about that-!" A familiar-sounding feminine voice replied, and when I looked down, I saw Peach-coloured hair.

Hmm...Peach...?

When I realized who it was, I couldn't suppress a look of mild surprise and amusement on my face.

"Yuigahama-san, what a coincidence to see you this morning," I say.

"Hikki! You too! How've you been! I haven't seen you since classes ended!" She replied in that enthusiastic and friendly manner of hers. For a moment, I was afraid that she was going to give me a bone-crushing hug, but thankfully I was wrong. It's good to be in the presence of someone with a personality like her now and then. I think she would get along with Komachi just fine if the two of them ever met.

"I've been busy."

"That's good to hear- wait, what? You're still busy even outside of school?"

I nod at her. "Unfortunately, yes." I decided to steer the conversation in my desired direction since I had a feeling that the topic will fall on me. "Anyway, what brings you here this early?" I quickly follow up and got one of the bread that I was looking for.

She blinked twice and jolted a bit as if finally remembering what she came here to do. "Oh yeah! I came here to buy some pens and paper since I left mine at home. Come on Hikki, tag along for a bit." She gently took hold of my sleeve and led the way to the school supplies aisle.

Since I wasn't really in a hurry, I just decided to go along with her. "Ok, but don't take too long." I remind her.

"Haaii~~." She replied in a lazy and drawn-out manner.

While she was choosing from the wide array of pens that the shop offered, I went to the chilled beverage section to buy some coffee. MAXX Coffee is good, but I decided to get something else this morning. I got a canned white coffee for myself and bought another one for my female party member since I just felt like it. I was about to turn to where she was when I heard other female voices nearby, and she was one of them. Like a creepy stalker, I stuck to the other side of the aisle away from their view until they finished their conversation.

"Yui! What're you doing here?" One of the voices asked.

"I just bought some pen since I left mine at home haha."

"Is that all? If it is, we'll wait for you so we can go together."

She hesitated for a moment, but her reply came. "Oh sorry, I'm with a friend right now. Maybe next time, 'kay?" How she sounded apologetic and cheerful at the same time, I will never know.

"Oh really? Well ok then. See you later at school and I hope we're still classmates!" They exchanged goodbyes, and after the group of girls went out the door, I went back to her.

"Yuigaha-"

"AH!" She yelped in surprise and turned to me clutching her chest. "Hikki, you scared me!" She gave me a slightly irritated look and I apologized. Uwaah, old habits die hard I guess. My chunii days where I used to walk as quietly as possible still leaves their mark on my present self.

"Ready to go?" I asked and she nodded. After paying for our purchases and leaving the store, I gave her the other White Coffee that I bought.

"Hmm? What's this? I don't remember asking you to buy this for me...?" She said confused with the drink in hand.

I shrugged. "It'll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I didn't buy you too, you know. "

When she heard it, she gave me a grateful look and smiled. It might have been just a glitch in the matrix, but her entire figure glowed and radiated such a hearty and friendly aura. "Hikki, you're considerate huh..."

Ack-!

Woah there! That was seriously a critical hit! I nearly fell for her and confessed on the spot damnit! I have to remind myself to always keep my guard up. She's a nice girl after all, and girls like her were my downfall back in my Middle-school days. Begone teenage hormones! Begone! Cast thyself from my person, out with thy unrealistic expectations!

"H-Hmm," I replied and faced forward. We weren't the only pair of Sobu students around, there were small groups here and there that increased in number as we got closer to the school. I didn't see anyone familiar, even until we reached the gates and entered the building. Yuigahama-san wanted to go and see to which class she belonged but I already made up my mind to go StuCo room to prepare.

"Aren't you, like, excited to see who your new classmates are?" She asked when I told her that I wasn't really hyped up as she is.

"Not really. As long as they aren't an annoying bunch, anyone is fine." I say as I shrug my shoulders. Now that I think about it, I wonder if the Ice Queen and I will be in the same class again. Thinking about it gives me mixed feelings. She can be quite stingy sometimes, and her words can hit you where you're weak.

I point behind me. "I have to go. I'll see you around I guess." I say.

"Yup! Oh, and Hikki?" She had a conflicted expression on her face, which made me curious as to what she's about to say next. "If you don't mind, you can drop the -san you know...? It's perfectly okay if you just address me as "Yuigahama", and I think it's already overdue hehe..." She laughed rather awkwardly at the last part.

Oh, I had been calling her like that since the beginning, have I? I haven't thought too deep on it, but now that I think about it, how many acquaintances do I still use that honorific for...? Perhaps I subconsciously used that as a wall to keep others from getting too close to me? Or maybe, it's the other way around...?

"...If you say so, Yuigahama," I reply slowly, trying to shake away the thoughts that preoccupied my inner workings for a second.

"There, that wasn't too hard, was it? Well, see you around Hikki!" Satisfied with my reply, she turned and went on her way, leaving me to ponder on my thoughts.

I stifled a yawn while I watched Shiromeguri-senpai give the speech of the opening of the new school year. The teachers were seated nearest to the stage and I saw Hiratsuka-sensei nearly nod off now and then. Since we were seated at the stage behind Shiromeguri-senpai, the lines of students from different years filled my view, and the 1st Years from last year now occupied the area that was for the 2nd Years. Some familiar faces here and there in our lines and I saw Yuigahama yawn and rub her eyes. From among the lines, I saw Miura-san nod her head up at me when we locked eyes, and I returned one.

After the rather short and simple ceremony, the students dispersed in an orderly fashion thanks to the teachers out to the doors, and after having a quick feedback huddle, I and the rest of the StuCo followed suit. The teachers already told us where our rooms were, so that's one problem out of the way.

"Senpai." The President of the StuCo turned to me while we were walking down the hallway together.

"Hmm? What is it, Hikigaya-kun?"

"How much time do you have to know someone, let's say a classmate until it's ok for you to drop the -san?" I asked. The question really bothered me since it was related to interpersonal relationships. And I, being the proud loner that I am, am not afraid to admit that I have zero experience and knowledge on the topic.

"Hmm...that's quite a difficult question..." she said and put a hand under her chin. "There are lots of things to consider. Like if both parties mostly spend time together or the level of cordiality between them. And also which one of them usually initiates the conversations first." She said after a moment of thought.

"Heeehh, that sounds really complicated..." I say in a drawn-out manner. I'm not good at things like these since I tend to over-think things and have a habit of reading in-between the lines for possible meanings...

"Well, here we are Hikigaya-kun! Good luck on your first day and don't forget to properly remember the names of your classmates!" She said and I couldn't help but grimace at the last part. Since she's one of the few people closest to me and knows me personally, she knows quite a lot about me. "Yeah, you too Senpai." After patting my head twice, she went on her way to her classroom on the other side of the building.

Footsteps came from my right and I instinctively turned to the source. Words cannot express my surprise when a girl with silvery-blue hair tied in a ponytail came into my view. She was a small distance away, but when she recognized me, she had a small smile and walked a bit faster to where I was.

"Oh, Hikigaya? Didn't expect to see you here." She said when she was close enough.

"You're in this class too, Kawasaki?" I ask.

"Yeah, are you here for Council stuff?"

"Oh no, I'm in this class just like you." Her face visibly lit up when those words parted from my mouth.

"Really? Oh, that's great!" She with a happy expression. I managed to resist raising a brow at her reaction, since she wasn't this...expressive before. Something good must have happened during the school break or recently. Uwaah, I miss Kei-chan...

A sudden sound made me turn to the door and looked behind me. Since it was probably nothing, I turned to face her again. Strangely, she quickly retracted her right arm back to her side. It looked like she was doing a fist pump as if celebrating her victory over something. She had a forced poker face with a slight blush, I have no idea what she just did and it most likely embarrassed her getting caught in the act.

"..."

"..."

"We should go inside..." I say and her response was a rigid nod, and I turned away from her and slowly slid the door open.

"-be your homeroom teacher," Hiratsuka-sensei said before turning to the door to see who the latecomer was. I locked eyes with her for a second and I could see a smirk on her youthful face. "Oh, Hikigaya. Nice of you to finally join us." She said in a slightly cocky fashion and crossed her arms across her chest.

I bowed in apology at her. "We had to finish up some things at the StuCo room," I say since I couldn't think of any other excuse. Though that particular excuse always works every time.

"Hmm, I see. Well, sit down so we can start introductions." She said and I turned away from her towards where my new classmates were seated. Numerous pairs of eyes were on me, and I saw a few faces from my previous class that I recognized. I was half expecting Yukinoshita to be sitting in her usual seat on the far side of the room opposite of me, but as expected, she wasn't there.

On the other hand, quite a few faces made me stop in my tracks. Two Blondies, a girl with red-rimmed glasses and the girl that I walked to school with this morning. Oh, well, I guess this was bound to happen sometime anyway.

King Riajuu sent me a thousand-watt smile that made me internally cringe, while the three other girls smiled and gave small waves when my eyes landed on them.

Something tells me that this is going to be a very interesting year.

Finally...FINALLY...!

After two bloody years, we reached Canon time!

As the writer of this Fic, I can't express how happy I am to finally reach this part of the story! I already have a mental list of ideas and possible routes that this Fic is going to make, so at least I won't be racking my brain for ideas like the few times it happened.

The season 3 trailer was already released, you should check it out tho.

As always, reviews and PM's are welcome!

See you on the 1st or 2nd week of December!

28

The Staff Room was a place that I have grown quite familiar with for the past year. I have been here innumerable times on errands for the Teachers as a Class Rep, carrying papers that need to be photocopied, projects, books etc. Not to mention going here to have some letter signed or seeking approval for an event or some other trivial thing for the Council. Sometimes I would seek out some of my teachers here with a question about a topic discussed in class. Hiro-sensei would always be delighted whenever I dropped by, it was also here that I befriended the darling of the entire department, Tania-chan, but that's a story for some other time.

But today was a different matter. Hiratsuka-sensei sat on her chair as she massaged her temples while reading a piece of paper that she held with her other hand. She looked quite stressed and irritated at the situation right now. Her brows furrowed together in concentration as she bit her bottom lip as if looking for the right words to say. Her makeup today was light, but it still quite accentuated her facial features.

"Hikigaya..." She finally started.

"Yes?"

"Do you know why I called you here?" She asked.

"I have no idea. Was it because I sneakily ate an onigiri this morning?"

"No that's no- wait, you what now?" She cocked her brow and crossed her arms across her chest.

"E-Err..." Oh, looks like I got caught. How stupid of me. She brushed the topic aside and gestured to the piece of paper that she put on her desk. Now that I take another look at it, it looks like my essay that the class submitted for her subject.

"I'll let that pass for now. Here, read this." She handed me the said paper and it was indeed mine. After feeling unsure on how to proceed, I scratched my cheek and followed her command. After finishing, I gave the paper back to her.

"You certainly made some valid points, but you completely missed the essence of what you were writing halfway through. The second half was more on personal ramblings from a particularly annoyed teenager that expressed his frustration based on his surroundings. I daresay it was like I was reading a diary of an angsty teen." She said and her words went right through me like a bolt of lightning.

"Especially this one; " Those who enjoy their youth are blind and fail to see the real world outside the confines of their feeble and mundane cliques. They partake in useless social activities and gatherings that only drain their wallets and cause financial strain to their parents. If it comes to worse, they will fall to delinquency, drugs, early pregnancy, alcohol, and in time, they will be the reason for the increase in crime rate shortly. To remedy that, I believe swift and decisive action is a must since prevention is always better than a direct cure. Actions such as that are unacceptable, and such individuals must be taken and heavily indoctrinated to correct their mindset, or if all else fails, cast them out of society as a whole." You are saying that those that do not strictly conform to the norms of society should be removed from it. "

Oof ouch, that hurt. Sensei's words were a critical hit to my HP, a little more and I would have died on the spot. I'm not a cringy edgy angsty teen. I consider myself as a very matu-

"I'm sorry Sensei, you're right, I must have gone off-topic a bit," I say and bow, she made a sound and was quite caught off-guard by my act. My dignity and pride are the least of my concerns right now, and I would much rather avoid trouble with this pretty single Sensei of mine.

"Hmph, you might say that but I have the right to believe that my woman's intuition is telling me that this is how you truly feel. You're not the most talkative person, heck you barely talk in class, unless being directly asked by your classmates or teachers. You don't talk about yourself so that leaves a lot about you unknown; your views on certain topics, opinions on important matters that need to have a consensus in the class and basic information about you in general. The year that I spent as your class adviser was a good one, your class had the highest scores in the Year and there were no troublemakers.

Everyone around you grew as a person. Forming little circles of friends, helping each other out, teamwork, camaraderie, etc. What every kid your age does. Except you. Your classmates were more than welcome to accept you into their group, I wager, but you didn't. You strictly kept to yourself, yet you still maintained a high level of mutual respect and understanding with them, you are always courteous and helpful, and they highly admire that from you. It's like you were friends with everybody, but at the same time, you weren't. You put up this... field, around yourself or something. I think that if you decided to join them halfway into the year, they'd gladly take you in with open arms."

I was starting to get slightly annoyed with how the conversation was going, I didn't come here to get skinned, roasted, simmered in a pan and then served on a plate. Yukinoshita's words whenever we traded verbal blows must have gotten into Sensei's head. Grrr damn you Ice Queen, I'll get you for this somehow...!

"Sensei, I fail to see how all of this is essential and related to my essay. Please, let me just revise it once more and I promise you won't be disappointed." I say.

"Tsk, if I told you that, you would only be putting in words that you don't mean, influenced by yours truly. Man, I don't know how you came up with this nonsense..." She said and held her temple as if this conversation was giving her a migraine. But I couldn't dismiss her advice, now that I think about it, some parts there were legit cringy. I must have dozed off and written whatever gibberish my head came up with. Or maybe my middle-school self sometimes awakes when I'm unaware. The latter is a terrifying thought.

She opened her eyes as if having an idea of some sort and wordlessly got up and beckoned me to follow. Shrugging to myself, I follow her and we entered the part of the building that hosted the clubrooms and some for storing equipment. As I recall, I went here with Chisako-senpai a few months ago where she questioned a club president about where their funds were being allocated to.

I believe the name of the club was...

Far Eastern Nap Society of Summer...

Chisako-senpai said that she would handle it, I have no idea as to what befell them.

"Well, here we are." She stopped in front of a room and slid the door open and I followed her inside. The room was barren, quite a few chairs were stacked at the back of the room and it had nothing worth mentioning. The windows were open, and the curtains would occasionally get swayed from the wind from time to time. It looked like a storage room of some sort at first glance.

At the centre of the room was a rectangular table, and on the far side of it, seated on a chair reading a book, was-

"Yukinoshita, I'm coming in." Hiratsuka-sensei declared as the girl in question raised her eye from the book that she was reading to see us.

"Sensei, you should have knocked..." She muttered and her eyes fell on me. I noticed the left part of her lips curl slightly upwards.

"Ara Sensei, there seems to be some sort of unknown creature that followed you here, please get away from it while I look for something to chase it away." She said with a small conceding cocky smirk.

My eye twitched. "Sensei, I see that you led me to where you spoke of a delinquent that needs to be taught manners. Though I am quite disappointed, to think that you would stoop so low..." I retort and gave her my smug trashy grin.

She made an expression of mock surprise as she put a hand over her chest and looked around, dumbfounded. "My my, I don't see any delinquent here. Have you had your eyes checked recently, Hikigerma-kun?" She said the last part was dangerously sweet that from another person's view, she wasn't doing it ironically.

"Your words hurt me, Yukihime-sama. You should know that there is nothing wrong with my vision."

"Stop twisting my name to suit your fetishes."

"Stop twisting my name to-...uhhhh..." Damnit my mind went blank, I can't come up with something decent...

"Okay break it up." Hiratsuka-sensei's voice cut me off before I can finish. Hey! That was rude! I was in the middle of my epic comeback! With Sensei's attention on me, she covered her mouth with her hand and silently giggled.

"It's always like this with you two. Are you playing some secret game that only you two know about or something? To see which one breaks first? Honestly..." Once again, Hiratsuka-sensei rubbed her forehead and sat on the edge of the teacher's table at the forefront of the room.

With composure, Yukinoshita cleared her throat and finally spoke. "So, Sensei, what brings you here?"

Hiratsuka-sensei then explained our conversation earlier, saying that I need to have my mindset "reworked" or something. As for me, I just went to the back of the room to get a chair and placed it on the opposite end of the centre table. I plopped my head on the table and just listened to them.

"Hmm, I can see what you are getting at Sensei. Why, last Valentine's Day he confided to me about his plan to become Prime Minister and remove all traces of the tradition held on that day since, and I quote, "It is a foul tactic employed by Japanese companies imitating western countries by taking advantage of it and using its influence here through the use of social media, marketing and advertising. It has no place here." His words, by the way."

"Oi, you added some things." I lifted my head and objected but my words were ignored by the two. The older one held her chin deep in thought and nodded to herself after muttering something.

"Yes, why should they be happy?! Stupid couples acting all lovey-dovey in public! Disgustang! Damn couples shoving their affection on your face! Couple discounts at restaurants and bars...heart-shaped balloons in malls...overpriced chocolate...public display of affection... BLEH! Don't worry Hikigaya, if you plan to pursue that road, I'll fully support you!" Hiratsuka-sensei got up suddenly with her fist pumped and looked at me with her determined sharp eyes.

Uhh, is she still salty about being single...and Valentine's Day reminds her of that? Wow, that's pretty cringe, not gonna lie. I kinda feel sorry for her. I swear, if no decent man out there does it one of these days, I'll just take her for myself then! Fine! I'll do it myself! Just you wait till I reach marriageable age Sensei! I will never make you feel lonely anymore!

Achievement Unlocked: "Hots For The Teacher!"-Sensei Route can now be pursued*

"Thanks, I guess...?" I say with uncertainty.

"Anyway, I think that it will take some time, but I believe I'm up to the task," Yukinoshita said with confidence that it made me raise a brow at her.

"Yosh! I'll excuse myself then. Be a good boy now Hikigaya, and Yukinoshita, please welcome your new clubmate. I think he'll be a great asset, no?" Sensei said as she got up and left the room while sliding the door closed behind her. "Wait, what?" I stood up and attempted to go to her but she had already closed the door. This is going too fast, it's only been a few days since classes started and now I'm forced into a club?

Yukinoshita returned to her chair at the far end of the table and resumed reading her book. Except for some random noise from outside that I heard from the window, the room was completely silent.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Oi, aren't you going to brief me or something? I have no idea what I'm supposed to do here."

She closed her book and turned to me with a disappointed expression. "Goodness, did the school break dull your wit, Hikigaya-kun? Why don't you use that head of yours and take a guess?"

"Fine," I say and started thinking about the things that I have observed in this room so far. This might be a club, maybe. But there doesn't seem to be an indicator of it being one, not even a poster on the door or some things lying around. I also haven't seen the list for the newly registered clubs at the office too...

"This is a club..." I say.

"Yes."

"The inventory maintenance club...?" I say as a wild guess.

"No, you are completely off the mark."

"Is this the Doki Doki Literature Club?"

She blinked twice at my reply and tilted her head to the side. " Doki Doki Literature Club...?"

"Nevermind. Well, there seems to be a lack of materials around for this to be an arts and crafts club, and you never mentioned that you had an interest in such things anyway. I was going to say a Book Club, but I don't see any novels here. That's it, I don't know." I raised my arms in defeat and awaited her answer.

She seemed to accept my answer and stood up.

"There are two types of people in this world, Hikigaya-kun. Those that have been blessed with talent at birth, and those that don't. Great and talented people have always held the spotlight in the world. But that doesn't mean that it is based on the skills that you were born with. Take Jeanne D'Arc of France, for example. She was not a noble, but a commoner, a simple town girl from Orleans. No one expected her to do much. But she made her mark in history by accomplishing all that she was known for. Her charisma, unyielding faith and conviction in what she was doing was what made people flock and follow her.

Those with talent have a duty and an obligation to share to those that have none, to teach them, guide them, and to help them discover their true potential, for each person is his self and has strengths and weaknesses unique only to himself. Thus, it is only natural and expected that a person such as myself take the initiative. As there were many people around me that I felt needed assistance, it was only a matter of time before I started acting on my own. I have thought about this for a while, and I decided to create this club to help others who are in dire need of it. I seek to save everyone."

"So...this is a volunteer club." I deadpanned.

"The Service Club, as I would like to call it." She said.

"Okay, so...Sensei came to you and left you in charge of "changing" me, correct?"

She looked pleased with my reply and nodded. "Sensei came to me with a request, and I intend to fulfil it."

I turned to her while I rested my head on my hand. "Hoooh, and what exactly is this... request?"

"To improve or outright change your mindset to the correct one." She flatly said.

"Ok, assuming I go along with this little experiment of yours, how do you plan on going about it?" I asked.

"I already have something I thought of. Perhaps speaking with me daily will cause your brain to subconsciously imitate me, therefore applying the same ethics that I have?" She said and put a pen on her lips.

I cringed and my skin crawled at the thought. "Ugh, are you going to indoctrinate me- no, this is worse, are you trying to mould me like yourself? No thank you. I'm fine as I am right now. I am who I am, I am my self's person. If I copy you, the Hikigaya Hachiman that I originally was, will cease to be. I don't need your philosophy, thank you."

"Hmm, then have you reflected on what I said? About why I founded this club?" She asked.

Without a second thought, I replied. "To put it on simple terms, you are an idealist, while I am a realist."

She frowned at my reply "You are not making any sense, please expound further so I may know what you truly mean." I sensed an urgency in her words.

"No," I held out my hand and shook my head, "it's too early for me to jump to conclusions, and I haven't exactly seen the process on how you evaluate and act upon requests submitted to this club." Her frown deepened at my reply, but she seemed to sense the logic behind my words.

"Yo! I'm coming in!" Hiratsuka-sensei's voice reached our ears and the door slid open once more.

""Sensei, you should knock."" We both say in unison while she watched us with an amused expression.

"So, how's it coming, Yukinoshita?" She said.

"Hmm, I already have a grasp of his personality and it should make things easier, but paradoxically, it didn't." She looked at me from the corner of her eyes and sighed.

Oi, stop looking at me like that...

"So you're giving up then?"

"Not in the slightest. This will be a worthy challenge and a test if the club is to succeed. You are the first subject of the first request submitted after all." She said and turned to me.

"Wait, this is the first request?" I ask and she nodded.

"Rejoice, Hikigaya-kun. For the cutest, girl in all of the 2nd Years will personally oversee this request." She said, her words dripping with confidence enough to melt the floor beneath us.

"Moron, of course you are. You are the only member of this club." I deadpanned and saw her eye twitch. With a sugar-sweet smile, she held up the book that she was holding for me to see. "My dear Hikigaya-kun, would you like me to hit you with this book?"

"You would be surprised at my reflexes. Being hit with a book by the self-proclaimed "cutest girl in all of the 2 nd Years" will surely make me a masochist. It might be a reward in its way." I say with a straight face.

Her reaction was immediate. She looked horrified and dropped the book and inched herself farther away from me. Hiratsuka-sensei on the other hand was roaring with laughter(in an unladylike manner, if I may add) and clutching her stomach.

"Sensei, I revoke my earlier statement. I feel a certain danger when this boy's eyes land on me. I feel his gaze on me is akin to a predator, and he is undressing me with his eyes." She quickly covered herself with her bag, making sure that no skin of hers is uncovered as much as possible.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Drama queen."

"Ok that's enough you two...hehehe... masochist..." Sensei said in-between giggles and we turned our attention to her. After regaining her composure, she started. "I can see that the two of you have opposite philosophies. Yukinoshita is an idealist while Hikigaya is a realist blah blah blah blah. (Hol up, did she just say "blah blah blah?")

Hikigaya, as punishment for that written terribly essay I am officially adding you as a member of the club. Students with requests now have two options; whether to go to you or Yukinoshita. As is customary in the countless Shonen anime I have watched, I will invoke an ancient rite practised since time immemorial. I will make this a contest of some sort. Whoever finishes the most requests following their methods gets to make the loser do whatever the winner wants."

"I object. This pervert will most likely make me do something perverted that will satisfy his perverted fantasies." Yukinoshita immediately declared and looked at me with wary eyes. Tch this is just playing dirty! Always using that stereotypical card! Fine! Two can play at that game!

"Same here Sensei, I fear she will jump and ravage me one of these days. Who knows what she'll do if her composure breaks..." I retort and she visibly stiffened at my reply. To add effect, I stepped away from her and hid behind Hiratsuka-sensei while clutching her lab coat.

"W-What?! You are insane if you think that-!" Her comeback was too hasty and unprepared, it lacked its usual punch because of the slight blush on her pale cheeks. Haha, take that Ice Queen!

"What do you say, Hikigaya?" Sensei looked behind and I let go of her coat. Hmm, we don't have any events coming up for the next few weeks and it's not like I'm against joining a club, seeing that it's my first time joining one and all...and she's here too, we're not exactly strangers to each other anyway.

Who knows, I might get something useful out of this?

I nodded at Sensei. "Ok, what about you, Yukinoshita?" We turned our attention to the girl in question and she still looked quite conflicted.

*Stare~*

"..."

*Stare~~*

"..."

*Stare~~~*

"Fine..." she said reluctantly and sighed in defeat.

"Great! That settles it!" Sensei declared and put her hands on her hips. "The contest starts tomorrow! I'll be referring students who need help here, so prepare yourselves!" She then laughed like a villain watching the main protagonist fight against his henchmen.

Seriously, Sensei should stop making these shonen anime references...maybe that's the reason why she's still sing-

I felt something jab at my rib and a hand twist my ear. "Oi Hikigaya, my woman's intuition sensed that you were thinking something bad about me."

"N-No Sensei, why would I do that? Hahahaha..." I lied.

"Good I look forward to seeing you two work together then~~."

It feels weird going to a room other than the StuCo after class. It feels like I'm cheating on StuCo-room-chan. I had informed Shiromeguri-senpai of my somewhat forced membership, and she was delighted saying that "I was starting to have an interest in new things.", looks like my Mother has a rival in my school of all places...

I knocked twice, and after hearing a girl's voice from the inside say "Come in.", I slid the door to the side and entered my new clubroom. As expected, she was there at her usual seat reading the same book that she threatened to throw at me yesterday. The windows were open, and it was as if I was repeating the day before. "Good Afternoon." I gave her an upward nod and made my way to the other side of the table.

"Oh, Hikigaya-kun, you're deciding to actively participate in this club? Instead of running away, you are coming here?"

"I can't beat you in this stupid contest if I can't come."

"Hoh, then you may come as many times as you like..." She said simply and returned her attention to the book in her hand.

"So, no requests yet?" I ask after getting and moving one of the chairs. Truthfully speaking, I'm feeling quite calm, and I'm looking forward to see one of these requests.

"My, an excited one are we?" She said and flashed me a small amused smirk.

"You can say that..." I say and opened my phone and put on my earphones to play my usual gacha game." I barely went past the loading screen when I heard a muffled knock on the door. "You may enter." I heard Yukinoshita's voice and I took off my earphones and hid them in my bag.

The door opened and a girl with Peach-coloured hair entered the room quite timidly, her head going in first to survey her new surroundings. "Excuse me? Is this the Service Clu- Woah! Hikki!?" Yuigahama lit up when she saw me and straight away went inside the room.

Yukinoshita looked confused at the sudden change in demeanour from our newcomer, but she still managed to greet Yuigahama properly. "Yes, this is the Service Club. How may we help you?"

"Oh! Uh, I was referred here by Hiratsuka-sensei since I told her about my request." She turned her attention to Yukinoshita., though her body still faced my general direction.

"I see. Hikigaya-kun, if you will." I rolled my eyes, got up and moved my chair to the centre and offered it to Yuigahama.

"Thanks, Hikki." She said as she sat down.

"Hmm." I got a new one from one of the chairs in the back and sat down. Yukinoshita silently watched our exchange with an unreadable expression. Eyeing the newcomer with suspicious studying eyes. Its effect was profound on Yuigahama, she fidgeted under Yukinoshita's gaze and the poor thing looked to me for help.

"Your name is...?" Yukinoshita asked as she seemed to put once more put on the air of a professional.

"Yuigahama Yui, from class 2F. I'm a classmate of Hikki's."

"I am Yukinoshita Yukino, the President of this club. And you seem to be already familiar with Hikigaya-kun." She said, though I barely heard the next part since she said it under her breath.

"... Hikki...huh..." I felt Yukinoshita's gaze at me from the corner of her eyes. Seriously, what's her problem this morning? Did she eat something bad? Is she still sour about yesterday? Maybe it's that time of the month...?

"What can we help you with, Yuigahama?" I start and forced her attention on me.

"I didn't know that you were part of a club, Hikky! Y'know you disappear quickly when the bell rings like you teleport and stuff. Even at lunchtime, you always find some lame excuse to turn us down, or you walk too fast out of the room!" She said and bombarded me with her words. Good grief, my question was wholly ignored...

"Y-Yes, so what brings you here then?" I say and insisted. That seemed to get to finally get to her, as she composed herself more formally, well, as formal as she could, I guess.

"Mm! So like, Hiratsuka-sensei made me come her after I told her that I needed help with something. She said something like, "The club will grant your request!" or something."

"Correction, we only accept requests within the realm of possibility, those that are impossible to do due to certain restrictions or either too personal for the club to intervene are off-limits," Yukinoshita said too strongly, that it both caught us off-guard.

"Umm..." Yuigahama looked confused and turned to me for help.

"She means that we will help you as much as we can. So what's your request?" I say.

"Uh, well you see, my request is a little embarrassing...hehehe." She laughed awkwardly and started playing with the hem of her uniform.

I raised a questioning brow at her, but Yukinoshita was quick to formulate a follow-up. "We cannot help you if you don't tell us about the nature of your request..."

"R-Right, ok. So I wanted to learn how to bake cookies...hehehe..." She answered and waited for our reaction.

"Why don't you just ask your friends?" I say. The other members of her clique in class, namely Hayato, Miura and Ebina, could certainly help her if they wanted to. Well, assuming that at least one of them knows how to bake at least...

"I'd like to learn how to do it by myself first..."

"Hmm, I have previous experience in cookies, very well. We accept." Yukinoshita nodded and stood up. Isn't she going about this too fast? Maybe she's excited about this.

"To the Home Economics Room then, Hikigaya-kun, you can use your position in the Council to make things easier." They both turned to me with expectant eyes, eager to see my reaction. I nodded and bade them follow me. After telling them to wait outside the faculty room while I ask permission from one of the teachers, I met them with the key in hand.

"Wow, being a member of the StuCo has its perks huh, Hikky?" Yuigahama marvelled at how I managed to speed things up a bit. It would have been difficult for a regular student to get permission, I wager. I nod at her. The three of us walked to the room, Yuigahama at my side while Yukinoshita was behind us. Once we found it, I unlocked the door and Yukinoshita went straight away to prepare the ingredients. Since she was taking the initiative, I told Yuigahama to just follow her around.

Because she was of shorter stature, I had to lean down to her when she signalled me to lend her my ear so she can whisper to it. Yukinoshita was faced away from us, so she couldn't see what we were doing. With how close she was, I couldn't help but feel suddenly self-conscious. She smelled nice, the perfume that she had was very fragrant. "Hikki," her breath was warm and moist, and goosebumps formed on the back of my neck. "is she always like that?"

Now it was my turn to whisper, and she moved some strands on her hair near her ear.

" Not really, she's just uptight right now. That's all." It had a similar effect on her since I noticed she slightly shivered as I whispered it to her.

Yukinoshita soon finished gathering the ingredients and other needed utensils. I just watched from the sidelines, watching their every move the whole time and imprinting the process into my memory. Yukinoshita was the one who baked first, and Yuigahama watched and would occasionally throw a question or two. It was faster than expected, and after a while, she finished her first batch and proudly presented it before us still warm from the oven.

Without a word, Yukinoshita took one of the cookies and thrust them to my face. "Your role, Hikigaya-kun, would be to evaluate the quality of the cookies for now."

I gave her a deadpan look and took it from her hand. "A taste tester then. Stop trying to make things sound so complex." I say and bit into it.

"Mmm, they look so good! How are they, Hikky?" Yuigahama asked excitedly.

"It's...good," I say dully, and the maker of the cookies arched a brow at me. It was good, but honestly nothing special.

"You don't sound like it."

" Haaah? Are you expecting me to shower you with praises about how great you are? What are you, my spoiled bratty young daughter?" I reply and I expected a snarky retort from her. But she seemed to let it pass for now and turned to Yuigahama who watched our exchange with an expression akin to amusement while nibbling on her second cookie.

"Yuigahama-san, now that I have shown you the basics, it is your turn to try."

"Ok! Leave it to me!" She said and raised her fist, her voice filled with determination.

*Twenty minutes later*

"These are-" Yukinoshita finally said after analyzing the horrendous monstrosities presented before us.

"Fucked up beyond all recognition." I finished, and she hit me with her elbow after berating me for my use of profanities. Yuigahama, even after seeing the results, was still hopeful and reluctantly picked up one of the charred remains. "Y-You never know! Here Hikky, have a bite!" I shrugged and took it from her hand, Yukinoshita looked at me with a pitiful look and looked away, as if I was literally going to die.

It was rock hard, but I still managed to get a bit off of it.

Wait, if Ebina heard that...it would definitely activate her Fujoshi tendencies...

It tastes as I expected it to be, with no need for flowery words. "Yup, it's inedible," I say and put the rest of it down. At my comment, Yuigahama made an Uwaaah sound and looked crestfallen. She leaned on the table for support, as if the weight of my words were enough to make her feel faint and collapse. "M-Maybe cooking isn't for me. You saw it for yourself back then, remember Hikki? I'm not talented like the both of you..."

At that moment, Yukinoshita stepped forward, her face stone-faced and cold. "What a lousy excuse, fitting for lazy and soft people. Those that do not strive at what they are doing, to stretch and test the very limits of their abilities have no right to use an excuse such as that. To say that is an insult to those that have reached their goals with their ability alone, they who have writhed and endured hardships to reach their destination. Also, your desire to learn how to bake cookies fueled by your want to "fit in" is very off-putting. If you are going to make excuses, make something more fitting to what you are right now. At least make a notable effort before spouting nonsense such as that."

I was completely taken aback by her words, it was just overkill. I looked at Yuigahama to see her reaction.

She was looking down, her hands, still covered in mittens were formed into fists and shaking. I was about to grab Yukinoshita's arm, pull her to the side and talk to her for her poor choice of words, but Yuigahama looked up at us. Instead of seeing teary eyes, or a furious expression, I saw stars in her eyes and a grin on her face.

"That was...so cool!" She exclaimed and I couldn't help but step away from her. Is she crazy or something? Yukinoshita looked at me and was likewise confused.

"W-What? I believe my words were a tad bit harsh..." She said.

" Tad, is an understatement, don't you think?" I added and she gave me an annoyed look.

"You don't mince words at all! That's like, really brave and cool and stuff! They were a bit harsh, yeah, but it felt as though you meant it with no bad vibes!" Yuigahama continued and all of the words that she said went through my head. I couldn't wrap my head around what she's saying right now honestly.

"O-Ok, well. It doesn't hurt to try again, right? Yukinoshita, make sure you guide her this time." I say and the both of them nodded.

Unfortunately, even with Yukinoshita's guidance, the results of Yuigahama's cooking were still the same. Yukinoshita placed her head on the table looking defeated, while Yuigahama was still convinced that it was salvageable.

"Yuigahama, are you cursed or something," I say as I inspected the black charred remains. Ah, still inedible. What a shame...

"Hikki you're so mean!" She started hitting my shoulder with a pouting expression.

An idea sparked inside my head, and I decided to act quickly before its too late. "I bet I can make a batch that will blow your minds." Yukinoshita's ears perked at my words, and she lifted her head from the table.

"Hoh?"

"Yes, now please vacate the premises and give me ten minutes. I promise that it will exceed your expectations."

"Hmph." Yukinoshita put her arms around her chest and walked outside without a word. Yuigahama on the other hand...

"Eh?! Hey, I want to watch and see too~!" She pleaded as I pushed her back while her shoes were sliding on the floor.

"No can do." I have her a gentle push to the door, closed and locked it. After ten minutes, I unlocked the door and bade them come inside. When they reached the table, where I put my cookies, they both had different reactions. Yukinoshita was completely unimpressed, while Yuigahama was holding back her laughter.

"These are your mind-blowing cookies? They look worse than mine!" Yuigahama said and laughed.

"Uwahh? I really put my heart into it y'know. Guess I'll just throw these away then~." I say in a monotone manner and picked up the plate with the intent to throw its contents in the trash bin. "W-Wait! They're not too bad!" Yuigahama was alarmed and quickly took the plate from my hand and immediately took a bite from one of the cookies.

"S-See?! It's good!" She said with watery eyes, she was on her third cookie and I fear that if I don't do something to stop her, she'll finish everything and have a stomachache later.

Time to unravel my plan. "The truth is, those were your cookies, to begin with."

"Eh?"

"What?"

"Your reaction right now proved that no matter the quality of the thing that you intend to give someone, if you express the time and effort that you sacrificed, the receiver will eventually be guilt-ridden enough to wholeheartedly accept them. For example, a girl gives the guy she likes chocolates, but unfortunately, they ended up not tasting quite good. Males, being the simple creatures that they are, will be overjoyed and no doubt accept the cookies as they are, not caring in their taste since they realized the sincerity of her actions. When it comes to things like these, they value sincerity and the sentiment rather than the quality."

Yukinoshita thought hard on my words since her brows were knit together and her eyes having a far-away look to them. "A crude answer, but I see your point. Hmm, yes I see it now." She starts muttering and nodding to herself.

"So I shouldn't worry too much about it...? Is that what you're saying Hikky?" Yuigahama finally said.

"Yes."

"Somehow, I feel that that's the best and worst answer you could give me..." Her shoulders slumped as I shrugged at her.

"But I won't give up yet! I'll try practising at home!" She suddenly declared, her very soul emitting an aura of determination. Yukinoshita had a small amused smile as she started cleaning and putting away the utensils and other kitchen equipment that we used. I just watched them both and after they finished everything, I locked the door and behind us.

"Thanks, a lot for today guys! You were a big help!" We did our farewells and she went on ahead of us towards the exit of the school building. We watched her retreating form until she went past the school gates.

"Do you think she'll improve?" I ask the girl beside me.

"I don't know. But if she tries, she'll figure it out sooner or later. Now come on, let's finish up for today. You still have to return the keys." She said, and without waiting for me, started walking back to the clubroom.

The first request that I managed to witness, was actually interesting.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sorry for the late update, modular exams were a pain in the arse, and I decided to take a week off to relax and rest. Oh yeah, and FGO of course. Farming is mentally and physically exhausting. When there are events in FGO, you can bet your ass that I'm grinding the heck out of it!

You might have noticed some slight differences, but nothing too major that warrants serious concern. The next few chapters will have some twists here and there, and I'm already making a list of possible things to add. I'm still taking notes on the canon ofc, but sometimes it feels like I'm just copying and pasting if I don't add my little scenarios and dialogues. It gets quite boring and takes away the fun in writing to be honest...I'm still balancing "this Hikky" and the "Hikky" in canon, the scales should be perfectly balanced, not one leaning too far towards the other.

In the first draft of the story, Hikigaya immediately smashes Yukino's ideals when she asked him about his "reflection", like complete and utter destruction. He makes her see that reality and people are completely different from the way she imagined it to be. It came to the point where he made her cry and Hiratsuka-sensei had to intervene. It was a mess really, and I'm so glad I removed it phew. I have no idea why I even wrote that, I think it lasted about 2k words.

As always, reviews and PM's are quite welcome! Also, when I see REALLY long reviews, it gives me anxiety and panic attacks hehe...but I honestly don't mind it.

That's it for this time! Thanks for reading and following this story for the past two years!

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

29

How Animals live in the Wild

There are two types of groups that herbivores and carnivores belong; those that live solitary lives and those that form groups. Logically, those that form groups are more likely to survive in the long run than those living alone. There is always an alpha, usually a male leading the group. The Alpha male can be replaced anytime by a stronger and faster adversary, those that are too weak are burdened to be followers for the rest of their lives.

Crocodiles, for example, are one of the most efficient predators that have existed and lead solitary lives. A single kill can last them several weeks depending on the size, and they don't need other crocodiles to help them hunt. Bears are also strong and are at the top of the food chain in their environment, even packs wolves keep their distance from a fully grown adult bear. Plus, in the absence of prey, they can eat berries as a substitute. Before winter arrives, they fatten up and hibernate in their dens underground.

Being a bear sounds nice, if I were to be reincarnated in the next life, I'd choose to be a bear.

My Biology teacher said that my paper was good, and told me to drop by the faculty room because Hiratsuka-sensei wanted something from me. Still, why did I have to personally come here to retrieve it? He could have just given it to me tomorrow at our next class. Good grief, and here I was about to enjoy my lunch...

"How was the request that you handled the other day?" She asked as I sat down beside her. Teachers don't have the luxury of having their table, instead, they have these cubicles with dividers on the side.

"It went smoothly. I think I was the one who got a score since the request ended on my terms. Yukinoshita might not see it that way though." I shrugged. Hiratsuka-sensei looked amused and offered me one of the biscuits that were on her table. I gladly accepted it.

"Hmm, so you're taking this seriously huh."

"Not really, I just waited things out for a bit and came to the most appropriate solution to the situation," I say. I didn't really help out much during the request. A few words here, a few there and BAM , request solved. Yuigahama gave us cookies on the day after the request. It was still below average, but a clear improvement on her part.

"How's it with Yukinoshita? I know that given her personality, she can be a bit difficult to work with."

"We're doing fine so far," I reply.

Sensei looked satisfied with my reply and nodded."Well, that's it for now, just wanted to talk to you for a bit." After excusing myself, I departed from the room and walked back to my classroom.

When I arrived, it was at the moment that I overheard Yuigahama's little group talking about their usual stuff. Their voices were loud so I couldn't avoid hearing them. Unfortunately today, it was raining outside, so I'm torn between choosing the cafeteria or the classroom. Of those two evils, the lesser evil is the latter. Choosing to eat here sometimes has the risk of getting swarmed by some of my classmates. Things like help with assignments, homework, etc.

Thankfully, no one has approached me yet since most of the class are at the cafeteria.

As I was peacefully about to eat my bento that my Mother had graciously prepared for me this morning, Miura's voice reached my ears, and from the tone of it, she doesn't sound happy. I discreetly turned to them and she was going full Queen Bee on Yuigahama, saying things like she doesn't hang out with her anymore. Yuigahama was going on the defensive while Miura was not giving her any breathing room.

I tried ignoring them, but Miura's words were affecting the rest of the room. Some eyes were in their direction, also noticing that something was wrong, while those that spoke tried their best to pretend not to be affected. It's none of my business, but Yuigahama started muttering an apology, but it only made Miura more annoyed. Hayama couldn't get a word out since even he was having a hard time restoring order.

As for Ebina...

She had an unreadable expression and watched the exchange behind those glasses of hers. It looked as if she expected this to happen, though she chose not to intervene for some reason...

From her body language and facial expression, Yuigahama was on the verge of tears, I know because I have a little sister. I don't owe Yuigahama anything for me to help her out right now, but it'll leave a bad taste in my mouth if I don't help out the girl that gave me cookies the other day. Plus, if I manage to cool down the situation by myself, that will be an achievement in its way. And it'll make me look good for publicity-, wait, I won't finish that. I'll start sounding like a damned Riajuu who's obsessed with his public image. God help me if I start unironically talking like that again...

"Miura, if you were looking to start a fight, you should have picked a time when I'm not here. You seem to be forgetting who I am. Honestly..." I say in a calm but loud enough voice that took everyone by surprise. All eyes were on me as I slowly stood up and crossed my arms across my chest.

"You're making a scene." Even though there were quite a few people in the room, my footsteps echoed as I got closer to her.

"Hikio...?" Miura was speechless for several moments, but then she regained her composure when the reality of the situation dawned on her. Many pairs of eyes were shifting their attention from me to her, and I ignored them nonetheless. If I see one of them pull out a phone and start recording, I might seriously consider hanging myself from the cringe and embarrassment after this. I heard her mutter the closer I got to where she was. The blond bishonen was stunned speechless, I guess even he wasn't able to maintain his composure huh.

"Oh...I might have said something bad huh..." She avoided looking at me in the eye with a guilty expression. Hayama took a step back and gave us some space which was followed by his man-slave underlings. Ebina had a look of approval but still said nothing. Goodness, using my Authority for this is cowardly, but at least I averted a possible conflict. Miura is a valued acquaintance of mine, and I feel bad for somewhat humbling her. But getting reproached by a member of the StuCo for causing trouble like this is expected, especially when it happened in my presence, so I'm sure she won't hold it against me. I'm just doing my job after all. If I allowed this to happen and word of it spreads, my position in the StuCo might be questioned, and the Principal will skin me alive.

I mouthed an apology to her, she seemed to understand and gave me a nod of acknowledgement.

"Hmm, this serves as your punishment," I say and to teach her a lesson, and to also send a message to everyone witnessing this, I ruffled her hair and pulled her left cheek.

"Ouch! H-Hey! Q-Quit it! You're ruining my hair!"

"Just don't do it again, ok~?" I say with a small smile, I deliberately made my tone ominous.

"Okay okay, I'm sorry!" She yelped and tried to swat away my hand. I felt eyes widen and mouths drop when I successfully calmed down the Fire Queen for everyone to see. She moved this way and there, but my hands were firmly in place unless I let go. Hayama started laughing along with his man-slaves. With that, the tension in the room went away and things were going back to normal. Yuigahama had a mixture of relief and surprise at how cordial we were with each other.

Of course, I didn't do what I did just now just for the heck of it. After alleviating tensions such as these, it is important to finish things in a light-hearted manner to make things end on a good note. It also serves as a way for both parties to non-verbally convey that there are no hard feelings after what just happened.

Source: My Father's College Psychology book on Human Social Behaviour among adolescents and teens.

There was a head sticking out in the doorway, moving now and then to take a peek inside the room. I caught her looking at us and hastily hid. Strange, what is Yukinoshita doing...?

Weirdo...

"Now, if you'll excuse me," I say and gave the Fire Queen's hair one more ruffle before leaving and not hearing their reply. Yuigahama looked like she was going to say something, but decided against it.

I closed the door behind me, and there she was leaning on the wall with her eyes closed waiting for me, well that was my assumption anyway. She crossed her arms around her chest as if trying to look cool and serious. Uwaah, what she's doing right now reminds me of my Chunni days...

"You handled that quite well." She said.

"Of course, who do you think I am?"

She scoffed. "Hmph, I will admit that my method would have been different..."

"Is that so..." I say.

"Yes."

"..." She started fidgeting with her hands, and looked restless, almost as if something was bothering her. Her brows were furrowed and her lips were pursed together. Since she was quiet, I waited for her to open her mouth to speak.

"..."

"You...are acquainted with her...?" She suddenly asked with a neutral expression.

I arched a brow at her question. "Who?"

"The girl whose hair you ruffled." She said while absentmindedly twirling the ends of her long hair and having a stone-faced expression. Good grief, what is she mad about now? I swear this girl will serve as a major source of headaches for her husband in the future.

"Miura? Yes, we are. Why?" I dully answer her question.

"No reason." She said and looked away, then the door opened to reveal Yuigahama looking refreshed and jolly. Her sudden appearance startled the Ice Queen and she made a surprised sound. From behind her, I saw the red-cheeked Miura pouting while trying to fix her hair, when she saw me, she stuck out her tongue. Hayama looked quite grateful at me and gave a small quick bow. Hehehe, now he owes me for this. I can definitely use this as leverage or asking him favour in the future.

Miura must have already apologized to her, all according to Keikaku... (Translator's Notes: Keikaku means "Plan".) Fufufufufu, my plan was perfect from the beginning. I am so smart that I scare myself sometimes.

"Hikki! Thanks a lot! You're a lifesaver!" Yuigahama grabbed my hand and started thanking me. Oi oi oi quit acting like I'm a politician that paid you off to make me look good. Well, at least she didn't jump-tackle at me or anything, something straight out of a trashy ecchi harem anime. I literally had a plan in place if she did.

"Did Miura apologize?" I asked.

"Yup! That was really cool Hikki! You were so serious and all and we were, like, legit scared for a few moments!" She let go of my hand and started doing a terrible imitation of me earlier, she even lowered the pitch of her voice and started doing ridiculous hand gestures which I didn't do. I felt a glare from a certain Ice Queen as she was emitting an ominous aura and the air become heavier to breathe and the temperature drop.

" Ahem. Yuigahama-san." Yukinoshita sternly cleared her throat while I saw a nerve tick at her forehead.

"Oh! Yukinon!" She looked elated when she realized that Yukinoshita was here. Hoh, so even the great Ice Queen was captured by Yuigahama's charms...? And she even already gave her a nickname...I have greatly underestimated Yuigahama's social capabilities. Or maybe beneath her cold and stern outer shell, Yukinoshita is a softie after all?

"Yes, you were taking quite a while so I took it upon myself to personally come here. Now come on, let us have lunch." She said and turned to me with an expectant expression and raised a brow, her eyes eyeing my empty hands. I blinked several times before I understood her meaning.

"You want me to join you...?" I ask and she nodded her head. Good grief, with two pairs of eyes waiting for my answer, it's really hard to say no...I swear I feel like I'm becoming a pushover. Maybe it's because I've been spoiling Komachi too much lately, and it affected my responses here at school...

" Ugh, fine...let me get my bento -"

"I'll do it!" Yuigahama cut me off and disappeared behind the door, and a few seconds later, came back with my bento in hand. She pouted when I said that I was amazed that she managed to get the correct one and not someone else's. I tried reaching for it but she said that she'll hold it for me. "Come on," Yukinoshita said and turned her back to us as she walked away. We both followed closely behind her. Yuigahama hummed a tune as we walked, and she looked quite happy knowing that Yukinoshita came for her.

Perhaps this is the time for the YuriYuri YukiYui ship to set sail?

I was still a distance away from the clubroom, but I saw two figures at the doorway peeking inside. I deliberately slowed my pace and walked without a sound. My footsteps were light as a feather as I got closer to them. As you may already know, walking silently is one of the many abilities of my STAND : [108 LONER SKILLS]. My SNEAK level is already maximum it's so strong that crouching in front of someone in broad daylight will make me invisible to them.

"Oi, what are you two doing-" I say when I was right behind them.

"AAAAAAAHHH!"

"EEEEEEP!"

Two shrieks of surprise battered my eardrums, and I had to wince from the slight pain. Damn my ears are literally ringing. They turned to me, startled. "Hikki stop doing that!" Yuigahama complained and unleashed a barrage of weak punches on my shoulder. It honestly didn't bother me, if anything, it served as a massage or something along those lines.

"Hikigaya-kun, its just you..." The other one clutched her heart as if a simple surprise like that could literally kill her. I calmly waved off their complaints and proceeded to get straight to the point.

"As I was saying, what are you two doing outside? Is there some kind of suspicious activity happening? Are the chairs moving on their own or something? Did the magic summoning circle go wro-" I ask them sarcastically though Yuigahama cut me off before I could finish.

"A weirdo is inside!" Yuigahama exclaimed and I arched a brow at her.

"Yuigahama-san, you need to be more specific, that is quite a general term that you used. Hikigaya-kun is under that category as well so he might be confused." Yukinoshita chided.

"A weirdo...?" Sighing and ignoring Yukinoshita's verbal jab, I move past them to peek inside through the glass. I saw a chubby figure in a brown trenchcoat standing inside, facing the sunset that painted the inside of the room red. True, the reddish hue inside, with the unknown figure standing there made it feel ominous. Though there is nothing ominous about a Chunni who's convinced that he is a reincarnation of Yoshiteru Ashikaga.

"Ah, good grief..." I sighed and proceeded to straight-away open the door without waiting for the two girls. Yuigahama tried to grab my shirt to prevent me from entering as if my life was somehow in danger, but her grip was too loose and her fingers failed to get a hold on me. He did not move as I entered the room. The two girls, now clutching my sleeves while hiding behind me, eyed the Chunni with suspicion and fear. Seriously though, they're really being over-dramatic. And Yukinoshita, you're not a touchy-feely unlike Yuigahama here! Why are you imitating Yuigahama?! It's supposed to be the other way around! I was about to shake away both of their hands but I decided against it.

I went straight to the point. "What are you doing here, Zaimokuza...?" I sighed and mentally prepared myself.

His shoulders shook as he laughed like a villain and he put his hands on his hips, still facing away from us. Uwahh...I wonder how many times had he had to practice that in front of the mirror just for this moment? The thought alone made me internally cringe. Though I'm not one to talk, I did undergo through that phase as well.

He's a good guy, though a bit eccentric and embarrassing to be around with honestly...especially when he does that.

"To think that I, the Blade Master General, would see my comrade once again after all these hundreds of years..." He started and turned to us in all of his Chunni glory.

"I have endured and conquered the harsh cycle of death and rebirth, and I have come from the abyss itself for this very moment! Your namesake, the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman is truly at work, my comrade! He has blessed you with such a high Divinity even higher than my own! Now, my comrade, I have come to you with a request!" His words were straight out of a historical fantasy novel, scratch that, a trashy historical fantasy isekai harem ecchi Light Novel.

Aw shit, here we go again...

I felt something pull at my sleeve and saw Yukinoshita motioning at me with her finger.

" Is that someone you know...?" She asked in a low voice.

"Kinda...He was my partner for gym class a few times already, so I think that qualifies as someone that I know".

I briefly explained to her what a Chunnibyuo is, how it works and the typical behaviour of one that has it. She frowned and shook her head sometimes, still disbelieving what I was saying. I sometimes forget that she has lived quite a different life, and doesn't know things like these. I told her that the queer fellow in front of us based his delusions on a historical figure that shared his name, specifically Ashikaga Yoshiteru, 13th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate.

"And...how exactly do you fit into all of this?"

"The Seiwa Genji Line revered the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, my namesake, as a God of War. Well, at least his fantasies are based on actual history, unlike some other ones out there."

"Like what?" She inquired further.

My mind wandered off to my Chunni days...

"The " Tomes of Reality" that I created, and destroyed, after reaching enlightenment and peering into the depths of the Truth of the world. Forbidden knowledge has a price, and I had to make some kind of trade to the Old Ones for them to accept the trade. In my stupidity, I offered them my life, but they laughed at me and took my death instead. In return for forbidden knowledge, I became an undying spectre, their eternal servant, being sent through time and space to restore order amid the chaos. I remember every second of it, every detail of all that was taken in by my eyes, every sound that was received by ears. Everything. It was hell, no, even worse if something like that exists. Entire nations destroy each other as I was forced to watch, Saints fall to insanity and darkness, I have been forced by Them to point my bow to-."

I managed to stop myself after I realized what I was doing. When I turned to my companions, they were looking at me strangely, both of them tilting their heads to the side utterly confused about what I was talking about.

"Damn, you're good. You tricked me there." I say and took a step back from the black-haired girl. Shit, I thought I hid my Chunniness in the deepest parts of my memory, locked away with all its cringe and ridiculousness.

"Hikki, what were you talking about...?" Yuigahama asked and Yukinoshita nodded, intent on getting an answer out of me.

"E-Errr...I'll tell you some other time." I calmly replied and waved them off, internally cringing so hard and hiding the urge to break the windows with a chair and hurl myself to the ground below to kill myself. They both slowly nodded and Yukinoshita strode gracefully to the Chunni in the middle of the room, writhing in pain as he struggled to contain the power that his cursed right arm possessed.

"Good grief, how stereotypical. Let me guess, it's locked away and its magical attributes are Dark? Oh and wait, you were a product of experimentation and you have no recollection of your past? Maybe if you went "all-out" you'd go into an edgy demon-like state and lose control of yourself?" I couldn't help but say and held my temples.

" Ack!" The Chunni clutched his chest and his legs must have suddenly felt weak since he grabbed a chair nearby for support. He grinned at us, with some of his hair covering his eyes. I wager he's imagining a trail of blood falling from his mouth.

"Ha, truly you have grown strong, Hachiman! For your mere words to make me like this...! This level of power-! It's comparable to the Elite Hunter-Killer Units of the Holy Church?! Don't tell me...you have grown strong enough to rival Him?!" He exclaimed and pointed an accusing finger at me. Yuigahama gave him a weird look and scooted behind me. Uwah, I don't blame her, I'd do the same thing if I was in her shoes.

Oh no, now he's using vague pronouns...

"You, stop talking like that." Yukinoshita's voice was calm as ever, those five simple words were enough to silence him. He quickly got a hold of himself and laughed away the discomfort. "Fuahahaha! For a mere commoner like you to-"

" Silence, you are very rude. If you have not come with a request, then I suggest you leave the premises immediately." He looked like he was slapped and I felt a little sorry for him.

"Yukinoshita, he has a request, and I think it has something to do with the papers on the ground," I say. I didn't really make much of it, but after taking a closer look, there was something in it that caught my attention. After finally getting through him, and of course, telling him to pick up the mess that he made, he finally revealed to us the true nature of his request.

I arched a brow at him. "There are sites on the internet for things like these. No, never mind that. Knowing you, you'll die from their criticisms, no?"

"As expected of Hachiman! Those eyes of yours are truly terrifying! You have seen the truth the moment you laid your eyes on me!" He exclaimed. I think that was praise, in its way.

"Oi."

"So you want us to read your work and give our opinions then? You should have said it from the start. So much time wasted..." Yukinoshita shook her head and sighed while Yuigahama flipped through the pages looking deathly bored.

"Yes, I have no friends so I don't have anyone else I can get opinions from." He said in a serious and straight face.

Yuigahama laughed awkwardly at the silence and Yukinoshita looked at him as if thinking whether to crush and stomp on his delusions now or spare him. From her look of pity, she chose the latter. I'm amazed how he can say that as a matter of factly, even more so that he had already photocopied three copies for us. That saves us more time at least. After that, she concluded today's activities and we all parted ways, but since Zaimokuza wanted to buy a snack, I decided to tag along.

While we were about to cross the road, an all too familiar-looking limousine passed us by, and I watched it for a while before it turned at the road ahead.

"Hachiman, is there something wrong?" Zaimokuza asked as I was transfixed on the vehicle.

"Nothing."

"HIKKI GOOD MORNING!" Yuigahama greeted me as she saw me from ahead. I likewise greeted her in return when she was near enough.

"Good Morning to you too..." I yawned at the end and covered my mouth. His novel was mentally draining and exhausting, I had to force myself to read it the whole night. Because of that, I'm still feeling a bit sleepy from the few hours of sleep that I had, and I decided to just get down from my bike and walk since I might nod off while riding my bike.

"Sleepyhead."

"Anyone would feel the same after reading that," I say and turned to her. "You did read it, right?" I ask, though I already know the answer to my question. She refused to look me in the eye and started whistling.

"You were just watching T.V., weren't you?" I ask. It seems I guessed correctly since she made a cutesy pose, complete with putting her hand near her head, one of her eyes closed and putting her tongue out.

" Tehee!"

Good Lord, I feel my I.Q. plummeting by the second.

"Ugh...why did I even bother asking...?" I say to myself as we both entered the school grounds.

I slept through all of my classes and skipped lunch just to sleep, so the day literally went by in a flash. I didn't wait for Yuigahama after classes ended and went straight to the club room. When I arrived and opened the door, I saw Yukinoshita nodding off while sitting on her chair. The scene was picturesque and straight out of a painting from the 17th Century. I walked over to her and just watched her, resisting the urge to startle her as revenge for what she did yesterday.

She must have finished reading the novel and finished early in the morning, that's why she must be feeling sleepy right now. Knowing her, she wouldn't take a nap in the middle of class to rest a bit, unlike me. I don't care, my classmates and teachers have grown used to it. (Though not Hiratsuka-sensei, I always stay awake in her class because she hits my head.) It would be wrong for me to interrupt her short nap right now, even a twisted person like myself wouldn't do that.

"Tch, thank you for your hard work..." I say.

"You as well. Oh, and please mind your distance, one more step and I will consider you as a would-be molester." She suddenly spoke and slowly opened her eyes.

"What do you take me for, a pervert?"

"Undoubtedly, as we speak you are already undressing me in that filthy mind of yours." It's honestly quite impressive how she keeps on making the same joke every day, not even changing one bit. Well, sometimes I guess.

"Oh my, the moment that I looked at your form, all my sleepiness went away." She teased while covering her mouth with her hand. I rolled my eyes and went to get myself a chair.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I see that you are still a masochist." She said with a small smirk and I saw a glint from her eye.

"That's rich coming from a sadist such as you. You must be enjoying this, tormenting me every day." I retort turned my attention to the pile of papers in my hand, but not before eyeing her. She looked quite amused by my reply. I ignored her and returned to the task at hand. Zaimokuza's work was terrible, to say that it was unbearable to read is an understatement. Grammatical errors, incorrect use of many Kanji characters, inconsistent writing style, unnecessary interactions and sudden out-of-characterness between characters and constructed dialogue are just the tip of the iceberg.

Yuigahama arrived several minutes later, and then Zaimokuza after that.

"Fufufufu, I have been waiting for this moment all day!" He exclaimed as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Ok then, I will be first," Yukinoshita said and we all waited for her to speak.

"It is trash. Absolute trash, so much that it was painful to read. This is the trashiest thing I have ever read in my life."

" Ack!" Zaimokuza looked like he had a heart attack and tightly gripped his chest. "W-What part of it was trash, exactly?" He managed to say in between heavy breathing.

Yukinoshita momentarily touched the side of her head, as if just uttering the flaws of Zaimokuza's work was literally giving her a headache. I don't blame her. "Firstly, the grammar is terrible. Incorrect placement of the subject. The Kanji that you wrote has multiple meanings, many of them are wrong and confusing. Also, what was the need for the Heroine to undress here? There was absolutely no need for that."

"Yup. Especially that last part. Oh and that's enough please, leave some for me too." I added and she nodded in acknowledgement. Zaimokuza was on all fours, trembling from the verbal criticisms that he received. I'm sure that he's just pretending, but if he is crying, I'd be weirded out not gonna lie.

"Yuigahama?" I say.

She was surprised when I called her name and hurriedly pretended to read the papers on her hand. "Um, you know a lot of difficult Kanji...?" She said unsurely and Zaimokuza groaned out in pain. She gave him a grossed outlook. I was the last to give out my opinion as expected and I started thinking about what I should say. By pure coincidence, my criticisms were more or less identical to what Yukinoshita said, and being repetitive and redundant is a complete waste of my time.

On a side note, what if her method is actually working, and I'm subconsciously imitating her way of thinking? I think that was her original plan to "change" me. It's scary to think, that one day I'll suddenly become a complete copy of her.

Ah, that's impossible, I must be overthinking things again.

Zaimokuza turned to me, still on all fours by the way. "You understand it, don't you Hachiman?" He said with hope, eyes glittering as if I was the saviour that he was waiting for. Unfortunately for him, I'm not really feeling generous today. Maybe it's because I'm still feeling quite salty after playing my gacha game.

"Your originality is quite lacking, I can see why you resorted to copying another writer's work. Now please do tell me, which unfortunate writer was unlucky enough to be copied by you?" I simply say.

That was the final nail to his coffin, after a dreaded high pitched bloodcurdling wail of defeat, he started rolling around the floor like fish suddenly out of water. "Hikki that was a bit..." Yuigahama mumbled trying to find the right words.

Even Yukinoshita visibly flinched at my words. "My goodness Hikigaya-kun, that was quite merciless, even to my standards." She said watching the chunni roll here and there until he hit the wall of the room with a resounding thud.

"Was I?" I ask in all honesty, the answer to my query was a simple nod after a sigh. The scenario that I anticipated in my mind was quite different. I thought for a moment before making my way to his defeated form on the ground.

"I guess I was then," I say to myself and squatted above him. His eyes were hollow, and his tears had already dried on his cheeks. I patted his shoulder, and he looked up to me with those empty eyes.

"Don't worry, if you get a good illustrator, I'm sure people will buy this." Instead of feeling better, he seemed to get even more depressed.

I had already ended today's activities, since it was getting quite late. We finished the request at the same time that the sky was going orange from the sunset. I looked out the window and saw streaks of red across the sky, retreating from the night that would soon arrive in an hour or two. Sighing to myself, I picked up my bag and went out of the clubroom. Looking back one last time inside, if Hikigaya-kun and Yuigahama-san did not come here, then I would be all one by myself in this lonely room. The past few days have been quite... lively, with their presence.

I don't mind it at all.

They had already gone on ahead. Yuigahama saying that she had to do errands for her Mother and hurriedly left the room in a blur, while Hikigaya-kun just said that he needed to go somewhere. And by somewhere, I feel that he does not mean his home.

There were only a few students left in the building, when I looked outside, there were still some sports club members doing some last-minute runs and practice. I did not come across any other students while on my way out.

When I was close to the exit, I heard a feminine voice in a pleading tone from ahead, possibly a small distance away from the corner. Her voice was somewhat familiar, but I could not recall where I had heard it before. She was also a little bit loud, made more so because of the echo from the empty hallways, causing her voice to resonate around the area.

" Ne ne, Hikioooooo~~. Let's go somewhere I'm hungryyyyy~." The feminine voice said in a pleading tone. She sounds needy. I was about to continue walking but the next voice made me stop in my tracks. I thought he had already left the school...? He left quite a little while ago. It was-

" Stop grabbing my arm, people will misunderstand." From the way it was conveyed, he must be feeling slightly annoyed.

" I don't care what people say and there's no one hereeee...~"

" Why are you even sticking with me, where are Hayama and the others?"

" He and the boys went to an arcade, Yui went to go shopping and Hina went home straight away."

" So, that leaves me for you to pounce on..." He said and his reply earned a giggle from the girl.

I did not know what his reply or reaction was, but I heard two pairs of footsteps move in unison and walk towards the exit, or at least that was what I assumed. Since I was in the hallway, if they looked behind them I would be visible to them. So I hid behind the corner to my right.

I heard them stop, and several heartbeats later, the feminine voice spoke once more.

" Hikio? Is there something wrong?" She said in a surprisingly concerned manner.

" Nothing, I thought I sensed or saw someone..." He replied.

" Haah? But there's no one there, see? Now come on, I'm hungry~~..." I heard a cry of surprise from him as if he was suddenly pulled forward. I heard their footsteps start to fade off, and after waiting a few more seconds, peeked out from my little hiding spot.

She was still clutching his right arm, he tried to gently push her away, but she was quite stubborn from the looks of things. His shoulder slumped defeated and it earned a laugh from the girl beside him, her laughter was cheerful and lighthearted, and she smiled from ear to ear. But a moment before they stepped out of the building, she let go and slightly widened the distance between them. Not too close, not too far, but enough not to warrant any suspicion. But even with that, their little friendly banter did not lessen, not even a bit. Once they were far enough, I stepped out and went to the lockers to change my shoes then resumed my original intent to wait at the school gates to wait for my driver.

Needless to say, I tried to forget what I just witnessed and ignore it completely.

Tried.

Even after I arrived home and cooked myself dinner, it was bland and tasteless in my mouth. I decided to tuck in for the night, even though it was still quite early, 7:12 pm to be precise. After doing the usual evening rituals that I do before sleeping, I laid myself on my bed and tried my hardest to close my eyes and fall asleep.

And unfortunately for me, it took quite a while for sleep to envelop me.

Sup, Ivanov117 here once more with another update.

Sorry for the late update, FGO and studying have occupied most of my free time this month lol. I'm feeling quite satisfied with how I did things my way in this chapter if I say so myself. In the next few days, the story might update from time to time, but I'm just correcting some grammatical errors and typos from the previous chapters. Because no matter how much time I read and reread-

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED AND ITS LITERALLY DRIVING ME INSANE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Anyway...

If you're curious, here are the top 10 countries that most of the viewers and readers come from.

1. US

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3. Indonesia

4. The Philippines

5. India

6. The United Kingdom

7. The Russian Federation

8. Mexico

9. Australia

10. Brazil

As always, reviews and PM's are always welcome!

That's all for now! See you next time!

30

I was never much of a fan of gym class, not that I have anything against the subject itself, nor the teachers. Partially because I didn't have anyone else to play with back in middle school so I hated gym class since I just played against the wall. Aside from the fact that it sometimes gets hot and I get all sticky with sweat, I also have to be careful about my health. It won't be good if I suddenly faint again after all. Thankfully, my previous saviour is around just in case that happens. I just hope she won't slap me too much like last time, my cheeks were red from her slaps when I woke up.

I was just doing my usual routine today by playing against the wall in the corner. I prefer this to people because walls don't make fun of you and call your names or throw tennis balls at you for fun. Oops, my middle-school flashbacks suddenly came to my mind.

Today was a different day.

" HNG!" I jumped and hit the ball with too much force, narrowly missing my opponent's face as it zoomed across the court for a score in my favour.

" Tch, I missed. My aim was a little off." I couldn't help say. A tiny part of his hair was burnt from the heat of the ball that missed him by mere inches. The place where the ball landed was a small newly-formed crater, still smoking and sizzling.

" HIKITANI BRO WERE YOU AIMING FOR MY FACE ?!" Tobe Kakeru, I think that was his name, the loud annoying one, exclaimed with fear and terror. He was so annoying earlier, pestering me so much to play with him that I nearly lost my patience and walk out of the field. Fortunately for him, Ebina convinced me to concede to his request just this once.

"Perhaps," I reply while swinging my racquet around to make sure I get the angle and force applied right.

The only sport that I enjoy doing from time to time is tennis and swimming, I don't usually brag, but I swam two kilometres back in middle school just for the heck of it. I still don't know why I did it though. When I arrived home during that day, I recall instantly falling asleep on the couch and staying there for thirteen hours straight. Come to think of it, I haven't been to the local swimming pool in a while, maybe I'll go there one of these days with Komachi or my Mother.

"H-Hikigaya, you don't have to play too seriously you know." My teammate said carefully as he touched my shoulder. Tch, who does this guy think he is, getting touchy with me. Is he hitting on me?! Does he think I'm a typical high school girl that's easily flustered by a simple action such as this? Hayama must have sensed my displeasure since he immediately let go and quickly said his apologies. Our gym teacher had announced the end of class and instructed us to return to the building to have our lunch. My opponent ran ahead and was accompanied by some of the boys.

"My offer still stands y'know, I think you'd be a great asset in the football club." He said after shouting back to friends his reply. Good grief, he's still on with that? This guy doesn't know how to take a hint damn. I had already declined him last year yet he's still persistent, I'll give him that at least.

"Hoh, well I'll think about it then," I say boredly and scratched my neck.

"Please do! Would you like to join us for lunch?" He asked.

"No thank you," I replied and he excused himself and jogged to where his friends were. Since most of my class was already headed there, I followed suit as well. I saw Yuigahama's group a distance away and I saw them wave at me. In the name of common courtesy, I gave one in kind. Thankfully, they didn't walk towards me, and I quickened my pace eager to eat my lunch.

Miura was extra persistent the other day and was honestly a bit annoying, she took the time that I was supposed to use to play with my precious Vita-chan and read the new manga that I bought. I don't know what came over her when she snuck up on me as I was changing my shoes and dragging me to a nearby convenience store to buy snacks, the same one that we went to about a month or two ago. But then again, from my previous times with her and my observations in class, she's been always a bit pushy and assertive, even being bossy sometimes. Her reputation earned her a high rank in the social caste of our classroom, with Hayama sharing the same rank as well or even higher I don't know. As for myself, well, I don't care honestly. As much as possible, I'd like negative rumours about myself to a minimum at least, but aside from that, I don't like drawing attention to myself. I don't think of myself as a popular guy, if I was starred in a T.V. series, I'd be one of those nameless extra characters in the background.

After changing and getting buying yakisoba bread and juice from the cafeteria, I went to a spot behind the school building that I regularly frequent. The place was nice, it was under the shade and always had a cool breeze now and then. Since the school was near the sea, if you try and focus, you might smell a bit of salt in the air. Well, that's assuming the proper direction of the wind of course.

My legs were still a bit sore, so I stretched and massaged them a bit to ease the muscle. That's not the only part of me that feels sore. Being in that club was more mentally exhausting than I thought, I greatly underestimated that place. I had thought of withdrawing my membership, but I have a feeling that Sensei would bring me back anyway. And that damned insufferable harlot is there as well! She seriously doesn't give me time to breathe. I swear if she keeps on going like this I'll have to ask Haruno to talk to her for me! She is a bulli through and through!

I heard footsteps behind me and I didn't quite bother looking around to see who it was. I mean seriously, what are the chances that someone I know would stumble upon me in the secluded part of the scho-

"Hikki?" I nearly choked on my food when I recognized who it was. I must have triggered a flag on my previous statement huh. I turn my head behind me and saw Yuigahama, a breeze came our way and lightly swayed the ends of her skirt. I quickly looked away in case I see something that I wasn't supposed to.

"What're you doing here?" Her footsteps drew closer and she sat down on the stairs next to me.

"I eat here from time to time," I reply as I slightly scooted away from her.

"Oh, ok. I'm here cuz I lost a bet against Yukinon! Loser has to buy the winner a drink!" She exclaimed as she started talking about what they were doing recently together.

"Y'know, I've played with these kinds of bets before, but this is the first time that I had fun!" She added and smiled to herself. Hoh, that smile...she likes Yukinoshita huh. It's honestly impressive how she managed to get close enough to her for Yukinoshita to allow to address her with a nickname. As far as I know, Yukinoshita doesn't have many female friends, or friends for that matter because of her obviously cold personality, topping it all off with her prickly vocabulary.

"So the bets you've had before were just bullying?" I say just to continue the conversation.

"No! Well...a few maybe...But I think most of them were just inside jokes and games you know?" She tried to convince herself and failing to do so.

"No, I obviously don't know since I don't have any friends. But I do enjoy inside conflict and seeing cracks forming in those groups of " friends". As for the jokes part, the same answer because I end up getting the butt of the jokes or become the joke itself. "

She laughed awkwardly at the new information not sure how to react. "Ahahaha, but don't you always make inside jokes with Yukinon? You two always use those big words and I can't join in." She added.

"If you consider those verbal insults of hers as jokes, then I guess you're technically correct. It's not my fault that you don't understand us. You should pay closer attention in class." I reply which caused her to pout in frustration.

"Hey! I passed the entrance exams you know!"

"Yes, and I passed as well with perfect marks. Your point?" I replied and she started hitting my shoulder in annoyance. Uwaah, there she goes again, she should take a hint that this level of attack does not affect me. Now if it was Hiratsuka-sensei or Miura doing it on the other hand, then I have to be careful.

"Oh yeah, Hina said that she wanted to talk to you about something. I'm not sure what though." She said after thinking deeply for a while.

Hmm, that's new. "I see."

A stranger was walking toward us, holding a tennis racquet and still wearing our gym uniform. Yuigahama recognized the person and immediately stood up to greet her. It was a girl from the looks of it, and she was silver-haired with a boyish haircut. Her frame was lithe and delicate, shorter than me and the visible skin that was exposed on her creamy thighs was a distraction. She doesn't look familiar, well I wasn't the most skilled at recognizing people's faces anyway.

They started making light conversation, and I just listened on. Both of them seemed to be acquainted with each other with how relaxed they are. The person's name or nickname at least was "Sai-chan". Never heard of that name before honestly, maybe she's from a different class or even a new student.

"Oh, by the way, Hikigaya-kun, you're good at tennis right?" She said and turned her attention to me. Being suddenly spoken to by a cute girl like her caught me off guard, and I had to gulp before speaking.

"Huh?" Like an idiot, that was all that I had to say since not only did she caught me off guard, but her words took a moment or two before I could properly register them. Yuigahama looked at me curiously from the new information and scooted closer as if to confirm it herself.

"Is he?"

"Mm! His form is amazing." The girl said and flashed me a smile. Hoh, trying to sway me with words now huh, my gut feeling tells me that this person wants something from me. Needless to say, I'll play along for now.

"Thank you. I'm sorry but have we met?." I reply.

"Uwaah, Hikki I can't believe you. How rude can you be?! Oh wait, you're not good at remembering names." Yuigahama complained.

"It's nothing! Almost everyone in the class knows that you're terrible with names!" The silver-haired girl stated and calmed down Yuigahama. But still, she's not wrong though. And now that I hear about it, it's not surprising that word of that had spread around our Year.

"My name is Totsuka Saika." She said rather shyly and bowed cutely. I had to temporarily look away. Damn you teenage male hormones! I thought I had learned to control you properly ages ago!

"P-Pleased to meet you," I say miraculously without stuttering.

Yuigahama tilted her head to the side and examined my face closer. "Hikki, why is your face red?"

Stupid airhead! Get a clue damnit!

"Must be the heat, I was never good with hot weather in the first place," I say quickly and pretended to cool myself down by taking off my black blazer and opening a few buttons on my inner white shirt and letting air pass through. I pulled that excuse out of my ass right now. Yuigahama's eyes lingered a bit on me for a bit before snapping out of it and facing forward. Huh? Is there something on my chest...?

"Hikigaya-kun, if it's not too much trouble, do you mind pairing up with me on our next gym class?" Totsuka-said flashing me a bright and charming smile.

HNG!

Good Lord, that smile is dangerous. I nearly confessed and got rejected on the spot! I should develop a resistance to these types of CHARM attacks.

"Hmm." Before I realized what I was doing, I found myself nodding at her words and she visibly beamed at my reply. Yuigahama watched our exchange curiously and must have found my sudden change of demeanour strange.

"Thanks! I gotta go back and practice then, there's only a little time left after all." She said and after bowing, ran off in the direction where she came from. Goodness, if she was here for a few more moments, I'm pretty sure that my heart couldn't take it. Something ticked in Yuigahama's head as if she finally remembered something urgent. Seriously, she was so cute that even I'm appalled at myself for not remembering that she and I shared the same class.

"Ah! I still have to buy the drinks!" She exclaimed and hastily got up. "Hikki, why don't you join us?" She added.

"I'll pass for now," I reply.

She nodded and then went on her way, but not before saying her usual goodbyes. "See ya in class Hikki. Don't scare away Sai-chan! He's been looking forward to meeting with you!" She said and walked away.

I waved her away and slowly frowned at her words. Something she said bugged me. What could it be...? I swear it's so trivial, yet so important at the same time...

Hmm...

Wait.

Did she say "He"?

"Thanks, a lot for helping me out Yuigahama-san, what did you say the name of your club was again?" Sai-chan asked as we walked towards the clubroom.

"Umu! It's called the Service Club!" I say. After gym class, I went to Sai-chan who just finished playing tennis with Hikki. Sai-chan was right, Hikki was good at tennis and a few of our classmates watched him play with Sai-chan. I'm just an average player, so I can't tell. Yumeko on the other hand watched him play and would sometimes comment about his form and footwork, she always does this when watching someone play. After gym class, I saw him and Sai-chan talk for a bit before separating. I don't know what they talked about but Hikki walked away with a serious look on his face. I know that face, it's when he's making one of his plans again!

"But I'm surprised Yuigahama-san, I didn't know you and Hikigaya-kun were friends."

"A-Ah, you think?" I say and Sai-chan nodded.

I don't know if Hikki feels the same way about me. Sometimes I feel that I'm just an annoyance to him, and he hides that part from me well. Come to think of it, I don't know much about him. He was never the most outspoken person after all. But then again, it's the first time that we're classmates so it's understandable I guess. It's really hard to make him open up! I know cuz I tried! Maybe he hates me, hmm but I haven't seen any signs of that. Sometimes he looks at people as if they were bugs and lower life forms that gross him out, but I guess that's just him. I also noticed that Hikki is good with Hina. She sometimes talks to him during breaks about stuff, and they trade manga from time to time. One time when they were talking, Hina whispered something in his ear and suddenly shrieked with a nosebleed and he had this super annoyed and disgusted look on his face. I don't know what they talked about though, and every time I would ask her, she would just grin and laugh.

Yukinon knows him better since they were classmates and Class Reps last year. You'd think they'd at least be friends but they're always at each other's throats! I really don't get those two! I guess the rumour that those two sometimes have verbal debates while in the middle of class was true! Sparks are always flying when they're in the same room, I can't imagine what they're doing when no one is around!

We were near the clubroom and we heard the voices before we even entered.

" Damnit woman, how stubborn can you be. I just wanted-" That's Hikki's voice, he sounds super annoyed and Yukinon cut him off before he could finish.

" And I forbid you to do it. That's final." Yukinon's voice was super cold like always, I can already imagine her sitting down and glaring at Hikki.

" Tch, and follow that your way of doing things? You'll kill them from exhaustion."

" And those left will be stronger than ever." I don't know why, but I felt chills when she said that.

" Ugh, can you hear yourself right now? You sound ridiculous and a try-hard. That was really cringy."

Uwahh, they're at it again...are they like rivals or something?

"Yuigahama-san, is this the clubroom...?" Sai-chan asked with a concerned face.

"Yeah, this is it," I tell him and I can see that he's trying to ignore the voices inside the room. I slid open the door quickly to get the attention of the two people inside to stop their fight.

"YAHALLO!"

Two pairs of eyes looked at me with surprise. From the looks of things, Hikki was in the middle of saying something when I interrupted him. I was right with Yukinon, she's just sitting on the chair while Hikki was standing up looking slightly worked up.

"Hi, guys! I brought Sai-chan to the clubroom since he needed our help!" I say and ushered him inside. Sai-chan greeted them both with Hikki looking slightly surprised at his sudden appearance. He looked at Yukinon with a questioning face and a brow arched upwards, she just shook her head at him.

"Yuigahama-san you-"

"I know I know I'm such an upstanding member, right? Sai-chan told me that the tennis club was in trouble so I led him here!" I say bashfully trying to hide my blush. Hikki covered his mouth and turned to the side, his shoulders shaking.

"As I was saying Yuigahama-san, you're not an official member of the club."

My eyes instantly widened at her words. "WHAT?! I'M NOT?!"

"You fool," Hikki said in between snickering like a creep. "you haven't even passed a letter of intent or anything similar." Yukinon nodded at his words and looked amused as I was scrambling to get a pen and paper from my bag.

"Okay, I'm gonna make one right now! Hikki stop laughing!"

After quickly making a letter and giving it to Yukinon, she accepted it and then we started talking about Sai-chan's request. She was listening very close the whole time that Sai-chan was explaining things. What Sai-chan wanted was to improve himself so that the other members would be motivated to do the same once they see the effort that he's putting in.

"Ah, I know that feeling. It's like you're being a deadweight to your team if you don't try hard enough. And as time passes by, some of your teammates might grow to get annoyed by you or just hate you for being lazy." I say and Sai-chan agreed. Hikki suggested that he join them for a while to help them train, practice and keep them in shape, but Yukinon immediately shot him down. Ohhh, so that's why they were arguing earlier.

"Knowing you, you would plan to join their ranks for a certain period, and then extend it indefinitely until I have no choice but to personally remove you from this club." Yukinon had a small cold smirk as she said that and Hikki was just playing on his phone pretending not to hear what she was saying.

"Prepare yourself Totsuka-san, we look forward to working with you," Yukinon said and I noticed Sai-chan gulp.

"You're gonna need it," Hikki said temporarily looking up from his phone before turning his attention to it again.

Its almost been a week since Totsuka's request was accepted by the Club. The damned Ice Queen saw through my plan to break free from my bonds, so I ended up staying. In all honesty, I didn't do much with helping out with the request. Yuigahama was enthusiastic for some reason, so much so that just being in her presence tired me out. As for Yukinoshita, she was just being her cold-hearted brutal self, training with Totsuka until he called for a water break or until Yuigahama beat him to it. Seeing that my help wasn't needed with the presence of the other two girls, I just tagged along with them either playing on my phone or reading a book in the corner, and occasionally buying drinks for them. Surprisingly, I saw an improvement in how Yuigahama played, before she was a below-average player that gets tired quickly, but now her stamina makes her capable of playing longer. As for her skills, they're still the same. Even Yukinoshita had to come to me to reaffirm her initial thoughts, which says a lot.

It was just another day for us, helping him practice. I just sat underneath a tree for the shade while I watched them play. For some reason, Zaimokuza dropped by and started telling me his new ideas for his LN. I told him that before making a new manuscript with a fresh idea, he should at least finish the one that he is working on right now. He seemed to accept this and said something along the lines of "Hmm, I see your wisdom, my friend. Truly the years have given you such insight befitting for a sage!" and walked away saying he'll buy drinks for us.

His Chunni praises were amusing, and he was buying me a drink so I didn't mind.

A few minutes after he left, a small group came over to the tennis court and as they got closer, it was Miura accompanied by her usual clique. It looked like they wanted to play, but only Miura and Hayama were wearing gym clothes. After they talked to each other from a distance away, I saw Yukinoshita intercept them and Miura walk to meet her.

I don't know why, but the thought of those two possibly butting heads was entertaining, but also annoying if things went out of control. Especially with Yukinoshita's ice-cold words and Miura's fiery temperament. Hayama had already shown that he has trouble controlling her, and I doubt Yuigahama can effectively tone down Yukinoshita's venom. The only solution would be for me to...

Sigh...the things I do for peace and order...I just want a quiet life...

Huh, The Ice Queen and The Fire Queen.

Reluctantly, I got up and walked jogged to them. The female Blondie saw me first and skipped over to meet me and pretended to look all cutesy, completely walking past and ignoring Yukinoshita, who looked insulted and appalled at her act. As if she had spit on her face or something. The expression she had on her face was priceless, and I had to resist rolling on the floor laughing while clutching my abdomen.

" Hikioooo, let us playyyyy~~." She immediately pleaded and grabbed my sleeve while sporting a puppy-eyed look, obviously attempting to make me feel pity for her and bend to her whim. The drama queen grabbed me for support, as if her legs might give in and collapse at any moment. Ebina suppressed a laugh as if she was having the time of her life which I returned with an annoyed grimace. Acting all cute, are we? Ha! Well, that won't work on me this time! Miura doesn't listen to me when I told her to stop this annoying habit of hers. It seriously gives the people around the wrong idea. I may not be very self-conscious, but when it comes to things like these, let's just say that I don't want rumours flying around...

I looked down at her with an expression akin to when you see a gross worm on the ground and contemplating whether or not you should stomp on it. I flicked away her forehead, causing a yelp of surprise. "Don't ask me, ask her." I pointed to the pissed off girl that she passed by. Her eye was twitching in annoyance while impatiently tapping her foot. I noticed Hayama had kept his distance from us, possibly wary of her. What's the deal with those two? Are they childhood sweethearts that got into a fight and broke up? Well, I honestly don't care either way.

"I don't care if you have a match with them to see which one of you can help Totsuka out," I say when she told me the situation. I am a spectator, nothing more. Should my help be needed, well I don't know what will happen then. I just want to laze around today as always.

Yukinoshita crossed her arms around her chest and narrowed her eyes at me. "Hmph, if you say it like that, then I believe we have no choice on the matter." She said and strode to the other end of the court, Yuigahama still looking conflicted on the matter. She must still be feeling hesitant about fighting Miura, they are friends after all.

"Oi, Yui. Don't hold back on us just because we're friends, ok?" Miura gave her a playful grin and jogged away to her side of the court. Yuigahama had not expected that type of reply from her, given the expression that she had. Needless to say, she looked relieved and motivated as she join Yukinoshita. After saying good luck to both sides, I went under the shade where I was joined by Ebina and made herself comfortable next to me.

"Hmm, was this part of your plan Hikigaya?" Ebina said as the match started. I was feeling really tired for some reason. I slept early last night and had a large breakfast this morning, so I'm quite baffled as to why I'm still feeling exhausted.

"I just don't feel like playing right now," I reply to which she hummed a response. The match had only just started, but Miura and Yukinoshita were going full overdrive. Powerful shots were sent here and there, only for them to be returned to the sender. It was basically their match, Yuigahama and Hayama were on the back doing their best to keep up with their partner.

"Say, when's the next part of The Courtesan's Wish coming out?" Ebina asked, her eyes still transfixed on the players in front of us.

"Maybe in four months, the author said that he's going to take a break," I reply.

"WHAT?! FOUR MONTHS?! Uggghhh, I want to read the next part sooo bad. A venomous snake bit the girl remember? And I have a feeling that she's going to die this time!" She exclaimed and started stomping her foot in annoyance.

"Highly unlikely. It would be a terrible decision to kill her off so early in the series."

"Yeah, but what if?"

"Well, that would be very problematic then. It may or may not make me lose interest. If that were to happen, then I'd go look for a new series to indulge myself in." I say.

"Still not interested in BL? I have a lot of recommendations for you. Just say the word~." She said with a laugh.

"Nope."

"Oh, yeah, my anime figurine arrived home yesterday. I ordered it online after scouring it for a long time. Ugh, it was really expensive too, it cost me a few weeks worth of savings, but it was totally worth it!" She said proudly, her eyes turned into stars and fist-pumping.

"Damn that's crazy but I don't remember asking." She gave a dirty look at my reply, and I had to chuckle at myself for my sarcasm.

I'm so hilarious, I should drop out of school and become a comedian. Though I'm sure that if I open it up to Hiratsuka-sensei, she'll give me an uppercut.

"You know, one day you'll get in trouble with that annoyingly placed sarcasm of yours." She sighed.

"Not really. I got into the Sarcasm World Championships held in Mexico City two years ago, and I won as the champion. The guy that I fought before I got that title was from Egypt I believe. I can even show you the medal I have at home if you don't believe me. In fact, if you're free after class, I can show it to you at home." I say, trying to make myself as convincing as possible.

She was surprised, that much was clear obviously from the tone of her voice and facial expression. "Woah, really?"

I turned to her with my trademark deadpan expression, with my usual neutral tone.

"No."

She then took off her shoe, grabbed my collar and threatened to hit me with it for my stupid stunt. Although I know she's not the type to do something like this, she may do it if encouraged. Miura saw what was happening and pushed on Ebina to do it with a shout. After I apologized and promised to stop, she continued with her story." Anyway, I want another one to pair with the one that I already have. The Heroine must always heave the Hero by her side, no?"

"I guess." I watched the ball that Yuigahama received get intercepted by Hayama's racquet. He was just in time to send it flying back to her court, which earned him a score.

"I'm planning to go to Kodobyashi in Akiba one of these days, wanna come? I always wanted to go there, and their gunpla display is impressive from what I heard." She suggested. Yodobashi was a big shopping centre just a few minutes walk from the station, I've never been to the place itself but we have driven past it when we took some shortcuts. They sold everything there, from gadgets to toys, to pre-owned jewellery and designer watches and glasses.

"Hmmmm, I won't make any promises since I'm busy during the weekends." The offer was very tempting, and my previous plans to go there the past always failed because I either got too busy or lazy. Ebina also has a sharp eye for this kind of stuff, so I think she'll come in handy. Aside from her annoying kink, we have a lot of common interests and hobbies as I got to know her better. She's not hyper like Yuigahama nor teasing like Miura. Both of them tend to tire me out honestly. Ebina is more of a relaxed type and reserved type, and it amazes me how she even gets along with those two. She sneaked a BL manga in my bag as a prank once and as revenge, I threatened to burn her precious book at the school incinerator if she ever does it again.

She didn't do it again ever since.

"Ok." She nodded and we resumed watching the match, making comments now and then. It was honestly getting a bit boring, and I nearly dozed off once or twice, but something happened which was expected when playing such a physically straining sport like Tennis.

Yuigahama fell when she lost her footing, causing her to sprain her ankle. Yukinoshita was there attending to her and Miura also went to her to see if she was ok.

"Oh, looks like Yui hurt herself," Ebina said flatly, not really sounding concerned at all.

"Hmmm, looks like it," I reply with an equally flat tone.

"Are you going to go there?"

"Why should I?"

"I don't know, to check if she's ok?"

"I am not trained in first-aid. She's fine. Look, she's even standing up and limping away to sit down on the sidelines. The fact that no one is helping her walk answers your question." Ebina hummed a reply. I have to give Yuigahama credit for this one, for lasting this long when playing against someone skilled like Miura.

Yukinoshita started turning this way and there as if looking for something. She locked on to me and motioned for me to go to her. After sighing to myself, I excused myself to Ebina and walked to the other side of the court.

"Hikigaya-kun, switch with Yuigahama-san at once. I intend to finish this match." Once I got within earshot, she didn't even give me a chance to open my mouth and gave me orders straight away. Good grief...

"Tch, fine. You owe me for this one. Just when I was just lazying around. Seriously..." I mutter to myself as I started doing stretches. It wouldn't be good if my legs cramped right in the middle of a game after all. Good thing I'm already wearing my gym clothes. I heard words of encouragement from-

Wait, what the...? When did the crowd get this large? I didn't notice them grow to this number in such a short amount of time. Seriously, where did they come from?

Miura started throwing taunts at us, most of them toward me. And I had the simple yet perfect taunt to get her worked up.

"Ready to lose to me again?" I sent her a small knowing smirk and she tensed at my words.

Psychological warfare is really underrated. I mean seriously, with a simple word or two you could send someone's mind into disarray, especially when what you said is related to a certain event which caused them to express strong emotions like anger, defeat and frustration. She had a serious face when she whispered something in Hayama's ear, he looked more serious and resolute now. Whatever she said to him, it worked on making him focus.

"You have played against her before...?" Yukinoshita asked.

"Yes."

"And the result?"

"What do you think?" I rolled my eyes when I turned to her.

"I see. Then let's start." She said and readied her stance.

As I expected, Miura was extra careful, now that I entered the fray. She's still quick like before, but now she has her eyes on me. It caused a disadvantage to her because I chose to support Yukinoshita for the time being. But that doesn't mean that they were losing. Hayama was also playing safe, and his movements were more or less the same as Miura's.

Yukinoshita was skilled, that much was true, but she's slowing down now as the match progressed. The previous game ended when Yuigahama had to switch out, and even then she was showing signs of exhaustion. Her stamina won't last long at this rate. Good grief, this is what happens when you show off to everyone watching and go 100% right from the start. You tire easily and that gives the opponent a chance to take advantage of your weakness.

The ball was going towards my direction, it came from Miura and was coming in fast, but I managed to intercept and send it flying back to Hayama. He raised his racquet too late, and the score was ours. From her face, she wasn't expecting me to be able to return that shot. Even I was surprised, that was too close for comfort.

"Woah! That was crazy!" I heard a voice from the crowd exclaim. Soon, others started joining in and it started to get annoying. Honestly, how can you focus playing when you have such an annoyingly loud crowd such as this...?

I called for a five-minute break and went to my partner. No matter how much she tried to hide it, she can't disguise the fact that she has already reached her limit. Her legs were shaky upon closer inspection, and her face was red.

"Oi, go take a seat or something," I say.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, you're right. I have reached the current limits of my stamina." She weakly replied between breaths.

"So I'm gonna have to finish this alone then?"

"You can always raise a white flag."

"Hmph, luckily for you, I'm not keen on losing today." She blinked twice at my reply, obviously not expecting it.

After a moment, she had a look of understanding. "I see. So you were deliberately playing slow, saving up energy for this exact moment? You knew this would happen." She said.

"Anyone could see that you were about to reach your limits," I say flatly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She looked to the side and nodded to herself, before straightening up and standing tall and proud while facing the opposite team. "Prepare yourselves, Hikigaya-kun here will strike the decisive blow for this match." She declared and went to the benches. Why did she have to say that, like what the heck? Like what if I lose? That would be terribly embarrassing to me who would have to deal with the brunt of the shame.

Miura's stance relaxed a bit, and I could see Hayama sigh relief. Hoh, they're underestimating me, or at least starting to. But that gives me an edge. Being underestimated can be advantageous if you know how to work with it. I know because that's one of the principles that I live by. Never show your true potential unless the need arises. Best to stay under the radar for now and avoid attention from the masses.

We resumed, and I started playing safe. I made sure to keep them on their toes, making them tire out more quickly than myself. Hayama was not a bad player, but when compared to his partner, she was definitely better than him. So what I did was to always send the ball flying in his direction, to which Miura would then run and try to intercept out of instinct. When I saw the signs of exhaustion on them, I then started to do the next phase of my plan.

I closed my eyes before serving and felt the all too familiar breeze make contact with my skin.

I served and calmly watched the ball soar.

Three seconds left...

Two...

One...

And...

The breeze that I was waiting for came at the exact time that I needed it. The ball changed direction once, and since Hayama was running to it, started running in the other direction. The second breeze came in and made the ball too far away for him to get to in time. From the direction of the people watching, I heard a certain Chunni starting to ramble nonsense, and I had to forcefully cancel the sound out so I won't lose my focus.

"What the heck was that...?" I heard Miura mumble to herself, Hayama's apologies were on deaf ears since she was still processing what she just witnessed. After a moment, she shook her head and resumed her usual position, readying her stance once more.

Well, there goes my plan.

That was all there is to it.

Seriously.

That was it.

Of course, I could make another high serve that could end the match. Since the sun was right on top of me if I were to make an irregular serve at a let's say 85-degree angle. Assuming that I was to use that approach, then they would be too blinded by the Sun to be able to see that ball coming directly at them. But I don't like that. Too many ifs and assumptions, and taking risks is not my forte.

What's the use of complicated and intricate plans if they are unreliable and risky?

A wise man, well not necessarily wise, but a man nonetheless once said: "Education is important, but muscles are importanter!"

Sometimes, good 'ol brute force is just the way to do things, and I intend to do just that.

Tch, damnit. I lost to him again.

I thought we'd be able to take him down since it was 2 vs 1, but he managed to hold us off and still win. Even when we're playing during gym class, he always doesn't go beyond a certain point when it comes to physical activity. I seriously thought that we'd win, but I think I got too overconfident in myself knowing that he always had to keep his health in check. Tch, this guy is a bag of surprises one after the other. Not to mention that I had my pride on the line because of what that black-haired witch said to me!

There was a small crowd cheering on the sidelines, most of them were our classmates. And I saw Hikio calmly walk to the nearby benches behind him. Yui and Hina went up to congratulate him, and they were joined by that rascal Yukinoshita after flashing me a smirk that made my blood boil. Tch, who does she think she is?!

"Good work Yumiko." Hayato said between breaths behind me. Even he was exhausted since he was sitting on the ground while trying to catch his breath. "Was he always that good?" He momentarily looked up as he started massaging his legs.

"Yeah," I reply and slowly start to feel the exhaustion creep up my body. He said that he'll catch up when I told him that I'll be going to where Hikio was sitting. As I was getting closer to them, I noticed that the crowd was starting to disperse, classes might start soon and I have to change clothes and maybe take a quick shower...I'll take Yui with me, but definitely not that Yukinoshita girl!

"You did great Hikki!" I hear Yui say when I was close. They were surrounding him as he leaned on the wall behind him. His hair was a mess and his white undershirt was literally stuck to his skin from the sweat that he had. His eyes were closed, and some chubby guy was fanning him, all the while stating how proud he was of his performance. The thing was, he was saying all this over the top stuff straight from a book or something.

"Hachiman, that was amazing!" Hearing Totsuka say his first name was a surprise. He finally made a friend that he allowed to use his first name! I feel so proud, like a Mother seeing her son walk on his own for the first time. But then again, I feel jealous. He never called me Yumiko, and I know he's too self-conscious to even suggest doing that. How would he feel if I called him by his first name one of these days...? Maybe I'll try it to see what his reaction would be...

"You have exceeded my expectations, Hikigaya-kun. For someone like you to actually make an effort to do something..." The Yukinoshita girl said haughtily, which really annoyed me. Seriously, what's her deal talking down on him like that. For someone with a background like her, she sure does have some trashy words. I ignored her in the meantime and focused my attention on the one who beat me for the second time.

"Yo Hikio, that was great. You really don't hold back huh." I say.

The reply that I was waiting for didn't come, which was strange. Wait, now that I notice it, he hasn't said a word since sitting down. At this time, he'll usually immediately shoot down any praises sent toward him and shrug it off as if weren't a big deal.

I went right in front and went eye level with him, I didn't care if everyone was giving me strange looks. His breathing was deep, and he gave no reaction when I lightly hit his shoulder. After moving some strands of his hair, I saw that his eyes were closed. Which must mean...

" Damnit, looks like he fainted again." I lowly muttered to myself and sighed. Seriously, he should have called for a quick break or something, or maybe he was too prideful to even consider that option? Still, I guess I have to take the initiative now, maybe give him some space to breathe, let him lie on the bench and fan him to cool down his body or something...at this rate I'll become his personal nurse...

Before I could stand up, one of his eyes shot open and stared directly at me. It caught me off guard and I let out a cry of surprise.

"Oi I'm still quite conscious you know." He said and fixed his hair, finally revealing those half-lidded eyes of his. Sweat still fell from his forehead to his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away with a handkerchief. I stood up and took a step away from him, and everyone else to followed suit after he requested to be given some breathing room.

The chubby guy gave him some water to drink, and I went and got my water bottle as well. Hayato looks like he's ready to go, but I think I'll stay back for a bit. He went to Hikio and asked him to go to the showers early so he won't be late for class. Hina apparently found something funny about what he said and started pestering and pushing Hikio to go with him to the showers. He just gave her a grossed out look and shook off her arm.

He started spacing out and just stared off into space while everyone around him was busy with their conversations. The only one who broke off from the rest of the group was that Yukinoshita girl, she sat on a different bench a small distance away occasionally taking sips from her water bottle. I was also seated at a different bench because this is where my bag was and just decided to stay here. After all, I'm too tired to move right now.

Around twenty minutes later, we were leaving the area back towards the school building. Hikio was at the front, together with the weird eccentric guy who was currently talking about stuff and Totsuka who was doing his best to understand him. Hina and Yui were talking, but I didn't quite feel like talking right now since all I wanted to do was to take a shower and get a change of clothes. That left her club president beside me, looking blankly in front and hasn't spoken a word after we left.

Still, I'm quite surprised at Hikio.

He managed to attract quite a few people to him, even though he proudly proclaims that he's a loner, it looks like some people went to him instead. And that included me. I still don't know what particular trait that he has that made me attracted to him. He's doesn't make jokes, on the rare occasions that he makes one, it's usually terrible. He doesn't try and act cool, when he hit my head last week at class after reprimanding me, I had to admit that was kinda cool. But when I mentioned it the other day, he cringed at himself and told me never to mention it ever again because of the embarrassment. He's proud because of what he achieved through his hard work, but never arrogant and wipe it on people's faces to make them feel bad. He's too serious for his good, that's why some students who were never classmates with him are wary and intimidated by him. He's not the pervy type, I can attest to that. I once thought that he was hitting on me, but it was just me being self-conscious and reading in-between the lines too much.

In short, I have no clue why I decided to befriend him, but I don't regret it one bit!

It's really ironic, he doesn't make an effort to go out of his way and actively seek out new friends and make them come to his side, yet here he is right now, surrounded by people who have made a bond with him one way or another.

Life can be weird huh...

Hello dear readers, I hope you are well. As for me, I'm doing ok I guess...? This chapter took longer to finish than I expected because of school stuff mostly. I added some of Yui and Yumiko's perspectives here so you can understand a little bit more on how they see things differently. Try reading in-between the lines, or not. I changed the flow quite a bit in this chapter concerning the episode as you may have noticed.

I MAY have made Yumiko too likeable, after reading the positive responses in the previous chapter. Another addition to the Yumiko-gang is a welcome one I say!

Oh, please do remember that this story has the "COMEDY" tag, so some OOC scenes and dialogue are just added for HUMOUR and aren't important to the plot.

Aight imma reply to some of the reviews...

Fate Rider 88: Yes, Malaysia is on the 13th spot.

Molomar. Thanks, we'll see you in the future!

bluefish1945: Dark Souls boss music!

Mestre720: HOW DID YOU COME ACROSS THIS FANFIC WHEN YOU'VE NEVER WATCHED THE ANIME?! Lol but seriously how tho?

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated blah blah blah you know what I mean.

See you in the next chapter and don't forget to smash that MF like and subscribe button! (I always wanted to say that even though it a bit cringe lol)

31

Angel Ladder was a place that I only recently got familiar with. I have been here around three times I believe. My Mother was one of the new shareholders of the hotel after a few of the older members retired and one passed away. The place was on top of one of the more known hotels in Chiba and was owned by a company that my Father had previous contacts with. I don't know much of the details, but he said that since he was too busy to become a shareholder, he referred it to my Mother instead and she accepted. For the past few days before making her final decision, I would hear them talking on the rare occasions that he would come home. At first, my Mother was reluctant to accept the offer, but thanks to my Father's speech skills, he finally persuaded her to accept it. The place was nice enough I think. It had a very... aristocratic feel to it and made me feel out of place. They even had a pianist playing and would invite a jazz singer every Sunday. Of course, if you wanted, you can request to sing there yourself to show off the to the other patrons or your date. The minimum requirement would be to at least have a decent voice so you won't make a fool of yourself.

With the soft sound of a piano playing in the background, coupled with some light chatter here and there from some of the patrons, I honestly feel more comfortable here than spending time in those noisy cafes riddled with riajuus downtown. Those scum have invaded my Mother's place, and the place is packed with them during Friday evenings and Weekdays. Not just anyone can enter here, everyone else was wearing evening dresses and suits, making the atmosphere uncomfortable to people who are not accustomed to this type of thing. As for me, I wore the trusty suit that my parent's bought for me last year, but for now, my usual black suit jacket was replaced with a light brown one. I had personally purchased this in the shopping district and Shiromeguri-senpai was kind enough to help me pick it out after work. Boss Yuuka even went out of her tiring schedule to treat us ramen that evening, and I went home with a full belly after walking them at the train station.

Komachi had sneakily tied me on a chair while I was asleep earlier so my Mother can properly do my hair. I wish I was kidding, but I'm not.

The last time that I was here, she made me sign a contract or something. She didn't tell me what exactly, so I just shrugged and signed it without a second thought. Who knows, I might get sold off into the slave market or something.

I sighed and twirled the teacup that I held in my hands. Since my Mother was still speaking to some of her friends at another table, I moved out of their way to give them some privacy. We had an Italian dish for dinner, something that I can't pronounce properly no matter how hard I tried. All I know was that it was pasta with shrimp, garlic bread fresh and steaming from the oven, lasagna and salad. Not all that different from some of the Italian restaurants that I've been to honestly, but their lasagna was the best so far. Maybe I'll try cooking one this weekend. Had I been not a minor, I would have been forced to partake with the other adults with at least a glass of wine. I don't understand adults, why do they like alcohol? It's bitter and gross and smells bad, I don't quite get how they find it good. And to top it all off, you get dizzy and drunk and vomit all over the place, the worst-case scenario would be if someone filmed you doing funny stupid stuff and posted it on the internet.

The door to the cafe opened and I let my eyes lazily drift to them. She was wearing a violet evening dress, as she strode into the room with her head held high. The dress fitted her nicely, accentuating her feminine charm and showing a modest amount of skin on her shoulders. A simple silver necklace rested on the base of her neck. Her shoulder-length hair was captivating, sparkling when the overhead lights fell on it. She only wore a little make-up from what I can see, her lips and cheeks had a rosy tinge to it, and I can see eyeliner on her as well. There was a small black purse that she held in her left hand, and she had a thin gold bracelet with floral carvings engraved on it.

She smiled when she saw me and walked to the table where I am. Every step she took was carefully calculated and screamed " perfection". Those eyes of hers did not break their gaze on me, and I in turn took the time to give her a top-to-bottom look once more. Her presence was spreading all over the room, with pairs of eyes beholding her beauty. Even I was not affected, I subconsciously gulped as she drew nearer.

Truly, Yukinoshita Haruno is breathtaking no matter the occasion.

I stood up and pulled her seat for her, to which she replied her thanks. Her perfume was light and fragrant, and I internally thanked her since I dislike strongly scented perfumes. After she took her seat, I sat down across from her as she made herself comfortable.

"It's my first time here, your Mother owns the place?" She asked as she took a moment to look around her surroundings. I noticed a glint of interest from her eyes when they landed on the piano in the room.

"Yes, she's one of the new shareholders," I replied and she nodded.

"The place looks nice, I'm surprised I haven't heard of this place before."

"A hidden gem in the area to be sure."

She called the waiter and ordered a slice of cake for us. The one that she got for herself was moist chocolate cake while I got the mocha flavoured one. I was surprised that she knew my favourite type of cake and decided to ask her about it.

"How did you know that I liked mocha?"

"You mentioned it before, had you not? Oh, and I saw you once or twice with that canned coffee brand that you always drink." She said and crossed her legs underneath the table as she rested her chin on her hands and leaned forward.

"So..." she added with a devilish mischievous smile. "are you not going to compliment me~? I am waiting~~..." Her eyes were like a fox, sly, clever and always one step ahead of you. It made me feel like she has complete control of the situation, and whatever happens next is part of her plan.

I rolled my eyes. She's not the only one who already drew plans in their mind in anticipation for this exact moment. "Yes yes, you are as dazzling as ever. Your beauty transcends all words invented by humanity itself, and your eyes symbolize the stars of the inner sea. Your very presence makes my head spin and my speech become incoherent words. The moment your gaze fell upon me, I was frozen in place transfixed upon your Goddess-like appearance. Your smile takes my breath away, making me feel faint and lightheaded." I say with boredom evident in my tone.

She pouted at the compliments. "Your words flatter me, but you could have conveyed it better y'know..." She batted her pretty eyelashes at me with the obvious intent to get me flustered.

"No way that's happening. It's so corny and cheesy I'd die from the embarrassment and cringe." I say cringing at the thought with my hair going up. Oh God, just thinking about it makes me queasy ugh.

I want to die.

"Uwaah, guess I'll leave then..." The expression she had was that of a deeply hurt one, it almost had me fooled and she made a move to get up.

"Wait, don't go." I instinctively say and slightly got up. She froze and slowly turned to me, her mischievous grin even wider. It took a full two seconds before I realized what had just happened.

I've been tricked, I've been backstabbed and I've been quite possibly, bamboozled.

I sat back down, covering my face after being humiliated and teased, with Haruno's giggling in the background. "Hehehe, you should have seen your face." She said in-between giggles. She covered her mouth with her hand as her smooth and bare shoulders shook, causing the earrings that she wore to slightly sway.

"Fine, you win. You look beautiful as always." I say properly this time to cater to her request. This time, she smiled a genuine one that made my heart skip a beat, not the sneaky teasing Onee-san smile, but just a normal smile that I have only seen her make a few times. I don't mind being teased. I get teased a lot by Shiromeguri-senpai, Miura and even by my Mother, but Haruno's tease is just on a whole other level. No mental preparation that I can think of can prepare me for interactions with her.

At least Haruno is a living human being capable of showing emotion, unlike her insufferable doll-like little sister that has an automatic venom spitting ability every time I'm around! Seriously, if she keeps bullying me, then I'm going to tell Haruno or Hiratsuka-sensei one of these days!

"Thank you~. There, that wasn't hard now, was it~?" She said and finally calmed down. Our orders arrived and we quietly ate. Even though I'm still quite stuffed, I think I still have room for more. A little fat won't do me harm, no scratch that, I need sugar and fats. I'm thin as a stick and just bones and skin. Well not literally in a sense, I think I gained a kilo or two after changing my diet.

She gave me a searching look and nodded to herself as if satisfied. "You don't look bad yourself. Your hair gives you this bad boy vibe. I always knew that the slicked back hairstyle suited you." She commented. I arched a brow at her comment, what she said was the same thing Komachi said this evening and it gave me the creeps. Are all females part of a hive-mind collective or something?

"Thank you."

She looked disappointed at my reply. "Uwaah, Hikigaya-kun, if you were a girl, you'd not be easily swayed by whispers of sweet nothings and compliments."

"Is that so..." I replied as we took a bite from our cake at the same time.

It was good.

"Ah, this is quite good. I love how it just melts in my mouth. The sweetness is just right." She exclaimed and visibly showed her delight at the cake that she tried. "Here, try some." She said and took a slice to her fork and lifted it for me. Her eyes had an expectant glint to them as I noticed a barely contained playful grin on her pink lips.

"Oi," I say in a slightly annoyed tone, to tell her to stop what she's doing

"Hmm?" Her reply was an innocent head tilt, as if not understanding the implications of her actions. "Come on Hikigaya-kun, say aaahhh~~," she said and nudged the fork closer to my face. I have to act quickly, if that thing falls on my clothes, it will make a stain and I have to take off my suit jacket.

God help me, this woman is testing the very limits of my sanity...

I looked around me, not caring if Haruno knows what I'm doing. More or less everyone else in the room was talking to someone or was on their phones. The standby staff in the corner had their attention on the other guests, and my Mother was still talking with one of her co-shareholders. Alright, if this is what I have to do to get that from her...! If this is what I have to sacrifice to secure my rank as the academic leader of the 2nd Years...! If this is what I have to endure to overcome the obstacles in the future...!

Then to heck with my dignity and pride!

No commoner knows the pressure a King faces from his would-be usurpers!

I gulped before opening my mouth, and the older girl in front of me made a victorious grin. She made it agonizingly slow, and I desperately wanted her to hurry up give it to me before anyone might see us. It was finally close enough for me to take the fork into my mouth, and before I could close my mouth around it -

She quickly pulled it back and ate it instead.

I was left hanging my mouth open like a retard as she laughed at me for the second time this evening. The thought of getting up and running back to my Mother to cry on her lap was seriously taken into consideration at that moment. "Can you keep your games off until we finish this cake please...?" I was begging her right now with tears threatening to spill over my eyes. If she told me to kneel on the ground and lick each one of her toes, I would do it in a heartbeat if it meant finally stopping this hellish ordeal. I'm not even kidding, I'll do it! I swear on my name! I swear on The Great Bodhisattva Hachima- or not, I won't go that far.

"Ok~. Your Onee-san will stop the teasing for now." She said and took a slice from her cake. I made a sigh of relief and prayed to God that she will be true to her word.

Thankfully, she was. And a comfortable silence came upon us as we enjoyed the dessert that was before us. Sometimes, I would catch myself sneaking glances at her. Her slender neck that held her necklace, her sharp eyes that always had a teasing gleam to them, every part of her was eye-catching I had to admit. She caught me once or twice, but she just smirked and smiled it off looking very satisfied with herself.

"Hows school, Hikigaya-kun?" She started with curiosity. Hoh, small talk huh? I guess I'll play along for now.

"Tedious and dull, as always," I reply.

"Come on, can't you say a little more~?"

"We're not busy at the Council, and it's gotten a bit lonely since a few of our members had graduated and stepped down. Only a few events were planned this year and only fewer ones from the clubs that needed the Council's permission. So I sometimes have free time after school." I say.

It's true, only a few of us were left from the original members that I met on my First Year here. Chisako-senpai had stepped down, and I miss the snacks that she always brought with her when we had meetings. Since we didn't have too much stuff planned this year after the school tightened up the budget allocated for events, Shiromeguri-senpai doesn't look as stressed as she was last year. It must be tough being a StuCo President, if by some unfortunate chance that I was elected to that position, which I pray doesn't happen, then I'd surround myself with capable and trustworthy people so I can laze arou- I mean, to see to it that every task handed to us is enacted effectively and efficiently.

I didn't feel like telling her that I was recently forced into a club though. "Were you part of the Council in your time?" I ask.

"Nope." She replied.

"Hmm." I led the fork that held a piece of mocha cake to my mouth, savouring the taste and texture. Haruno knows how to pick her sweets, I'll give her that praise.

"Is your little sister and Father here?" She said and looked around. She already knows my parents but she has yet to meet Komachi. My Mother especially took a liking to her.

"He's busy as always, and Komachi wasn't allowed to come since we might come home late," I replied.

"What's she like? Your little sister I mean."

"She's the cutest and greatest little sister in the world." I unironically say with pride evident in my tone.

The older girl giggled at my words. "Ah yes, the endearing and overprotective big brother. Why am I not surprised?"

"Older brothers are always like that to their sisters, especially the little ones," I replied. From what I know, the instinct to protect has always been there, and it grows stronger as time goes on. That's why the biggest obstacle to a boy courting a girl is getting permission from the male members of the family.

"Hmmmm, can't say I know that feeling since I don't have an older brother. But! I always wanted a little one, so I can have someone to dote on and endlessly spoil with love and affection! Oh and so Yukino-chan can have another playmate while growing up. She could use...a stimulant to make her less of a cold girl. She was always alone, you know..?" I could not see the emotion that reflected in her eyes. Regret? Pity? Self-loathing? The feeling of powerlessness? It was only for a brief moment, and when she blinked, all trace of it was gone. I didn't think much about it, since I've seen her make that face a few times before.

"Is that so..." I say, not quite sure how to reply. The thought of longing for another sibling isn't quite foreign to me.

"How's Yukino-chan?" Ah, there we go. I knew the conversation would steer this way when she asked about Komachi.

"Same as always. Still cold and has no friends." I reply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Which it was.

"Hmm? But she has you." She said with a sly grin. The question was definitely out of the blue, but something that didn't make me lose my cool. It sounded so obvious and wrong at the same time as if someone was trying to convince you that water is not a liquid. Or the absolute ludicrous idea that the Earth is flat. The way she worded it was also very wrong, and it implied something else if said without context. I sighed and rolled my eyes, making sure to non-verbally tell her how I truly feel.

"Don't be ridiculous. She never considered me as one." I say with utmost confidence.

The feeling was mutual after all. We may think alike at times, but we can never look eye to eye on certain topics and discussions. The fact that she's the first one to usually unleash harsh words on me makes me dislike her even more.

The thought may have crossed my mind once or twice, but never have I considered Yukinoshita Yukino as a friend. Though it seems that her older sister believes most. She is an ally perhaps, but an ally doesn't necessarily have to be your friend.

"Hmm, what a shame then. You left her all alone by herself I mean." Hoh, now she's trying to make me feel pity for her. Unfortunately for her, I'm not the type to pity people that easily.

I had to resist scoffing. She was beginning to sound quite ridiculous and I'm starting to think that she's not doing this deliberately. "I don't have an obligation to her."

She took a moment, studying me and letting the words I said sink in. I didn't mind her at all and continued to drink my tea. Four of her fingers were slowly tapping the table with a rhythm, I had a feeling that either she has this habit whenever she's deep in thought, or using it to distract me.

"I guess you're right then. OK! Enough about my cute little sister! Now it's your turn to ask me about anything." She exclaimed a little too loudly for my taste, fortunately, no one paid us any mind.

Humouring her, I started thinking about possible questions. The most practical ones, of course.

"What's new with you lately?" I asked.

She made a thinking pose and started humming to herself. With the way her face looked, her lips slightly pouting, her brows furrowed together in concentration and her rosy cheeks slightly puffed, she looked kind of cute.

Sighing in defeat, she looked like she gave up and rested her chin on her hand. "Uwaah, nothing. It's boring nowadays, aside from the class lessons, I don't even remember what I did these past few days. I might be stressed out from over-thinking stuff or something I dunno."

I grimaced. Over-thinking things will always give you a headache. Reading in-between the lines too much, seeking hidden meanings that aren't even there is just a tiring and stressful thing to do. It's almost like low-tier paranoia. I know because I've had my run-ins with over-thinking stuff as well. My worst blunder was when I misunderstood a certain girl's attitude towards me, and then me ultimately making a fool of myself by confessing to her. I internally cringe at how I acted back then. If I had a time machine, I'll punch my past self for even considering that thought and kick him hard for double measure. For triple measure, I'll write him a death threat to stay away, disassociate and distance himself from She-who-must-not-be-named. God, I was such a stupid little cunt. That's how much I regret my decision back then.

Those thoughts made me queasy and lightheaded.

Haruno quickly noticed it and called out to me with concern in her voice. "Hikigaya-kun, are you ok? You look, dizzy...?" She asked and leaned forward a bit. How perceptive, she managed to tell how I was feeling on the inside.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thought of something unpleasant, that's all." I reply after composing myself. She slowly nodded, though still looking unconvinced. I thought that she was going to ask me more on the subject, but thankfully she didn't.

"Anyway, for how long can you stay here until you have to go?" She was amused at my question, and a smile slowly grew on her face. "35 minutes left, give or take." She replied without looking at her was-oh, she's not even wearing one.

"Why? You're going to miss your Onee-san so soon?" She teased.

"You can say that," I say not a moment too soon.

She was playing with me around her fingers, toying with me because right now, I'm at her mercy. She knows this, that's why she's taking her sweet time poking fun at me. If I told her that I didn't mind it at all, she might call me a masochist.

"Not much time left then."

"Yup, I have to go. My Mother might have noticed that I've gone missing. I took the car without permission after all." She said, which caused me to widen my eyes.

"No way."

"Yes, way." She reached into her purse and dangled some keys. If she gets caught, I might have indirectly caused her to get in trouble for requesting her presence tonight. I couldn't suppress a chuckle, and before I could even ponder on what was hilarious, it turned into a full-blown laugh to which she joined in after a few moments.

"Fuahahahahaha!" I was laughing so hard I felt some of my chest muscles spasm as if protesting against this foreign reaction. Perhaps I've finally gone mad?

"Hahahaha!" Haruno's gentle laughter was pleasant to hear. Several patrons turned to us, but I couldn't care less. I'm the son of one of the shareholders, after all, it's an utter waste if I don't enjoy the privilege that comes with that status, no?

"W-What are we laughing at again? Hahaha!" She asked in-between her fits of laughter.

"I-I don't know. Ahem." Being the more composed between the two of us, I managed to reply without stuttering. That was a good laugh and it felt nice. I can't remember that last time I laughed like that...

With her handkerchief, she wiped away at the corners of her eyes since tears must have started dripping from them and I did the same with mine. "Still, why did you have to pick tonight of all times?" She asked after the both of us have finally calmed down. I also sipped from the water goblet to clear my throat because it was getting a tad bit dry.

"It was the most obvious time and place to have a rendezvous, you're only a few minutes away from here. And also because I couldn't just join your reception party without an invitation...that would be, very unbecoming of me." I say. Today was Thursday, and she didn't have any afternoon classes. I didn't mind going out with my Mother tonight I was very much looking forward to tonight. I have been waiting eagerly for nearly two weeks for this. Our place for today was perfect for a quick meet-up and to get it from her.

"I could have arranged one for you, you know? One more person couldn't hurt." She offered, and I'm sure that she would, had I just said the word.

I waved my hand in front of me. Even though I admit that I'm a lazy good-for-nothing freeloading loser, I wouldn't go that far to make her do something for me like that. I already asked her for a big favour after all. Also, a previously uninvited guest added and personally brought by a person like her may raise a few eyebrows, especially from her Parents. I don't want them to get that idea about us. "Ah, I wouldn't want to trouble you too much. You already came here at my behest, and I'm sure that I'll overstep my bounds."

"Nonsense! I can bring you there right now!" She said enthusiastically, and I got a feeling that she wasn't saying that unironically.

I simply shook my head. " Social gatherings are not my forte, as you may already know. Plus, if you get in trouble for rea-" I started but she cut me off before I could finish.

"I won't." She said confidently which instantly made all doubts I had in my mind disappear. "Well, maybe I'll get a word or two from her since I sneaked out of that reception party or something, but I'm sure it won't be something that I can't handle." She added after a moment of consideration.

"It must be exhausting, always being dragged around like that I mean..." I say.

Her shoulders slumped and she sighed in exasperation. Had the table been free of any plates and such, she would have plopped her head on the table."You have no idea. Oh but wait, maybe you will in a few years. Who knows, maybe you'll beco-" She was cut off when her phone started ringing. After reaching into her purse and seeing the caller, she made a sour expression and made a "Tch" sound. She looked up to me with an apologetic face and clasped her hands together.

"Change of plans Hikigaya-kun, I got caught. Tehee~~!" She made a cutesy face reminiscent of what Komachi would make at times, and I felt several brain cells within my brain die.

That was faster than I anticipated. "Are you in trouble?" I ask.

She shook her head. "Nah, she probably thinks that I went out to get something." She replied. "Come on, escort me to my car will you~?" She added and stood up. I sighed but relented to her request. It's the least that I can do to see her off.

"Oh, but before that, you should go to my Mother. She has no idea that you're here and, well, for the sake of common courtesy I guess." I said and shrugged. She nodded and left her purse with me, then went over to my Mother's table where she made her presence known. My Mother was elated and surprised at her sudden appearance. From what I know, Haruno sometimes drops by at my Mother's shop while bringing her friends along, that's how she got to know her to better I guess.

After a brief chat and bidding each other farewells, she came back to me. I stood up and offered her my arm, which she gladly accepted. I would never do it had it not for the present circumstances in which I find myself. But I had to play along for now and make her feel that her presence was very much appreciated, she still has yet to give it to me after all, and she might change her mind. I don't care if my Mother is watching us right now with that goofy grin that Komachi managed to inherit from her, I can just explain it to her later. We went out together, a staff member bowed and opened the door to us and we said our thanks. I hate that particular rule of theirs, the bowing part I mean. It's still very much embarrassing for me. After a short wait, we entered the elevator, with her arm still locked with mine. I didn't mind the contact, I initiated it anyway and it would be cowardly if I didn't see things through till the end. I still have my pride after all.

"I like your Mother. Very down to Earth and humble." Since we were on the top floor, it took several seconds for us to reach the lobby and I felt my ears react to the change in air pressure.

"She gets that a lot." Since the parking area was nearby, it didn't take long for us to reach her car.

Its light blinked to life when we got closer, and she got something from her purse and faced me.

"Here you go Hikigaya-kun. I had to do some digging and visit home a few times to get everything in chronological order, but everything you need is here. If there are missing documents and whatnot, just give me a call and I'll see what I can do. Make sure to get the best out of it! Your Onee-san is expecting a lot from you!" She said and handed me a small silver rectangular object from her purse, it was coated in a thin plastic coating to protect the contents that it held inside.

"Honestly, even Yukino-chan has never asked my help for something like this..." She said as an afterthought.

"Thank you very much. I won't let this go to waste."

"Hm! No need to give it back to me, you can have it! Oh and if you snoop around inside and open some supposedly empty folders here and there, you'll find a pleasant surprise~!" She said and laughed. I titled my head in mild confusion but thanked her nonetheless.

She hugged me, pulling me close all of a sudden. It was few seconds too long for comfort. Her scent assaulting my senses and forcefully imprinting itself in my memory causing my head to go spinning to Jupiter. She rested her chin on my left shoulder, even though I couldn't see it, I can practically feel the smile on her face. Slowly and reluctantly, I returned the hug with my arms going around her slender feminine waist and resting on her lower back. Now there wasn't any space between us, and I'm sure that she can feel my heartbeat through my clothes. I felt her sides twitch in surprise to my touch but relaxed immediately after she made a satisfied sigh.

"You've gotten taller." She said softly.

"Hmm."

The dress that she wore was modest, but not the thickest material since I felt how soft and warm she was. I have never touched another person of the opposite sex aside from Komachi and my Mother like this before, so I don't know how to react. Uwaah but I feel them on my chest right now and it's making me feel awkward. After letting go, she stepped inside the car and slid down the driver's window. "Thanks for the quick date Hikigaya-kun~~! I gotta go! Mother might skin me alive if she gets mad!"

"Thank you again for coming. Drive safely now." I say and bow to her as thanks.

"See you next time! I had fun tonight!" She said with a childish grin and sped out albeit too fast into the main road for my liking. Goodness, what a showoff...

I was alone in the area, with nothing above me but the stars and night sky. The thing was still in my hand, and I held it closer to my face to get a closer look at it. I angled it properly so that the dim lights could shine on it.

With this out of the way, now all that's left is to pull a few strings here and there, make some favours and voila."All this for such a small thing. But I guess it couldn't be helped..." I shrugged and started walking back to the building.

But before that, I took a sniff at my collars and my chest area. I could not suppress a sigh after doing so.

"Ah, her scent is on me. I feel marked...her perfume was nice though..." I should ask where she got it so I can buy one for my Mum.

A treat for the Haruno fans!

Hmm, Haruno has started making a move, though it was on Hachiman's terms. I wonder what the real reason for their meeting was? What did she give him? And what is our beloved Protagonist planning...?

How was this chapter? Like it? Hate it? Somewhere in between?

Answer time!

Kuman: Yeah I've made her TOO likeable I gotta admit tho.

Harco8059: Hmm, an interesting suggestion! I'll give it some thought!

Echonic: I hate NTR with every fibre of my being too yeah.

Mr.N0Name: Yukino is a cuck lol.

Fate Rider 88: I've given it some thought, but maybe I'll add one "event" from the LN idk. As I recall, there are about 4 events that the anime skipped.

Blah blah blah like and subscribe, review, follow, favourite, yada yada yada.

SakiSaki fans, get ready for the next chapter!

32

" ..."

Stare~

" ..."

Staaree~~

" ..."

Staaareee~~~

" Dearest Mother, the one who carried me for nine months, gave me life, nourished and birthed me into this world ...Is there something you want to say...?" I sighed and looked up from the table that we were sitting at. Ever since I came back after escorting Haruno, she has been giving me that goofy grin. Not once breaking for the whole fifteen minutes that passed by after I arrived here. The thing is safely in my pocket, and I'm quite eager to open its contents.

" Oh nothing, really~..." Her grin remained the same as she rested her chin on her hands.

" Then why are you looking at me like that?" I ask.

" Hmm, now that I think about it, I do have a few questions..." She replied in a sing-a-song tone.

" And that would be...?"

I must have been imagining things, but I swore that I saw tiny pink hearts inside her pupils. "Haa-chan, why was Haruno-chan was here? Did you call her?" She asked.

" Yes," I reply casually.

" KYAAAAAHHH! "

My thirty-something-year-old Mother squealed like a giddy high school girl. Her face exploding into crimson, steam going out of her ears and doing her best to hold her voice. She slapped the table for some reason and stomped her high-heel clad feet on the floor. Her right hand was on her breast as if trying to calm down her erratic breathing and heartbeat. I know she looks younger than her actual age, but she has to be the mature one right now or else I'll walk out of this hotel and call a taxi to escape from the cringe.

" I just needed her advice and assistance for something school-related." I shrugged. I wasn't lying. She was breathing heavily right now, and some sweat had formed on her forehead. "Hehehehe. I-I-Is that so...?" She managed to say in-between heavy breaths. Even though it wasn't cold, I saw how hot her breath was since every time she exhaled it formed into a small white cloud. I nodded in confirmation.

" S-Say Haa-chan, do you know that Haruno-chan is single right now...?" Uwaah, she's really sweating, isn't she? It'll ruin her makeup for sure. And wait...that thing on her nose...is that-?

Is that blood...?

" Yes, I know."

" She was really beautiful tonight, right ?" My Mother calmly wiped away her nosebleed, as if it was an everyday occurrence that was the least of her concerns right now.

" She has always been beautiful." I shrugged and nodded lamely.

My Mother was surprised at how casual I was with this kind of situation. I know how to be level-headed in any situation and not be a blushing stuttering teen. I have already long ago learned to controls hormonal reactions like that. She calmed herself down after drinking some water and wiping away her sweat and resumed her interrogation. After clearing her throat, she gave me a more serious face.

" As you may already know, Haruno comes from a prestigious family. As an heiress to their company, and a beautiful one at that. After college, she intends to work directly under her Father so she can learn from him. She had already told me that she has had many suitors before, introduced to her by her parents. Most of them are young men of similar backgrounds coming from affluent families in Chiba. She might not look like it but she has a lot on her plate and numerous things going around in her mind. She has her whole life written out and prepared for her. Her Father is a decent man, from what Joshiro says, but I've heard some sour and unpleasant things from her Mother. Haruno seems to have taken quite a liking to you, always asks how you're doing at the class when she drops by at the shop for some coffee or tea. This didn't just happen recently mind you, I think she started this routine of hers three or four months ago. If you're asking me, that's the most obvious kind of hint."

I was deep in thought, and just like Haruno earlier, I slowly tapped my fingers on the table. I refuse to pretend to not know what she's talking about. Feigning ignorance on something so obvious is something that I'd never do.

" Hachiman, what do you think about her?" My Mother asked. She must be serious since she used my first name and not my childhood name.

I always had this ability to filter out my surroundings and remove them from my senses when a question like this arises. It helps me focus more and assess what to do and say next in the next few seconds. Almost as if my perception of time has come to a complete stop, but my mental capabilities stay the same. This has happened many times before, the most recent one was when I had depressing existential and destructive thoughts while at the cafeteria at school...that was the time that I hit my lowest point.

I inhaled, her perfume still lingering on my person and my thoughts going back to how she was soft and warm as I held her. "Truthfully? Well, I honestly think that she is-"

"Tania-chaaaan, you're so pudgy and cuuuute~~..."

The baby that I had in my arms laughed in response and then bit the skin on my chin.

"You know Tania-chan," I say "if your Hachi-nii wasn't here, your Dad wouldn't be able to join the teacher's meeting. Ino-sensei was the one holding the meeting, so she couldn't take you home. Taking you in the conference room is out of the question since you're a really noisy baby."

"Uuueeeehhh...Aaah!" As if to prove my point, she squealed and jerked her tiny legs after I pinched her chubby little cheeks.

"You've gotten heavier Tania-chan. You must be drinking lots of milk huh. That's a good baby, babies like you should eat a lot so you can grow big and strong." She has indeed gotten a bit heavier compared to the last time I carried her. I left my bag at the StuCo Room, and was currently on my way to the Club Room. I dropped by the Faculty Room to submit a few documents to be signed by the teachers. Hiro-sensei was there and after hearing his predicament, I offered to take Tania-chan for an hour or two while he attended the meeting. I didn't want to disturb the other members at the StuCo, so I decided to bring her with me to the Club Room.

I opened the door to the Club Room with my free hand and saw Yuigahama fiddling with her phone while talking to Yukinoshita. The latter was occasionally scribbling something on a notebook while she spoke.

"Please kno-. Oh, Hikigaya-kun...and -" Our Club President said before getting interrupted by her companion.

"Wow! What a cute baby!" Yuigahama stood up from her chair and quickly went over to me. Tania-chan looked at the new stranger with wary eyes and then instinctively grabbed me and turned in the opposite direction. Yuigahama wasn't affected by the baby's sudden coldness, even I was surprised.

"Hikki! Hikki!"

"Yes yes, my name is Hikki."

"So this is Hiro-sensei's baby! I've heard all about her! Tania-chan, right?" She exclaimed and went behind me to take a closer look at Tania-chan. The baby made what I assumed to be an annoyed sound and put her face on my chest, completely covering it from Yuigahama's eyes. I went to my usual seat and placed her on my lap, Yuigahama pulled her seat right next to mine, obviously with the intent to play with her. Since she still can't balance herself, I can't let her sit on the table without an arm around her lest she stumbles to the side or something. With no choice on the matter, held her while I played on my phone with my other hand. Tania-chan looked content with the pacifier that I gave her and just played with my fingers.

"Hikki, can I carry her?" Yuigahama asked excitedly with her hands already preparing to get the baby. Goodness, what is it with girls and their urge to touch and hold every baby they see. Are their maternal instincts that strong?

I sighed and put down my phone, I was just at the loading screen...

I picked up Tania-chan and made her stand up on my lap while holding her armpits. She dropped her pacifier but Yuigahama was fast enough to catch it.

"Now, introduce yourself to her," I say.

Yuigahama looked slightly confused before finally answering. "Y-Yahallo Tania-chan! I'm Yuigahama Yui, you can call me Yui-nee! I'm a friend and clubmate of your-" She turned to me with an unspoken question that I immediately understood.

"Hachi-nii. She feels more comfortable with strangers if someone she knows talks with them."

"Your Hachi-nii!" She continued. "You're really cute Tania-chan! When you grow up, I know you'll become really pretty like your Mom! Keep this a secret from your Dad, but I know a lot of girls who have a crush on him! Hehehe, some even sneaked him some letters and chocolates during last Valentine's Day!" Wow, she's going all out huh, but at least Tania-chan looks like she's warming up to her.

"You know Tania-chan, there have been some rumours around class lately, and it's making me feel anxious since what they say aren't exactly good things!"

I raised a brow at her statement and decided to ask further. "What do you mean?"

"Hm? Do you mean you didn't hear it yet? Ah, but then again Hikki isn't the most talkative guy in class so I guess things like these can get under his nose..." She said after a moment of thought. I had the urge to twist her ear for her second sentence, but the fact that I'm holding a baby with two hands spared her from her fate.

I scooted my seat closer to her so I can properly move Tania-chan to her. She didn't fidget as much as I expected, looks like she's starting to like Yuigahama. "Uwaah, she's heavier than she looks...Hikki, don't move away yet, I'm nervous." I decided to do just that and continued to ask her about the rumours that she said earlier.

"Most of them were to the guys and some of the girls. It started maybe a week ago I think." She said as Tania-chan looked between the two of us as we spoke.

"Was I mentioned?" I ask.

"Not as far as I can tell." She shrugged and started playing with the baby on her lap. Tania-chan looked like she was fascinated with Yuigahama's hair and tried reaching out to grab it. "Oh right! Hayato came by earlier with a request, he wanted our help to find out who it was."

"Hoooooh..." I say boredly. Looks like something's happened while I was gone. I don't like this request, it's too personal, I'll just skip this one and lie low for the time being. Requests like these should be avoided, we aren't detectives and the nature of this is snooping around the social circles and cliques and asking around. The exact kind of stuff that I refuse to do since it degrades me into some sort of gossiper. A cold voice was directed towards me, and I had completely forgotten about her presence after I entered the room.

"You sounded like you want something to say..." I didn't bother turning to face her and just continued playing on my phone and keeping an eye on Tania-chan.

"I don't like the nature of the request. Let him find out the culprit I say."

"I would have agreed, had the circumstances been different. With Yuigahama-san's help, I'm personally spearheading this one." She sounded slightly annoyed and I couldn't care less.

"Is that so." From the corner of my eye, Yuigahama looked like she remembered something urgent to do which made her break into a cold sweat.

"Oh no! I forgot to fill out the workplace survey thingy! Hikki hold her for a bit!" Shrugging and putting down my phone, I made Tania-chan sit down on my lap while I dully watched Yuigahama scramble to her bag and getting a pen and paper. However, after getting and placing it on the table, she started spacing out while staring at it.

"Uwaah, what do I write...?" She looked at the piece of paper with an empty expression as if she was seeing her bank account suddenly going on empty. Since we're sitting close to each other, I can see that she hasn't even started writing on it yet.

I sighed. "Good grief, you just remembered to do that now?" I say in exasperation and held my temples. She turned to me with tears threatening to leak out of the corners of her eyes and looking a tad bit ashamed of herself.

"Don't look at me! I forgot ok?!" After scratching her head in frustration, she then started stomping her feet like a child having tantrums. I gave her a disappointed stare as if I was listening to some lousy excuse that my employee made in an attempt to save his hide. Even with the clear evidence that he had been working rather sloppily not to mention frequent complaints on his negligence.

I leaned down to Tania-chan's ear and whispered to her. " Tania-chan look, Yuigahama-nee is having a fit. She should grow up and act her age right? That's like, really cringe not gonna lie. She's even an airhead, so that makes things worse for her. Uwaah..." Tania-chan turned to me with some drool dripping from the sides of her mouth.

"Eeeeaauhhh?" She tilted her head in confusion and then started to absentmindedly suck on her thumb.

"Hey! You're not whispering since you're letting me hear you! You're a bully Hikki, why don't you help me out here." She complained and then pleaded with me. I rolled my eyes at her and decided to agree to her request. "The questions are self-explanatory, there's no need for my help here..." I say after taking a quick look at the questionnaire.

"Grrrr, here! What about this one here, what did you put into it?" She pointed to the first question.

What industry in the future would you like to be employed in?

"Ah, I wrote down that I wanted to be a corporate employee or join a law firm. It's a really easy and simple question. You don't have to think too much about it." I say and shrugged. Tania-chan loudly laughed as I made her bounce up and down on my legs.

"Hmmm...ugghhh...Oh! Being a nurse sounds nice, or maybe a teacher!" She exclaimed and I just encouraged her to write them down and add a brief description of what made her want it. She was silently writing her answers down when she asked me. "How about you Hikki, what made you like the corporate and law thingy?" She said while still keeping her attention on the paper writing away.

I scratched my chin for a moment before answering. "I just wanted to follow my parents I guess." Giving her such a short and vague answer was the best I could do for now. I still feel kind of awkward if I tell her the true nature and extent of my parent's work. I have no idea how much my parents make in a month, and they aren't the kind of bunch to flaunt and show off that kind of thing. I don't want to come off as an arrogant and spoiled asshole or something.

"Hmm, I think being a lawyer or something like that suits you Hikki!"

"Ah, is that so. It's not because I look scary or anything... is it?" I arch a brow at her, letting some of my *cringe* menacing aura come out.

"N-Nothing like that, don't be silly! What about me, what sort of job do you think will suit me?" She asked.

Hmm, let's see...

Yuigahama is a nice girl. She's good with people and makes them feel at ease and always looks out for them. (Though she wears me out sometimes) Her grades are average, but there is always room for improvement. She's thoughtful, patient and always effortlessly manages to smile every day. She also can make people open up to her more. Someone like that would be...

"A Psychiatrist or a Guidance Counsellor, I think."

"Really? What made you say that?" She turned to me with a thoughtful expression, I can feel the gears inside her head twist and turn as they continued to ponder on my words.

Explaining it to the tiniest detail would be exhausting, not to mention embarrassing, so I just decided to give her the shortest answer possible. "Because that's the first thing that came to mind."

After waiting for the additional words that never came, she pouted at me and resumed writing. I made Tania-chan sit down on the table while I held her sides to get a closer look at Yuigahama's answers. She immediately protested and tried to push me away in vain. "Hey! Don't look! It's embarrassing!"

"Come on let me see, it's just the two of us."

"Nooo~! You sound like a creepy perverted pervert, getaway get away!"

"How can I help you if you don't let me see? I don't mean to brag but I'm quite confident in my sentence composition and checking skills you know." I say in an attempt to reason with her. That seemed to get to her and she reluctantly handed me her paper. After rereading it several times, I didn't see anything that needs to be corrected so I promptly gave it back to her. "I don't understand which part was embarrassing..." I mutter.

"Ok, to the next one!" She declared.

Do you see yourself having multiple degrees?

She gave me an expectant look as I thought of my answers. "Hmm, not really. But for higher studies like a Master's Degree or a PhD, I'd say it depends on your original degree I guess. It helps a lot since the higher your level of learning, then the higher your possible position in the company. Ah, but then again, PhD's are more for professors at academies and universities..." She nodded after listening to my answers intently. Uwaah, if I'm forced to become her tutor, then I have to charge her for this...

A voice coming from another person in the room broke the silent writing of Yuigahama. "A-As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with you." She cleared her throat as her right hand twirled the ends of her long hair while the other one was restlessly tapping the cover of the book that was on her lap. She eyed both of us with an expectant look as if she wanted something from us.

I ignored her and resumed playing with Tania-chan. I would make different facial expressions every time I revealed myself behind my hands. And every time I do it, it results in her high-pitched sounds of delight. Even the simple act of clapping my hands, causes her to try and imitate it. She continued laughing, even almost falling on her back as her tiny body shook with each laugh. Yuigahama finished faster than I expected, and after making a few corrections here and there, we proceeded to the next question.

What made you interested in the fields above?

"Hmm, well it's pretty obvious for me. I got influenced by my parents." I say.

"Yup, same here." She said and started writing away. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on ends and I felt eyes coming from Yukinoshita's direction. I saw her sneaking glances at us, pouting while looking somewhat internally conflicted as to if wanting to say something but forcing herself not to or maybe perhaps being too embarrassed. When we made eye contact, she quickly covered her blushing face with the book that she was reading, obviously ashamed of being caught in the act. The thing was, the book was upside down, and her attempt to correct its positioning caused her to lose her grip on it and she hastily leaned down to pick it up once more.

I was just giving her a boring deadpan stare all the while.

Uwaaah, what the heck is she doing, maybe she ate something bad this morning...

Or maybe Haruno has been teasing her too much lately, I dunno...

"Hikki, what do you think of this?" Yuigahama waved a hand over my face and handed me her paper. While my one hand was holding Tania-chan, I went through it and did my task.

"Hmm, these two here. The second one is redundant. Either change the subject or just remove the sentence entirely."

"Ok."

"As for this, the character is too vague and can be misunderstood. Use a more general one instead." I say as I gave it back and waited for her to finish. Tania-chan leaned on to her right side, she must want to crawl on all fours on the table. Since Yuigahama was still writing, I left her alone and guided the infant as she crawled on the table. I was holding the hem of her shirt of course and right next to her so there wouldn't be any chance for her to crawl off the table.

"Oeoughhaaau..." She made those sounds as she continued slowly crawling, looking ahead of her, seemingly transfixed on something. The smile not disappearing from her face. She came across a pen and reached out to get it but I quickly swatted it away in case she might hurt herself. I blocked her way and picked her up since we had already reached the end of the table, but she was reaching out with her tiny arms at something behind me.

When I turned around, Yukinoshita was right there, startling me and causing my heartbeat to pitch up. I gave out a surprised sound which made Tania-chan laugh at me.

"Good Lord! Don't scare me like that. Do you want me to die huh?" She narrowed her eyes at me but said nothing. Our staredown continued until I felt Tania-chan squirm around in my arms and had her back to my chest.

"Aaaaiiiee!" She cried with glee and then started reaching out to the girl in front of her. Ohhh, so that is what she was after.

I poked her tummy to get her attention. "Tania-chaaaan, do you want to go to her~?" She didn't reply but I felt her legs jerk forward in frustration. Yukinoshita arched a brow at the sudden change in my tone but said nothing. Sighing, I wordlessly stepped forward gave her Tania-chan, to which she had some mild trouble in handling at first. The both of them just blankly stared at each other until the baby started grabbing fistfuls of her hair and putting them in her mouth. "Looks like she wants you to carry her. Here you go." I say and went back to Yuigahama to see if she was done yet.

"Aaaaaaand...DONE!" She exclaimed as she proudly beheld her finished work. Since I had rested my head on the table, I didn't know what she was doing until I felt her hand on my head. "Thanks, a lot Hikki, you were a big help."

"Mmmm you're welcome..." I say tiredly, I want to go home now...

"Say, you wanna get a massage? I always give one to my Papa when he comes home from work." She said and stood up from her seat and telling me to sit upright, which I did without a word. She pulled up her sleeves and cracked her knuckles. What the...am I gonna get beat up by a girl?

"Just relax and stay still Hikki, I'll be the one moving~... That'll be your reward for helping me out. And I don't mind doing this for you anytime if you ask me nicely~~~..." She whispered those words to me, her hot breath making contact with my ear and causing goosebumps to form.

Woah.

What the...?

Did...did she just...?

I gulped and had to do a double-take at her choice of words.

As if nothing ever happened, she started with my back, just below where the shoulder blades were. I felt her fingers push and apply pressure on specific areas, the same places where I worked when I give my parents massages at home. When I was smaller, I wasn't strong enough to do it properly, so I used to walk on my Father's back at his request. My Mother on the other hand used to get massages from me when her menstrual cramps got too painful. I don't do that anymore because of obvious reasons so Komachi replaced me. Looks like I had greatly underestimated Yuigahama. She knows what she's doing.

Some places in each person's body will always be ticklish. My Father's was on the middle are of his back, the place where the ribs end while my Mother's was on the rib under her armpits. Yuigahama had touched my ticklish area, and the results were as expected.

"AAGH!" I cry out and spasm, cringing away from her while attempting to stand up.

"H-Hikki! I said relax! You're too hard that's why you got ticklish!" Yuigahama complained and forced me back to my seat. "If you keep moving suddenly like that, this is gonna take a while!" She added after twisting my ear.

"Ok damnit." I did what I was told and relaxed a bit more. When she resumed at the area, I wasn't as ticklish as before and she moved on to my shoulders. She took her sweet time there for some reason, but I didn't mind. The way how her fingers worked felt good, and if I was lying on my back, I would have fallen asleep by now.

"Hey, Hikki." Her voice was strangely soft and low for some reason.

"My name is indeed Hikki."

"Do you work out? Your muscles in this area are weirdly stiff." She stated and continued.

"Last night I did push-ups before going to sleep. They're honestly still a bit sore right now." I was impressed, she managed to know that much?

"Oh, I guess that explains it." She finally finished and started doing the base of my neck. From the corner of my eye, Yukinoshita was reading Tania-chan her book as she sat on her lap. After looking at my watch, it's almost time for me to go back and wait in the faculty room.

"Hik-"

"Yes, Hikki here."

"ki, me and Sable are going on an early morning jog tomorrow, wanna come?"

"Tomorrow morning huh...I guess that's fine..." I say. It has been a while since I had a jog and it is a weekend tomorrow so I didn't see any reason to deny her. My regimen varies from day to day. My preferred order is legs, chest, abdomen and arms. I have to go to work at noon, but I still have time for myself in the morn.

"Ok, we're done! Hehehe, how was it?" She said and proudly puffed out her chest. Well, she can do that all she wants since she does have something to be proud of, amirite? Fuahahahahaha! Unlike another certain occupant in the room whose chest is flat as a washboard! Her chest is of no laughing matter, but some of the nutrients that she consumes should have gone to her brain instead of to her chest!

After flexing my shoulders, I felt some of the soreness had been reduced and a few joints pop. I stood up and started stretching my back like an old man after a game of chess at the park.

"You exceeded my expectations. Mind doing that for me now and then?" That felt nice, it's been a while since I had a massage that good. Komachi sometimes gets lazy, and I don't want to bother my Mother with such a trivial thing.

"Yup! I don't mind! You can even lie down on the table!" She said while putting her hands on her hips looking very satisfied with herself. Uwaah, I feel like I just became a regular and loyal customer of her services...

We heard a certain someone clear her throat and turned in her direction. When she opened her mouth, the temperature in the room dropped. "Yuigahama-san, I would highly advise against you getting too close with Hikipervert-kun. He might be leading you on and waiting for the right moment to strike so he can-" I cut her off since I know what she was going to say next. Good grief, insults are fine but when they are the same thing over and over again every day it tends to get very annoying.

"Oi oi oi, how rude can you be? Even someone as calm and level-headed as me can get mad you know. I didn't even do anything to you, and here you are saying stuff like that again. Are you itching for a fight huh?" I say while walking in her direction so I can take Tania-chan off of her dirty poisonous talons. Yuigahama must have thought that I was legitimately angry and jumped in front of me with her hands to my chest trying to push me back. "N-Now now Hikki! L-Lets not get too hasty! Yukinon was just doing her usual jokes! Right, Yukinon?!" She wasn't even trying to push against me, I can easily make her move aside anytime.

" Yukinon" said nothing, and directed her cold gaze to Yuigahama. Fortunately for her, she didn't see Yukinoshita make that face since she was facing away from her. If she did...well I'm not sure how I would react if I was her.

"Tch, always the same distasteful and unoriginal joke. It would have at least been a bit bearable if it had been a different one...Oi, Ice Queen, come here. I'm going to give Tania-chan back to her parents." I motion her with my finger and she came reluctantly after narrowing her eyes at me. Tch, damn Ice Harlot...wait that sounds funny.

Tania-chan must have felt my foul mood since she started reaching up to my cheeks and pulling on them as if trying to make me smile. After picking up her pacifier, I went to the door and opened it. "Come on Yuigahama, I'll treat you to a snack as thanks while we're out." She was surprised when I called her attention and looked between Yukinoshita and myself, looking very conflicted on what to do. She chose me and after quickly excusing herself, walked to where I was waiting. The last thing that I saw before closing the door behind me was her cold gaze being directed at both of us while her fists were clenched.

What the heck is up with her lately...?

"Tch, that annoying bitch...! One day I'm gonna dropkick her in the ovaries for sure!" I say and raise my fist to the Heavens as we finally reached the gates of the school.

A troubled laugh came from my left. "H-Hikki, you don't have to go that far...and wait, why the ovaries in particular...?" Yuigahama said the last part under her breath as she tried to ease up the tension within me.

"Damn her, what the heck is her problem?!" I felt her hand on my shoulder, clearly attempting to calm me down in some way.

After we gave back Tania-chan to her parents, I decided to go out early from the club. Even Yuigahama sensed the tension and decided to come with me. We left the Ice Queen in her lonesome, I bet she's closing the club room already since she already had one request in her hands. Serves her right I say! Even though I wanted to go home as soon as possible, I still had to drop by the supermarket and buy some groceries. My Mother might be late tonight so I might as well cook us up some dinner. Yuigahama decided to tag along, and I didn't mind her coming with me.

"U-Umm...Ah! What're you gonna make for dinner tonight?" Yuigahama asked as we continued to walk along. Since I had my bike with me, I didn't ride it and just pushed it right next to me. The sky above already had long streaks of red and orange and we passed by the convenience store some time ago where I bought some melon pan while she had some ice cream. We came across some of her friends from the other classes, and a few of them waved at me from across the street, as I recall, they were my classmates from the previous year. I was honestly surprised that they still remembered me.

*Hikigaya, modesty aside you aren't exactly the most forgettable kind of guy y'know...*

"I don't know, maybe a chicken or pork dish..." I shrugged and she hummed in reply.

"Do you remember what we did during our last Home Economics class?" She asked.

"Hmm, not quite. Why? Did something interesting happen?" I reply lamely.

"We made cookies and cupcakes, remember? Anyway, since I already know a bit, I baked one on my own! It tasted really good! Fufufufufu!" She proudly said and puffed out her chest once more. She should stop doing that, it's distracting, especially when we're walking. I might lose my footing and break my neck or something.

"You better not be lying. Your last batch was quite...ah." I say and I received a slap to the shoulder.

"I-I'm not lying! I'll prove it to you!" She exclaimed in mild frustration.

"Interesting, when can I expect a bag full of fine warm cookies tomorrow morning...?" I say expectantly. If I can manipulate her into doing what I want then...

"Grrr! Fine, I promise you that they'll taste great! Just you see, I'll have you kneeling to me tomorrow!" She cried out with resolve and raised her fists to the Heavens. Oi, she just copied me right now, didn't she?

We finally reached the supermarket and after parking my bike outside, I went straight to the meats section. Yuigahama insisted that she push the shopping cart, leaning on it with her upper body, like a child doing groceries with her Mother. She checked out random things as I decided what kind of meat to buy, and when I finally returned to her, she had already put the things that she wanted inside the cart. She had lots of sweets and junk foods with her, basically the unhealthy stuff. I cringed and gave her a disappointed sideways glance.

I pinched her soft side, the area at her ribs when she was vulnerable and distracted. "KYAH!" She yelled in surprise and turned to me with a slight blush while pointing accusing shaky finger.

"H-H-Hikki you perv! W-What do you thi-"

"With this much junk food, you'll get fat in no time. Didn't you listen to what Hiratsuka-sensei said the other day? Return all of these at once. I know I said that I'll treat you but I refuse to buy you this much unhealthy junk food." I pushed all of the things that she had into her hands before she could even comprehend my words. "I'll let you have this one at least." The salty potato chips was the only one left of her original pile.

"W-Wait! Just for today please...!" She begged, but I held my ground. When she realized that her efforts were MUDA, she slumped with her head down and went on her way back to return the snacks she had in her hands. There were some adults nearby who noticed our exchange and had amused looks on their faces. A lady nearby returned a bag of salty pork grinds to the shelf upon hearing our conversation.

Umu, I feel like I did my part as an upstanding member of society, and not being a trashy lolicon-NEET. Wait, why did I say umu, I'm not a certain gender-bent Emperor from the Roman Empire...

After a short wait, the airhead finally returned and the both of us went together to pay for our purchases. "Uwaah...my sweets, my chips, my precious..." She complained and grabbed something invisible in front of her.

The line wasn't long, so I told her to just wait at the entrance. After separating our stuff, I went outside with the purchases in hand waiting beside my bike. We must have been inside longer than I remember since it was already quite dark out. I gave her her bag and hopped on my bike.

"Good grief, that took longer than I liked. Come on, I'll take you home."

She looked quite surprised at my words and did not expect me to offer her a ride home. I still have some pride as a guy, after all, leaving a girl to walk alone at night would be a trashy thing for me to do. It may sound corny and cringy, but I could never bring myself to do it.

My very soul shudders at the thought of doing it...Plus, if my Mother manages to catch wind that I did not escort a female acquaintance of mine at night to her home...

Then she would use, Takemizukashi Hachishiki , the sword and heirloom of our clan to behead me on the spot.

She smiled earnestly at me, and I'm once again reminded of the fact that Yuigahama is a very cute girl. I managed to resist blushing and looking away, doing so would only make me look awkward and abashed. And the atmosphere around us would be filled with the kind of tension and awkwardness that you see in teenage romance movies. "Thanks, Hikki. I mean it." She said sweetly before hopping on behind me. I felt her arms lock themselves in place at my abdomen, and I subconsciously stiffened on the contact.

"Just tell me the directions."

"Ok!"

The ride was a quiet one, but the silence around us was quite peaceful and comfortable. At one point, she rested her head on my back while I pedalled away. I didn't mind it since Komachi would always do it when I used to bring her to school.

The wind on my face was refreshing and it was a bonus that there were very few cars around.

"Yuigahama?" I crane my head to here while keeping my eyes on the road.

"Mmm?" She mumbled tiredly on my back.

"Where should we meet tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah, we haven't decided on that huh..." She thought and started thinking about possible places. By pure coincidence, we passed by a small playground that would be perfect for the rendezvous. We must have had the same thought processes since we opened our mouths to speak at the same time.

"" Would this place be alright?""

She started giggling, while I just sighed with a small smirk.

Her place was nearer than I thought, and we soon arrived at her apartment complex. I stopped right in front of the entrance and we got off together.

"You should lose some weight. You were heavier than I thought, my legs are throbbing right now." I jokingly say. She laughed and playfully hit my shoulder after I handed her her stuff. Our fingers brushed against each other and I heard a small sound from her.

"Hey, Hikki..." She looked up at me, meekly scratching her chin. She was looking at me but her eyes can't look at mine for some reason. Her other hand was gripping the hem of her skirt, while she would tilt and balance herself from one leg to the other.

"Would you...like come inside for some tea...?" A blush was on her face and she couldn't look at me in the eye. But the thing that caught my attention was the fact that she was biting her lower lip.

"I...ugghh..." I had difficulty saying as if my capability for speech was suddenly taken away from me.

"I can't."

"Huh?" This time her eyes made contact with mine. Though she was not showing it on her face, I saw hurt and disappointment in them. I wave my hands in front of me, eager to clear up any misunderstanding between us that may have formed.

"I'm sorry my answer was too vague." I lift my groceries for her to see. "I still have to cook dinner at my house," I say.

It was as if a switch was turned on inside her head because her emotions did a complete backflip. She quickly laughed awkwardly and scratched her head. "Oh right! I'm sorry I took too much of your time!" She quickly bowed in apology and I told her to raise her head.

"No no, please don't apologize. I was the one who offered to take you home." I say. She pouted, looking very internally conflicted and confused as to what to do or say next while looking down. She looked very embarrassed at herself, and I somewhat feel sorry for turning her down.

If I wasn't the one cooking tonight at home, I would gladly have accepted her offer for some tea.

Just like my Father, I am a filthy cheapskate after all. And food and drink are served best when it's free!

Deciding to take the initiative, I hop back on my bike. "Does 3 am sound good?" I ask.

She widened her eyes and I can already hear her complaint before she even opened her mouth. "What?! That's waaay too early!" She frowned while crossing her arms around her chest.

I shrugged. "4 am?"

"No!"

"5 am?"

She put her hand on her chin and closed her eyes. "Hmm, I guess that's fine." She said after a few moments of thinking. I nodded and put my foot on the pedal of my bike.

"Well, see you tomorrow morning I guess," I say.

She gave me her trademark 50000-watt smile. "Yup! Thanks for bringing me home Hikki!" I turned and started, but I only made it a few meters because I almost forgot to tell her one important thing for tomorrow. She was still on the stairs and within earshot, if I raise my voice enough.

"Yuigahama!"

She faced my direction, surprised that I had suddenly called her name. "What?!" She shouted back.

"The cookies! Don't forget the cookies!"

Even from this distance, she grinned and gave me a thumbs up. I sighed in relief, the cookies were another personal enhancement factor that I added myself, in case I get lazy and call off our little walk tomorrow. If I do get lazy, the cookies might be a crucial factor that would make me go. And I'm honestly a bit curious if she had improved her baking skills.

Yes, I have contingency plans for myself in case I get lazy. I have an anti-Self plan.

I gave her a short farewell wave and she returned with one of her own before resuming pedalling home. I still remember the route that we took so all I had to do was reverse the sequence and follow it.

"Don't worry my dearest Imotou, your Onii-chan is coming!" I declare to myself before pedalling faster.

Hello, my comrades, it is I, Ivanov117 once again!

I quite enjoyed writing this chapter. I especially adored doing HikiMama's part (Hikigaya Hitomi). HikiMama has also noticed something going on huh. I guess she's just as perceptive as her son huh. I do wonder what would be HikiPapa's reaction to this new information, well, assuming his wife tells him that is.

Imma reply to some of the reviews!

HarimaHige: I already have an idea for that one yeah.

BorderLand: "Block of Ice" lmao

fluffpenguin: Hmm, from what I remember, after rewatching the series, she was only the head of the school festival committee.

BTW you may have already noticed by I'm a member of the Haruno Cult. That's why every interaction that they have tends to get flirty with playful teases being thrown around. With the older of the two being more successful in the end.

If I had my way, I'll set them up together in the next chapter...but that would ruin the fun in everything!

And who knows, maybe I'm writing a HachixHaru story set a few years after the LN ends. Both of them are mature and doing great in their respective careers, especially the former...

A'ight mates that's all for now, see you next time!

33

I slightly shivered from the cold morning air and I was quite glad that I decided to change into jogging pants at the last minute. The bench is cold, the ground is cold, the air is cold and even my nose is cold.

The only thing that wasn't cold was the warm little dog that's resting on my feet right now, and the small bag of warm cookies that were being held by the dog's Master.

Brown...

Not burnt into charcoal...

Chocolate chips on top...

Smells nice...

Not too spongy, nor rock hard...

Proper shape...

"H-Hikki! Just eat it!" Yuigahama exclaimed in a frustrated tone. Sable barked at me as if sensing his Master's anxiousness. Shrugging to myself, I bit into it and was pleasantly surprised. It had just the right amount of sweetness to it and the chocolate chips inside here were a nice touch. Hoh, so Yuigahama wasn't lying huh...

"Looks like my hard work in teaching you paid off. You pass." I say and finished the cookie.

"Hehehe, see? I told you I wasn't lying!" She proudly stated and started eating her share.

"Or maybe these are just store-bought ones that you heated before coming here..." I muttered enough for her to hear it.

"Hey!"

I arrived at our rendezvous earlier to find her still not there. I was about to start alone when a dog's barking caught my attention and she finally came. She was wearing a dark jacket over her simple white t-shirt and pink jogging pants while I was wearing all black. Anyway, we had already finished a few rounds around the neighbourhood and she decided to take a little break. Sable was looking quite tired as well so I had no choice to agree. The Sun had already driven away some of the darkness, but it'll take another half an hour before full dawn I wager.

She yawned and stretched her legs. "Mmmm! Ah, my legs are sore...you're not even tired yet are you?"

"Not really, I already conditioned myself for stuff like these," I say.

"Hikki, you sound super big-headed right now..." She made a face at my reply.

I shrugged. "But it's true. You were literally behind me throughout the jog."

"It's because you jog too fast!" She said and Sable barked again.

"Really?" I ask in all honestly. Today was the first time I jogged with someone aside from Komachi. Komachi isn't really into this kind of thing, and my parents are too exhausted to even consider the idea. There was another reason why I jogged ahead of her. Her chest moves too much when we're side by side, not to mention that the white shirt that she's wearing is quite thin and the jacket is slightly open. My eyes are automatically attracted to them so to save me the embarrassment of being caught in the act, I'd rather go in front and avoid them. I was honestly expecting her to suddenly call me a perv or something, but she didn't. Maybe she didn't notice me sneaking glances, or maybe she just ignored me.

Or maybe she was doing it deliberately...

Pff, what a ridiculous thought. What am I, a trashy harem protagonist in a 18 Visual Novel?

"Yeah, you were fast." She said and gave Sable some water from his bottle.

While she was busy, I resumed taking bites out of the cookies that she made. And I just realized that I skipped something very important.

"Thank you," I say.

She straightened up before turning to me with her usual bright smile. "No problem!"

I slowly turn away, trying to hold back tears from falling. Uwaah, what a nice girl. I seriously feel bad for manipulating her into doing this for me, I guess I am a trashy cheapskate that jumps at every opportunity huh. But at least we got to eat cookies, and good ones at that. The guilt is building up within me, and if I don't get some kind of punishment for this, it might drive me mad and force me to become a Berserker with madness enhancement ranked EX.

I turn to her, my eyes burning with resolute before bowing. "Yuigahama, please hit me."

[ THE WORLD ]

One second passed.

Two seconds passed.

Three seconds passed.

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Please."

"E-Eh?! But why-"

"Anything will do," I reply after raising my head. She gulped when she saw how serious I was and stopped fidgeting. Unfortunately, all my mental preparations were for nought since all she did was slowly pinch my ear and immediately let go after giving me weird look.

"Uwaah, I knew it. You're an M..." She said in realization. Wait that face that she's making right now...it's the same one that I make when Ebina tries to make me read her Yaoi manga...

I leaned down and picked up Sable, the little dog made himself comfortable on my lap as I rubbed his head. Dachshunds are really small are they..."Oi, don't listen to "Yukinon". Her insults have no factual basis." I say slightly annoyed. She leaned on the backrest and started absentmindedly swinging her legs while looking up at the early morning sky deep in thought. "Yukinon was... lively yesterday, right? Hahaha..." She said awkwardly, not quite sure how to approach the topic.

"As always..." I say tiredly. That woman is going to be the death of me someday.

"Was she always like that?" She said after several moments of silence.

For a moment, I thought back to our year together as classmates as Yuigahama patiently waited for my response. "Kind of, but they were more or less of the light humour type. Now she's just going all out on me. Hmm, maybe she's pissed that she still hasn't beaten me in academics..."

"Ahhhh..."

I sighed before continuing. "In any case, the fact remains that she's not pulling her punches anymore. Good grief, and here I was glad that we weren't classmates anymore. She still finds a way to torment me..."

"I thought you two were friends...?" She said in a curious tone, her eyes still not leaving the sky.

I scoffed. "Never."

"But I heard rumours around at our Year that you two were well..." She stopped a bit, contemplating whether she should say the next part at all.

"a couple." Her voice had no emotion to them, not a single trace of one. Her words were heavy and still in the cold air.

The thought made me gag. "Rumours aren't a reliable source of information. Do you recall one rumour that said that I was a yakuza member?"

"Hmm." She hummed in reply, nodding from the corner of my eye.

"What about the one that said I manipulated the results of the entrance exams?"

"Hmm."

"How about me bribing the school to immediately give me a seat at the Council?"

"Hmm."

I turned to her this time to face her properly and found her doing the same. "And? Do you think those are true?"

She gave a small smile and slowly shook her head. "Not in the slightest..." Yuigahama said in response.

"W-Well, I think I believed the first one for a few weeks..." She added and laughed awkwardly at her confession. I sighed and leaned on the backrest. I hate conversations like these. It tires me out and makes my head hurt.

"I kind of feel sorry for her. Though I don't know why..." She said and her focus returned to the dark sky, she spaced out for several minutes. Just a blank stare upwards.

"Don't be, she hates being pitied upon. If you say that to her face, she'll chew you out." My words came out colder than I wanted, made even more by the temperature of the air around us. I can't quite recall when it was, but I do remember lashing out at me when she thought that I was pitying her.

"I want to be friends with her but... you know..." She said as her mind was still deep in thought, pondering her relationship with the girl that we're talking about. They were still quite new to each other, and it's only natural for her to want to know more about her by asking other people. I saw her eyes yesterday, they looked wary and she was downright shocked at Yukinoshita's verbal exchange with me, and for the past several days too. The law would always be on my side since she was the one starting it every time. And the face that Yuigahama had as we walked out of the clubroom together only cemented my thoughts.

She was having doubts about Yukinoshita.

She wants to get closer to her as a friend.

She was just doing what a nice girl does.

But after seeing how cold and toxic she can be with me, it's only natural for her to start thinking about some things. Like if she can be like that with me, there isn't any assurance that she won't be like that with her. More like, " when" will she be treated the same way " I" was treated. It's not even an "if" scenario anymore, it's a guaranteed "when".

It's only natural for her to start thinking like that if I was in her position.

This "friendship" of theirs might even fall apart sometime soon. Perhaps sooner than I initially thought.

A pity to be sure. I had hoped for Yuigahama that she could be a real friend to Yukinoshita and make the Ice Queen's outer shell melt little by little. It would surely be interesting and amusing to witness firsthand, especially with Haruno by my side. It would serve as some kind of entertainment and recompense for us to be sure. Oh, how proud her older sister would be when she finds out that her cold, friendless and aloof little sister finally met someone that she could call "friend"!

The place where my heart used to be, now a cold, hollow and brittle husk warms at the very thought!

Haruno said that her little sister needs a friend or at least someone that she can trust and rely on. Unfortunately for both of them, I refuse to be that person. I don't have the time, patience, dedication nor interest in doing that. Perhaps if she were to change a bit then I might even consider doing it. I'm not asking for a complete redo of her personality, just a tiny bit. But right now, it's impossible.

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible.

I might sound dismissive and extremely cold-hearted for saying this...but...

It's none of my business if something forms or collapses between Yuigahama and Yukinoshita. I was never the kind of person to put my nose in places where it doesn't belong, especially in people's relationships with others. I respect everyone's privacy, and I in turn expect to be treated the same way. I don't seek to improve nor destroy their relationship. Unless they directly ask for my help to become friends, then I want nothing to do with that subject. But that also depends on whether I decide to assist them or not, of which I am already leaning toward the latter option.

And honestly?

As long as it doesn't directly negatively affect me...

As long as it doesn't hurt me...

As long as it doesn't stand in the way of my one true goal...

Then...

I couldn't care less.

A twisted and sadistic part within me grinned devilishly, have I been alone right now, I would have let out a low chuckle. That tiny part of me eagerly desired to watch her slowly drive herself to the path of ruin and destruction. A cold and lonely path caused by none other than her while I dully watched from above as she struggled and writhed with every obstacle that she came upon. She can blame no one, for she had brought everything upon herself. She can seek help from no one since she drove them away in the first place. She can rely on no one since no sane person would decide to associate themself with someone like her. It is quite hilarious, grotesquely and darkly. That the self-proclaimed perfect girl would have to go through all that to remedy the obvious imperfections that she was too blind to see and too proud and arrogant to acknowledge and remedy. The thought that the only way for her to possibly change for the better would be for her to reach her lowest state of being, made me smirk and almost break out into sudden laughter.

I guess I am fucked up.

Yes, I KNOW it's short, but I decided to separate this from the previous chapter.

Anyway...

Hachiman suddenly got dark at the last part huh...but I guess anyone will start thinking like that if they were in his sho es. He said some dark and harsh words, it says a lot about what he's feeling inside.

Answer Time!

Clipsus: Who knows, maybe Yukino will be even more of a bitch to him, OR she'll think and reflect upon her inappropriate actions lately...and HikiMama already met Saki and Haruno, only a few girls left... ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡)

Xperior: Saki-chan next chapter!

CoupErVert: Same.

GunBlade2020: Overprotective or EXTREMELY elated maybe. This isn't " Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?" after all.

SnappingFlower: Murderous Yandere Yukino? Hmm...

Elr1k: I deliberately added the Konosuba references for the lolz and cringe lmao.

ANYWAY!

I have modular exams on Saturday, but maybe I can squeeze out my brain and release a new chapter before then. I'm about...1/4 done on it!

As always, review, follow, favourite if you want tho. Oh and a little heads up on the next few chapters, Hachiman might be more assertive and angry due to a certain something or someone, that's all I'm gonna say for now!

See you soon! Hopefully...

34

An earful from the Guidance Councillor first thing in the morning...

Perfect.

JUST PERFECT.

This is the worst, I should have skipped my shift last night. Now I'm being sent to the Student Council room to get a warning slip...I wonder if he's there right now?

Now that I think about it, I haven't spoken with him in a while. It doesn't help that I sometimes arrive late to class. Since it's the first time that I became classmates with him, he's more reserved and quiet than I thought and rarely speaks during class. He's kind of cool since even when he's sleeping in class, he still manages to answer all questions that the teachers throw at him. Not that the teachers get mad or anything they're always pleasantly surprised. He's also really helpful and never turned anyone down when they asked for his help. And he's gotten taller and more mature-looking too. He was cool when I watched him play tennis the other week, I honestly didn't expect him to win at first, but I was really glad that he managed to push through.

I wanted to be with him a few times, have a little chat, go home or eat lunch together but I just can't push myself to do it since some classmates are always sticking with him...particularly that girl with the peach-coloured hair, the blonde bossy one and the one with the red-rimmed glasses. And they're all pretty girls too...

Especially the blonde one, I saw her go out of the school with him one day, and I can tell that she kinda likes him. Who knows where they went...

Sigh...

I knock twice and the door soon opened to reveal the StuCo president.

"Hello! How may I help you?" Her amicable smile greeted me and I felt some of the tension within me subside. Being greeted by someone like her made me at a loss for a few moments. "The Guidance Councillor sent me here to get a disciplinary warning slip..." I say.

"I see I see! Please have a seat!" She opened the door for me and I meekly walked inside.

"Pardon the intrusion..." I say and took a seat in the waiting area as she walked to one of the cubicles.

The place was bigger than I expected. The waiting area was right beside the door and it had a coffee table in the middle surrounded by two couches. In the middle of the room was a big table with folders and papers neatly piled in an organized way. The leftmost side was occupied by lockers and cabinets that contained numerous documents. One member was writing something on the table, while another one was looking for something on their bulletin board. There were some private cubicles beside the President's table and I couldn't quite see the occupants.

I heard some hushed voices and an audible groan, and then what sounds to be a chair being pushed back.

The StuCo President finally came back after a short while. She directed me to one of the tables where a guy had his back to us, looking for something in the cabinets behind his table. I took my seat and just waited for him to finish what he was doing.

"A disciplinary warning slip huh...? I think we're out of those. Let me print a new one." He sighed after failing to find what he was looking for. I quickly fixed my hair, even when it didn't quite need fixing, and tried to look as presentable as I can. He turned around, holding his temples and causing some of his hair to cover one of his eyes.

"Good grief, I swore I just-" He opened his eyes after fixing his hair, and I could already see the surprise that they had in them.

"Y-Yo." I give him a small awkward grin.

"Oh, Kawasaki. I've been expecting you." He casually returned the greeting without a second to spare and sat down on his chair.

Expecting me?!

Does that mean that I'm actually in deeper trouble?!

"No, you're not in trouble. Sensei just sent me the details ahead." He must have seen the nervousness on my face and tried to calm me down. Hearing his voice eased up the tension that's been building up inside me.

"We came up with, the slips I mean. But it's something I would have preferred not doing. Too many unnecessary lines of bureaucracy."

"Ah, I see."

"If we didn't have to do such a trivial thing, we could work more important matters."

"Ok..."

"Matters like faulty equipment, the sudden loss of water supply in specific areas around the school, club funds not being allocated properly, missing belongings, complaints on the prices of food at the cafeteria..." He started saying all of these things that didn't make sense to me. I was at a loss for words so I just nodded and nodded and nodded for the next several minutes until my neck started to hurt.

"-like honestly, what the heck? Not to mention the complaints from the drama club about the gym being haunted. Man must be high on Skooma I say. I mean who gives a single flying fu-"

There was a sudden gust of wind as I felt something impossibly fast move past me. The StuCo President came in a blur, and quickly covered Hikigaya's mouth. With her other hand, she started gently patting his head while sporting an apologetic face to me.

"I'm sorry about this~. Hikigaya-kun sometimes rants out of control, and he doesn't notice it until someone points it out~." She said to me and then turned her attention to the boy whose mouth she was covering with her hand. "Isn't that right, Hikigaya-kun~~?" She said sweetly and removed her hand while her other hand was still patting his head. He was kind of embarrassed and scratched his cheek.

"Sorry about that." He bowed and apologized to both of us.

She put a finger on her lips, the one that was on his mouth a few seconds ago, thinking about something and then started fixing his hair for him. "Hikigaya-kuuun, your hair is pretty long~. It gets messy pretty quickly now. You should get it trimmed, it wouldn't look good for the Head of the Disciplinary and Events Committee to be the one violating the rules, no? Specifically the one on page 25 of the School manual, Section 5: Guidelines of Proper Grooming for Boys number 4~."

He looked like he was thinking about something and shortly nodded. " Page 25 of the School manual Section 5: Guidelines of Proper Grooming for Boys number 4...Ah, you're right Senpai. I'll get this trimmed after class..." He sighed and yawned tiredly.

"Hmmm~! That's a good Kouhai~..." After pinching his cheek and patting his head one more time, she skipped back to her table and gave us some privacy. He didn't look bothered at all, not even making an annoyed face or a slight blush. It was more awkward to witness this since all he had was his usual poker face with his eyes staring into the depths of my soul.

Uwaah, they're so close...! I didn't know that they were so close!

He set aside some papers and got a record book from his drawer.

"Sorry about the mess. What were we talking about again?" He asked and absentmindedly bit into the pen that he was holding. My eyes lingered on his lips for a few moments before I managed to get a hold of myself.

"The disciplinary warning slip..."

"Ah yes." He handed me the record book and gave me a spare pen. "Your full name, date today, year level, class and signature, please. Oh and the reason for the warning. Please write legibly and do not make any mistakes. If you prefer another pen, do not hesitate to request for one." He sounded professional, and I unconsciously straightened my back when I heard the tone in his voice.

"So? What are you in for...?" He asked lazily.

"You make it sound like I'm a convict."

He smirked. "I always say that to everyone."

"Frequent tardiness," I say slightly ashamed.

"What is it this time? Slept late last night because of watching television? Forgot to set the alarm? Finished homework in the early hours of the morning?" He asked as if he asked this same question to countless students innumerable times. Like a policeman asking questions to a concerned citizen.

"S-Something like the last part..."

He was quiet the whole time while I was writing and leaned back on his chair while his eyes were boring themselves on me. His eyes have always been intense, and I could only equally hold his gaze before the need to look away was unbearable. This has always been a habit of his, the unbreakable gaze was something that still hasn't changed since the day I met him. Uwaah, I feel so self-conscious right now, I hope there isn't something on my face or a twig stuck on my hair or anything...

"Kawasaki." He said after I handed him back the record book. His unblinking eyes, studying and analyzing me. He narrowed them slightly as if finally seeing something he didn't notice at first glance.

"H-Hmmm?"

"Your eyes..." He rested his chin on the table and leaned closer. Head slightly tilting to the side analyzing something.

"I-Is there something on them...?" I reached for my hanky but I forgot that I had left it in my bag in the room. I was about to rub them with my fingers when I felt a hand swiftly and gently grab my wrist.

He shook his head and slowly let go of me. His hands were cold, probably because of the air conditioning in the room. But I couldn't suppress the warmth that was coming up to my face. With my fingers, I touched the area where he touched me. "Nothing. But...your eyes are bloodshot, eye-bags are a bit dark and you look slightly pale. Tell me, have you been getting proper sleep lately?" He arched a brow after asking and the intensity in his eyes eased a bit.

"Oh, uhh...Why do you ask?" I avoided his question and threw him a new one.

He gave a small smirk as if he had expected my reply. "A personal request from Taishi..."

Taishi...? How did he get into this? And wait, when have they met...?

"You know, I first met Taishi a while ago when he was walking with Kei-chan around the neighbourhood. Time skip around a few weeks and he grew a liking to me when I helped him and Komachi with homework and school projects. He came to me recently with a request, one that concerns you. I'll ask the question again, what are you doing that makes you go home in the early hours of the morning?" He leaned back on his chair looking very satisfied with himself.

"He's a good kid, if a bit clumsy since he almost broke one of my most prized GUNPLA figures...Oh, and can you remind him to return the manga that I lent him? A friend of mine wants to borrow it." He added as an afterthought and muttered something to himself about GUNPLA and " Yodob ashi".

I was at a loss, he cornered and caught me with my pants down.

"Uhhh..." That was all I could say as he patiently waited for my reply.

The unspoken question was in the air

It took some time before I could finally find my voice and muster the courage to talk. "I want to tell you, but this isn't the best place..." I say with a troubled face. I already had my voice low but I think that the other occupants in the room can hear little pieces of our conversation. I didn't want others to hear this. He gave a nod of understanding and put a hand on his chin.

"I see. How about after class?" He suggested and I agreed. I sighed in relief, it was as if a heavyweight on my chest was removed. I had been hiding the fact that I work part-time until morning and I had lied about my age. This was probably the best scenario to happen. If my parents found out, then I'm in trouble. If the school finds out then I'm in even more trouble.

At least he was concerned for me as a friend, and not as a member of the StuCo...wait, maybe it's both.

"I'll just give you the slip by then. I still have some work to do before I go back to the classroom so..." He started tapping his fingers on the table. I got his message and promptly stood up so I can give him some time. "Thanks. See ya after class then." He just nodded at me and moved his attention back to his work. On my way out I saw that there were a few students at the waiting area for their concerns to be heard. Looks like they have their hands full huh...

I returned to class with some time left to spare and started rereading some of my notes. Some unsavoury rumours were going around in class. I think those were called chain mail? Spam mail? I don't know or care much. Unfortunately, I was one of the students targeted. It said that I was a delinquent or something untrue, but it wasn't a problem for me since I had already dealt with this problem before. I didn't notice when he entered the room, but he was already there on his seat resting his head on the armchair.

Classes went by in a flash and after the bell rang, everyone started getting up and some were already leaving the room. From the corner of my eye, Yu...Yui...? Yuri? Yurigahama...? Ah! Her name was Yuigahama, now I remember! They briefly exchanged a few words, he said something that made her visibly disappointed, but she let him go regardless.

"So, where do you want to go?" He asked as we walked in the hallway together.

I shrugged. "How about one of those benches outside?"

"Okay, hopefully, there is still a vacant one."

After changing our shoes and going outside, we found one under a tree. We can see some members of the football club playing in the distance as he sat down across me. One of them waved in our direction and he returned it in kind.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"Tobe."

"I didn't know you were friends with him."

He furrowed his eyes together and put a hand on his chin. "Not friends, but he's a good guy I guess. Though he can be loud, annoyingly obnoxious and cringy at times."

"Now then," He sighed and stretched his arms before continuing. "you can start anytime, Kawasaki."

I decided to tell him everything, and I mean everything. From the part where I first had the initial thoughts about going to summer school by relying on my funds, to lying about my age and almost getting caught by a local government official in the process. I told him about the days following my new daily schedule, and how exhausting and taxing it was to my body to the point where I wanted to skip classes to rest.

He was quiet the entire time and his eyes never left mine as I talked. Strangely, I don't remember a single moment where I broke eye contact with him.

"I see...am I the only soul that knows this?" He after I was done.

"Yes." I nod at him.

"Hmm, I get it now. Are you going to keep your family in the dark?"

That was a difficult question, one that was always at the back of my mind every after shift. What they don't know won't hurt them, and it's not like Taishi is the kind of brother that's gonna tell our parents about this.

"For now."

"Hmmm, well I guess Taishi's concerns were justified then. I have a suggestion if you're willing to hear me out of course."

"Go ahead."

He got something from his bag, a flyer or something and gave it to me. It was an advertisement from one of the summer schools in the City. "Instead of working to pay for it, why not get good grades so you'll get qualified for a scholarship?" He said.

"I thought about that before, but I don't think I'd be able to," I say but he quickly interrupted me before I could finish.

"Nah, anyone can do it with enough effort ." He said bluntly in a tone that made no room for further questions. I felt like I was slapped, but not in a bad way. It made me start thinking about the way that I was currently doing things, and the underlying meaning hidden below his words.

"It's pessimistic to say that you won't be able to make the cut. Even as a pessimist myself, I'd at least make an effort to try before reaching that conclusion." Ouch, he hit me where it hurts. He's brutal and doesn't sugarcoat his words, I'll give him that.

And he's right, I've been doing things wrong right from the start huh...

"Well, what are you gonna do about it then?" He arched a brow at me and waited for my answer.

There wasn't anything wrong with what he said, in fact, I completely agree with him since it's the most efficient solution right now. But I still feel like an idiot for evaluating myself so low like that. I should be more like him, more confident in myself and trust my abilities. And if there's still room for improvement, then I should give it my all.

"I'll follow what you said," I say slowly, and it felt like a massive weight was removed from my shoulders.

He sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. If you need any help, then I'd be more than welcome to assist you in looking for a possible school." He offered.

"Also, this isn't that of a big deal if you ask me. I mean, I work part-time at the weekends and sometimes volunteer at a daycare nearby at my Mother's request. A bunch of schools in the area came together to address this type of concern. They're coordinating with the local government and business establishments where most of their students are working part-time to resolve this issue. They're making progress, last time I heard." He added.

I fidgeted since what I'm gonna ask may either be too straightforward or shameless. But he offered his help, and it's not like we're strangers to each other. Plus, we've done it before at his house so..." I-Is it ok for me to ask your help during exams and stuff...?"

"I don't mind. As I said before, you're more than welcome to come over anytime." He shrugged. The way he said it made it sound so obvious that it made me feel dumb. I think he misunderstood me since I meant that I'll only want his help while we're in school, he must have thought that I want to go over to his house and study with him. But then again, I wasn't really specific so it's not his fault...

I bowed to him in thanks, and he quickly told me to raise my head. "Oh yeah, and before I forget." He took something from his pocket, it was a small piece of paper with the seal of the StuCo on it.

"Here's your disciplinary slip. Don't forget to enjoy your mandatory community service this weekend~." He said with a small sadistic chuckle. My arms were weak as I got it from him and put it in my bag. I had to resist crying on the spot.

Uwaah, I guess not everything ends with a happy ending huh...

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of work made you come home in the morning?" He asked curiously.

" Angel Ladder, a bar on top of one of the hotels in Chiba," I say.

He slowly blinked twice before managing to say something.

"I...beg your pardon...?" He said, as if not hearing my words the first time.

" Angel Ladder, a bar. I work there as a barkeeper."

" Angel Ladder, as in THE Angel Ladder...?"

I nodded.

He put a hand on his face. It was weak at first but then his low chuckle turned into a laugh. I have no idea which part of what I said was funny though. Maybe he worked there before or something...? I'll have to ask him about it later.

I haven't been to the club in a while, four days. I mean, I stayed there for maybe a few minutes before I went out. But it's not like I was skipping on purpose, we were reorganizing the StuCo room. Getting rid of old documents and storing them at the storeroom, scanning and making softcopies of all the said documents for safekeeping and also removing outdated news at the bulletins boards around the school. It was a sudden request by the School since they were suddenly afraid of a fire starting.

The Ice Harlot has completely ignored me since that day.

I for one, welcome the silence. It feels nice not being snapped at for literally every single move I make or word I utter.

I had warned Yuigahama a few days ago that any attempt by her to make Yukinoshita and I reconcile will end terribly. If she even attempts doing it, I will grab my stuff and walk out of the room without a word. Thankfully, she followed my wishes, albeit reluctantly. But there doesn't seem to be any changes between them, except for the fact that Yuigahama is more reserved and avoids talking about things that might provoke her. As far as I can tell, they don't have any progress with Hayama's request, and the rumours are still around even now.

Not that I care.

Words are just words. I have already built a good name for myself in the school, so any rumours that sprout NOW would be just nonsense to those that know me.

And A LOT of people know me, even if I can't exactly recall their names.

Right now, I was organizing the files and data that we had on the computer. I'm amazed Shiromeguri-senpai worked with this PC since it is so old and slow, freezing now and then and causing me anxiety for the fear that I didn't save my work. Maybe I'll write a letter of request for a new PC to the Principal. Anyway, I was moving the folders here and there, doing some renaming and moving them to our external hard drive when the door opened.

Shiromeguri-senpai came in, her shoulders slumped and dragging her feet across the floor looking exhausted and drained of energy.

"Good Evening Senpai." I stand up and greet her.

She looked up, surprised that I was still occupying the room since its nearly dark outside.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun, you're still here?" She said and laid down on the couch nearby.

"I wanted to finish things now so I won't have to do much tomorrow."

"Hmm, well keep up the good work..." She said and closed her eyes. I watched her chest go up and down as she breathed, some strands of her hair covering the skin on her neck as one of her hands rested on her abdomen. The meeting with the teachers must have ended later than expected. Poor Senpai, she must be exhausted. I wordlessly got up and went to make some tea. I picked her favourite one, and after several minutes, I laid the cup of tea on the coffee table beside her. I poked her cheek twice to get her attention.

"Senpai, here's some tea."

"Thank you..." She said as she sat up.

"You're welcome." I then went back to the computer and resumed my work. Aside from the typing sounds that I was making, the room was silent. Senpai had a faraway look on her face as she sipped on her tea. There must be something on her mind that's bothering her.

"Senpai, how was your day?" I ask her.

She didn't respond to my question, and from the corner of my eye, she was still staring off into space.

"Senpai...?" I call out to her louder this time. That seemed to break the spell that she was under since she was slightly startled by my voice.

"Ah, sorry Hikigaya-kun! Your Senpai spaced out hehehe. What were you saying again?" She flashed me a troubled smile that made me a bit worried. It's the first time I've seen her make that face, and I started thinking as to what was the cause of it.

"As I was saying, how was your day?"

"Hmm, it was normal I guess. Except for the meeting with the teachers, nothing really interesting happened as far as I can tell." She shrugged to herself and then faced me. "What about you Hikigaya-kun, anything interesting on your end?"

"Nah, it's been so boring lately that I wish something would happen," I reply. I might have triggered a flag there, but I don't care. I'm confident that I can handle anything.

"But you're part of a club, aren't you? Why don't you spend some time with your clubmates? You've been dropping by here longer than usual. We don't have much to do anyway, well, except for the reorganizing that is." She said before fixing her skirt by flattening the creases and crossing her legs. I gulped when I got quite a view of her supple thighs. I always loved them. I want to rest my head on them. Uwaaah, they look so soft, I want to tou-

Damn you brain, I hate you. Stop being horny, please.

"T-They know my position, might as well come here and finish some stuff than lazying there doing nothing," I say.

She sipped some tea before continuing. "Hmmm, is that so. What did you do with Maya-sensei last weekend?" She asked.

"Last weekend huh...I helped some of the newcomers. Oh and Sensei taught us some judo moves as an extra." Sensei was hard on me that time, she kicked my ass hard, put me on the ground and told me to "Step the fuck up! You're a man aren't you?!"

Seriously, single women are aggressive in more ways than I could imagine.

Senpai was amused. "Remember that time when you accidentally ripped your pants because you forgot to bring our uniform? Hehehehe." She started laughing as I cringed at the memory.

"Ah, I got cocky and did it anyway. Everyone laughed at me but at least I got the stance right. Also, I was wearing boxer shorts so it wasn't a big deal." I reply slightly embarrassed. "You should come back Senpai."

She shook her head. "I can't. I'm a Third Year you know? I'm already looking for possible schools for college, and we're gonna get busier at the second half of the school year."

Oh yeah, she's right. When that happens...she'll have to step down or deal with her responsibility at the StuCo and prepare for graduation at the same time.

The StuCo room without Shiromeguri-senpai would be...

Very lonely...

If that happens, I don't think I can be here anymore. It's not that I don't like the other StuCo members, it's just that it feels wrong to be here without her. I owe her for being here in the first place, she was the one who appointed me to my current position. I owe Shiromeguri-senpai a lot, and because of that, she's one of the few people that I hold dear. And I would do anything she asks of me in a heartbeat.

"Oh no! I forgot my pen at the conference hall! Hikigaya-kun, wait for me ok? I'll be back in a flash!" She said and rushed out of the room.

With that, I shrugged and forced myself to finish things up.

A notification from my phone caught my attention. Without taking my eyes off the computer, I got my phone and opened the message.

What I read next made me stop.

" The StuCo Pres is so annoying lololol XD. Her voice makes me puke and the personality is super annoying, trashy and irritating roflmao. How did someone LIKE HER even become the StuCo lmao XD! This school is just stupid!"

This is...

A chain mail...

How did they get my-?

Wait, I remember distributing my phone number to the committees and volunteers last year to better coordinate with them.

That's how they probably got hold of it...

I took my hand off of the keyboard and placed them on my lap after putting down my phone.

I took a moment to think about the current situation.

I consider myself a very calm and collected person. I might sometimes get annoyed but I never get mad. Not once have I remembered myself being angry at something or someone. I'm fine with being badmouthed and getting called derogatory names. I'm quite used to it, resistant even.

But when it's being directed at someone I care about, then it's an entirely different matter. Especially to someone kind and gentle like my Shiromeguri-senpai that I look up to and admire. She doesn't deserve to receive any words like that.

"Good grief, now these mongrels have targeted Senpai. How dare they...Lowly scum, I'll find you, whoever you are..."

Hello everyone!

Hope all of you are safe! My country is in lockdown due to the 2019-nCoV, and our Nation's Military, Navy and Air Force is enforcing very strict procedures to prevent the spread of the virus. But we're doing fine.

Anyway...

Hachiman finally started to take things into his own hands! I wonder how he'll find the one who started this mess. Saki got some well-deserved scenes, best Senpai Meguri too. Hmm, Hachiman got triggered at the last part huh. Looks like he adores and loves Meguri, as he should! She's the closest thing to a real older sister to him after all! And the one who knows him best outside of his family! It's only logical that he'll get a bit protective of her, and get quite mad at the false rumours!

Reply time!

2theMoon: Thanks! I was honestly unsure of how everyone will react to Yui here.

Echonic: Yes, Hachiman is a lowkey Sadist lol.

jargax: Thanks! Who knows, Yui might make a decisive strike sometime...

Sperance: On point mate.

GunBade2020: As I said several chapters ago, there will be "Main Girls" and "Supporting Girls". It's up to your imagination to decide who belongs to which category!

Z BoX 360: THANK YOU! Finally, someone mentioned Ayanokouji!

SrChangeling1: Crazy coincidence huh.

Stay safe and God Bless us in these trying times!

AND STAY AT HOME!

Seriously, STAY AT HOME!

35

I rarely come to the cafeteria, since my dear Mother is the one who makes lunch for me nowadays. When I do come here, it's usually because I wanted to buy a drink from the vending machine or when I left my lunch at home. She even shaped some of the rice and eggs into little hearts, which was super embarrassing since Yuigahama saw it. Right now, I'm here because of the former option. I had a sudden desire to drink chocolate milk, so here I am.

"Hikigaya, go buy something to eat. It feels weird that I'm the only one eating."

I focus my attention on the girl in front of me while continuing to drink the chocolate milk that I bought. She may be one of the prettier girls that I know, but what lies behind those glasses of hers is a hardcore Fujoshi who ships me with the class Riajuu.

"Don't mind me Hina, I just decided to tag along because I was thirsty."

She shrugged before resuming eating. "Well, if you say so..."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the person that I came here to find.

Ah, here she comes...

I made sure not to directly lay my eyes on her since doing so would make me look like a creep. As usual, she was accompanied by her two other friends, they were one of the trios in our class. They were chatting loudly, and some students around them sent them looks of slight annoyance. They continued chatting while they ate, and I had to roll my eyes at their terrible table manners. I've been doing some background checks, and I've finally found the most likely suspect. I still need to do some things before I make the final verdict.

I felt something hit my leg.

"Oi, I'm talking to you," Hina said with a slight pout.

"Sorry, my mind wandered on its own. What were you saying again?"

"Hmph, I was asking you if you're excited about the company visits that we'll be going to. We're going to three companies, two here in Chiba and the other one is in Tokyo." She said excitedly.

"Oh, uhhh, yeah I'm looking forward to it..." I couldn't suppress the hesitation in my voice, and Hina tilted her head to the side upon hearing it.

"Hm? You sound like you're saying the opposite."

I can't tell her that one of the company visits that we're going to is my Father's firm. I don't know how to handle this kind of stuff and I think it's going to be very awkward when we arrive there. I had requested to be transferred to another class, but Hiratsuka-sensei only laughed and exclaimed, "Ha! You were a big fish huh? Now you can rub it on their faces!". Seriously Sensei, this is real life and not some old-school Shonen manga where I reveal to the " good guys" that I'm the son of the Boss whose identity they're trying to find out. And that the Boss has a very OP STAND that no one knows how it works. All they know is that "IT JUST WORKS!" . Perhaps that's why she's still single, she makes terrible jokes and references that barely anyone knows and it becomes a huge turn off for the guy who was unlucky enough to be her one-time date.

If no one claims her before college, then I'm going to marry her! I'm not joking! I swear I will! You're the first person on my list, Sensei! Though she's the only person on it...

From the perspective of my classmates, to think that the son of the owner of one of the companies that you're going to have an educational trip to is your classmate...

Seriously, this is so cliche and straight out of a T.V series...

Uwaah, my internal rants are becoming longer and longer, let me just skip them all.

[ KING CRIMSON! ]

"Visiting offices where corporate slaves work might depress me to death." I gave her a half-assed reply, but she looked like she took the bait. It's a good thing I regularly rant about corporate slavery, terrible working conditions and employee benefits and how underpaid the workers are. I've just finished reading my Father's book about working ethics and the modern and corporate world, and it's influenced how I think.

"But I thought you wanted to become a corporate worker...?"

Tch, I forgot that I told her about my answers...

"It can't be helped." I shrug and finished my drink.

"That's like, an inconsistent way of thinking..."

"The duality of man." She rolled her eyes at my answer.

She looked like she was done eating, but she still had some leftovers on her plate. Two dumplings were left untouched by her. "Finish your food. Don't leave leftovers."

Upon hearing my words, she clutched her stomach with both hands. "I'm full and can't eat another bite. You can have it."

"Goodness, girls...how typical. Why are you so wasteful when it comes to food...?" I took one of the chopsticks provided on the table and took a dumpling from her plate. Komachi does the frequently at home, and I had to discipline her properly a few times before she learned her lesson.

She had a teasing grin on her face. "Heeeeehhh, and here I was thinking that you wanted me to feed you with my chopsticks." I gave her my usual deadpan look, completely unamused and unfazed.

"It's not too late, you can do it right now."

"E-Eh?"

I mimicked her teasing grin, and she was taken aback by my very bold words. She had a light blush on her face and looked quite dumbfounded for several seconds. Ha! This insignificant level of teasing does not affect me! I'm being constantly teased by two Onee-sans and even by my Mother at home, so I'm immune to all teases Rank A and below!

"Hurry up Hina-chan~, I'm waiting ~." It's her fault that she wanted me to call her by her first name when it's just the two of us in the first place since sometimes old habits come back and I accidentally call her "Hinata". Her blush grew bigger, seeing her face grow more and more flustered was a funny feeling that awoke something within me. I guess I am a sadist.

"B-But, there's people arou-"

"Do I look like I care?" She flinched and made a small cute sound at my reply, and I had to resist instantly laughing at the spot. She looks so cute, like the times when I would tease Komachi until she becomes red as a tomato, and then she would run up the stairs to her room after calling me a "Stupid Onii-chan!".

My grin grew wider as I watched her become a blushing mess. "I-I...ugh..." I thought that victory was mine until she suddenly smirked and loudly exclaimed, "I-I'd...I'd rather see you do it with Hayato! Fuahahahahaha!"

"Hmph, touche. That was a fairly decent comeback, albeit a little too expected." I nod and admit.

"Fufufufufu! You underestimate me, Hikigaya!" She laughed and some people around us started giving us weird looks. I gave them an apologetic bow on behalf of my silly Fujoshi friend. I noticed that she had a piece of rice stuck near her lip, I had no idea how I didn't notice that earlier.

"Hina, you have a..." I pointed at it and she got it from her face.

The girl that I've had my eye on for a while stood up together with her friends and returned their plates to the kitchen window. Still chatting as they walked out of the cafeteria, goodness do they ever run out of things to talk about...? In the classroom, they're always chatting when there's a break or when sensei hasn't arrived yet, I guess it's expected that they'd do that outside too.

"Hina."

"Hmm?"

"Do you know Sumiya Yuuko?"

"Sumiya-san...our classmate? I know her but we're not close, why?" She asked curiously and tilted her head to the side.

"Nothing really, just asking. What do you know about her?"

She made a thinking pose and tapped her chin with her finger. "Hmm, well she has average grades and isn't part of any clubs as far as I know. She's single and frequently goes out with her friends Sagami and Naomi. And she's had a few... disagreements with some of the other girls in our class, but that's just what I heard. You shouldn't immediately trust what say rumours after all." She shrugged at the last part.

"Ah."

"Why are you asking about her?" She said while reaching across the table and poking my cheek.

*poke poke*

"Just doing some background checks."

She pouted and looked quite unsatisfied with my answer. "Oh? But for what?"

I didn't want to lie, so I thought of the closest answer that I could give her without exposing my true intentions.

"Council stuff."

"Are you a detective now?" She said with a small smile of amusement.

I grinned, she doesn't know how right she is. "Something like that Hina. Something like that..."

The roof has always been a dear place to me. During winter or autumn, I eat my lunch here since I didn't get cold that easily. The cold wind felt nice on my face, but I had to be extra careful when it's snowing since the floor tends to get a bit slippery from the thin layer of ice. Uwaah, if only the cold season would come quickly, I miss the cold. Or maybe if I possess powers that control the weather I would make the summer less hot at least.

From my vantage point, I saw students going home from the school building. They were small dots, and if the circumstances right now were different, I would be among them. I want to go home and play my shitty gacha game, the rate ups are a bloody fu-

I heard the door open behind me, which was accompanied by girlish giggles.

" Go get him, girl! Make him yours!"

" Make him fall for you!"

There were a few more giggles until I heard the door close. I didn't expect her to bring her friends, hopefully, they'll give us some privacy at least.

Footsteps continued towards me until she was about two meters away.

"Umm, H-Hikigaya-kun...?" She called out to me unsurely.

I sighed before turning around and properly facing her. Light brown hair with a blue hair-clip, is a member of one of the cliques and one of the noisy ones in class. She was around Miura's height, and just like her, the skirt that she wore right now was a centimetre or two shorter. Quite stylish-looking too since she's cute, I'll give her that praise at least. Yup, this is definitely her.

"Sumiya-san, glad you could come." I say with an even voice.

"I straightaway came here after class. So..." She said shyly and looked down while shifting her balance from one leg to another.

"Y-You wanted to see me...?"

I decided to give it to her slowly, rather than ramming the entire thing down on her.

"How was your day, Sumiya-san?" I said and gave her one of my rare smiles.

" UGH! I seriously felt my Divinity get halved! God strike me down, I can't take the cringe! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

She lightly blushed and nodded shyly. "Hm! Today was great as usual, Hikigaya-kun. You were always so cool in class. And I watched you play Tennis this morning, you were really good! You sent those guys a run for their money!"

Ok, I honestly didn't expect that answer.

"Ahahahaha!" I rubbed the back of my head, "You're giving me too much credit Sumiya-san. I'm not that good, it was just a lucky shot."

Honestly, the way I'm acting right now is so cringy it makes me want to die.

Seriously.

"You were always so humble and down-to-earth, Hikigaya-kun. Lots of people like that particular trait about you. For one of the popular guys in our Year, you sure don't talk like one. I guess actions speak louder than words huh. Or maybe you're just really confident about yourself...girls find that attractive you know..." She said and took a step closer to me.

"You're quite a catch for any girl lucky enough to have you..." She added and put a finger on my chest and moved it upwards up to my chin. "You're quite a looker too...the girls in our class made a secret poll, and guess who made it to the top~?"

"Oh? And who would that be...?" Hmm, this is new. I'll take her bait for now since curiosity got the better of me.

I didn't push her away as she put both of her hands on my shoulders, stood on her tiptoes and whispered it to my ear. "Take a guess~..."

"Sumiya-san, I take it that you are aware of the rumours going around in our class?" I decided that it was time to stop fooling around and asked her a direct question.

The question caught her off-guard, and her mouth was left agape for several seconds. "Huh?"

I raised a brow at her and said nothing, waiting for her answer.

"Uhh, yeah. I've heard a word or two about it..." I saw her gulp, likely from the onset of nervousness and put her hands behind her, as if trying to hide something.

"Is that so..."

"H-Hikigaya-kun! I thought you called me here to-!" She said rather loudly, and I could hear a mix of confusion and disappointment in her voice. I think she just understood the reason why I called her here. I interrupted her before she could say something that I would rather not hear right now.

"It was honestly so easy, I just went through the committee member lists last year, tracked down each person and traced them back to our class. Took note of the ones that could pull off this kind of stunt, and voila. Of all of them, I had three possible suspects, all girls. And you were the most likely of all the three. No offence of course."

She looked scared now, her face contorting into an angry one and took a step back. "I-It was just a prank! No one was hurt! It was just for the laughs! No one even bothered to take them seriously anyway!"

The image of Shiromeguri-senpai looking very sad and down flashed through my mind.

"Do you see me laughing?" I simply ask her with seriousness in my voice.

"But I have to thank you. Your admittance right now made things easier for me." I added in a more relaxed manner.

"I...I didn't mean it..." She said with a low voice and looked down.

Ok, now that ticked me off.

" Excuse me?"

She looked up at me, suddenly surprised at the sudden change in my demeanour.

"You absolute half-wit mongrel . You had every chance to stop, but you didn't. You continued with your little prank, knowing full well the consequences of your actions. So don't give me that nonsense." I walked towards her, and she already had her back to the wall. At some point, she put her hands on my chest in an attempt to keep me away. She was less than a foot away from me and I put my hand on the wall, effectively cornering her and preventing any chance of escape lest she runs away. Her eyes were shut and she looked very much shaken from the current situation.

"Sumiya-san." I say, but she closed her eyes and tried to get as much distance from me as possible even with her back to the wall. She cowered before me, and I kind of felt bad, but I had to do this.

"..."

"Sumiya-san."

"..."

"Sumiya-san, look at me."

"..."

Tch, how stubborn.

I used my left hand and slowly raised her chin so she can see me even with the difference in our height. She wasn't even offering any resistance, almost as if she was letting me do it. Even though both of her hands were on my chest, she wasn't even exerting any force in an attempt to push me away. Almost as if- wait, she's not offering any resistance...?

She was so close that I could count the hair on her eyebrows, a few more inches and I could capture her lips and make her mine right here right now. Her cheeks had a rosy tinge on it as expected. If someone saw us like this, then it would cause problems for me. IF, that it is...

"Sumiya-san, if you don't open your eyes when I reach three, I will do something that we'll both regret." She audibly gulped and I saw her eyes slightly flutter, at my words. I could almost hear the sound of her heartbeat and her hands were shaking.

I wasn't serious of course.

"..."

"One."

"..."

"Two."

"..."

"Three."

She slowly opened her eyes, but when she saw how close my face was, she turned even redder than I thought possible and immediately avoided my eyes. She inhaled deeply and steeled herself to look straight at me. My gaze never wavered, and I can see small signs of tears at the corners of her eyes. She whimpered and gulped a few more times before I spoke.

"There, that wasn't so hard, wasn't it~?"

"Y-Y-Yes..." She slowly nodded with her stuttering voice, my hand still attached to her chin.

"Now then, I want you to listen to every word that I say. Understood?"

She nodded slowly once more and gulped.

"If you want to save your ass, then you will do exactly what I say..."

"M-My ass...? Y-You w-want... !?" She muttered with a shaky voice with steam going out of her ears, her legs were threatening to give in any moment. She then removed her hands from my chest and proceeded to cover her ...bum...and ...other...frontal ...part ...

"No, that's not what I...ugh just listen." I sighed while temporarily looking to the side and continued. "I don't want to get you in trouble, so before the teachers take things into their own hands, I want you to apologize to everyone that you sent the message to. Tell them how truly sorry you are, and that the things that you said had no factual basis to them. I know that you're using an extra number, so don't use it again."

She widened her eyes at my words and slowly nodded in understanding. "O-Ok..."

I let go of her chin and leaned forward, she must have had the wrong idea since she closed her eyes and readied her tantalizing chaste lips for the kiss that never came. She honestly looks like she wants it, yearning, for it even, and inviting me to take her. Instead, I led my lips to where her ear was. Her scent was nice. Do all girls smell nice, I wonder...?

" You know, you were acting feisty just a few moments ago, now you're all soft and jelly. That's so adorably cute. Your attempts to get me all flustered, I mean. This side of yours is much cuter, and I'd love to see it again sometime..." I deliberately whispered into her ear, my hot breath causing her to make a pleasurable whimper and she shivered from the contact.

" T-That's...that's because...I..." She softly whispered back against my ear and gripped my shirt, her weak legs almost buckling under her.

" This meeting and conversation NEVER happened. Make up a believable lie to your friends downstairs or something."

" Y-Yes..."

" I'll let this pass for now, but do it again and you KNOW what happens next..."

" Y-Yes..."

I nudged myself closer to her and felt my lips brush against her ear, her breathing hitched when she felt me. " Promise me."

" Y-Yes I-I promise..." She replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

With that, I stepped back and put some space between us. She was red and steaming and her hair was a dishevelled mess. I clapped my hands once, feeling very much satisfied with how things went according to plan. "Wonderful, now run along. Your friends must be dying to hear from you." I said with a more amicable tone with all the seriousness and threatening undertone in my voice gone.

She had a strange look on her face when I stepped away from her. Disappointment...? Dissatisfaction...?

After several still moments, she looked like she had snapped back into reality and awkwardly nodded, then started fixing her hair and her skirt. If she went back looking like a mess, then her friends might think that something had happened. And I seriously don't need any more misunderstandings right now...

And wait, how did her skirt and uniform get creases on them...?

"I'm sorry Hikigaya-kun." She bowed low in apology. I didn't tell her to raise her head.

"Hmph, you have no reason to apologize to me. You never spread bad things about me. Go apologize to the other people that you did." I reply and crossed my arms around my chest.

She meekly nodded, still too shy took look at me in the eye since her cheeks were still quite pink. "Umm, yes I'll get to that when I go home..."

"Hm, be careful on your way home then."

"Yes, I'm sorry again. Ummm, if you'll excuse me..." She bowed again and slowly went to the door. Her legs were still quite shaky and she held on to the wall to her left for balance. I felt a bit sorry for her.

"Oh yeah, and before I forget," I call out to her when her hands were already at the door. She turned to me, and I could see that her face was going back to normal.

I winked and gave her a small cheeky grin. "Be a good girl for me this time, ok Yuuko-chan?"

Once again, she instantly became a blushing stuttering mess and spouted incoherent words and bowed several times. She was about to rush inside while covering her face with her hands, but since she was doing that, she bumped into the door first before opening it again and finally going inside at her second attempt. I listened until her quick footsteps disappeared.

A pair of excited squeals were heard when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"KYAAAAAAAH! YUUKO YOU'RE RED AS A TOMATO! WHAT HAPPENED!? TELL US WHAT HAPPENED!"

"DID YOU DO IT?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HIM?! HEY! COME BACK! DON'T RUN AWAY WHILE COVERING YOUR FACE!"

Their voices faded after several moments.

Now that I'm finally alone, I sighed. I sat down on the floor and rested my back on the wall. The whole ordeal was more mentally and physically draining than I thought. I took out the tiny recorder that I bought online from my breast pocket and turned it off. If she does it again, I can blackmail her with this. But that was an option that I'd rather not take. This was just a... fail-safe if things didn't go according to plan . A security measure in other words. Good grief, the lengths I had to take for this...

"That was seriously the trashiest thing I've ever done. Playing with a girl's heart like that..."

I started thinking about what just transpired and thought if it was enough to finally put an end to this whole idiotic ordeal. This was the only way that I can think to make her stop. If I had intimidated her, then the word might go out and things might go spiralling out of my control. Taking advantage of her emotions and playing with her around my fingertips was the only solution that I could think of that doesn't involve hurting anyone. And I'm glad that it worked. If anything, the only thing that I sacrificed was my dignity and pride since I stooped myself so low as to act out of character and become a cringy Bishonen straight out of a manga that demographically targeted young girls by feeding them unhealthy and unrealistic expectations on love and romance.

Now that I think about it, what I just did was super embarrassing and I felt my cheeks get really warm.

Especially when I remembered how close our faces were just a few moments ago. When I deliberately brushed my lips against her ear as I whispered to make her get flustered even further when I saw the glint of delight she had in her eyes at how close our bodies and faces were and how she looked so vulnerable and rather... cute. I'm honestly amazed at how calm I was, and how I did all that with such a straight face.

I have a feeling that she'll have trouble sleeping tonight, perhaps even for a few days or a week after this.

Like her, I covered my face with my hand, feeling very much embarrassed at myself.

"Doing that to a girl I barely know, to a classmate even...I feel like I've triggered a flag or something..."

SIKE!

APRIL FOOLS!

FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I BET YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET BAMBOOZLED IN A FANFIC OF ALL THINGS!

I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS, I FORGOT TO DO IT LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT!

Aight.

*ahem*

Well, I can say that I'm quite satisfied with how this chapter played out. Hachiman took this matter into his own hands, in a completely different way that no one expected, I presume! I mean, who would have thought that our dear protagonist would seduce and threaten poor Sumiya Yuuko into submission 0_0. He was toying with her feelings, all for the sake of putting an end to the chain mails. Does that make him a bad guy? It depends on our values and beliefs I guess. But even he admitted that what he did wasn't morally right...

Hmm, but Yuuko wasn't putting up much of a fight, huh, maybe she lowkey liked it...

And since she was really happy that he called her to the rooftop, that must mean...!

[TEXT REDACTED]

And what he said at the last part, he DEFINITELY triggered some flags, and perhaps a new route...?

If HikiMama knew what her son did, she'd definitely strangle him for sure!

Reply time!

BorderLand: I guess Hachiman belongs to Slytherin then lol.

kasmirox3009: Not gonna lie mate, I'm having a hard time with the 3rd person POV at the start of the story. I've been reading some 3rd person POV fanfics to get a better grasp as well as my older books, and I still think something is lacking. Hopefully, I get my shitte together soon and finish it lmao.

EVA-Saiyajin: Megurin is more reserved around Hachiman when they're out in public, but when they're alone together at the StuCo room, she tends to be the endearing touchy-feely Bis Sis type.

Alex Focker: Don't be like that mate. Even I get envious of the characters that I write XD.

Echonic: DO. NOT. GO. OUTSIDE.

Prietar: Yukini POV next chap mate!

IgotNolyfe: Thank you!

NPwall: Thanks!

Lifelessman: Thanks!

R-king 93: Thanks mate!

Jamesbucag: I...didn't know that I referenced hentai...or maybe I did lol I can't remember.

ANYWAY!

That's it for today/tonight my childrons!

BLAH, BLAH, LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE, BLAH, REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVOURITE IDK

As always, thank you for reading and please look forward to the next chapter!

And just like what I said in the last chapter...

STAY AT HOME AND BE A PROPER NEET!

36

Silence.

I do not find it unwelcome. The silence at home is comforting, the silence as I read by myself in the library is very much appreciated, the silence that floated in this clubroom is relaxing.

But now...

It has become unbearable and suffocating. Especially when we're alone together...

He was just doing the same thing, as usual, today, playing on his phone or occasionally reading a book that he brought from home. His back was straight as his eyes were focused on his current task, diligently doing his homework. I remember asking him why he preferred doing his homework and assignments at school rather than at home, and he said "If I finish everything here, then I have more time to play at home and laze around at home."

How very much like him, he has not changed at all.

Or perhaps he did, and I just did not notice the slight changes in his behaviour over the year...?

The last time that we exchanged words was...perhaps a week and a half ago. At the same time that he brought Hiro-sensei's infant daughter with him to the clubroom.

I'm not sure if he is still upset with me, he has a permanent look of indifference on his face, and it is impossible to know how he truly feels about me. We passed by each other sometimes in the hallway, he always has a girl beside him. It was either the blonde one or the one with shoulder-length black hair. He would always look straight ahead, not even sparing me a glance. That or he was busy speaking to the one that was accompanying him.

Not that I wanted his attention of course...of course...

...

I admit that what I said before may have been too much. The words just came out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying, and I do not find him at fault for being upset with me. I feel that if he had slapped me out of anger back then, then I cannot blame him.

I must find a way to apologize to him for my rudeness and distasteful behaviour. The only thing getting in my way in doing so is the fact that I cannot muster the courage to approach him privately and take a moment from his time. Every time I think I'm ready, something always comes up one way or another. I can already think of two possible scenarios if that were to finally happen;

He would either accept my apology with a disinterested shrug.

Or...

He would glare coldly at me and tell me to silence myself.

Thinking of the second one is enough to give me anxiety, and that in turn destroys the small amount of courage that I had built up.

...

...

Yuigahama-san had gone out to get something she left in their classroom and while she was doing that, she decided to buy a drink for us. So it is just the two of us here. I tried reading the book that was on my lap, but the characters that I saw were blurry, and forcing myself to read gave me a headache. He arrived later than usual today, it must have been because he dropped by the Student Council Office.

His face was as blank as ever every time he comes here with Yuigahama-san. The same blank face that betrayed no hint of emotion, the same look of indifference on the fraction of a second on the rare moments that we locked eyes. I can't recall the last time he expressed a small smirk or a cheeky grin...

The door opened with a start, and Yuigahama-san finally arrived carrying the drinks that she went out to buy. "I'm back! Here you go Yukinon, the juice that you wanted." She came over to me then skipped to where Hikigaya-kun was sitting. "Hikki, here's your green tea!"

"Hmm, thanks." He muttered tiredly and stretched his arms out.

"Thank you Yuigahama-san..."

She went to her bag and got a small rectangular-shaped Tupperware. "Tadah! I brought snacks!" She proudly said and opened it in front of me to reveal chocolate chip cookies inside.

"Yuigahama-san, did you make these...?" I say and picked one up.

"Yup! Hikki helped me!"

I blinked twice at her statement, I don't know how to react. "A-Ah..."

I-I see...so that is how it is then...

"Yuigahama, you're making it sound like I went to your place and made it with you. I just ate the ones that you gave me the other week and said that they were good." His voice startled me but strangely made me feel glad. From the corner of my eye, I saw that he did not take away his attention from his homework.

"That still counts as helping dummy!" Yuigahama-san replied. He looked like he was ready to argue, but he just shrugged at her. She then went over to him and gave him a cookie.

"Hmm, thanks."

I took a bite from the cookie that she made and...it was surprisingly good. It seems that he was able to successfully teach her how to properly bake. He succeeded where I failed...

After he got one, she sat on the table beside him while absentmindedly swinging her legs. She has been talking to me since she arrived, it would be only courteous of her to speak to Hikigaya-kun as well. We spoke earlier and she said that she is excited and looking forward to the company visit.

"Hikki! I heard that a girl in our class confessed to someone last week! I have no idea who though!" She said.

I'm not sure, and I may be wrong, but I think I saw him stiffen at her words.

"Yuigahama, please spare me. I do not enjoy partaking in gossip." He said after a sigh and massaging his temples.

She playfully nudged his shoulder. "Come on, aren't you like, interested in knowing who it was?"

He shook his head. "Not in the slightest. On the other hand, have the chain mails stopped?" He asked and looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, umm..." This time, Yuigahama-san looked to me, seemingly unsure of what to say. "Well, Yukinon and I couldn't find out who was behind it, but they stopped around last week."

He looked as if he was about to smirk but stopped halfway. "Ah, is that so..."

I decided to join in on their conversation, just to clarify something. Even if he ignores me, I must know somehow.

"Hikigaya-kun."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and arched a brow. His gaze had no warmth, nor coldness to it, as expected.

"Did you have anything to do with it?" I ask.

I saw his eyes narrow and he shrugged. "Perhaps..." Yuigahama was surprised at his answer and immediately nagged at him to tell her more about it by shaking his shoulder to catch his attention.

"Woah! Do you mean it, Hikki? Did you do it? How? And who was it?"

"I don't need to tell you the details, and no I won't tell you who it was no matter how much you pester me." He gently shook off her hand. "All you need to know is that you worry about anything. I already took care of it." Since he was very firm and resolute about the identity of the culprit and his method, I decided to keep my mouth shut and not pry further on the topic. He is not the type to lie about things like this, so he must be telling the truth.

"Still, you said that you disliked this request and said that you won't lift a finger to help. What made you change your mind?" I asked.

He did not look at me as he replied. "Someone dear to me was badmouthed. That was reason enough for me to act."

Oh my, how noble of him...

Who is it, I wonder? A friend from his class with whom he shares many interests with? A best friend that he knows ever since childhood?

Perhaps even a secret girlfriend that he has? I wonder what his personal preferences are...Ah, that would be...never mind...

"Hmm, so even Hikki has someone dear to him huh..." Yuigahama-san nodded to herself with her eyes closed.

"Oi..." He leered at her but she just laughed it off. I was about to say my usual playful remark, but I was afraid that I may be overstepping my bounds with him too soon, so I decided against it.

Yuigahama-san's phone rang, and after opening it, she excitedly turned to the boy beside her. "Hikki, we're going to watch a movie this weekend. Since Hayato and Tobe have football practice, Yumiko and Hina wanted you to come too!" She said cheerfully.

"No thank you. And move your fat ass out of the way, I need to get back to my homework." He replied quickly, sounding slightly annoyed.

"So quickly?!" Yuigahama-san exclaimed with her high pitched voice, obviously surprised at the speed of her rejection. I'm more surprised at how she ignored his second statement...

They continued with their little game, Yuigahama-san trying to come up with things that might make him change his mind, while he effortlessly and gracefully finds a loophole to make an excuse. I observed them, the former looking and sounding slightly desperate and frustrated while the latter just gave her a disinterested look with tired eyes. It was mildly amusing to witness.

"But the movie is really good!"

"Ah, is that so..." He lazily replied.

"The actors are famous!"

"I can't even name more than five actors or actresses..."

"We'll treat you!" I saw Yuigahama-san make a hopefully face. Surely with that statement, even Hikigaya-kun might be forced to concede...?

"Oi, even I have my pride as a guy you know..."

"Then you can treat us!"

"Not happening."

"We'll split up the bill!"

"Sorry."

"Uhh, we'll go shopping after...?" Yuigahama-san was running out of ideas since even she was not sure of what she was saying.

" Haaaaaaah? And become your boy-toy helper to carry your bags around? I'll pass on that, thank you very much." He rolled his eyes at her and returned his attention to his homework. "As I said, get your fat ass out of the way before I-" He added, but got interrupted by Yuigahama-san.

"Think about it! You get to enjoy the three of us by yourself for an entire day!" I raised a brow at her bold choice of words. The words that she uttered dawned unto her, and she became visibly flustered and the embarrassment was slowly but surely creeping up to her face. Her wording was terrible and the other meaning behind it caused my thoughts to go spinning out of control.

All of them to himself for an entire day...

The three of them...with him...

I had to forcefully suppress a blush from forming with all of my willpower because of the images that I was subconsciously making in my mind.

Lewd thoughts go away, lewd thoughts go away, lewd thoughts go away, lewd thoughts go away, lewd thoughts go away, lewd thoughts go away...

Hikigaya-kun was the epitome of calmness and serenity. His face betrayed no hint of embarrassment nor even a slight blush. He looked like he had just awakened from a 100-year meditation in a secluded temple high in the mountains where the peaks kissed the clouds and attained enlightenment. I could almost see a golden light emanating from him. He opened his usual half-lidded eyes, and I swore they glowed with brilliance.

Is this...Is this the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman...?

"And?" He simply asked.

"Uwaaaaah! Hikki you N.E.E.T! You should go out and socialize mooooore!" She grabbed him by his collars and shook him for some reason. All the while saying how he was such a good-for-nothing "N.E.E.T". What does that mean, I wonder...?

"Hey! I'm not a N.E.E.T! I have a part-time job and I'm in school, so that cancels out pretty much the core definition of N.E.E.T-ness! If anything, YOU'RE THE N.E.E.T!" Instead of grabbing her hands to force her to let him go, he pinched and twisted her tummy with his two hands, which caused her to squeal out in surprise.

" Kyaaaah! Hikki you pervert! You did it again! You touched me like last time!" She said and covered her exposed area with her arms. I saw a nerve twitch at Hikigaya-kun's forehead and he promptly got up and pinched both of her cheeks.

Last time...?

" Haaaaaah?! You touched me first! Grrrr! Is this it?! Is this the cheeky little mouth that called me a N.E.E.T and a pervert?! Why you-!" He exclaimed with a shout and started pulling on her cheeks. Yuigahama-san could not force him to let go, since the difference in physical strength was quite clear. She could not do anything but flail her arms around, like a fish out of water. Not to mention making squeaking sounds, like a small animal cornered by a predator as she got her cheeks pulled by him.

"Ouch! Let meeeeeugh goooooooo!"

At that point, I had to look away from them, the unfamiliar feeling is starting to rise again...it has gotten stronger and painful recently. I hate this feeling, it eats me away from the inside and is constantly making its presence known every day. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I want to make it go away, but I don't know how to make it so. I don't know what to do.

Yuigahama-san made those shrieks again, and my eyes were drawn once again to their two forms.

Watching them being silly with each other...

Watching them so relaxed around each other...

I don't know what this feeling is...

All I know is that...

One day...

I hope to do things like that...

With him...

But with the way things are between me and him...

It will be very difficult, I wager...

Hello again, I bet you lot weren't expecting another update this soon! Since we all have a lot of free time in our hands, I decided to just write when I'm bored. And I'm ALWAYS bored.

I'm really glad about the positive feedback from the previous chapter. I was a bit worried that adding an OC might disrupt the plot, but I just said, "Screw it! Sumiya Yuuko gets the spotlight this chapter!" And so another route has been added. Some of the other girls would be jealous of her I say if they found out what Hachiman did to her. She got more intimate scenes with him than the other girls, and it was even her debut chapter!

By the way, the first draft of their scene together got a bit...M-rated since I MIGHT have gotten carried away and the chapter was smut...if you want to read it, well...just say the word lmao.

As for Yukino, we finally got an idea of what's going on in that complicated head of hers! Looks like she's starting to at least see what's wrong, the only question is whether or not she would accept or deny it. Hachiman has given her the "silent treatment" and nothing else, the psychological pressure that is put on the Ice Queen seems to have worked. And those final lines of hers...WAS IT FINALLY AN ADMISSION?!

Reply time!

Fuyuhara Sora: Thought about that, but at the same time I've never read fanfic where Hachiman seduced someone into doing his bidding, so yeah lol.

SilverZ-Tenori0: Thank you!

garoorar: Hmm, you MAY have just given me an idea, huehuehuehuehue...

Alex Focker: He's a sadist, she just found out that she may be a masochist for him, they would make a PERFECT pair! XD

Darkkon27: The Emperor protects Brother.

.1: He'll reveal in a monologue how he "taught" himself to do it in a chap or two lol.

Xperior: Zaashu!

jargax: It was a unorthodox method to be sure, but hey as long as it works.

Jamesbucag: Hachiman is can be a highkey Chad, he just chooses to be lowkey lol.

Clipsus: NGL sometimes I squeal over the stuff I write lmao.

Harco8059: Thanks!

As always, review, favourite, follow blah blah blah.

See you in a week or two!

37

"YOOOOOO, HIKITANI!"

Ugh, please not now, I just stepped into the classroom...

"Ah, Good Morning Tobe..." I gave him a lazy wave as I watched him sprint his way toward me from his little group of friends. In a strange way of greeting, he put his arm around my neck in a friendly manner. I had to slightly slouch since I was a bit taller than him, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Hina giggle at us.

"Damn man, why'd you gotta bail on us like that last time? We had plans after the company visit, remember?" He said as I walked to my chair with his arm still on my shoulder.

"A sudden appointment came up, and I had to go. Sorry." I apologized after putting my bag down and sat on the chair.

"Hmmm, well I kinda get it, I think. Someone like you must be always busy huh. But still..."

"Why didn't you tell us that we were having a company visit on your Dad's company? Like, wow, you were a big fish here at school but I didn't know your Dad was an even bigger one! Damn his place was cool! And he was chill and cool too! And the ship that we went to that was named after you? WOW! That trip was amazing and soooo COOOOOOOOL!" He exclaimed and continued with stars in his eyes like an excited child loud enough for everyone to hear. I had to resist covering my face to hide from the attention everyone was giving me.

I knew I shouldn't have gone with them...

Tobe and Yuigahama were the most excited ones during the company visit, and I had to grab them by the scruff of their necks before they get lost and wander off. Damn Hayama, even he was so immersed that he forgot to keep Tobe in check, not to mention Miura and Hina too. My Father was the one who personally led our group and gave us a tour around the building and into the port and ship. Miura was the one with Yuigahama while I was stuck with the child that was known as Tobe. Kawasaki had accidentally called my Father "Uncle", which led to some mild confusion that I had to personally clear up. She was too shy to approach me during the trip, but I saw Hina strike a conversation with her several times. She was awkward and a bit defensive at first but soon got her bearings straight when I gave her some words of encouragement.

While Miura and I were busy trying to control our wild and rowdy "Children", Hina kept on teasing us so I went along with her and called Miura my "Wife". She kept on blushing at first but in the end, she just didn't care anymore and called me her "Husband". It was a bit fun if a bit silly at first. Needless to say, Hina was having the time of her life. Hehehe, I'll have to thank her in some way since seeing Miura's flustered face was worth the mild embarrassment on my part. Hayama was at the front of the group, but instead of leading the class, he kept asking my Father questions about how he managed the company and stuff.

Since I was feeling a bit stressed, I decided to...ah...go home early, so I decided to call my Father's driver so he can drop me off at the nearest station to go home. Completely disregarding my earlier promise to Tobe and the others. When I told Hiratsuka-sensei of my intention, she pinched my sides and twisted my ear, but she let me go after sighing and telling my Father about it.

Tobe was a big help in doing the background checks, and he is more observant than people give him credit for. I made him go to the other classes and check out some of the possible suspects last week. I used him as my assistant, or something similar to that in the week that I was working on it. He became extremely enthusiastic to help me out when I said that the Council needed him for some undercover operations. Though when asked about the negatives, he can't properly form words and reach a more acceptable conclusion since he's such a good guy.

Tobe Kakeru is a good guy.

I don't feel bad for using him to further my ends, not one bit. In the end, he helped me in achieving a good deed, that is putting a stop to those ridiculous chain mails. Perhaps in the future, I will tell him.

That's why I'm more tolerable of him now, and I admit that I had warmed up to him from our time together last week.

As for the certain girl that I called to the roof...

She was fine.

Until I get within three meters of her and then she becomes a nervous blushing wreck that can't properly form words. Did I also forget that she sneaks peeks at me during class from time to time, and when I turn in her direction, she pretends to sigh or just look at the ceiling as well? Did she seriously think that I didn't feel her gaze on me?

Sumiya-sa-, I mean, Yuuko has yet to fully recover from our little chat. Her thoughts seem to be constantly occupied and she can't think straight. I remember one time where we locked eyes for a little while when I was eating alone at the cafeteria, she was about to give me a cute little wave and smile, but she failed to do that since she became a blushing mess and covered her face and ran away to hide. Or that moment where I accidentally bumped into her during gym class, she fled before I could properly apologize. She's so cute, I feel like teasing her again, but that's a trashy thing to do.

She's acting like a maiden in love...

Perhaps she is.

My little stunt must have backfired at some point, I didn't expect my acting to be that good. I got the intended results, but I didn't see this of ALL things happening. She must have had something for me even before I asked to meet with her. With how she's acting, I wouldn't be surprised if I somehow made those feelings within her grow stronger.

I'd rather deal with real-life problems like the ones that we always encounter in the council over something like this.

Human emotions are difficult to understand, I can't fully wrap my head around them. You can't accurately anticipate nor make any concrete plans since emotions as a whole are wholly unpredictable. Just take this as an example:

I had tried to intimidate and seduce her into stopping the chain mails, and I succeeded. I little blush or two was expected, maybe developing a little crush on me was acceptable. But I did not expect that my actions caused the feeling within her to take fruit and grow so quickly.

It feels strange knowing that a person of the opposite sex desires me that way, this is just an afterthought but, maybe, just maybe, she and I could-

"Hikitani bro? Are you alright? You kinda spaced out a bit on me there." I felt a hand on my shoulder and I was taken back to reality.

I rubbed my eyes to make the drowsiness go away. "Ah, did I now? Sorry, I'm still a bit sleepy that's all..."

Tobe looked like he had a sudden idea and gave me a stupid grin that I had become quite familiar with. "Alright! Because you weren't able to fulfil your promise, your punishment is to play football with us later after class!" He declared and pointed his finger at me.

I couldn't help but give a tiny smile after sighing in exasperation. "Goodness, I guess it's the least that I can do..."

Yes yes, it's a short chapter I know, this was more of a summary monologue. I felt that 8man needed a solo monologue chapter since he hasn't done that in a while.

Reply time!

Jasseru: Hiratsuka-sensei is going to make an epic comeback a few chapters from now!

Phospor: Thanks for the very detailed review mate!

MastaofBitches: XD

Sum9: Hachiman is VERY observant, that's all I'm going to say for now ;)

JinDevilKazama: Thanks!

Damn you lot are horny and thirsty for that smut chapter lmao. Don't worry, it's done! I'll post tomorrow or something, right after I do some corrections of course.

I made it substantially longer and made some surprise changes at the end!

See ya in a few days!

38

Standing on a massive ship that is named after you that is also owned by your Father's company is a strange feeling. It may sound cool on paper, but in reality, it's really weird. Especially when your first name is being thrown around by your classmates. Sometimes I get confused about whether they're talking about the ship or me. Even though I've been to his office building many times, I've only stepped on this ship around thrice.

"Hikio!"

"Hikki!"

A pair of feminine voices called out to me, and I could already feel the nagging before it comes.

Oh my God.

"Oi Hachiman! Are you paying attention!?" I heard my Father's voice from up ahead. He looked stern, and I saw the same eyes that I possessed in him. Hina and Yuigahama nagged at me like an annoying relative at a family gathering.

I felt a light shove from my right side, the side where my "Wife" was staying. "Hikio! Stop spacing out! Look! Tobe is about lean off the railing and fall to the sea!"

I rolled my eyes and looked behind me where I saw that my "Wife" was indeed not jesting. " TOBE GET BACK HERE OR ELSE I'LL THROW YOU OVERBOARD MYSELF!" Upon my words, he immediately listened and ran back to our group. He gave me an apologetic look and scratched his head. Miura hit him on the head and the area where her fist impacted swelled and became all red.

I heard my Father resume talking as we followed him, he led us out to where the cranes above were situated. "Now as you can see, this ship transports goods from all around Japan and other parts of the world. The Hachiman's previous voyage was from Shanghai, and the next one is to Singapore. As a subsidiary and secondary logistics and shipping company, it remains semi-independent but still handles its management like ship maintenance, human resources, technical communications and on-site inspections before and after voyages. The sister ship of The Hachiman is already under construction."

"Hikki!" I felt Yuigahama tug on my sleeve and gave me an inquisitive look. "Hikki, have you been with your Dad to the Netherlands?"

"No, and I don't want to," I reply with a bored tone. After doing a short lecture, our class went to the area where they put those big rectangular containers where his assistant did the explaining. I forgot his name, but he was nice to me since he bought me my favourite lunch the last time we met during the school break.

"Hm? Why?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Because my betrothed is there, and I hate her since she peeked on me taking a bath once," I whisper to her since I was also listening to the lecture. My joke was a mistake because she yelled out in shock.

" WHAT?!" She exclaimed and many heads turned in our direction. Miura was quite startled and looked at us questioningly.

"Moron! That was a joke! You didn't need to scream like a banshee!" I hit lightly her on the head for her stupid antics and she apologized.

"Ouch...you didn't have to hit me that hard..." She said and rubbed the area where I hit her.

"I didn't even hit you that hard, stop overreacting," I whisper back to her.

Miura asked what we were talking about, but I put a finger on my lips and I told her to listen to the lecture. Hiratsuka-sensei was with us, and she stayed at the back of our group to keep an eye on us. Tobe only managed to slip past her since she was taking a call earlier.

We continued following my Father around while he talked about how this subsidiary company worked, how much manpower was needed and of course, how much he paid his workers. He didn't quite go into specifics and he diverted the question into the company benefits that his workers received, like insurance benefits, paid leave, day-offs and other bonuses. We passed by a few interns and they shared what their experiences in working on a ship were like. The girls didn't look all that excited but listened anyway since life at sea sounded dull. As for most of the boys, they were listening intently and some of them took notes on what the interns said. Kawasaki was included in the latter with Hina, and they stayed at the front of the group to hear my Father better.

Hoh, if things go on like this...

Some of them might even be working for my Father in the future, or perhaps for me.

I pictured a more mature Kawasaki Saki in corporate attire wearing a short skirt that exposed much of her long legs with black stockings. She wore glasses as she followed me around day after day and served me as my dutiful and loyal secretary. Whenever my shoulders felt a bit sore, she'll massage my back with her skilful hands. After a stressful day at work, she would help me relax by seductively taking off her blazer and -

WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH!

WHERE THE HECK DID THOSE THOUGHTS COME FROM?!

KEI-CHAN, FORGIVE YOUR HAA-CHAN FOR HAVING LEWD THOUGHTS ON SAA-CHAN!

"Hikki, why is your face red?" Yuigahama said when she saw my face, Miura also turned to look when she heard her.

"Must be because of the weather, I don't know. Stop talking and pay attention." I say, they looked like they wanted to argue but turned their attention back to my Father who was currently talking about the daily operations inside the vessel. Hayama asked a question, and my Father answered him immediately.

We went to the bridge, the crew's quarters, the engine room and finally to the main deck. Everyone surprisingly behaved for the rest of the tour, even Tobe and Yuigahama. Probably because Hiratsuka-sensei scolded us a bit earlier. We took the bus back to my Father's building where we were going to take our snacks, courtesy of my Father, Hikigaya Joshirou. We took the elevator and went to the small dining hall.

When my Father's people came and gave it to us, I was rather impressed, to say the least. It was a full package, a large pork and chicken cutlet, lots of sliced cabbages, some sliced fruit at the side, potato salad and water served with lemon and cucumber and some Japanese sweets to finish it.

This wasn't a snack anymore, this was a full-blown meal.

"Uwaaaah, it's so big, I can't take all of it..."

"I know, I can't handle all of this meat..."

"Yui, help me out here, I can't finish this..."

"Uncle Joshirou went all out huh..."

Yuigahama, Miura, Hina and Kawasaki muttered to themselves as we sat at the table. "You don't have to finish it all you know..." I say when I saw their slightly troubled expressions.

"No! If we do that, it's a sign of disrespect and not being thankful for the food!" Yuigahama said and the others nodded in agreement.

"I understand what you're getting at, but still..." I reply.

I was quite thankful that Hina invited Kawasaki to our small table, from my right, it was Kawasaki, Hina, Miura and Yuigahama. I felt some kind of tension when Kawasaki and Miura eyed each other, but they just smiled it off when I gave both of them questioning looks.

Is there...some kind of rivalry between them? But I've never seen them interact much in class...

Hayama had the absolute gall to sit and eat with my Father, Tobe and some of the other boys too. After thanking for the food, we started eating. The four of them already knew me for a while and were quite aware that I didn't like making conversation while eating. Because of that, our table was the quietest around in the entire dining hall. But that didn't mean that I can't throw in a word or two, ignoring someone when being spoken to is quite rude you know.

"Hikio, your Dad is cool," Miura said after wiping her mouth with a tissue.

"Which part of him is cool?" I ask.

"Hmm, he's like really confident and has like authority and something, but it's not intimidating," Yuigahama said with her mouth partially full.

I nudged Yuigahama's leg from under the table. "Oi, don't talk with your mouth full. You might choke."

Kawasaki observed us, her eyes darting between the girls in front of her and me. "Ah, Uncle is always like that. He's laid back whenever I go over to your house, right Hikigaya?" She said and turned to me.

"Yes, that's ri-" I couldn't finish what I was going to say since the table had gone suddenly quiet. Not just the regular quiet, but the deathly one. The silence was made more prominent because there was chatter all around us. I saw that the three other girls were looking at Kawasaki, but their eyes were covered by their hair.

"Umm, yes he's always like that I guess..." I continue even with the sudden tension. Kawasaki made a satisfying sound and resumed eating as nothing happened, I swear I saw a tiny smirk or something akin to that.

"H-Hikio, what did she mean by that?" Miura was the first one to break the silence and turned to me with a forced smile, her eye twitching as if straining to maintain it. From the looks of her fingers, she was grasping the table so hard that I thought she was going to tear it apart.

"Yeah Hikki, what did she mean?" Yuigahama was also the same, but her small smile was more forced. When she laid her eyes on me, I was terrified because they looked empty and hollow, as if I was staring right at the infinite abyss itself. She tightly gripped my uniform with her right hand which was hidden from being seen by the others. Hina said nothing, but I saw a nerve tick at her forehead and she kicked me from under the table.

"Oh, we're from the same neighbourhood and our parents are friends with each other, I'm quite fond of her kid sister as well as her little brother who happens to be in the same grade as my little sister..." I say rather slowly and unsurely.

"My little sister adores him so much that she drags me every other weekend to go to their house," Kawasaki added with a small smile.

Three heads slowly nodded in unison but said nothing.

"Oh, remember that time when you cooked for us when it was just the two of us at your house? The food was great by the way. When are we eating out?" Kawasaki said as an afterthought and I just dully nodded at her. She was oblivious or at least pretending to be since her words seemed to have added fuel to the silent yet the blazing fire in front of me.

What is this tension...?

Did they always have some dirt on each other or something...?

"O-Oh yeah! Hikki, my Mama wanted to meet and thank you for being such a good friend to me!" Yuigahama said and grabbed my left arm and I felt Yuigahama's "Jugs" rub themselves on me. They were soft and I almost had a seizure from the sudden contact. Why would her Mother want to meet me? Did her parents and mine make a secret promise to have the two of us get married like some cheap movie with an overused plot?

"Huh, but why? I've never even met her. And if what you say is true, then you've been telling your Mother about me?" I ask. My words made her go red, but a certain someone rose up and indirectly saved her from further embarrassment.

"Hey, Yui! Get your hands off of my "Husband"! He's MINE for the time being!" Miura exclaimed with a slight blush and tried to get her off of me. Yuigahama pouted and resisted against Miura's pulls for a short while until she was forced to let go since the Blondie started tickling her. For the first time in my life, I was glad of the noise around us since it managed to drown out Miura's rather embarrassing statement.

And wait, haaaaah? Excuse me, dear WIFE of mine, but I don't remember being OWNED by you!

Fuahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

No woman can bind me to her will!

Ok except for my Mother, Hiratsuka-sensei and Shiromeguri-senpai of course, even I have to answer to Authority...

"How many times do I have to say this. Stop being such an impulsive brutish Gorilla, Miura. This is why people are afraid of you." I say.

"Haaaah?! Who are you calling a-"

Hina suddenly interjected. "Hmm, but Hikigaya is bashful~. He calls me "Hina" when we're alone but he's too embarrassed to have me call him "Hachiman". He's quite shyer than he looks...Even though he's been calling me that for a while now..." Through her glasses, Hina's eyes had a playful look to them as she put her chin on her hand and waited for my reaction.

"Oi Hina..." I say but her teasing smile only grew wider.

The three other girls looked to her for several seconds and then to me. They now sported hopeful expressions and batted their eyelashes at me.

"Hikio, that's unfair. Call me Yumiko too..." Miura pouted, and I felt her boldly rub her leg on me from under the table.

"Hikigaya...we've known each other for a while already. Even Keika and Taishi call you by your first name..." From my right side, Kawasaki lightly nudged herself on my shoulder.

"Hikki...can you call me "Yui" from now on too, please~?" Yuigahama lightly tugged at my sleeve and looked at me with puppy-dog eyes.

Oh my God.

Being ganged up like this is unfair, I can't say no to those faces thanks to my Onii-chan instincts. Even my EX level resistance against mental attacks such as Charm has a limit in the face of these girls! Ugh, I don't care anymore. Screw this, it's not like me to get flustered over being called by my first name anyway!

"Fine you can call me Hachiman, and I'll call the four of you by your first names..." Good grief, is this what I get for being too nice? I put my hand on my temples, in an attempt to alleviate the sudden headache that came to me.

They looked quite happy with my declaration, and I almost got swayed by their smiles.

"Yumiko."

"Hmph!" She tried to play it off coolly by forcing herself not to smile, but the twitching on the ends of her lips was funny to look at. Not to mention that she was twirling the ends of her hair with her fingers while she avoiding eye contact with me.

"Yui."

"Yay!" Yuiga-I mean, YUI was the only one who was openly happy when I called her, she didn't bother hiding her face like Miura. Damnit, I mean Yumiko.

"Saki."

"T-Took you long enough..." Just like Miu-I mean, YUMIKO, she looked to the side while pretending to cover her mouth with a table napkin to hide her smile. As for Hina, this evil Slaaneshi Daemonette, she looked quite satisfied while eyeing the reactions of the three other girls with an amused grin. I can already imagine her with succubus horns and a heart-shaped devil's tail swinging back and forth as she watched me suffer. Someone's ear is going to get twisted later, and I'm not gonna hold back!

Lord help me, this is going to take a while to get used to...

"Come on, let's finish eating..." I say and they followed my lead. They looked quite pleased and satisfied, at least. I felt the tension dissipate from the table and the atmosphere became comfortable to breathe once again. Several minutes after we finished, the company tour continued and we took the elevators up. Our little group of four became five since Tobe went off to join Hayama, while Hina and Saki came back to us.

When we entered their main workplace, the employees immediately stood up and bowed to my Father, they even bowed to me when I walked by. I should be getting used to this by now, but I still can't

Uwaaah, please stop bowing, it's embarrassing. I'm not your boss, I'm just his loser son...

"Hmm, Hiki-H-Hachiman look, they're bowing to you..." Miu-YUMIKO whispered to my ear after pulling on my sleeve. She stuttered and is still a bit embarrassed to call me by my first name. That's understandable, even though I said that I'll do it, that doesn't mean that I'm going to suddenly get all chummy with everyone.

What am I, a Riajuu?

"Thank you Captain obvious," I reply and she pinched my side for my remark.

We arrived in the Conference Hall where they prepared a short presentation on how the company started, where it stands today and what its daily operations were. Of course, being the son of the owner, I already know everything like the back of my hand since my Father made me watch this same presentation countless times already, saying that once I graduate from college, he's immediately going to retire and give me the reins while he'll live the rest of his life on his yacht exploring the vast Pacific Ocean.

I don't know if he was being serious or not.

I and the girls sat down on the chair provided and waited for the presentation to start. The first few scenes were my Father having a short talk while he sat on his chair in his private room, he explained much of his early life, his college days, where he worked when he started saving and investing and how he started the company. The most embarrassing part was when I saw my baby pictures and me as a toddler when the presentation showed some scenes of our family. I'm not boastful, but I can assure you that I was a very cute baby. I was so cute that I wrote it down on my essay back in Middle-School that I unironically wanted to clone myself in the future and raise him as my own. It didn't go well since I got laughed at by everyone.

"WOAH! BABY HIKITANI IS SO CUTE!" Tobe screamed out like an idiot and pointed at the projector screen. Everyone laughed at him and he got hit in the head by Hayama. The two of them gave an apologetic bow to my Father, but he just looked very amused at them.

...

...

...

That's it.

I'm contacting my Father's Yakuza subordinates. Sorry, Tobe, you said too much. My Father's guys will make it look like an accident...

"LOOK AT HIM HE'S SO SMALL AND CHUBBY AND CUTE!" Yui squealed out which was followed by the others, unfortunately.

God this is so embarrassing...

"AH! HE'S SMILING! HE'S ACTUALLY SMILING! HE HAS NO TEETH YET!" Hina exclaimed with a ridiculously over-the-top voice.

"LOOK! HE'S TRYING TO BITE HIS LITTLE BABY FEET! AAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Yumiko screeched. The last photo was of me at around 6 months old with my hair still wet from the bath, I didn't have any teeth and I was trying to bite my tiny foot. My Father held me, yet he didn't look like he aged much since that day many years ago. Is my Father a vampire? Am I half-vampire and half-human?

Yumiko was the loudest of the bunch, she even shook my shoulders like a madwoman for some reason when she saw that particular photo. I swear females always make exaggerated expressions. I always knew that she had the strongest maternal instincts from our time together back at the camping trip, so her reaction was kinda expected.

Saki was, surprisingly silent so I turned to her to see what she was doing. And I saw her holding her phone and...taking pictures while silently giggling to herself...

Saki, I thought you were my closest sister-in-arms? Why would you betray me like this...?(Cringe, damn you Zaimokuza. Your shitty manuscripts may have gotten in my head.)

I don't remember much about what happened after that, all I know is that the presentation ended and we were on our way back to the bus to take us back to school. That cunning Father of mine even gave each of us a miniature model of the ship, as well as other freebies as souvenirs! Is this his way of showing off?! I haven't said a single word since my mind was still numb from the embarrassment. They were enjoying this and have been teasing me nonstop, these girls! I can't stand another hour of being on the bus with them while they poke and tease me for their amusement! I say NAY to being their boy-toy, as a thing to satisfy their carnal desires!

I refuse!

DAGA KOTOWARU!

I will use the ultimate Joestar Technique, the one that Joseph, son of Jorge, used against Kars!

Running away!

I took out my phone and sent a quick message to my Father's driver, Shikimoto-san.

I drifted to the back of our little group until I was at the very last. They were talking with each other and Saki was sharing the photos that she took with Hina, giggling while they were at it. I was about to take a turn that would take me directly to the underground parking area but I felt a hand suddenly twist my ear.

What?! I didn't feel a presence?! Is this Presence Concealment Rank: EX ?! An Assassin?!

"Hikigaya, where do you think you're going?" I heard her voice and she twisted me again until I had to turn to her.

Hiratsuka-sensei was there in all her glory, she arched a brow at me while her eyes looked at me with suspicion.

"A-Ah, Hiratsuka-sensei..." I croak out and she let go of me. I rubbed my ear to make the pain go away.

You know, I admit that I'm a bit of a sadist. In my games, I laugh when my opponent is on the ground with 1hp left, but instead of ending them right there, I let them live for a little while as I toy with them for my amusement and wait in the corner while I eliminate their teammate that was supposed to revive them. When I'm chasing them with my plane, I deliberately hit their fuel tanks so they can burn alive from the inside.

But being punished like this by a very beautiful single older woman like Hiratsuka-sensei might make me into an M. If that happens, I'll have Hiratsuka-sensei take responsibility for making me feel that way!

"I-I was on my way to the restroom..."

"Oh really? But the restroom isn't in that direction...?" She narrowed her eyes and she leaned in closer to my face.

"I was going to take a call..."

"But why did you have to hide?"

"I have a sudden appointment so I'm going to have my Father's driver take me there..."

"Oh? Without my permission?"

"Nothing like that Sensei, h-hahahaha. I was hoping for this to happen." I say and she then told me to explain myself

"Well, you see Sensei. I'm feeling rather tired today, so I decided to go home on my own. Of course, I was going to ask for your permission." I say with my most convincing voice.

"Is that it?"

I nod. "Yes."

She scratched her head with a conflicted face, and I turned around and saw that the rest of the group was already a small distance away. "I guess you can go, knowing you, you must have already told your Dad about it..."

"Thank you Sensei. If you'll excuse me..." I gave her a grateful bow, but before I could turn away from her, she took hold of my shoulder.

"Hikigaya?"

"Yes, Sensei?" I turn to her once again, eager to hear what she was going to say.

She was quiet for a bit as if deciding if she should come out and say it. "Hikigaya, please fix things up with Yukinoshita..." Hiratsuka-sensei walked away before I could react.

I watched her go for several seconds then just shrugged at her words, not thinking deeply about it and made my way to the underground parking area. I saw my Father's pitch black automobile blinking its lights as if making its position clear for me. The driver's door opened and out stepped out Shikimoto-san, he bowed and opened the door for me. He was a few years younger than my Father and worked as his Driver and Secretary. I got acquainted with him when I travelled around with my Father back during the school break. He was a quiet and very mild-mannered man, some might get intimidated by him but he was very kind and hardworking.

He closed the door when I sat comfortably at the passenger's seat. "Thank you, Shikimoto-san," I say. He nodded at me from the mirror and put on his seatbelt.

"No worries, Hikigaya-kun. Did your class enjoy the tour?" He asked as he started the engine.

"Yes, your co-workers did great, please send them my thanks and regards. My class enjoyed the tour very much." I reply. We got out of the underground parking area and I had to blink and momentarily shield my eyes when we got out under the Sun.

"So Hikigaya-kun, where do you want to go?" He said when the automobile went on the main road. I wanted him to drive me home so badly, but I didn't want to bother Shikimoto-san too much. He only came here at my request after all.

"To the closest station that would directly take me back to Chiba, you will..."

I hate malls, too many people and the crowds make it difficult for me to breathe. Not to mention potential long lines that you have to wait before you can pay for your purchase. I much rather prefer shopping online as my first choice. But today was a special case.

I bought Yuigahama's gift, which was a nice cooking set that I found online. I chose the items and purchased them through my credit card, but I have to personally come here to inspect them and bring them home with me. It's also my way of thanking her for making my days a bit less boring.

Wait, that last part sounded wrong...like a line coming from a villain before I execute a companion of the Hero or something...

Unfortunately, I find myself being dragged around the mall. She was holding my hand which prevents me from going for any chance of escape. She was wearing pretty clothes today, as always. A cute simple blouse that showed off her shoulders while she wore skinny jeans. She found me just as I was about to go home, and by found, I mean by jumping on my back and putting her arms around me. Startling and almost causing a shriek of terror from me. At first, I thought it was Komachi who sneaked out and followed me, but then I remembered that Komachi's chests weren't fully developed yet.

And the ones that I felt on my back earlier were big.

If memory serves me right, I have indirectly felt them a few times before. The most recent one was when we parted at the parking lot of Angel Ladder.

"Haruno."

"Hm~?"

"Can you please let go of my hand?"

"Noooo can do~~." I felt her tighten its hold upon my words.

"Haruno- nee-san."

"Nope~!"

" Nee-san."

"Nuh uh~! If you call me like that, Yukino-chan might get jealous~~..."

"Haruno- nee-sama...?"

"Noooo~!"

" Onee-sama...?"

She turned to me this time with an amused smile. "Hmm, being called like that sounds nice! Still no though~!" She stuck out her tongue at me.

I sighed.

Why did I have to run into her today...

"Seriously Hikigaya-kun, you're dressed quite nicely today, and your perfume is nice too~. Did I somehow steal you from the lucky girl that asked you out~?" She teased and winked at me as we walked hand-in-hand.

"Nothing of that sort, I've just decided to update my wardrobe a bit," I say.

I went on a shopping spree with my Mother and Komachi last weekend(My Father drank too much on the night before and had a massive headache in the morning so he couldn't come with us.) and they took it upon themselves to choose my clothes for me. They had to drag me to the card since I just felt like lazying around at home. My Mother even bought me a golden necklace that she said would look great on me, which I was wearing right now under my shirt. I'm still not used to it, and I woke up at 3 am this morning because I felt that I was being choked. It took us the entire day, and they bought me so many clothes that it was worth two shopping carts.

Right now, I was wearing a white semi-formal long-sleeved shirt and light-brown khaki pants. My trusty watch was with me of course, and I raised my sleeves since it was getting a bit hot. I finally took it upon myself to properly learn how to do my hair, if neither my Mother nor Komachi wasn't present to do it.

"I know! Come with me while I look for some new clothes too!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly since it caused some heads around to turn in our direction.

Since struggling to escape was too late and I didn't have any other appointments today, I sighed in defeat. "Fine."

She giggled at my reply and led us to an expensive-looking boutique. She finally let go of my hand so she can inspect the clothes that caught her eye and I held her purse for her. With the basket in my hand, I just followed her around the store, sometimes she would ask my opinions on the one that she took interest in and put it in the basket. A slave, that's what I am right now...

I went on full autopilot, emptying my mind and followed her around like a robot, only coming to my senses when she spoke to me. I have no idea how much time it took us, all I know is that my legs were aching. I felt my phone ring, the specific tone that I assigned to Komachi's number and excused myself after giving Haruno the basket. Once I was outside, I got it from my pocket and put it to my ear.

"Yes?"

" Haa-chan!" I heard a little girl's voice, one that was too young to be Komachi's from the other end of the call.

"Oh! Kei-chan!" I smiled when I recognized her voice.

" Haa-chan! Haa-chan! Where are you?" Even though I can't see her, I'm sure she's jumping up and down from excitement.

"I'm at the mall right now. Are you at our house?"

" Yup!" I could already see the girl vigorously nodding her head. "You see! Mom and Auntie and Me were in the community meeting thingy! So Auntie invited us for tea after!"

"Are you being a good girl?"

" Yes! I'm the good girl during the meeting! Auntie said so!" I heard Komachi laugh in the background at the word "goodest".

Ah! She's so cute and precious! This call alone is going to give me diabeetus. When I have a daughter someday, I hope she will be as sweet as Kei-chan!

" Haa-chan! Can you come back so we can play now?" She asked with a hopeful voice.

I felt my chest tighten and cause pain within me. "Well, Haa-chan is doing something right now, and I might come home late. But we'll play tomorrow, ok? Keep it a secret from Saa-chan, bring Taishi instead."

" Okay, Haa-chan! See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah." The call ended and left me feeling warm inside. Uwaah, Kei-chan is so cute, too much cuteness is bad for my hollow heart!

I went back inside the store to find my " Onee-sama" looking for me. "Hikigaya-kun! I thought you ran away from me! Tell me how this dress looks on me~." She took hold of my hand and we went to the changing rooms. There were other women around giving us amused looks and I waited and crossed my legs outside the changing room for her to finish. I heard some rustling inside, the sounds of clothing being taken off. I discarded lewd thoughts by thinking about my shitty gacha game.

Tch, now I'm pissed off! Stupid gacha game with stupid rate-ups! Rate-ups are a lie!

After a short while, the covers slid to the right revealing Haruno in a simple white free-flowing dress. It had short sleeves and the skirt ended at her ankles. She gave me a cute twirl while grinning to let me see the entire thing.

"It looks great. Are you going to the beach or something?" I think this was called a sundress. Women typically wear this during the summer seasons or at the beach. When worn at the latter, they usually wear their swimwear underneath. Or something like that, I'm not well versed in feminine articles of clothing.

"Heeh~...Are you imagining me in a swimsuit~...?" She gave me the typical haughty Ojou-sama look and giggled.

"Maybe..." I say with an impassive face, not really in the mood for her antics.

"Oh my~! I guess I'll go look for one then, and I'll have you pick one for me~. One that suits your... preferences. Hehehehe~..." She gave me a flirty wink before closing the covers of the changing room.

Needless to say, I was left blushing and speechless because of her statement. I do admit that I was caught off guard. Good grief, I let my guard down just this once and this immediately happens...

Haruno - 1

Hachiman - 0

I overheard the salesladies nearby whisper to themselves.

" Oh my, how daring of her...!"

" Look at those two, keep an eye on them! They might do something funny inside the changing rooms...!"

" Yes, Maam!"

Without even needing to turn around, I heard one of them stay closer to us and started pretending to be busy doing something. Uwaah, that last part was something straight out of hentai doujin...

The covers opened again, and this time, Haruno was wearing a light-blue blouse with floral patterns that had frills at the end of her sleeves. It fitted her nicely, though I bit too nicely at the area around her chest.

"How about this~?"

"Yeah, looks good on you." I gave her a lazy nod.

"I know right? Wait till you see the back~!"

But then she turned around with a grin and I nearly had a heart attack.

It was a backless blouse and exposed much of the skin at her back. I saw her bra, it was black. My Onii-chan instincts activated without warning and I sprang right next to her and covered her.

"Too revealing! Too revealing! WAY TOO REVEALING! Go back inside and change right now!" I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back inside with her facing me of course and quickly closed the covers in front of me. She laughed at my reaction but listened to me anyway.

"Stupid blouse. Why does that thing even exist, it's a blasphemy to all blouses everywhere." I mutter to myself as I sat down once more. Haruno must have heard me since I heard her giggling from the inside.

" Onee-sama," I say louder to make sure that everyone heard me, "please don't get that. You will get in trouble if Mother finds out."

From the inside of the changing room, I heard her reply. " Hai hai~~..."

Once again, I heard the voices of the salesladies.

" Oh, so they were siblings."

" They're so cute and so close together too. I wish I was still that close to my little brother, he just started puberty right now and he ignores me! I think it's because he's starting to notice girls, that's why he's so self-conscious and fidgeting when he's around me!"

" Don't you think that they're a bit...too close?"

It's either they don't know that their voices are actually audible for me, or maybe it's just that my sense of hearing is really sensitive. As a proud siscon, I'm getting brocon vibes from the second voice not gonna lie.

Thankfully, Haruno didn't pull any pranks on me after that, and she tried on a few more before we were done. She soon got out with the clothes in the basket, looking very much satisfied with herself. "I'm getting these~..." I waited for her to pay for her stuff and we got out of the boutique together.

"Where do you want to go next?" She asked and took my hand once more. It feels rather strange doing something so lewd as hand-holding in public. The Anti-Lewdness Police might be watching us right now! I felt her sway our hands in sync with our walking and she looked at me with childish glee. I didn't feel like ruining her fun, so I just let her do as she pleased.

I was about to say that I wanted to check out the gunpla that they sold here, but I already promised Hina that I'd go with her, so that pretty much cancels my gunpla hunting out.

"Hmmm..." I hummed in thought as we walked since we weren't really in a hurry.

She was happy to just wait for me to answer until we saw an arcade that instantly drew our attention. We both looked at each other at the same time with the same intent, it was a bit silly that I had to chuckle at the coincidence. The place was packed, as expected, and the air inside was filled with the sounds of games and chatter. Haruno looked at the long line to the exchange booth with slight disdain. "Uwaaah, it's so long..."

I never thought that I would ever come to use this with her. I only used this several times with Shiromeguri-senpai after work and I had to drag her away from the arcade last time.

She let go of my hand when I told her that I was going to get something from my wallet. After looking through my debit and credit cards, I finally found them and gave one to Haruno.

"Hm? What's this Hikigaya-kun...?" She looked at the very shiny platinum card with curiosity. It glinted brightly when it caught some of the lights above.

"Well, the marketing campaign and anniversary event of this arcade chain included giving very generous tokens and gifts to some of the children of its long-time investors. It's a lifetime membership with infinite credits. I got this from my Father."

She looked at the seemingly small card with surprise and amazement. " Infinite?! Wow, and you got two?"

"We kept this a secret from my little sister since she might... go astray if you catch my meaning. She sometimes gets easily distracted." I say. My Father and I agreed that this was the best course of action to take seeing that Komachi was still a child after all. Giving this to her right now might cause problems in the future.

"Come on, let's go," I say and led her to one of the gaming areas. I had a day off today since Boss Yuuka had some new part-timers and my shifts have significantly changed. As is customary when going to arcades, I went to those fighting games, eager to show off my skills to my companion. I've played this game since I was in middle school and all its new releases that followed. I even have this in Vita-chan. When we went there, a frustrated-looking girl got up from the seat and walked away with her friends. The one who beat her laughed victoriously but still had to decency to shake hands with his enemy.

"GG."

"GG."

I stepped from the small crowd and said that I wanted to play with him. Since the seat was big enough for two people, Haruno sat beside me and watched the screen curiously as I swiped my card. Everyone was drawn to her beauty, even the girl that was beaten just moments before.

"Hikigaya-kun, what are you doing? Are you choosing a character?"

"Yup," I say with my mind full of concentration. The game lasted for three rounds until the victor is decided. You can get beat up twice in a row but can still win. The annoying mechanic in this game is that you can't see your opponent's chosen character until the very last second, so you can't pick a character that can counter him effectively.

Only twenty seconds left and I still couldn't decide my character, so I turned to Haruno. "Pick a character for me."

"Hmm, ok. Let's see..."

Her eyes drifted to one of the strong-looking characters, the ones with ridiculously huge muscles or with weapons like swords and guns. Next, she took an interest in the ones that practised martial arts based on what they were wearing.

"What about this guy, he reminds me of you since you!" She picked one that was wearing a gi, the uniforms that were worn by people who practised Taekwondo. Huh, I have one like this at home, no make that three. The character's hair covered his eyes, and aside from his uniform, he didn't have any uniqueness to his design.

He looked like a hentai protagonist.

Did Haruno indirectly imply that I look like a hentai protagonist? Meh, probably not, she doesn't look the type to know this kind of stuff. The only persons that come to mind are Hina and Zaimokuza.

I don't know if being called that I resemble a hentai protagonist is a compliment or an insult...

"Fantastic choice. Quick and hard kicks, fast footwork but little weak on his punches." I say and she looked rather proud of herself and puffed out her chest.

The game started and my opponent chose one of the most annoying characters in the game. The one that he picked was notorious for spamming hits from all directions at point-blank range.

For the first few seconds, we were testing each other sometimes lunges and feints, but never fully committing. He was being very careful, as was I. He must be a skilled player. He struck on the last ten seconds, getting several hits but I managed to block and land a hard blow that knocked him off of his feet.

The round ended with neither of us getting our health bars depleted, but he got the score since his health was higher than mine.

He immediately ran towards me just as the second round started. Hitting me hard and fast with combos, not giving me time to recover and block. It was his victory and I heard some disappointing comments from the spectators. It seems that they expected a longer engagement.

Haruno poked my shoulder and said words of encouragement. I took a peek at my enemy and he was looking very full of himself and thinking that he had one.

The third round started just like the second, and he ran towards me at full speed.

Instead of blocking or dodging.

I jumped.

And landed a devastating critical hit to his head that stunned him on the ground for two seconds.

Which was more than enough time to initiate combo after combo.

"HOLY SHIT!" I heard him exclaim in utter shock.

The round ended at the eight-second mark.

Haruno was a bit confused about what happened since it was too fast, but the spectators cheered and voiced out their amazement at the speed of the match.

I ignored them and continued with the game. I beat him again just like that for the 2nd time and on the last round, he was very aggressive and unpredictable that even I had to be careful. In the end, he made the mistake of jumping backwards, probably thinking that I was going to give him a close-quarters uppercut. Unfortunately for him, that was a feint and that left him just in range of my finisher combo.

I won just like that, and Haruno looked quite entertained, to say the least.

I went up to my opponent and shook his hand. "Good game."

"GG man. That was sick bro!" He grinned and patted my shoulder.

Huh, and here I was thinking that he was angry and going to pick a fight with me since he looked a bit delinquent-ish. I was already mentally preparing myself too...

I should seriously stop over-thinking things and judging people at face value...

A newcomer said that he wanted to play with me, but I retired and gave my seat to him instead. As we were walking, I saw from the corner of my eye that he picked the same character that I picked. And everyone around was saying that they're gonna try it out too. Hoh, did I just started a new meta?

"Haruno, where do you want to go?"

"Let's play one of the crane games!" She said and led me to them. I thought we were going to those usual crane games that had stuffed animals inside, but she was very interested in the crane game that had desserts inside instead of toys. Uwaah, I wish there was a crane game out there that had gunpla in them, I'd use my card to get every single box.

We went to the biggest one that we could find, and she immediately went to try it out while U read its instructions. "Hikigaya-kun, it's not working." She said after trying the card several times with no success.

"No, you have to do it slower. Otherwise, the machine can't read the card." I said and held her hand to teach her. She didn't mind the contact, and I saw a small smile on her face when I did it. We swiped it together and the machine blinked its lights to life.

"Oh! So that's how you do it!" She said and went to the controls. Eyeing a vanilla flavoured ice cream sandwich. The crane's claws closed around it, and Haruno's eyes narrowed. The claw had it in its grasp until it fell from the recoil of it being withdrawn upwards.

Haruno made a frustrated sound, and swiped again, and again, and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again again.

Despite trying to look calm, Haruno was very much infuriated, that much I can tell. I can already feel her Madness Enhancement passive skill increase with every failed attempt. "Haruno, why don't you let me have a go..." I call out to her softly and touched her hand since she was grasping the controls so strongly that I was afraid that she'd rip the poor thing off. Her eye was twitching with barely controlled rage. She turned to me without warning and she covered her mouth and yelled in frustration on my chest, not to mention stomping her foot. Some people gave us strange looks and I patted her head in an attempt to cheer her up.

"There there..." She calmed down from my touch after a little while and separated from me. Her expression had returned to normal but turned sour when she turned to the dreaded machine. "Stupid thing..." she said and kicked it. I just laughed it off.

I swiped my card and played with the controls a little, feeling the speed of the claws, its reaction time and how much it swayed when it carried nothing. Once I was satisfied, I decided to try getting the one that Haruno had been trying to catch earlier without much success. The claws descended, caught the ice-cream sandwich with ease, rose, travelled to the hole and dropped it.

"WHAT THE-?! YOU GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY?!" Haruno loudly exclaimed as I calmly knelt and got my prize. I wordlessly gave it to her.

"Huh? But you were the one who...?"

I shrugged. "I did it for you. I wanted something else anyway." I say and turn my attention to the machine and swiped with my card. I got my mochi ice cream on the first try, just like before. Haruno was speechless, and looked at me incredulously, thinking as if I was messing with her. After getting mine, we decided to sit down on the benches inside as we ate our prizes. She still couldn't get over the crane game.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I arch a brow at her, feigning ignorance.

"Get them on the first try? Is there a secret? Do you need to make combinations with the controls earlier, that's why you played with it around first? Does the card increase its success rate when you're using it?" She nagged and gripped my sleeve.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Nothing like that."

"Then how? HOW?" She inched her face closer to mine, desperate to get an answer from me, but I was unfazed. I gave her a small grin.

"You can say that I've been building up my luck stats for some time, and I could use them to make instantly make certain situations go my way..." I reply.

She tilted her head to the side, not sure what to make of my words. Confused since she didn't quite get the reference. Good grief, what a normie. "So...luck?"

I nod.

"Just luck?"

I nod again.

"You do know the probability of success in crane games is really low right?"

"Don't blame me, I just happened to be lucky twice in a row."

She sighed and pouted, looking quite dissatisfied by my reply. "Meanie..." I felt her head on my shoulder and rub herself on it. I didn't mind that she was leaning on me and I did the same to her. Her shampoo smelled nice, but I couldn't quite tell the scent since I was too busy eating. I didn't care if some people were giving us looks of slight annoyance at how ... openly affectionate we were with each other.

"Mind if I take a picture?" She asked and tapped my hand with her finger.

"Go ahead..."

Without another word, she took out her phone and snapped a photo, the two of us not moving an inch from our current positions. When she showed it to me, I was resting my cheek on top of her head and she did the same to my shoulder while we were both making very relaxed expressions.

"Smile for me this time, Hikigaya-kun."

She snapped again, she had a bright smile on her face while I just had a small one. I thought I looked a bit awkward, but then she said that I looked "charming" and "cheeky", to which I kind of agreed. We continued eating silence while watching different people walk by, some with their prizes in their hands while some looked very angry and frustrated.

"By the way," I say boredly and rubbed my cheek on her head to get her attention since I was already done eating .

"Hmm?" She looked up at me, some bits of ice cream on her lips.

"Your perfume, where did you get it?"

"Which one? Right now?" She asked inquisitively from my question.

"The one you had on when we were at Angel Ladder."

"Ah, I think I got that in Tokyo..."

"Ugh, why does it have to be so far away..." I sighed. Why does everything good have to be in Tokyo, Chiba matters too!

"Tokyo isn't far you know. It's only a train ride away. Why, did you like it?"

I nodded. "Yes, I think my Mother would love it."

She looked like she thought of an idea, and I can already guess what she's going to say next.

Your next line, is "Then do you want to go there together?"!

"Then do you want to go there together?" When she said that, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. She looked at me in wonder, trying to figure out what was funny.

"Maybe some other time..." I reply and finished my dessert. I disposed of our garbage at the nearby trash bin and went back to her. "That was good, but I want a proper lunch now..." She said.

Since she was leaning on my left side, I found it quite difficult to take a peek at my watch without moving her. Instead, I took out my phone and saw that it was half past 11:00, and I was starting to get hungry too.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Let's go then." We got up and started walking to the exit of the arcade. Honestly, the loud sounds here are starting to give me a headache, and Haruno's suggestion was just at the right time.

"Where are we gonna eat?"

"Let's just decide as we walk around. I'm unfamiliar with this place and I'm sure that we'll come across a nice place to eat."

She took out her phone again after putting her bags down and snapped a selfie of us. Her arm was around mine, and even though it wasn't shown that we were holding hands, it was enough to give an impression of it. Now that I take a good look at myself, I don't look half-bad as I thought I was. So Haruno wasn't joking around when she said that huh...

I wordlessly carried her bags for her and slowly took her hand, interlocking her fingers with mine, unlike before where we were just hand-holding. They were small, soft and warm. I wonder how my hands felt to her. I stepped closer to her until our shoulders were touching. She was pleasantly surprised at my act and turned to me with a small shy smile while her cheeks had a small blush.

"O-Oh my, what's this, H-Hachiman?" She said and played with my fingers, trying to play it off coolly despite the pinkish tinge on her cheeks.

Hoooooooh, using the First-Name Card, are we...

I gave her a small grin, completely ignoring the small blush that I felt on my pale face too. If I fail now, then I will pass out from the embarrassment. "W-Weren't you making sure that I won't run away? And I don't know much about this area, I might get lost." I reply in a relaxed manner while looking forward.

"Ah, and this is your way of... binding yourself to me...?"

I shrugged. "Too late to run away anyway. This is my way of returning the favour that I owed you. Rejoice and be merry, for I will allow you to be in my presence." I gave her an arrogant smirk and she playfully hit my shoulder.

She fluttered her eyes at me, and the coy smile that she had turned into a flirty one.

"Hmm~, has the great Hikigaya Hachiman finally given up~?"

"If by "giving up" means that I've decided to stick with you for the rest of the day, then yes. I have given up. Plus, I rarely get to be in the presence of a high-class girl like you."

Her blush slightly deepened at my last statement, yet she was still able to maintain her composure. "But you are actually "high-class" too, y-you knooooow~. Are you sure that you are not going to run off if I take my eyes off you~?"

"No."

" Reeeeeeeeeaalllyyyy~?"

"Yes, really."

"Prove it then~..."

I wordlessly held up our hands together for her to see. That was an answer enough for her since she looked very much amused at my act.

Her eyes had a certain glint to them when I replied, and she nodded while looking very satisfied with herself. "So you're enjoying this then?"

"Of course I am. Any time spent with you is never boring."

She giggled that cute pleasant sound of hers, and playfully pinched my side. "Hehehehe~. Oh my, such daring words~. You make me feel a bit flustered, Hachiman~. But aren't you embarrassed to be seen in public like this by someone you know from school?" She asked and cutely tilted her head to the side.

"Why on Earth would I be embarrassed to be seen together with a gorgeous girl such as you? I'm flaunting you off to everyone around us right now. Let them know and realize that right now, I am the luckiest man in the world." I leaned down and whispered in her ear.

For the first time since I met her, I made Yukinoshita Haruno blush profusely and at a loss for words.

Haruno - 1

Hachiman - 1

Our scores were tied.

She tried to say something but her voice failed her and looked down, trying to hide her face from me. Her hand gripped me tighter and I saw that her shoulders slightly shook. I couldn't help but laugh and poke fun of her because of her rather cute reaction.

"Hmm, have I made my oh so sweet Onee-sama flustered to the point that she's speechless?" I poked her cheek and she cutely turned away. I kept on teasing and poking her until she puffed out her cheeks and pouted at me.

"T-That was unfair H-Hachiman..." She said and pinched my side.

"You were never fair since the start too you know..." I laughed in response and she tugged me closer to her as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"H-Hmph, f-fair enough..." She said and hummed in satisfaction as he played with my fingers and I returned her touches.

For the first time in a while, I was enjoying myself. My mind wasn't burdened with my responsibilities at school or work. I feel relaxed as if the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders.

I can't remember the last time I felt like this;

Happy, free from my responsibilities and not having to worry about my image.

Haruno is right, I should unwind and relax now and then.

Hello again!

How is everyone with the quarantine? Doing ok? Having fun? A bit dull? Speaking to their stuffed animals? Looking for shadows that weren't there at first? Going insane? Having hallucinations from the lack of social contact with another human being? Seeing their faces contort into twisted and grotesque monstrosities every time you look in the mirror?

Well here you go, a tiny comfort to at least temporarily uplift your spirits!

This chapter was really fun to write doe and I'm really satisfied with it. The second part was supposed to be from Haruno's POV, but I decided against it. As for Hachiman, he's getting a bit assertive and bold huh, even Haruno was surprised! Hmm, but how would the young Yukinoshita react if she saw her older sister fooling around with Hachiman in the mall. How would she feel, I wonder, seeing him being touchy-feely with her OWN sister? That is IF, of course assuming that she saw them, right? Hahahaha...

Unless...?

Ah, but who knows? Maybe she ran back home heartbroken and crying when she saw them together? Maybe she wasn't there in the first place? Maybe She-who-must-not-be-named saw them from afar? Maybe I'm going to stop teasing all of you at some point?

But I won't, because it is quite fun! FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Aight, imma stop teasing you lot lmao.

Reply time!

Imperial Gilgamesh: Just an OC

Integral Calculus: She's gonna show up soon!

ClassUlysses: Same

EiNyx: She's not gonna be a major character doe, and just made smut chapter since I was bored.

Oh, I'm posting and checking the OneShot as we speak, try seeing the page again in an hour or two! Oh yeah, and try checking out the titles of the chapters, it's a bit of a hint. :)

REVIEW, LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE(lol), FOLLOW, FAVOURITE, PM, IDK BLAH BLAH BLAH

See you!

39

*growl~~.*

Uwaah, I'm so hungry. I already cooked dinner but I'm still waiting for Onii-chan so we can eat together...Ugh, but this burger steak and tempura looks so good...not to mention that salmon that Kei-chan's Mother gave us earlier...but I have to endure! Onii-chan might open the door any minute now! And if he saw me eating without his lovely little sister, it would be a HUGE drop in my points!

Hmm, but even with that said, Onii-chan hasn't been paying much attention to Komachi lately...he comes home later than me, and is always stressed and tired to play and do stuff with me...whenever I sneak into his bed, he always tells me to go away...The only times that I see him not looking drained and lifeless are during the weekends. He should seriously stop tiring himself and working too hard.

He has this permanently tired look in his eyes, and his legs sometimes wobble when he enters the house after school, I think that he's going to crawl on the floor from the exhaustion one of these days. Uwaah, so being a member of the StuCo is tiring huh, and here I thought only the popular students got it for the sake of the title.

He needs a reward for all his hard work~!

The only reward a cute little sister can give him~!

Hehehehehe, that was rather lewd, if said with no context, hehehe~~...

Ever since he started at Sobu, he changed. One of the first things that I've noticed was his posture. Back in middle school, he had a habit of slouching, making him look creepy and gross(sorry Onii-chan!). Now, he walks with confidence and a bit of arrogance...but somehow in a way that he doesn't care for anything anymore, like really disinterested and tired. Because of that and his naturally half-lidded and tired-looking eyes, he has this scary and intimidating air around him. I haven't been to his school yet, but Dad says that Onii-chan's quite known there, standing at the top of academics in his year, being the 2nd person in the history of the school to pass the entrance exams with perfect scores and not to mention being part of the StuCo, which is a REALLY big deal! As his little sister and his #3 fan (Mom is 1st obviously, while Dad is 2nd.) I'm so proud of him~! And I always tell my friends about it too! Even they want to meet him sometime!

He went out today early too, well as early as he can for someone going to the mall. He was dressed nice today, he wore the clothes that we bought for him and he even used some of his perfume, something that he rarely does since he has a sensitive sense of smell, and because of that, sometimes he gets a headache from some perfumes. His hair was nice since Mom and I taught him how to do it properly. For someone who fixed his hair for the first time without relying on his oh-so-adorable little sister and endearing Mother, I'd say that he did a good job!

Onii-chan would look cool if he paired glasses with what he was wearing. I can already picture him with his dark eyes, looking down on someone. He would adjust his glasses at their sides with the tips of his fingers. His facial expression would then change into one as if he stepped on some poop on the street, or looking at a pile of garbage, or a disgusted one in general.

And then he would open his mouth and utter a single word-

" Mongrel."

Uwaaah, the shonen anime commercials must be getting into my head...

But still, he didn't have to do all of that for something as simple as buying a gift for an acquaintance. He could have bought one online as he usually does, but he didn't.

Hmm, if Onii-chan didn't tell me his reasons for going, then I'd say that he was going out on a da-

Wait...

...

...

...

Nah, that's impossible.

My sweet Onii-chan, who is the best Onii-chan in the world? My Onii-chan that despite having some menacing and intimidating eyes, is the kindest and helpful person I know? My Onii-chan who is so great with children, that they immediately adore and look up to him? My Onii-chan who is a very skilled cook that even my friends want to take a bite out of my lunch when I tell them that it was he who was the one who prepared it? My Onii-chan who lets out this aura of serious coolness, and sometimes arrogance, that you only see in Shojou Manga? My Onii-chan who is very intelligent and is the top student in his year? My very hardworking Onii-chan who buys me whatever I want to the point that I get spoiled rotten, and Mom and Dad start trying to discourage him for it? My Onii-chan who gets touchy-feely and cute when he's sick and demands that I cuddle with him, even though he has no recollection of what happened when he feels better? My Onii-chan who is surprisingly good-looking if he makes an effort to do it? My Onii-chan who is athletic and has a very lean and toned body under his clothes that would make most guys his age make a run for their money?

My Onii-chan going on a date with some girl?

Nah, that's impossible.

...

...

...

BUT WHAT IF HE WAS ACTUALLY ON A DATE WITH SOME GIRL?!

I heard the door open and heard his voice. "I'm home..." He said in his usual tired manner and I heard the sound of a bag or something being put down. I breathed in and out for several seconds, trying to calm myself down and stood up from the sofa to welcome him.

He was there, hunched as he took off his shoes. There was a big gift beside him, it was coloured peach and had the usual designs that you'd see, meaning that it looked pretty lame.

"W-Welcome home O-Onii-chan!" I skipped to him and hugged his larger form, but my earlier thoughts were still on my mind, causing me to stutter and look silly.

He looked down on me, and slowly arched his brow upwards. His dark eyes scanned me and I felt that he had already seen through me. Damnit! Why do you have to be so observant?! "Komachi, you're acting weird..."

"S-Sorry! You were so cool that I was speechless for a moment!" I say with a lame excuse as I looked up at him. I got a bit disappointed when he didn't return the hug after all this time. Uwaah, when did he get so tall, he feels so far away now...

He looked unimpressed and rolled his eyes at me. "Very funny."

"I mean it!" I say, slightly frustrated.

He dismissively waved me off, like he was some villain getting annoyed at his underling from a 90's anime. "Yes yes, and I can stop time with a snap of my finger." After changing his shoes, he got up and grabbed the box. "Sorry I was late, took longer than I thought picking."

I had forgotten what time it was since Mom already ate and tucked in for the night, and I had to wait in the living room for him to come home. It was already quite late when I took a peek at the wall clock.

"Were you waiting for me? You didn't have to you know." He said as he ruffled my hair and walked upstairs to his room. I took that as a sign that he hasn't eaten yet, so I went to the kitchen to prepare the plates. He came back down just as I was done still wearing the clothes that we wore to go out.

"Mom already ate, Dad still has work and should come home later tonight..." I say as I sat down across him.

"Ah, I see..." He replied and after we thanked him for the food, we began eating.

I'd sneak glances at him, his hair was still quite tidy even though it was a bit long. He looked too uptight while eating , and it made me feel self-conscious and I subconsciously followed him. I saw him take little bites of everything, and he hummed in approval after taking a bite from tempura.

"Komachi, did you make this?"

"Yep! Is it good?"

He nodded and took a sip from his glass of water. "You've gotten better after the last time that I taught you. Good job." He reached out to me and patted my head. Uwaaah, he might be very cold and serious-looking, but he's always like this to me. I love this side of Onii-chan, the only side that I get to see. Mmm, headpats~...

I hope he's not doing something as lewd as head-patting and hand-holding with other girls out there...!

I'm the only girl allowed to handhold and get head pats from him!

"Hehehe thanks! Don't be shy and eat up Onii-chan! By the way, Onii-chan, what were you doing that made you come home late...?" I asked curiously. On the rare times that he goes out, he's usually quick about it and returns home straight away. This is probably the first time that something like this happened, I mean, even when we went shopping last week or so, he wanted to go home as soon as possible.

I didn't take my eyes off his face, just in case I miss something. "Ah, I took too much time trying to pick the right gift. I played at the arcade longer than I wanted and I went to eat a light snack while I was at it. Of course, it also took a while for me to get on the train because of too many people." He shrugged and resumed eating. I didn't notice anything that can tell me that he's lying, ah but Onii-chan has always been a master of keeping a straight face anyway...

"Did you and Kei-chan have fun?" He asked.

I nodded and smiled at the memory. "Hm! We watched some shows together in the living room and played outside."

"Outside? Be careful, there are cars you know." He warned with a serious tone.

I rolled my eyes at him and sighed. "I know that geez. We didn't play on the sidewalk. She was a little sad when you told her that you can't come. Why'd you invite Taishi-kun to come though?"

"The little twerp said that he needed my help in building his first gunpla. Might as well do it here." He shrugged.

You know, I thought Taishi-kun would be scared of Onii-chan when they first met, but he surprisingly liked him. He said that Onii-chan was quiet, cool and smart, and was good at video games too. Onii-chan taught him how to play and they played together for a whole afternoon the last time he was here. Onii-chan was also really welcoming to him, I was expecting him to go all super siscon-mode and make Taishi-kun go away. Maybe because he didn't want to get on Saki-nee's bad side...or not.

"Would it be alright though? I'm hanging out with my friends tomorrow so it would be just the two of you, plus Kei-chan, here."

"Of course. I still have some time before going to work and going to Taekwondo practice with Maya-sensei. I don't mind."

My thoughts then went to Taishi-kun's older sister. I haven't seen Saki-nee in a while, probably because she was working during the weekends too, just like Onii-chan. She's nice! And is a good cook too! She sometimes helps out Mom in cooking, and I bet she'll be a good wife in the future! Uwaah, why are the both of them so workaholic...if Saki-nee and Onii-chan get married and have kids, they'll get left alone at home and I'll feel sorry for them as their Aunt...Ah but that's more fun for me to go to their house and take care of them~! I can already picture my cute little nephews and nieces, running around the house and causing a mess wherever they go~! A miniature version of Saki-nee and Onii-chan is going to be so cute~! Hehehe, you won't believe it but Onii-chan was cute as a baby once you know!

Wait!

The both of them?! Getting married?!

But still...they do get along well, the only problem is that I haven't seen any signs of interest in each other from either of them. Onii-chan is well, Onii-chan, so I doubt he'll start thinking about things like that, I can already hear him say "What nonsense are you talking about now? I have no time for trivial things like that.". Saki-nee on the other hand, sometimes acts reserved and holding back. I wonder how they act around each other at school, Taishi-kun once told me that rumours were going around at school about Saki-nee being a delinquent, which is not true! Well, she does have some scary eyes if she did it on purpose, just like Onii-chan. When she's here, she's always with Kei-chan, so I don't know the atmosphere when it's just the two of them. Wait! Maybe they're secretly a couple, and they get lovey-dovey after school doing l-lewd things like h-hand-holding?! Could it be that she's holding back because people are around and she'll jump at him at the first chance that she'll get?!

Saki-nee you sly girl!

Uwaah, but maybe I'm making too many assumptions as usual... both of them have a healthy friendly platonic relationship, most likely...

Hmm, if I give Saki-nee a light push, maybe that's all she needs to take the initiati-

"Komachi, your face is red." He said bluntly with his trademark deadpan expression.

"T-The food is too spicy!"

He sighed in exasperation at my lame excuse and stood up from the table, already finished eating. "It's not even spicy...Just save whatever you're thinking about after you finish dinner." He said tiredly and put his dishes on the sink. Kamakura went over to him and got picked up by Onii-chan.

" Meow."

He was about to go upstairs with Kamakura in his arms when he turned around. "Oh, and can you draw a bath for me? I'll come back down in a few minutes." He disappeared from my view and I heard a door open and close.

THERE!

MY CHANCE!

Hehehehehe, I had to resist laughing evilly on the spot. This is my chance to give him his well-earned reward~! I hope you're ready, Onii-chan~.

I took a peek into my Parent's room, and under the dim lights, I saw my Mother sprawled out on the bed sleeping. My Father wasn't home yet, he usually comes home late at night even on the weekends. She once berated him for working too hard, but she's just the same as him...

After I silently closed the door, I went back inside my room to get my towel. Thankfully, I decided to play my piano while using my headphones, that was a good choice on my part since if I didn't, I would have possibly disturbed my dear Mother's sleep. I usually play and practice around thirty minutes a day, sometimes more than an hour if I lose track of time and enjoy it.

Today was quite... enjoyable.

Haruno dragged me around the mall, literally going into whatever shop or store that caught our interest. I lost count at 8. Since the both of us were genuinely enjoying each others company, I didn't keep track of the time and just stayed with her until the end. We bumped into one of her friends, but after introducing me as her "little brother" she didn't linger too long and led me away. Her friend gave us a puzzled look since we were still holding hands, no doubt thinking about if Haruno's words were true. Several times during our little " date", I felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of my head, but I looked around and so no one familiar. It must have been my paranoia acting up again, I sometimes do that since it was a habit of mine from Middle-School when I looked behind me to see if I was getting pranked. Oops! My depressing and mood-killing flashbacks came to me! I only realized what time it was when my Father called and asked where I was since Komachi most likely told him that I wasn't home yet, JUST at the exact moment when Haruno's Mother called her and did the same.

Hmm...

Strange coincidence huh...

After that, we separated at the train station and she said that she enjoyed our time together, and I likewise said the same to her. My hand had grown accustomed to her touch, and a tiny part within me felt sad when she finally let go and we went on our separate ways.

I-It's not l-like I enjoyed our time together or a-anything! B-Baka!

Kamakura followed me out of my room. I've been training him to jump on my shoulders and balance himself there while I walked. Unfortunately, he jumps off of me when I start to get up, but I'll get him to learn that trick that I saw in one of those funny cat videos online!

After I got my towel, I went back down to see Komachi missing. The dishes were already done and the table was clean, she most likely already went to her room since it was rather a bit late. The door to the bathroom was slightly agape and the lights inside were on. I went inside and after locking the door, I took off my clothes and put them in the laundry. It might be strange, but it's a habit of mine to go inside with a towel around my bottom half.

I let off a sigh as I opened the door to the 2nd room where we took a bath.

And in the middle of it, was my little sister sitting on a small stool with only a towel around herself.

I felt the beating of my heart quicken when I heard Onii-chan entered the bathroom. Even though I could barely hear it, the sounds of clothes being taken off reached my ears and I heard him sigh. When he opened the door and saw me, I was expecting him to yell out in surprise or get flustered, or even quickly close the door out of shock.

Instead, he kept staring with a blank expression, just looking down at me.

"..."

"..." *Stare~~~...*

"..."

He raised a brow at me and put his arms around his chest. "Komachi...what are you playing at?" He said as he closed the door behind him and put a hand on his hip as he waited for me to answer.

"I-It's been a while since we took a bath together, so I just thought we should do it tonight!" I say, trying my best not to stutter and run away from embarrassment. I broke eye contact with him and just focused on something else. Unfortunately, my eyes just wandered all over his body and I subconsciously imprinted the image infinitely into my mind.

He got Dad's naturally pale complexion, that's for sure. Just like him, he gets red quickly when under the Sun, that's why Kei-chan used to call him a vampire!

Ok!

NOW ON TO THE HOOOOOT AND CHEEEEEESY STUFF! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSS~~~!

He's not muscular, but he was lean and toned in all the right places. His arms, chest and abdomen were top-quality eye-candy to any girl lucky enough to lay her eyes on him. Looks like him working out every other day for an entire year did wonders on him huh. He isn't a scrawny-looking fragile boy anymore, he was definitely on his way to becoming a very fine young man, hehehehehe~. Him only wearing a small towel around his legs with a nicely built body, looking down on me with a raised brow and his dark eyes with an unimpressed expression made me feel something inside. The towel was dangerously low though, and I could see the V-line on his lean lower abdomen that would lead to his groin. O-Oh my, I can see it! Onii-chan's bulg-!

"Oi, my eyes are up here. Ugh, I have no time for this..." He said with a sigh and turned around. I quickly got up and grabbed his hand before he could get out. Of course, I held on to the towel that I had with my other hand just in case it fell off or something...

"Wait! C-Come on Onii-chan, no need to be shy. We used to do this every day when we were kids, r-remember? How's now different from before? Unless you're embarrassed...?" I say.

He narrowed his eyes at me, and I felt that he was going to walk out any moment now. Fortunately, his next words made me sigh in relief. "Hmph, well if you put it that way..." He said casually and sat down on the extra seat that I had provided for him beforehand. I had to resist skipping with glee since I might slip on the floor and lose my hold of the towel that I had around myself.

I got the showerhead and turned it on, I already knew his preferred water temperature, he's weird. Why would anyone want to take a bath with freezing water? Is it a fetish or something? Onii-chan's bare back was in front of me, and I had to smile to myself when I remembered all the funny memories we had together in this place when we were kids.

He didn't get startled when the cold water touched his skin, and I reached up and started with his hair. "Ah, yes...that hits the spot..." He let out a low groan of pleasure and flexed his arms and shoulders, and I heard an audible pop. I continued massaging his scalp, his smooth and silky hair was pleasant as my small fingers went through them.

"Oh yes...hmmm..."

"..."

"Yes...that's it..."

"..."

"Ah...just like that..."

"..."

"Hmm, there..."

"..."

WHY IS HE MAKING LEWD SOUNDS!? He continued making those sounds as I became more and more flustered. Uwaaah, I'm glad that he's facing away from me, my face is probably red as a tomato right now. It took longer than I wanted, probably because I got too distracted and my thoughts started wandering off by themselves to who knows where...this is nothing to get flustered over!

Right?

R-Right?

R-Right?!

R-RIIIIIIGHT?!

"Komachi, you can put the body wash now..." He turned and looked at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Ah, y-yes!" I say hastily and applied the said liquid on my hands, and started slathering it on his back. He didn't feel tense when I washed him, and I could feel him start to relax and his worries and stress fading away with each second. His breathing was even, and I bet that if he was in the bathtub, he would have already fallen asleep by now. Uwaah, I remember one time when he fell asleep in the bathtub, we had to use the control panel inside the bathroom to call and wake him up.

"Onii-chan..."

"Hmm?"

"How are you doing?" I asked.

He turned and tilted his head in mild confusion. "Um, ok I guess...?" I pulled on his earlobe and pouted.

"No, I mean how are you doing?" I say again, this time with emphasis. I saw a look of understanding on his face, and he sighed after looking away from me. It's times like these that the unspoken message that can only be relayed between very close people shine the best.

"I feel... different." He replied after several seconds of thinking.

"How so?"

He looked down, trying to collect his thoughts and form the right words. Hmm, if someone like him has trouble with thinking about this kind of stuff then...

"Have I changed, Komachi?" He asked me.

"You bet!" I reply immediately.

This time, he turned his head to me, eager to hear about my reply. He scanned my face, and I returned a small smile to him. "Like what?"

"Hmm, well you changed for the better! Before, Onii-chan would never be able to hold a conversation with a girl as pretty as Saki-nee, but now you're chummy with her! If it was you back in Middle-School, then you'd have no chance with her!" I reply cheekily with a grin. He rolled his eyes at me and lightly pinched my cheeks.

"Aside from that, obviously..."

"Other things...Oh! You talk to us more than before, and you're closer with Mom and Dad now!" He had a thoughtful look on his face from my words. He nodded to himself and bade me continue.

"Go on."

"You've got interests and hobbies! Playing the Piano, Tennis, Taekwondo, reading western literature, in English no less! You even joined the Student Council in your school, and Dad says that you made quite a name for yourself there!"

"Hmm, well I guess I did all that huh..." He said as he rubbed his chin looking a bit conflicted.

"Now you care about your looks! Well, you're not bad-looking in the first place, it's just that back then you didn't care about that kind of stuff, so you sometimes looked creepy and gross! You slouch and walk suspiciously like you're a petty criminal or something. But don't worry, if you haven't changed, Komachi will always love you~~~!"

He grimaced at my words, seeing the truth in them. I guess even he dislikes that part of him from before. "A-Ah, is that so...?"

"Oh, and you've got a nice body now! I mean, you're still a bit scrawny, but it's a HUGE improvement! Just looking at you shirtless while only wearing boxers when you walk downstairs in the morning is embarrassing that I have to look away! Whenever you do push-ups every night in your room, I can hear your grunts and groans and you go out looking all sweaty and it makes me feel weird and funny inside, because...ah...hehehehe..." I had to stop myself before I say anything that will kill me from the embarrassment. Especially the last part...uwaah, I can't believe I said that...

It's just that h-hearing those sorts of sounds...makes your mind go and think about l-lewd things, you know? It's not my fault! Curse you puberty!

Onii-chan looked a bit surprised but then nodded to himself in understanding. "Ah, well girls feel that way during puberty too huh? No need to be embarrassed about it Komachi, it's a perfectly natural reaction. It's just biology and hormones doing their thing, everyone went through that at some point. Just...don't overdo do it, ok? I know it feels good, but try to have a little self-control." He said while cringing as he forced a smile and patted my head in an attempt to make me feel better. He had this expression as if I was caught doing something very embarrassing to the point that even he had to cringe.

"WHA-?!" I yelled out and quickly stood up from my seat. DID HE JUST ASSUME THAT I DO THAT, TO MYSELF?!

"Ah, but I am quite disappointed, to think that my perverted sister undresses me with her eyes, and thinks of inappropriate thoughts...I cannot even begin to imagine what our Mother would do if she were to hear of this..." He said in an overly dramatic and old-fashioned way, as he shook his head in disbelief.

I stood up quickly and yelled at him. "H-Hey! S-Shut up!" I say and kicked him.

But that was a bad move on my part.

The towel that I had on me was quite thin and short so I had to be careful and hold it in place with every move in case it falls.

Unfortunately for me, it fell just as my foot made contact with his sides. And he also happened to be looking at me while everything happened. When the towel fell from me, I yelped and his gaze lingered on my naked form for a second or two before looking away. I crouched and covered everything that needed to be covered. For the next few moments, neither of us said a word.

"..." I slowly put the towel around myself again, this time making it tighter in place.

"..."

"Onii-chan..." I say with a voice barely above a whisper. This situation is eerily similar to those ecchi anime I've seen my boy classmates watch in the corner of the classroom...

He turned to me with a smirk while giving me a thumbs-up. "You've grown compared to the last time I saw you, that's for sure!" He said and started laughing.

"P-Pervert!" I say and hit him on the head a few times, not to mention standing up again and kicking him, while holding onto my towel of course. Uwaah, why did this have to happen, but then again, it's not something to get worked up about anyway.

I continued washing him as he slightly raised his arms so I can get to his sides. O-Oh, I like how the way they feel, hehehehe~...hmm, his shoulders too~..."Well, I'll take your words as a compliment then..." He said.

"To sum it all up! You're WAAAAYYY better than before in more ways than I can count!" I say in all honesty. If I was told to pick the Onii-chan now and the Onii-chan before, I'd pick him now without a moment's hesitation! But I still love the Onii-chan from before too!

"Is...that so..." He said quietly.

I tilted my head in confusion at how he was acting. He should be happy! Not being silent and gloomy all of a sudden. I don't understand what's bothering him...but if it's him, then I'm sure it's nothing that he can't handle!

He's the best and coolest Onii-chan in the world after all!

"Oi Komachi..." I was pulled from my thoughts when he turned to me.

"Hm?"

"What's with that face? Getting cheeky, are we? Little brat..." He said with a small smile and pulled both of my cheeks as I giggled. I was done washing his back, so he fully faced me this time. The towel that he had around his legs was small, uwaah, if something like before happens, then I'll see his thing! Oh, there~! Just a little more-!

He suddenly let go and leaned into me, putting himself near my ear. I blushed at how close we were and my heart quickened its beat.

" You know, Komachi...if you always act all cutesy and tempting like that, then I'd eat you up someday~..." He suddenly whispered to me, the hidden meaning in his words causing the beating of my heart to go uncontrollably fast. I shivered at the tone of his voice and felt a warm unfamiliar feeling on my lower half. Not to mention that I felt my face go instantly red at what he was implying.

" W-WHA-?!" I yell out and put some distance between the both of us. He made this teasing grin that I've seen him make numerous times before, but this time, it was on a whole other level. What's this?! I've never seen this form before?! So he still has other forms secretly hidden?!

He laughed at my reaction and stood up, completely or maybe ignoring how much his words affected me. "Thanks, Komachi, that's enough. I'll be getting in the bathtub now."

His words before were still lingering in my mind and he sighed when I didn't reply. He pulled me up by my armpits and led me to the door. "Jeez, that was just a joke...unless you were thinking about...doing that and washing my front too...?" He teased again and whispered into my ear. I was at my limit, my head was spinning and lightheaded, and I'm feeling weird and funny inside at where my thoughts were at the moment. If he wasn't holding me right now, I would have slumped on the floor because of my limp and wobbly legs. I CAN'T BE FEELING H*RNY NOW OF ALL TIMES! STUPID BRAIN! STUPID HORMONES! STUPID PUBERTY! STUPID ONII-CHAAAAAAAAAN!

" KYAAAAAAAHHHHH!" I squeal and grab the door, locking it behind me. I heard him chuckle from inside and get into the bathtub.

I put a hand over my chest, trying to call myself down...

J-Jeez, when did Onii-chan become such a t-tease...I didn't expect him to change THAT much...

Stupid Onii-chan...playing with Komachi's heart like that...

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I was still beet red from his words. I pouted at my reflection and stood closer to the mirror to inspect myself. "Hmm, but at least he called Komachi cute...hehehehehe," I mutter to myself and giggle while I held my cheeks.

After calming myself down and admittedly smiling to myself at how we had fun together. I gave myself a fist-pump and started putting on my house clothes again. While I was at it, I decided to be a good little sister and do Onii-chan's laundry for him. This is going to give Komachi lots of points~!

After putting his socks and pants inside the washing machine, I held his shirt, taking another look at it. "Ah, we bought this together. This looks nice on him, maybe I'll get him another one of a different colour..."

Against all common decency, I put his shirt against my nose and gave it a small whiff. "Hehehehehe, this is Onii-chan's smell~..." His perfume smells nice too. Uwaah, but if Onii-chan, or if anyone walked in on me smelling Onii-chan's laundry, they'd think that Komachi is a pervert...

*Sniff*

*Sniff*

"Hehehehehehehehehe~." I couldn't help but giggle. Please forgive your bad Imotou, Onii-chan! I p-promise that I won't do it agai-!

Huh...?

Wait...

*Sniff*

I frowned deeply.

*Sniff*

*Sniff*

*Sniiiiiiiiiiiiiifffffffffffff*

There's a... foreign smell on his shirt. It was clean, so it couldn't be something like food or drink. It's on the right side of his shoulders and lower sleeve. It's...sweet...and fragrant...? It's faint, but it's there. What's this...? It smells like perfume...

...

...

...

...

WAIT!

IT IS PERFUME!

THIS SMELL-!?

IS OF A WOMAN'S PERFUME!

ONII-CHAN!

Where is it?! Where is it?! Where is it?! I'm going to be late! I don't care if I'm running in the hallways! I knew I should have come here early! Stupid Class Rep-san! Randomly picking me out of everyone! He shouldn't have listened to the other girls!

They were bitche-!

Oops~! Tehee~! Sorry, I can't say bad words now~!

There! The StuCo Room sign! After coming to a halt in front of it, I fixed my hair and tried to look more presentable. This is the StuCo room after all, and I have to look at least nice and proper. I knocked and slowly opened the door.

"Pardon the intrusion..." I say. The StuCo President was there sitting on the couch and writing something on the coffee table. She's really pretty and friendly, and I always greet her when I see her around the school, even though she doesn't know me. I have to make a good impression on my Senpais after all!

"Ah, you must be the First Year assigned to Hikigaya-kun, right~?" She said sweetly and came over to me. Uwaah, she has this fluffy bubbly aura that calmed me down.

"Y-Yes!" I say a bit too loudly, and I had to mentally hit myself in the head for being too nervous. Senpai laughed a bit and patted my head. "There there~, no need to be so nervous~..."

"Yes..." I say again with a small awkward smile. While she was patting my head, my eyes wandered around the area, looking for the Senpai that I was supposed to accompany for the day. I saw him during the opening ceremony of the year with the rest of the members of the StuCo, seated at the front beside the teachers. He was the sternest-looking of them too, I heard some bad rumours about him when he was still a First Year, but now it's gone. I can sometimes see him around the school, but I immediately forget what he looks like since, well, he looks bland and uninteresting...

Like a...background character in those anime shows...

Sorry, Dead-Eyed-senpai!

She continued giving me head-pats. "Hmm, I think Hikigaya-kun is at the indoor gym with the Taekwondo Club right now...if you run, you might still be able to reach him before he goes to another club!" She said and put something around my neck, it was an I.D of sorts with my name and class written on it.

"You're wearing this today, make sure not to take it off! Please be a good girl for him, ok~?" She said and let me go. Huh, what does she mean? Is Hikigaya-senpai the sort of guy who is difficult to work with when it comes to these types of things?

"Um, yes! I'll go and find Senpai right away!" She waved me off as I went out of the room and proceeded to go to the gym. It was a bit far, so I had to jog a little as I made my way there.

Once I got there and opened the doors, there was some activity inside. The volleyball club was playing, but only four of them, the badminton club was doing stretches and I saw the Taekwondo Club at the corner, most of the members were sitting on the ground watching two other members do some demonstrations. They were all wearing their Taekwondo uniforms, and seated in an organized manner. I was a bit out of breath, so I slowly made my way to them.

I finally got within earshot of them. The older of them was a tall Third Year holding those oblong-shaped things that Taekwondo players kick and hit during practice while the other one was doing the procedure. I stayed a small distance away so I won't disturb them.

"The thing that you should always take into consideration is your current physical limitation. If you pull on your tendons too hard, you might hurt yourself. The second one is more of a personal thing: Practice until you perfect your movements, take this for example..."

He suddenly went into a stance and took a step back. The other guy raised the dummy high above his head and leaned away just in case.

He suddenly stiffened and did a very fast high kick that was higher than his head while keeping his other foot firmly on the ground. The loud sound echoed across the gym, and some members of other clubs turned their heads in our direction. He kept his foot high in the air for a few moments, before putting them back on the ground. Wow, that was impressive, the rest of his body was stable the whole time and didn't move an inch. His legs must be flexible...

"When I was still a beginner, I got cocky and tried this in front of my class and Sensei. Unfortunately, my pants got ripped in the process." His words caused some small laughter, and he waited a bit before he continued. "But I was wearing boxers, so it was ok I guess." He added and the laughter continued, even I had to join in a bit. "What I'm saying is that know your limits, trust me, it'll save you a lot of embarrassment and trouble in the future." He said and the seated members all stood up and gave him a bow, to which he returned one of his own.

"Thank you very much, Hikigaya-senpai!"

"Yeah yeah, anytime..." He replied casually. The Captain gave him his thanks, and he excused himself from everyone else. I suddenly remembered what I came here to do and I quickly walked up to him. He stopped walking and turned around when he heard my footsteps. He arched a brow at me and I froze on the spot.

Uwaah, his eyes are scary...!

"Ah...umm..." I couldn't form the right words since his eyes were trained on me! What is this?! Is he a reincarnation of Medusa? Or maybe her son?!

"Girlie, can I help you...?" He said and faced me.

"Ah, umm...I'm the First Year assigned to you..." I muttered with a small voice.

He tilted his head and stepped closer to me. "I beg your pardon...?"

"Senpai, I'm the First Year assigned to accompany you for the day..." I say a bit louder.

When he heard my words, he nodded and had a look of understanding. "Ah, I see. Have you already visited Shiromeguri-senpai?"

I nodded.

He crossed his arms across his chest. "Wonderful." He simply said and turned around without another word. I quickly followed behind him out the door. I didn't know we were going, but I just stayed quiet and close. How rude! Not even waiting for the girl to catch up!

"I'll just change my clothes in the locker rooms." He said and turned to me. I gave him a quick nod and he faced forward again. We arrived in front of the locker rooms and I waited for him outside to finish changing. He got out, looking fresh and wearing his school uniform and nodded at me when I went up to him.

"Sorry for making you wait." He gave me a slight bow.

"I-It's nothing Senpai! You didn't take too long!" I say and flailed my arms around trying to tell him to raise his head. He's formal and uptight...I don't know any person that would do what he just did...

"I see. Then let's get to work." He said and I nodded at him. He was taller and bigger than me, so he walked fast. Or maybe I just walk slow...I did my best to catch up to him and match his pace.

Sometimes, he would get greeted by random students in the hallways, saying "Thank you for your hard work!" or "Keep up the good work!" or even "Don't overwork yourself this time, Vice-Prez!". Wow, I didn't think that he was on the good side of lots of people, most of them Second Years. He looks a bit scary, so I didn't think that that was possible. Or maybe I'm just being too judgemental...

I heard him mutter to himself at the last greeting. "Good grief, I'm not a Vice-Prez, we have more than five Vice-Presidents at the Council..."

We were silent the whole time while on our way back to the building, and he only started talking when we stepped into it.

I followed him to the faculty room, where he went inside and got some papers that needed to be filled and gave them to me. I neatly compiled them into the clipboard that was included.

"Do you know what we're doing today?" He asked and turned to me while we walked in the hallways, and he returned a wave from someone who greeted him.

"Umm, we're going to some clubs to evaluate them for this month of the school year..." I reply and looked up at him. He gave me a tiny, yet satisfied smile and I returned one of my own.

"Precisely, my dear Kouhai. But do you know why?"

"Aaaaahhh...ummm...to see if they're doing their activities as intended...?" I tilted my head to the side and waited for his reaction. This question wasn't in the objectives listed in today's rounds. And what's with the sudden questions though...?

"Fantastic. We check the clubs every once in a while unannounced to do just that. It's no use allocating what little funds we have to them when they're not even doing it as part of their club activities in the first place." He said.

I nodded at his words, and I reflected on what he just said. He's right! Why should the StuCo continue to fund clubs when they're not being honest about what they're doing? They should be punished!

"And when we catch them doing just that, it's within my authority to...hmm, punish, is a little too strong. What word could you suggest, my dear little Kouhai?" He turned to me again and waited for me to reply.

I scrunched up my face in thought, I saw Senpai give me an amused look as I continued to think about his question. Hmm, what word, what word... "Um...sanction or give them a warning...?" I say unsurely and tilted my head again at him.

He snapped his finger. "Correct. As stated by The Code and By-Laws that I wrote in regards to my new seat in the Council, as approved by the Principal and Shiromeguri-senpai, it says just that. But if I'm feeling good on certain days, I let them off the hook, just once. But if they do it again...well, they won't be getting any financial support from us for a month or so."

I nodded at the new information that he gave me, and I asked him a question this time. "So Senpai can control all the clubs in school?" He was the Head of the Disciplinary and Events Committee, but from what I saw from their organizational structure, he wasn't part of any branches. He was a separate member from what I understood. I didn't know that he also had a bit of authority over the clubs...since we aren't having any events, today's activity must be connected to his former role and not the latter one. But still, this is all confusing...

He frowned a bit and faced forward with a thinking expression, and I thought that I offended him in some way. I was about to apologize when he put his hand on his chin and spoke. "Hmm, if you look at it from a certain twisted perspective, I guess so...though only when certain conditions are met...? I've never really thought about that..." He muttered to himself.

"Senpai has a lot responsibilities?" I ask again. I'm really curious about what he does since his position in the StuCo has the longest name, and also on him as a person in general.

He scratched his head and sighed. "Yes, I do. Especially during school events."

"Senpai, what do you usually do at the Council?"

"I update our bulletin boards all around school with news and announcements, receive students that have committed offences, organize our physical and digital files and I help in the planning and executing of the school events, and the usual paperwork and requests from the teachers. Oh and I lead the different student Committees on behalf of Shiromeguri-senpai in the school. But the first few ones are just our duties in general and several trivial ones too, anyone can do those, but I choose to act on it to give Senpai and the others some breathing room." He replied.

"That sounds like...like a lot of work Senpai..." I say with a difficult face and turned to him. I kept my gaze on him until he turned to me questioningly. Uwaaah, that sounds like a lot of work...no wonder he looks tired-looking...

"Yes, that's right." He sighed in exasperation as if remembering some tiresome errand or responsibility that tired him out just by the mere memory of it.

"Senpai, how did you join the Stu-" I say but got interrupted when I felt a hand suddenly grab onto my right shoulder, and I was pulled into his side and then I found myself face-to-face with his chest.

"Huh?" Things happened too fast and I could only look up and give him a questioning look. My hands were on his chest, and the clipboard that I had on me was pressed between the two of us.

"Kouhai, watch where you're going. You nearly fell down the stairs..." He sighed. When I looked to where I was just a few seconds ago, I saw that he was right.

I had completely filtered out my surroundings, and I didn't realize that we were about to go down some stairs. I must have been paying too much attention to him when he spoke. But still, it's a good thing that he was fast in acting, if he was a moment too late, then...

He let go of me and gently put me beside him, his hand still on my shoulder. "Are you alright? Please do be careful now..." He gave me a concerned expression, and I was suddenly aware of how close we were. It caused me to get self-conscious, and I averted my eyes from him.

"Y-Yes! Umm, thank you, Senpai..." I say and gave him a bow as thanks. Hmm, his perfume was nice...

He nodded and took a step down, I was still a bit shaken honestly. He turned to me again with a small grin. "Come on, what are you waiting for? Or are you expecting me to hold your hand while we walk down...? We can do that if you want..."

I felt my cheeks get warm, and I quickly shook my head, getting my hair slightly untidy in the process. "I-It's f-fine Senpai! I can do it myself!" He lightly chuckled and started walking down, I followed him closely by his side. I puffed out my cheeks at his tease when he wasn't looking. From the corner of my eyes, I saw him huff out in amusement at my slightly flustered face. Uwaah, don't tell me that Senpai is secretly one of those types?! I'm really bad with those types! Him being those types is completely unexpected! If he is one of those types, then I'm feeling super in danger right now...!

We stood at the front of the first club that was on our list. The Arts and Crafts Club. Senpai told me that my role today was to list down the important stuff that came from their President. He will do the talking, and I'll do the writing.

He opened the door without knocking, and it was only there that he made his presence known.

Weird.

"I'm coming in." He said and I meekly followed behind him.

We interrupted them while they were inspecting their work of "Art". There were three boys and two girls all around what appeared to be...I...can't tell what I'm looking at.

There was a cross, the same cross that Christians in other countries had in their religion. But on that cross was a grotesque figure. Instead of legs at its lower half, its hips appeared to be a cluster of smaller pure white bodies mashed up and connected there. I saw what appeared to be tiny legs and arms on where its legs were supposed to be connected to the hips. The deathly white humanoid "Thing" that was nailed on the cross didn't have any hair on the top of its head and had a purple mask on, seven eyes, three on the right and four on the left are arranged in two vertical rows. At its chest, right where its heart was located was a long and red...spear?

What the heck is that, it seriously looks creepy...

"Ah! Hikigaya-san!" One of the boys exclaimed and went over to us. He got acknowledged by Senpai with a nod and looked at me.

"And this is-?"

I was about to introduce myself, but Senpai beat me to it. "She's a First-Year tagging along with me today." He shrugged as if I wasn't even important enough to at least know my name. That makes me sound like an annoying and clingy Kouhai that looks up to and follows her Senpai around like a love-struck maiden...

"Seriously, I thought you were kidding the last time I was here..." Senpai said and walked over to their creation in the middle of the room on a table. I followed behind him, and I heard the boy catch up to proudly show it to us.

The thing was about the same length as the entirety of my arm and was held in place by thin metal wires on the base and back of the cross. Even though I have no idea what was in front of me, I had to admit that it was "Artsy".

"Behold! Lilith, the Mother of Humanity, the primordial seed from which all of us came from, with The Spear of Longinus is still on her breast! She who is everything, and is implanted in the psyche and soul of all Human beings!" The boy said proudly and the other members in the room clapped.

Senpai slowly clapped thrice, and I imitated him.

*clap clap clap*

"Impressive. As expected of the Arts and Crafts Club. I guess this place isn't just for show." He said as he leaned forward, inspecting every detail of "Lilith". It looked like it was made from old newspapers, soaked in glue-water over their mould and then painted it white when it dried.

"It's good to see that you're at least honing your skills and creativity..." Senpai said as he took a closer look at the spear that was impaled on "Lilith's" chest.

"Of course! We're going to compete with other schools after all!" The boy said enthusiastically, and I had to admit that his liveliness was a bit contagious. After a few minutes of Senpai examining that thing in silence, with their Club President occasionally throwing a word or two, he straightened up and nodded at us.

"Well, it looks like you don't need to prove anything else with this in front of me. All I need are your receipts for accounting purposes." Senpai declared, the others in the room looked overjoyed at his praise, and their only girl member gave him a small folder that she got from their cabinet.

"Is everything here?" He asked and opened it, absentmindedly flipping through several pages inside.

"Yes Hikigaya-senpai, it's all in there."

He gave me the folder and turned to the other occupants in the room. "Well, this was a very productive visit. Magnificent creation, by the way. Keep up the good work everyone. We will be taking our leave now." At his words, they gave us a small bow, while he looked at them with a very satisfied expression.

"Thank you very much!"

When we closed the door behind us, we heard them yell out and celebrate. I was a bit worried that they might accidentally bump into their creation, causing it to fall on the ground. He walked without waiting for me, and I had to catch up to him again.

"What do you think of your first club visit?" He asked.

"Ummm...it was interesting!" I reply and he had a small smile at my response.

"Good, at least you're not bored. I can't have you being bored now, can I? What's the next one on the list?" He asked. I quickly took out the clipboard and started the reading.

"The...Doki Doki Literature Club...?"

Doki Doki...Literature Club...? That's a weird name for a club. What are they even doing in that club...? Do they exchange literature or something? Or discuss it?

He sighed for some reason when I said the name. "Ah, Monika...well they don't do much there so it'll be quick." He said and quickened his pace, and I matched his speed so I can walk beside him. "By the way Senpai..." I lightly pulled on his sleeve and he turned to me.

"Hmm? What is it? Did you forget something inside?"

I shook my head. "No Senpai. I just wanted to ask what was that... thing that they made?"

He blinked several times and chuckled. Uwaah, is he teasing me again? Or was my question silly?

"It's...a bit complicated see." He said while scratching his cheek.

"But Senpai, I want to know," I say pouted while giving him puppy-dog eyes. If he's teasing me, then it's only right for me to tease him back! That was surprisingly effective on him since I saw a faint blush on his pale cheeks.

"A-Ah, ok. But this is going to take a while you know? And it might get confusing." He said. I just pulled on his sleeve again to get the message across.

*Stare~~~...*

"Hmm, ok. Well, that thing that you saw was-"

"..."

"..."

"What's with that look?" He asked before eating a spoonful of beef and potato curry.

"Umm, Senpai...you didn't have to buy me lunch you know..." I say as I faced him from across the table.

He waved me off coolly, refusing to hear my words of protest and wiped his mouth with a tissue before replying. "Nonsense, it's the least I can do for helping me out today."

"But I didn't do much..."

I tried to tell him that he didn't have to do it. I pulled on his sleeve and got dragged across the floor and threatened to throw a fit but he just had this blank expression on his face and pretended not to hear and acknowledge my existence. It got a bit embarrassing since a lot of students around gave me strange looks...so I had to stop there and just pout and giving him a dirty look.

I looked down at the lunch that he bought for me. It was the most expensive one on the menu together with the sought-after slice of cake that students would shove each other to get a piece. He even bought me some snacks and sweets for me to take home or munch on as we continued with the day's activities, not to mention two or three boxes of juice drinks...

"Uhh..." This is too much, seriously. Since Senpai was already eating, it would be rude not to join in. Uwaah, but the boxed lunch that Mom cooked for me this morning...I'll have to eat it later before it gets bad...

"Come on, eat up." He said as he took a sip from his juice and turned his attention back to his food.

"...Thank you for the food..."

I started eating. I still felt a bit guilty since I didn't deserve this, I was just hearing him talk to the Club Presidents and only wrote a few lines since everything went smoother than we expected. We went to the Doki Doki Literature Club, Dance Club, Drama and Theatre Club, Tea Brewing Club and finally to the Japanese History Club.

Though Senpai was strangely tense when we went to the first club, saying "This place gives me bad vibes for some reason...". Monika-senpai, I think that was her name, gave him piano notes or something. Without another word, we immediately excused ourselves after she handed us the photocopy of their monthly expenditure. But I swear I didn't see her give those notes to him, I just discovered it when we went out of their clubroom, almost as if it just... appeared...inside my folder. Her three other clubmates didn't even bother looking in our direction, they were at the corner, still as statues. When we had our backs to her as we started making our way to the door, I felt...I can't describe it. As if something horrible and malicious was right behind me, ready to erase my existence in a single second. I didn't dare look back, not once, and I had to resist running to the door and getting away from there as soon as possible. The air inside their clubroom felt... wrong, for some reason, and I felt relief when we stepped outside. Senpai looked the same until I saw him gulp several steps away from their door and I accidentally brushed against his hand, to feel the deathly cold...

Weird...

I never want to go near that place again. And since Senpai didn't look like he wanted to talk about it, I kept my mouth shut too.

I shook my head and lightly patted my cheeks to make the uncomfortable feeling go away. Senpai was just staring at me the whole time, looking like he's having fun just watching me.

"Oh! Hikki!" I heard a voice coming from my side and turned to see the source. Senpai put a hand on his forehead as if a sudden headache suddenly came to him.

"Senpai, are you alright...?" I say with concern.

"Nothing that I can't handle..." He replied and composed himself back to normal. Fixing a bit of his hair while he was at it. A figure suddenly emerged from the left side of our table and I looked up to see who it was. The first thing that I noticed was-

Wow, those are big.

"Hikki! Where were you the whole day?! We thought you were absent?" The newcomer said. She gave him a bright smile that would make most boys blush. She had peach-coloured shoulder-length hair that was tied at the back. Her black blazer was open at the front, and I'm quite surprised that she was daring enough to look like that in front of Senpai. He is the Head of the Disciplinary Committee after all...oh wait, mine is open too...

Tehee~!

"Doing Council stuff, I already requested Hina to write down some notes for me." Senpai shrugged and continued eating. He closed his eyes for a moment as he savoured the food. She was slightly taken aback by Senpai's reply, but she was able to hide it well. "A-Ah, is that so...?" She turned to me as if noticing my presence for the first time.

"Oh! Yahallo!" She smiled at me and Senpai opened his eyes and observed us.

"H-Hello!" I say back. She maintained her smile, and darted her eyes between me and Senpai, looking very expectant. I tried to signal Senpai to introduce me to her, but he just stared blankly at me. Fine! I'll do it myself! "My name is Isshi-" I couldn't finish since got interrupted by Senpai.

AGAIN!

WHAT'S HIS PROBLEM?!

"She's the First Year helping me out for the day." He said. I gave him an annoyed face and hit his leg from under the table. He yelped in surprise, then sent me the same look that I have.

"Oi, what was that for...?" He said and rubbed his leg

"Hmph!" I crossed my arms on my chest and faced away from him. The new girl watched our exchange with curious eyes, I could already see the imaginary question mark hovering over her head as she wondered exactly what we were doing. Senpai scratched his head, confused at how I was acting and turned to Big-boob girl.

"Anyway, isn't class going to start?" He said and glanced at his watch.

The big-boob girl got all jumpy and checked the time herself. "Oh! It's almost time! See you later then, Hikki!" She said and gave me a small smile, not giving us time to say goodbye since she immediately took off. I looked around and there were only a few people left. Since I was excused because I was busy helping out Senpai, I didn't need to worry about any absences today.

"We better hurry up too. There are still a few more clubs to visit before we're done." Senpai said and started finishing up his meal

"Yes, Senpai!"

"Thank you for your hard work," Senpai said from beside me and handed me a canned coffee drink.

Again...? Why is he giving me so much stuff...? But it would be rude to refuse...

"Thank you for your hard work too, Senpai!" I take the can and inspect it. It's a familiar brand, but I've never tried this yet. He opened his can and started taking small sips from it and watched the sports-oriented clubs in the distance.

We were seated outside under the shade. Classes are gonna end a few minutes from now, and I followed him here since he wanted to take a break. He just came back from buying something from the vending machine. I asked him how much I owed him but he refused to answer, as expected...

"Hnnnngggggg..." I tried to open the can, but it won't budge. This went on for a minute or two until I just gave up.

"Umm, Senpai, can you...?" Senpai was kind enough to take it and open it for me. Uwaaah, he made it look so easy, why do boys have to be stronger...

Before I tried it, I smelled it a bit. The cover didn't say if it was pure black coffee or sweetened, and I thought it was rude to ask him which was which. I felt Senpai's eyes on me as he waited for me to try it. I shrugged to myself and tried it in one go.

SWEEET!

TOO SWEET!

I separate the can from my lips. This coffee is sickeningly sweet! I think I'd need to add water to this before I could drink it!

"Senpai, what is this?" I say and take another look at the can's nutritional information. Hmm, let's see...wow that's a lot of sugar...

"MAXX COFFEE." He replied and took a sip from his can.

"Senpai, this is too sweet. How can you even drink this...?" I carefully put the can beside me, as if it was poisonous and the air around it was dangerous to breathe. Senpai crossed his legs and took another sip from his can. "It's an... acquired taste to be sure."

"Ah..."

A comfortable silence came to us, as we just watched whatever caught our interest in front. My attention rested on the few students that played in the distance, playing football, and then it came to some of the birds that flew overhead. Three of them came near us, the small things pecking the ground and hopping nearby. I didn't make any sudden moves that might scare them away. It was fun watching them, chirping and making those kinds of sounds.

"Senpai, look..." I poked his arm to get his attention. One of them was standing on his shoe, its eyes looking directly at him as if waiting for something. Senpai hummed and nodded, then got something out of his pocket. It was the bread that he bought when we had lunch earlier. Without another word, he broke it in half and started throwing them small crumbs.

Wait, isn't feeding animals like this discouraged...? And this is the first time I've seen the birds near the school act this friendly.

"Here, throw them some bits too." He handed me the other half. I was a bit conflicted at first, but then I just followed him. The birds chirped as they got tiny crumbs of bread on their beaks and ate it. Three became five, and a newcomer even landed on Senpai's legs before hopping down and joining the others.

"I hang around here a lot after classes and during the winter months. Here Kouhai, watch this~..." He grinned and held out his hand with some bread on them. A short while later, two immediately landed on his hand and started chirping and eating. To say that I was amazed was an understatement.

"Senpai, that's amazing...!" I whispered to him, trying to contain my excitement as another one came to us carrying a small twig.

"Kouhai, do you know Ivan Pavlov?" He asked in a low voice and turned to me. I started thinking. The name was familiar, but I can't quite remember where and when I heard it. But that name, he must be a European scientist or something similar?

I shook my head.

"Well, he is a very famous Russian Psychiatrist known for his work in Classical Conditioning. Pavlovian Theory, which was named after him, is a procedure that pairs an external stimulus with an intended conditioned response. His famous experiment was when he conditioned his dogs to salivate when he rang a bell, since for a certain time before he had concluded the experiment, he would ring a bell before feeding his dogs." Senpai said.

I widened my eyes when I understood what he did.

He made a small grin from my reply and retracted his outstretched hand, now empty of bread crumbs. "I conditioned these birds to approach me when I'm here over the past few months since my presence usually indicates food for them."

I tried to copy him and stretched out my hand with bread crumbs too, but I got ignored by the small birds, they opted to go to Senpai instead. One of them briefly landed on his head, took a closer look at me and then flew down.

I pouted and tried to entice them by imitating their chirps. " Chirp chirp... tweet tweet...come here cute little birdies, don't be shy~..." When I attempted to lean down to them, they all flew a short distance away. Uwaah, my sudden movement must have startled them...

I felt a hand rub and pat me on the head, and I turned to Senpai giving me a semi-pitiful expression. "Don't feel bad. You're still a stranger to them after all." As if to add salt to my wounds, he threw some crumbs in front of him and the birds that flew away from me immediately came over to him. And wait, there's a lot of them now...

"Mou...Senpai you bully..." I say and lightly hit him on the shoulder, to which he just chuckled a bit.

It felt nice, being given head pats and rubs, I just let him do it while we continued feeding the birds in silence. Uwaaah, this feels nice...I don't have an older sibling, so I've never been given head pats like this. Our bread ran out, and while the birds stayed at his feet for a little while, they started flying away from one by one back to the trees.

"Look Senpai, one's still hopping near you...!" I softly said and pointed at the small bird. Another bird suddenly landed near it, carrying a small twig, and gave it to its partner before the both of them flew to the nearest tree.

"Ah, so I was right. They were mates..." Senpai muttered to himself as we watched them stay for a bit on the branches before flying deeper under the tree's leaves

"Mates? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?" I ask.

"No. More like husband and wife since the female is most likely expecting a clutch of eggs given that they are building a nest. Mates like them work together in building the nest and keeping the eggs and chicks warm while the other partner goes out and hunts for food." He replied as he looked amused by my question.

"Senpai, you're so smart!"

He suddenly sported this haughty expression. "Of course. Who do you think I am?" He said cheekily and I giggled a bit.

The school's speakers sounded their bell tune, announcing the end of classes. Senpai took his hand from my head, stretched a bit and looked at his watch. "Well, that's it for today's activities. Kouhai, as of this moment, you are free of your duties as my temporary assistant. You are excused."

I smiled but felt a bit sad that the day ended so soon. Even though I was just randomly selected for this task, I'm really glad that I got picked in the end.

And Senpai was surprisingly fun to hang out with. I got to visit lots of clubs, and see Senpai interact with people, even that was kinda fun to watch. I thought he was scary, but he's kind, sometimes laid-back and thoughtful and considerate.

I had fun today.

"Senpai...?" I say and turned to him.

"Hmm?"

I fiddled a bit with my blazer since if I say it incorrectly, he may be getting the wrong idea. "Um, is it alright if I drop by the StuCo more often...?" I say a bit shyly. He let the words process in his head for a few seconds before replying.

"For what reason?" He asked and leaned in closer, curious about what I was going to say. The movement caused some of his hair to fall and cover his eyes, and he used his hand to get them out of the way. His eyes, though a bit scary and cold from a distance, had a softer look to them when he's this close.

"Uhhh...to help you out with work and stuff...? Like if you have some other stuff that you need to do, but you don't have the time, then maybe we can do it...B-But! If you don't need me anymore, then that's fine too..." I say and looked down since his gaze was intense. I heard him tap his fingers on the bench, and from the corner of my eye, the first students were already getting out of the building.

"Hmm, I see..." He crossed his other leg over the other and put on a thinking pose while closing his eyes. He nodded a few times and muttered to himself under his breath before turning to me.

"So you want to turn this into a permanent arrangement then?" He turned and gave me an amused grin.

"Y-Yes! If it's n-not too much trouble..."

He looked down and covered his face, it was light at first but then his shoulders shook the more he suppressed it. " FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! How a dorable! How adorable! " He laughed loudly and put his hand on my head, quickly rubbing on it and getting my hair a bit messy in the process. I didn't mind since hearing his weird and goofy laugh was fun and it caused a giggle from me too.

His words made me blush a bit but hiding it was useless anyway. " Hehehehehehe~! Senpai, stop~! You're gonna ruin my hair~!" My words made him laugh louder even more.

" Very well! From this day onward until the day I step down from the Council, you, my dear Kouhai, will be my assistant!" He exclaimed with a grin, his eyes were a bit stern but he was having fun. His eyes remind me of those guys in anime that look villainous and menacing but are the kindest and most honourable of the bunch.

I stood up from my seat, his hand leaving my head and I bowed low to him.

"I-I'll do my very best! Hikigaya-senpai!"

I saw him stand and put his hands on my shoulders, gently making me stand straight. "H-Hey c-come on now, just because I was using big words and messing with you doesn't mean that you have to bow you know..." He said softly and made me sit down back on the bench. Now that I think about it, what I just did was super embarrassing, and from an onlooker's perspective, it must have looked like I was confessing to him. I looked around and saw some people whispering amongst themselves while their heads were facing our direction, they quickly faced forward when our eyes landed on them. Uwaaahh, I bet there's gonna be a rumour coming out of this...But wait! This is Senpai we're talking about! No one would dare to make up rumours with him in them!

"Now! As for your first official task..." Senpai suddenly said with a serious face and I gulped in anticipation on what he was going to say next.

"..."

"Is to..."

"..."

"Walk with me."

I blinked twice, then thrice. "Huh?" He rolled his eyes, stood up and stretched a bit. He watched something far away before turning to me.

"Come on, let's go." I was afraid that he'll walk away on his own again, but this time, he patiently waited for me to stand up with him. I fixed my skirt and brushed off some bread crumbs that were stuck to me.

I noticed some on Senpai's sleeve and had it in myself to brush them away too. "Senpai, hold still, there's a bit on your sleeve." He raised his sleeve a bit as I made it my mission to get every crumb off of him. After a little while, I was done, and I held the folders and clipboard to my chest.

"Do you need help with that?" He said as he eyed them.

"No Senpai, I can do this by myself! Where are we going?" I ask.

"To the StuCo room, we're gonna tell Shiromeguri-senpai about us." He said and we started walking together.

When he faced forward, I looked down to hide the blush on my face. His words had another meaning to them, one that made me self-conscious about how close we walked together. Is he teasing me, or is he just stupidly oblivious to the words that he sometimes says?!

Senpai suddenly stopped in his tracks, and without another word, jogged over to the bench that we just sat on. He came back carrying the canned coffee that he bought for me. "Phew, that was close. Here." He said and handed it to me. Since it was heavier, this was mine.

"Sorry Senpai, I forgot about it," I say and give him a small apologetic smile.

"No worries, everyone forgets something." He replied.

We continued walking and we were about halfway before we reached the entrance. I pouted and pulled on his sleeve and looked up to him, remembering what's been bothering me ever since I accompanied him this morning.

"Senpai..."

"What is it?"

"Senpai, you still haven't called me by my name. All you've done today is call me "Kouhai"." I say and pinched his arm. He widened his eyes as if realizing what he's done.

"Oh, my apologies. It must have gone past my head at some point..." He said. What a jerk! I thought he was just messing with me, but he has no idea?! Did he buy me those over-the-top snacks, sweets and lunch because thinks I'm still a little girl?! Is he treating me like a little kid!? He is, isn't he! Grrrrrrrr...!

I mentally stomped down my frustration and playfully bumped into him as we walked. "Come on Senpai~, call me by my name~..." I say and batted my eyelashes at him. I knew it! Even someone as stoic and serious as him can blush like that! Hehehehehe~, maybe I can use this to my advantage in the future~...

"Well, if that's what you want, Isshiki Iroha." He replied, and I gave him a cheeky smile, which caused a tiny grin to form on his face.

This may be just a gut feeling but...

I think that sticking with Senpai is gonna make my life here in Sobu much more fun~~~...

IROHA GANG RISE UUUUUUUUUUUUPPP!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

FOXY KOUHAI HAS FINALLY MADE HER APPEARANCE!

AIGHT!

How are you lot doing? Fantastic, I hope!

I accidentally made this chapter extra-long, by that's what you want right?

Also, the bathroom scene with Komachi...I almost got carried away and turned it into smut...AGAIN.

Looks like Hachiman's soft and sweet to Isshiki, I guess all girls younger than him automatically fall under the "Little Sister" archetype, and that causes his Onii-chan instincts to reveal itself! He's MUCH more of a tease right now too, I guess too much time hanging around Haruno affected him. Btw, I just added the DDLC reference for the lolz.

AIGHT REPLY TIME!

2theMoon: Thanks!

Darkkon27: Imagine getting cucked by your sister...

Issei ODR: Thank you for your kind words! I understand a bit of Portuguese and Spanish!

BorderLand: She likes him, that much is clear at least.

PhantomHarvester: At this point, Haruno is their biggest rival.

Turtle Emperor: Mate, the reviews and comments tend to get a bit delayed, don't worry I can see them lmao.

JustARandomAnon: Uwaaah, you caught me...

By the way, thank you for your very kind words on my other smut Oneshot. I might even add a chapter if I feel like it! That was my first time writing smut, so I didn't expect much, but I got really surprised when it was well-received by the community! You know, I'm writing another smut right now lol. You can call it...expanding my genre for a more mature audience, or something along those lines!

As always- BLAH BLAH, FOLLOW, FAVOURITE, REVIEW, IDK BLAH BLAH

Anyway, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!

40

My usual routine after classes end is usually like this:

Go to the StuCo Room if my number #1 Senpai, Shiromeguri-senpai, needs any help with anything, and if not, I go buy a snack at the cafeteria if I'm feeling hungry then head straight to the Clubroom. Of course, sometimes Hiratsuka-sensei takes a few minutes of my time chatting after classes, but that doesn't affect things much, given that our talks aren't that long. Just asking about the club and some other random things.

Right now, I was walking with my Senpai and Kouhai after finishing early at the StuCo. Now that Isshiki has joined the team, we got another pair of hands that can help us out! I knew I was right in recruiting her!

"Senpai!" I felt a tug on my sleeve, turned to my left and looked down on the short girl that I recently added to the Council. This became a habit of hers, she'd first tug on my sleeve and call my name while looking up at me.

"Hmm? What is it, Isshiki?"

She held her phone while her eyes shone with energy, even her smile couldn't contain the excitement that she had. "Listen to this Senpai! I heard a new rumour going around! It said that there's a room somewhere in the school that only exists when it's on the corner of your eye! And it disappears when you focus on it!"

"Hooooh, is that so?" I say only half-listening to her.

"Oh! That sounds interesting!" Shiromeguri-senpai said from my right.

Isshiki vigorously nodded her head when she got acknowledged. "Yup! I mentioned it to the Supernatural Research Club, and they said that they're currently looking into it."

"Ah, that sounds just like them..." I say rather bored as we continued walking.

"Now now Hikigaya-kun, don't be like that. I've read some of the files that they compiled, and it's really interesting!" Shiromeguri-senpai added and nudged my arm with her elbow.

"Oh, I've read them. Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and I finished it in one sitting, but they shouldn't get too worked up on something like that. I mean, seriously. Looking for a room that only exists when it's on the corner of your eye? That sounds hard." I say and shrugged at her.

I felt Isshiki's eyes dart between me and Senpai as we spoke, curious about the new topic. "Senpai! What files? Can I read them too?" Isshiki pulled on my sleeve again and I directed her question to Shiromeguri-senpai.

She nodded with a small smile and said "Sure! I have the pdf file on my computer, I'll give it to you tomorrow. But be careful Isshiki-chan, you might get the creeps while reading it~!" Shiromeguri-senpai giggled when Isshiki gulped at her words.

"I can do it! I'm not scared!" She cutely pouted and exclaimed.

Uwaah, she's so cute. I couldn't help but pat her head. "Mm, I'm sure you're not..." She smiled and closed her eyes when I did it.

*pat*

*pat*

I had to gently move her away when she almost bumped into someone since she was still closing her eyes. This little brat is enjoying this too much. "Hehehe, look at the face she's making, Hikigaya-kun! It's so cute!" Shiromeguri-senpai giggled since Isshiki's cute face had turned into an "UvU".

"I know. Hmm, what an adorable little Kouhai you are~..." I say and rubbed the bottom of her chin. Uwaaah, she's so cute, I want to take her home...

Isshiki suddenly snapped out of it and attempted to chomp on my hand. Even though I know that my cute little Kouhai would never do anything to hurt me, I retracted my hand just in case she was serious. "S-Senpai! Stop!" She sported a flustered face when we laughed at her.

Isshiki is a surprisingly hard worker. She's always there when we need some small things to be done. The other members had taken quite a liking to her, which I'm really glad that they did. She's diligent and a quick learner, if a bit clumsy at times.

She got a bit clingy, but I didn't mind. I was the one who invited her, so it doesn't come as surprising that she'd follow me around to get the hang of things. I was the one who suggested it, but I didn't expect that she'd literally follow me around during her free time. She's like a cute little duckling that imprinted herself on me. Isshiki wasn't a boring companion, and she'd tell me about the things that she learned in class and then I'd tell her tips on how to study and get high grades for her subjects. Fufufufufu! As a First Year, I did have perfect grades for an entire academic year after all! For some reason, she knows the times that I'd prefer to eat alone, and then jump at the opportunity to be in my company. She waited at the door of the classroom for me several times, even though I said that she didn't need to do it. Well, there goes my alone time...but I just can't bring myself to shoo her away. Uwaah, I have definitely grown a soft spot for her...

A cute First-Year like her, looking around inside from the edge of the door was sure to catch anyone's attention, and I'd quietly get up from my seat and go to the cafeteria with her when that happens. She's mine! I don't want anyone else laying a hand on her! Yui noticed it but never asked about her. Tobe, Yumiko and even Hina joked that I had finally managed to get myself a "Cute little Kouhai to follow me around.", I had to roll my eyes at their words. Tobe even attempted to make her come to me, but she ran away when he took a single step towards her. Saki asked me about it when we went home together the other day, and I told her that she's a new member that I'm showing around.

I even skipped club yesterday without telling Yui because Isshiki dragged me and Shiromeguri-senpai to a new cake and pastry shop that opened nearby. It was honestly our fault, we were just nodding and nodding at what she was saying...and we couldn't just turn her down since she looked like she was looking forward to it.

"Oh, looks like we're here~! Thanks for walking us here, Hikigaya-kun, you're such a gentleman as always~!" Shiromeguri-senpai said and patted my head when we stopped in front of the shoe lockers. Hmm, her hand feels nice...I immediately feel sleepy when she does it. Maybe I should ask her to stop by my house and rub my head to sleep during those times when I'm having insomnia, or not.

I wonder if this is what Isshiki feels when I do it to her...I can't blame her since it feels really nice.

"Senpaaaaiiii~, why don't you come with us~~~?" Isshiki cutely asked and gripped my sleeve again after she changed her shoes. She was trying to get me to go with them, that much was clear.

"I have to go to my club," I say.

Shiromeguri-senpai winked at me and had an amused smile. "Now now, Isshiki-chan, you shouldn't bother Hikigaya-kun too much. We already took his time yesterday, remember?"

"It's important to listen to your elders, Isshiki," I say and then leaned into Shiromeguri-senpai's ear.

" Thanks for the backup Senpai!"

" No problem!"

She giggled and grinned at me then gave me a high-five, Isshiki on the other hand, went over to her and started pestering her on what I said. "Senpai! What did Senpai say? Is he being a bully and teasing me again? Can I go to his clu-?" She couldn't finish what she was going to say since Shiromeguri-senpai already had a hold on her arm and was slowly walking away. Shiromeguri-senpai mouthed the words "Have fun in your club!"

"Thank you for your hard work. Enjoy your weekend and see you on Monday." I say and gave them a bow. Isshiki stopped struggling and the both of them returned my farewells. I owe Shiromeguri-senpai for this, maybe we should go again to the arcade after work sometime.

"Bye Senpai! Thanks for your hard work and the cake and sweets yesterday!"

"Goodbye Hikigaya-kun, don't go home late ok~? See you on Sunday~!"

I watched them for several seconds before I turned around and started making my way to the clubroom. There were still many students around, and I had to stick to the corners to avoid bumping into anyone since most of them were going in the opposite direction of where I was headed. After several minutes of walking, I entered the separate building where the club was located. The hallways became quieter until I was the only one walking in it. From a small distance away, I saw Yui walking alone. She must be on her way to the clubroom so I decided to go right next to her after activating [ Stealth Hikki ] .

She was a bit surprised when I appeared in the corner of her eye and turned to me with a bright smile. "Oh! Hikki!"

I gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "Hmm, going to the clubroom? I was just on my way there." I say.

"Yup! Come on, let's hurry up! Yukinon must be waiting for us!"

"Ah." I just nodded at her words and matched her pace since her version of "Hurry up." isn't exactly different from my usual pace.

Yui was strangely quiet as we walked, usually, she'll immediately strike up a conversation with me about literally anything that comes to her mind. But from the corner of my eye, it looks like something's on her mind right now. Even though I'd prefer not to, I decided to poke some sort of reaction from her.

"Yui."

"..."

"Yui," I asked again and poked her rib, which caused a yelp of surprise from her.

" Eeeep! Hikki! Stop doing that!" She exclaimed and lightly hit my shoulder.

"Well, you were staring off into space, so I had to get your attention somehow. Anyway, why do you still call me "Hikki"? Didn't I permit you guys a week or two ago?" I ask.

I was referring to how they addressed me. At their behest, I've been calling the girls their first names, but they still call me with the usual nicknames that they labelled me. Hikki, Hikio and Hikitani, even Hina started copying Tobe for some reason. Only Saki was the one who calls consistently calls me by my first name.

"Oh, well I like calling you Hikki! It's a special name, and it sounds cute! Don't you think so too?" She turned to me with an expectant smile.

I put a hand to my chin and started thinking deeply about her words. "Ummm, I guess so...but Hikki...sounds like hickey in English..."

She tilted her head to the side and blinked several times. " Hickey...?"

I put my hand to my face and shook my head. "A hickey is a kiss mark, like when you kiss too hard on another person's neck, and it leaves a red mark..." Good grief, why do I have to explain such things...

Huh, strange. The description came out quite clear, and I have an accurate image in my mind as if I've received and given one to someone before...maybe another me from a different timeline is already experienced in this sort of stuff.

Yui's cheeks grew pinkish at my words. "I-I know what that is! You didn't have to say it! It's embarrassing talking about stuff like that."

Now, it was my turn to look confused, and I turned to her with bewilderment on my face. " Embarrassing? How so? Have you gotten one from someone before?"

She grew even pinker. " What?! No! "

I snapped my fingers when I thought that I had arrived at the correct conclusion. "Ah, so you were the one giving it then?"

" No! "

"Then why are you embarrassed...?" I asked her, utterly dumbfounded. "When it comes to things like this, embarrassment is linked to something you've done before or something that you intend to do in the future. Like recalling a memory, or being told to run for StuCo President. The usual reply would be "Eh?! I can't do it! I'm too embarrassed!" for girls like you. It's just a word, nothing more and nothing less...?"

Yui looked conflicted and made a difficult expression as she fiddled with her blazer. I looked around and noticed that we were already nearing the clubroom.

"Because...ah! Never mind! You seriously have no sense of tact, Hikki!" She exclaimed in a loud voice that made me wince.

I scoffed delinquent-like. " Haaaaaaaaaah? Tact? How is that related to anything? I'm surprised that you even know the word!" I retorted with a cocky smirk. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration and twisted my earlobe for my comment. It's a good thing that Yui's the one doing this, had it been Yumiko, then I'd have yelled out in pain since the force that she applies is a lot stronger than Yui's...

I ignored her and opened the door without another word. She was already there and temporarily looked up from the book that she was reading when she saw us.

"Ah, H-Hikigaya-kun...hello..." She greeted, though the tone in her voice told me that it was rather forced. I just hummed a reply that was barely audible and didn't bother looking in her direction. I don't know nor cared what kind of expression she had on her face.

"And, Yuigahama-san...?" From the corner of my eye, she tilted her head, looking very much confused at how the two of us looked since Yui was still pinching and twisting my ear. She wasn't even putting her heart to it, and I just continued walking to my usual seat with her in tow.

She finally released her hold on me when the other occupant in the room addressed her. "Yukinon! Yahallo!" I sighed in relief when Yui let go since I can finally sit down and start doing my homework. Since it's the weekend tomorrow, that means that I can laze around later tonight.

I got out my notebook and started my task. As I recall, we got four sets of homework today: Science, History, Japanese Literature and Math.

The flash drive that Haruno gave me a few weeks ago has proven quite handy since it contained lots of reference materials from her time here in Sobu. From her projects and assignments to the figures and reports that she got when she was Head of the School Festival Committee. There were some discrepancies to be sure, and we had to meet a few times over the past weeks. We'd meet at my Mother's place, during those times when Komachi wasn't there just in case she bothered us.

She was a huge help and was the reason why I don't have to try so hard in academics anymore since I already had a large amount of crucial reference material on hand. Our meet-ups were more of an advanced form of tutoring, modesty aside, she already knows my academic standing, so it doesn't take long for us to finish. She's quite a good tutor, I'll admit. Even with that said, Mother doesn't waste the opportunity and skips over to us after every session, telling us to call her if we ever need anything.

Even someone like Haruno wasn't immune to getting a tad bit embarrassed and flustered to my Mother's constant pestering and teases, since she'd put down lots of snacks and drinks on our table and run off before we could say anything. Occasionally, one of us would look to the counter, where she would give us a thumbs-up while giggling like a high-school girl. After every meet-up, she'd sneak me the cash equivalent of what my Mother gives her, even though I said that it's fine, she insisted. I guess it's more for her integrity since she doesn't want to feel like a freeloader.

The homework was quite easy, and I finished it quickly and put it back in my bag. I looked at my watch and noticed that there was still quite some time before club hours ended. I yawned and stretched a bit, then rested my head on my arms on the table.

I was about to drift off into a short nap when I heard my name being called. "Hikki! Did I forget to ask you, why weren't you at the club yesterday? StuCo duties?" Yui asked when there was a temporary pause in her conversation with the other occupant in the room.

I was too tired to raise my head, so I just mumbled a reply loud enough for her to hear. "Something like that."

"Ah, ok! I was just asking since Yukinon asked me about it several times yesterday. She was all like "Yuigahama-san, have you seen Hikigaya-kun? Is he coming to the club?". I was even planning on dropping by the StuCo room to see if you were there." Yui replied while imitating a certain someone's voice, not thinking about how her words would affect her companion.

I heard a cough after she spoke, then a throat being cleared.

"Is that so..." I reply lazily.

After that, I got dragged into their little conversation which ultimately forced me to put an end to any attempt of mine to take a nap. Whenever I was a wink away from sleeping, Yui would then turn to me and ask my opinion about something. Since I was here, I might as well study in advance for next week's lessons, so I took out my book and started skimming through the pages.

Sometime after that, an electric boiler screeched, its duty complete.

The other black-haired occupant excused herself from Yui and stood up to go prepare the tea. I lightly tapped my highlighter on the table as I continued reading, the only sound being made in the room aside from the sound of teacups and water being poured. I felt Yui's eyes on my person, almost as if she's expecting me to speak up during the temporary silence.

I soon heard footsteps go towards her, and then a tray being put down on the table.

"Thanks as always, Yukinon!" Yui thanked her, and I could already picture the smile that I got accustomed to.

"You're quite welcome Yuigahama-san."

They exchanged a few words, then footsteps that made their way towards me. She stopped at a small distance away, and from the corner of my eye, I saw a teacup that she carefully held with her hand, still hot and steaming.

She spoke after a few seconds of deafening silence and just standing there, reluctant and hesitating to continue. "Hikigaya-kun...would yo-"

"No thank you," I reply too early and a bit too loudly, causing her to get interrupted. She flinched at the tone of my voice, and I'm sure Yui winced too.

"O-Oh..." I heard the hurt in her voice, apologizing is below me and would make me look like a fool and the one at fault. Instead of stepping back and walking away, she asked me again. "Are you sure...?"

I nodded without looking at her.

She stayed there for a few more seconds, just silently contemplating on what to do based on my current reply and demeanour. Her presence was starting to get irksome and I was about to turn and shoo her away when she spoke.

"E-Even so..." She said silently, her voice barely above a whisper, and put down the teacup on the table. "this is a waste. Wait for it to cool down, it's still quite hot..." Her fingers gently and carefully pushed the teacup towards me, as if it might break at the slightest touch. I arched a brow at her hand but said nothing. Then she stepped back and slowly made her way back to her seat. I watched her retreating form and saw Yui give me a small smile.

I didn't pay attention to what they were saying, not that I wanted to join in on them or anything, I wasn't really in the mood anyway. With that said, I ignored them and returned to my current task. I flipped page after page until the faintest streaks of red started appearing in the sky as I watched from the window. Once the tea was cool enough, I drank it in one go.

Yui noticed it too and turned to her companion. "Hey, Yukinon. Can we end club activities today early? It's Friday after all...hehehehe."

She put a hand under her chin and looked outside the window to the sky. "Well, I believe no one is coming anymore for consultations, so I agree." She replied and Yui immediately stood up and fixed the chairs. I already had my things in my bag, so I opted to go ahead with them.

In any case, I want some time by myself, and it's been a while since I walked home alone.

"I'll be going ahead. It's my turn to make dinner tonight." I announced and grabbed my bag. Yui turned me, and an unspoken conversation happened using just our eyes and hand gestures. She had her back to us. In the end, I shook my head at what Yui was implying, and she sighed in defeat.

"Ok, well stay safe then, Hikki..." She said and I nodded at her. I noticed her eyes linger a bit on our Club President, before turning around.

I was about to walk out of the door but not before turning my head around to get a last glimpse of the club room. Yui was rummaging through her bag, and talking about something, but my eyes instinctively went to the other girl.

She went to my seat, her eyes on my teacup. When she got close enough to see that it was empty, she sighed in relief and took it in her hands. Our eyes met when she raised her head, and instead of going out of the room...

I held her gaze for several seconds, my face devoid of any emotion.

Have you ever been frustrated at someone, and instead of doing anything about it, you prefer to completely ignore their existence, lest you say or do something that you might regret? Complete and absolute indifference is what I've decided to call it. A problem doesn't exist as long as you don't acknowledge it. It might be a half-assed compromise on my part, but this is the bare minimum that I could allow myself to do. I refuse to apologize for I have done nothing wrong. This is what I've been doing every time I step inside the confines of this room and be in unfortunate company with the girl that I'm looking at right now.

If it were not for my pride, I would have removed myself from the club weeks ago. Yumiko's words from the other day echoed in my head, "You shouldn't be such a wuss when it comes to these sorts of things, Hikio. Don't take shit from anybody! Well, that's what I'd do anyway."

She looked as if she was about to say something, but then looked down. If she's going to say something, she should just go on and spit it out instead of wasting my time like this.

"Hmph." I opened the door and went outside, not looking behind me.

Isshiki was right, I should have gone with them. Uwaah, if I did, then I should be eating mocha cake right now. We didn't have any clients today anyway.

I didn't let what happened in the club get to my head. What happens in the club, stays in the club, or school to an extent. If I ever bump into her outside of school, I'll be a bit amiable. Other than that, I at least took comfort in the fact that next week will be our last before summer break starts. Not that I'm gonna do much during that time anyway, I'm probably going to spend more time with Maya-sensei, we have a competition of some sort three weeks from now after all. And, if I'm feeling like it, maybe I can just go with my Father to work just like what I did before, or I can request Boss Yuuka to give me some more working hours just for the heck of it.

Hmm, but if I do that, I feel that I'll get scolded by my Mother again since I might overwork myself like before.

I unlocked my shoe locker and opened it. A white envelope fell, and I managed to catch it before it could make contact with the ground. I inspected and turned it around a few times when I saw that there was nothing written on it, I guess I have to open and see its contents. I looked around to see if there was anyone there then sighed and went to the nearby garbage bin and held it above it. If I slightly loosen my fingers more, then this will surely fall...

"..."

Several things are going on in my mind right now as to what this envelop could contain. If this is in fact that, then I have no interest in such things.

This deserves to be in the garbage bin.

"..." But wait, this could be a letter from the School or the StuCo, I was too hasty and jumped to conclusions. On the other hand, if it were from the after-mentioned, then the official seal should be marked at the front.

I eyed the thing for a few more seconds before I withdrew my hand and put it in my bag for safekeeping. I shook my head at how I acted without thinking and started walking out of the school building.

"Good grief, this better not be a prank. I've had enough of that after my little conversation with Yuuko..."

*Stare...*

"Sir? Have you chosen which one you like?" The lady beside me asked as I eyed their displayed cakes through the glass casing. She looks a few years younger than my Mother

"Please wait..." I narrowed my eyes at the cakes in front of me, internally conflicted on which one to choose.

"If I may ask Sir, is it for a girl...?"

Without even missing a beat, I replied in kind and turned to her. "Yes."

"Oh, I see!" She clapped her hands together and smiled. "Is it for a birthday? An anniversary? Just a general celebration?"

My eyes wandered downwards as I thought about her words. I tapped my finger on my chin a few times as my mind raced for the most appropriate answer. "Nothing like that...we're just gonna eat it."

"Did she invite you to her place?"

I nodded.

"Ah, so it's more of a house-date thing with your girlfriend?"

I was about to correct her, but I decided against it. A female's opinion when it comes to things like these should always be taken into account. I don't have very much experience after all. Plus, she's just a stranger. To me, I'm just an average customer that needs help with something. "It's my first time going to her place, she wants to talk about something." I calmly reply as I returned my attention to the cakes in front of me.

She blinked a few times before humming to herself. "If I may ask Sir, and you may choose not to answer if you like, but did you fight with her...?

I chuckled and turned to her. Seriously, women are too perceptive that it's scary. "I'd like to call it a tiny misunderstanding. She wants to talk to clear something up, I wager."

"Hehehe~! What a lucky girl to have such a thoughtful guy like you~!" She giggled and I just forced a small amused smile.

"Ah, so it's like that! Then I recommend you to either take the Dark Chocolate, Mocha or Strawberry Cheesecake one! The last one is especially popular with girls your age!" She offered. After several more seconds of thinking, I chose the Strawberry Cheesecake which was big enough for three to four people. I bought a small box of chocolate chip cookies since I felt like it and watched the lady carefully put my purchases in a box, and my eyes drifted to some of the patrons eating on their tables in their store. I feel a bit out of place here, there's a lot of couples being lovey-dovey in public. Grrr, just looking at them doing that makes me-!

Tch!

Filthy Riajuus!

"Thank you," I say when I received my purchases.

The lady gave me a bright smile. "Thank you very much, Sir! Good luck with your girl and please come again!"

I chuckled at her reply. "Thanks, I think I'm gonna need it."

Once I got out of the store and into the street, I stayed at the side and took out my phone, where I went online and gave the store a 5-star rating with the review "Nice place, good service and great cakes.". Maybe I'll take Komachi here with me in the future.

I checked the time on my phone and found out that it was still quite early. Around an hour and a half until the designated time. Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have come here earlier than I should have. Even though her place was two stations away, it was the weekend, and I'm confident that I could have arrived on time anyway if I took off later.

*Sigh*

At least it's not hot anymore since it's the afternoon and all. Why did she have to decide the time this late though? I can't wait for Summer Break to start, I can stay indoors as much as I want~! There were some stores around, and the bookstore caught my eye a block or two from where I was. Since I still had some time to kill, I decided to explore the area, I've never been to this part of Chiba before and lots of unfamiliar-looking buildings and landmarks towered above me.

I entered the bookstore and started looking for the Used-books section. It was larger than I thought on the inside and very well-maintained, I saw some Middle-Schoolers but that was it. I skimmed through the books, most were new, some looked around more than ten years old from how worn-out they looked. After around thirty minutes of walking around the different sections that might contain a book that might catch my interest, I stumbled upon a biography on Murasaki Shikibu that was in great status. And right behind it was a copy of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, its cover and pages were in pristine condition. I had to resist yelling out in joy.

Huh, I'm surprisingly lucky today.

After paying for the books, I went out with my mood and spirits somewhat lifted and started following the instructions to reach her apartment, as stated in the letter that she sneaked in my shoe locker yesterday:

Good Day Hikigaya-kun

I have not found a chance to speak to you recently, given that you are either too busy with your StuCo duties or that you looked like you were not in the mood to speak with me. And I understand your grievances. I would like to speak to you alone, so I decided to invite you to my home. On the back of this is my home address and contact information, use it as you see fit. I know you are quite skilled enough to follow it. I just want to talk. I will also not hold any ill will against you should you decide not to come, I am quite aware of your reasons for doing so. But know that I will be waiting for you until the very last second...

I hope to see you...

Sincerely Yours, Y.Y.

Goodness, adding that last part was so unfair. Even someone like me would be forced to go. She knows me very well to know that those kinds of stuff work quite well on me, I have to admit.

Tch.

I sighed as I continued walking and following the instructions on the map app that I had on my phone. After maybe around fifteen minutes of walking, I finally arrived at the entrance of a rather expensive-looking apartment complex and entered inside. The place was nice, it somewhat reminded me of the lobby of Angel Ladder to an extent. The security guard a small distance away immediately stood up and walked over to me, where she asked my purpose hereafter giving me a stiff greeting and eyeing me from top to bottom.

"Hikigaya Hachiman. Room 910. Just visiting." I said casually. I noticed her raise an eyebrow at me when she thought I wasn't looking.

She nodded at me and proceeded to enter some numbers on the phone behind the reception. "Good Afternoon Ma'am. A young man named "Hikigaya Hachiman" is here to see you...I see. Thank you." She put down the phone and then turned to me.

"Sorry about that Sir. New security policies and all." She said and gave me a small bow.

I waved off her concern. "No worries. I understand." I say and then made my way to the elevator. I stepped inside, then pressed the button that would take me to the 9th floor. Several seconds later, a ding sounded and then the doors opened. The floor was carpeted, and the layout was similar to one of the hotels that I've been to when I travelled around with my Father.

I soon found myself in front of her apartment. After checking my hair and smoothing non-existent creases on my shirt, I knocked twice on her door. Nearly a minute later, I heard quick footsteps from inside until they stopped just on the other side of the door. Good grief, I swear I heard her clear her throat...

The door slowly opened, and I finally saw her.

Her hair looked was nicely combed and she wore a bathrobe to cover herself over her house clothes. Even with that on, I saw her creamy thighs and the soft skin on the base of her neck. The bathrobe looked like it was tied in a hurry, and I had to force my eyes from looking at her too much. She had this meek look on her face as she likewise checked me out from head to toe.

"..."

"..." Our little staredown continued, none of us not quite sure what to say or act. In the end, I decided to take the initiative because I wasn't quite comfortable continuing to look at her with how she looked.

Sigh. "Yukinoshita..."

That seemed to bring her back to reality, and she quickly cleared her throat and moved some strands of her hair behind her ear. "A-Ah, Hikigaya-kun...I didn't expect you to come so early."

I shrugged and tapped my wristwatch. "Weren't you the one who always nagged at me to always arrive thirty minutes early when it comes to stuff like these? Just listened to your advice and all?"

She was deep in thought for several moments as she looked down. "Yes...I do recall frequently saying that..."

"..."

"You're quite decently dressed today..."

"Better to go out overdressed than looking like a snob, no?"

She nodded slowly at my words. "I suppose so."

"..."

"...So are you going to let me in or...?"

Embarrassment was on her face when the realization came to her, and she opened the door so I can pass through. "Forgive me, where are my manners."

To lighten up the rather awkward atmosphere, I decided to throw in a tease as I stepped inside and made way for me. "I'm home Love, what's for dinner?"

She frowned and pouted from my words as a very faint blush appeared on her face. "Hikigaya-kun...please keep your flirtatious words and sweet nothings while in my own home to a minimum."

I rolled my eyes as I knelt and took off my shoes. "Yes, Hon..." From the corner of my eye, she puffed out her cheeks but didn't retort.

"Here, use these slippers. These are yours now." She said and handed me a new pair. They were light blue and had cat designs on them. She wore one of the same designs, the only difference was hers was pink and mine was blue. How cute.

"Hoh, does that mean that I can come here anytime now...?" I say lamely as I put them on. Hmm, they're quite comfy. Her hand went upwards towards my ear, then stopped. I thought she was going to retract her hand but then I felt her twist my ear. Surprisingly, she wasn't even putting much force with her fingers.

She narrowed her eyes at me, and the ends of her mouth curled slightly upwards. "That depends on your behaviour...now please, follow me." She let go and turned around, and right there, near the end of her long and silky hair, was a pink comb that was hanging on for its dear life.

"Umm, Yukinoshita...?"

She turned her body to me, and the comb was hidden from my view. "Hmm?" She tilted her head at my query.

With my finger, I motioned at something on my back, and she likewise reached behind her when she understood what I meant. Her cheeks reddened when her fingers grasped the comb, and she quickly hid it in her side pockets. "That was unsightly. Forgive me, I was quite caught unprepared. As you can see, I even had to wear this robe over myself in a hurry..." She lightly gripped the robe over her breast as if to add emphasis.

I was about to comment that I would have preferred to see her without that robe on, but I think that was going a tad bit too far.

"I understand. Don't fret over such small things." I say in an attempt to salvage what I can from the situation. She nodded and I followed her to her living room.

The place was as what you would expect of an apartment of this level, though there wasn't many decorations and stuff like that, she must be a minimalist.

"Nice place," I commented as I eyed the view from the glass windows.

"Thank you. You're the first person outside my family to set foot here." She replied and turned to me, waiting for my reaction.

"Ah, well I feel quite honoured then..." I say bored, which caused a tiny amused smile on her lips.

"I'm sure you do." She replied and then we entered her kitchen where I smelled something being cooked. Different kinds of spices, most of them already familiar to me, made themselves known to my sense of smell. I saw something being boiled in a pan as well as some chopped vegetables, peeled potatoes, scrambled eggs and frying mix on the side.

"You know...I was just kidding when I asked you what's for dinner earlier...I didn't expect you to make all... this." I say with an unsure voice, slightly taken aback at the lengths that she took.

"Nonsense. What kind of Hostess would I be if I don't offer food to my guest?" She replied and turned to me as if I just said something strange. I then gave her the stuff that I brought with me as I waited for her reaction. She put it on the table and slowly peeked inside, and turned to me when she realized what it was.

She sighed. "Hikigaya-kun...you know that you didn't have to..."

" Nonsense. What kind of guest would I be if I don't bring something as thanks to my Hostess?" She shook her head, then smiled and muttered something under her breathe.

"Also, it's customary for a guy to bring something when visiting a girl's house. Well, that's just what my Mother says anyway..." I added as an afterthought.

She lightly blushed at my words since they did sound quite suggestive, but she didn't seem to mind. "Ah, I see that your Mother raised her Son quite well then..."

"I don't know what your preferences were, so I just picked one that I thought you would like...there's also some cookies inside," I added.

"Anything that you pick is fine by me."

I shrugged and watched her take the entire thing out and set aside the cookies and cake, then she went on to the next bag and took out my books. She widened her eyes and clapped her hands once when she read the titles. "Oh my, a biography of Murasaki Shikibu and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy...and in magnificent condition too. I have to say Hikigaya-kun, you have an eye for good literature...I have been looking for copies of these for a while now. Thank you, the gesture is very much appreciated." She said and flashed me a small grateful smile.

Wait.

Did she assume that those were for...?

I was about to say that those were in fact mine, but seeing her smiling as she flipped through the pages and nodded in satisfaction made the words die down inside me.

Come on Me! Don't waver! Think about it! What would Yumiko say in this situation! She'd say "Man up Hikio! Don't be such a wuss! Be strong! Don't be such a bottom sub! Dominate him! Bend him over and-!" Wait, Yumiko would never say those last parts! That's something Hina would say instead!

"You're... welcome..." I internally sighed and closed my eyes. Uwaah, just my luck...!

Try as I might, I couldn't bring myself to do it and I had to sigh in exasperation as the two sides within my head voiced their concerns and opinions. Yukinoshita was still standing there, reading the summary and looking at the cover art when I decided to take a closer look at what she was preparing. I was about to walk past her when I felt her hand on my chest, causing me to stop dead in my tracks.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Yes?"

"May I ask what it is that you intend to do?"

"Just wanted to see what you were cooking." I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"Oh? And why are you going towards the aprons?" She narrowed her eyes at me, and we both knew that I was caught. "You are my Guest, to have you assist me in preparing these would be shameful on my part."

"And what if I want to help?" I say, but she said nothing and narrowed her eyes at me.

" Tch, you know me so well..." I took a step back while raising my hands in defeat and she took her hand off from my chest, looking quite satisfied. Of course, she already knew my intentions.

I looked away from her, preferring to look to her living room instead. Literally anything except her. "And, I think you should get a change of clothes..." I say. From the corner of my eye, I saw her tighten the knot around herself and muttered her apologies. It had come slightly undone over her chest, and the thin white shirt underneath was, well thin. Even though I know that she wasn't naked underneath, it still bothers me when I see some skin here and there. Had it been Komachi, I would have felt nothing.

"Yes, I will be right back. Make yourself at home." She said and turned away at the corner to where her room must be.

" Make myself at home, huh..." I mutter to myself when I was finally left alone. I checked the meat that was boiling in the corner and lowered it heat a little. Hmm, she must be pre-boiling the chicken for it to cook faster when fried. Out of curiosity, I opened her fridge to see what was inside. It took me by surprise since there was more than I expected. She could last a week and a half with all of this.

After that, I went back to the living room. In your average everyday home, you'd see some picture frames of photos of your family, but this was devoid of such things. If I could describe it in one word, I'd say that the place was a bit gloomy. If I was living here alone, I'd at least put a few photos of my Family on the desks, walls and bedside table. I walked around trying to find one to no avail. I went back to her shoe rack to check, and the only ones that were there were the shoes that I've seen her wear before and my pair side by side.

So it's like that huh...

I..I honestly did not expect this. When she said that she lived alone, I already had an image in my mind as to what her place looked like. But I forgot to take into consideration that her relationship with the rest of her family is a bit...rough. Sometimes I forget that she and Haruno are related since she doesn't even talk about her older sister or her own family for that matter.

I pushed aside the gloomy thoughts in my head as I dragged my feet back to the living room where I opted to stare out the window thinking of nothing, in particular, time passing by as if I had skipped it. I felt my phone ring in my pocket, but I disregarded it for now. Footsteps sounded to my left, and I instinctively turned my head in that direction.

Yukinoshita wore a short black flowing skirt that ended on her mid-thighs and paired them with similarly black stockings where it went up until below her knees. For her top, she chose a fashionable red cardigan over a white blouse, her hair was neat and perfect, and even from this distance, I caught the scent of her perfume. It was also the first time that I saw her wear some light lipstick, it complemented her pale complexion beautifully.

She stopped when our eyes locked, and I eyed her from head to toe, shifting her balance from her leg to the other. My eyes stayed on her stockings-clad legs a bit too long, specifically the parts that exposed her skin and she started fidgeting and squirming from my gaze. My Mother always taught me the signs when a girl is waiting for a compliment, and everything within me screamed at me to say something. Her blue eyes would focus themselves on me, but then break eye contact and she'd have a rather meek expression on her face. If she got out looking like that, then she'd be the apple of everyone's eyes, male and female alike.

Even though much of my previous thoughts were plaguing my head, I still had the mental capacity to say something.

"You're dressed quite... nicely," I say, which caused a small blush to creep up her cheeks.

"A-Ah...t-thank you...Nee-san bought me these for me a while ago, but today was the first time that I wore them. Do I look...strange?" She did a cute little twirl. I clenched my fists. Good Lord, that was a huge critical hit to my sanity meter.

"No, nothing like that. You look beautiful."

She stood there for several seconds, her face turning even redder. "A-Anyway, to ease your boredom as you wait, I'll enter the password for the Wifi for you." She declared and sat down next to me as she crossed her legs imitating me. Her scent was intoxicating and it caused my head to spin and get conscious of how close we were. I gulped and handed her my phone as she put several strands of her hair behind her ear.

A mild surprise was on her face and she turned to me. I had to reflexively lean away from her from how close her face was. "You don't have a password?"

I shook my head. "Not really, it's not like I'm hiding anything shady in my phone."

She nodded and shortly entered the Wifi password, a notification sounded the connection's success and she gave it back to me. She gave me the remote to her T.V. and then stood up. "I think you can do the rest yourself. I will be in the kitchen, dinner will be ready in a while..." I nodded and then she excused herself and went. My eyes lingered on her backside and skirt as it lazily swayed from side to side as if tempting me before I had to slap myself. I watched her pick up and wear the pink apron around herself humming while doing so then looking in my direction to find me just staring at her.

She tilted her head to the side. "Hikigaya-kun?" she called out "Do you need something? Are you hungry...? I have some snacks here if you'd like some..." She then attempted to open some cabinets as well as the fridge.

I shook my head and quickly thought of a shitty excuse. "Are you sure that you don't need my help?"

"I'm quite sure." She turned her attention to her cooking, ending the conversation right there.

With that, I turned on her T.V and went through the channels, looking for something interesting to pass the time. Aside from the sounds of something being cooked, the news anchor started talking about the most recent and relevant news was all I heard. I got bored rather quickly, so I turned down the volume and got out my phone instead. I saw that my parents sent me a message asking me about my current whereabouts, and I told them that I was currently at a schoolmate's house. I spent quite a while playing my usual gacha game until I noticed the smell of potatoes being fried and caused my stomach to instantly growl.

Potatoes! My only weakness!

I put my phone on the table then got up and went to the kitchen without a sound after turning the T.V off. She had her back to me as she seemed to be chopping up some meat and onions and putting them in the curry pot. Beside her, was a bowl of newly fried potatoes. I stopped when she was just right in front of me, humming a tune. Slowly, I reached out my hand, I was about to get one with my two fingers when her hand suddenly slapped my hand away.

Damn!

"Hikigaya-kun, I know that you are hungry but please endure for a little while more. I'm almost finished."

"Just one..."

She sighed and turned to me, then put her hands on her hips. "Fine, just one. When you said that you sneaked up on your Mother and take the fried potatoes that were supposed to be for the curry, I thought that you were jesting..."

To say that I was surprised was an understatement. "How...did you know that?" I ask as I got one and bit into it.

She arched a brow at me as if I had said something strange. "You said it yourself, remember? That you prefer to put fried potatoes in your curry and cook them in the oil that was used in frying chicken since it adds flavour, and you also said that you liked spicy food so I decided to a little bit here and there." She said and pointed to a plate with fried chicken on it.

Huh, I'll give her a little test then. "Did you cut the carrots thinly...?"

"Yes."

"Did you put some pepper after covering the chicken with breading?"

"Of course."

"What about the miso soup?"

She nodded.

"Hmm, did you put some lemon on the fish?"

"Done."

"Did you also put lots of meat and onions in the curry?" She rolled her eyes and wordlessly pointed to the pot. "I know about your mild anaemia, so I put lots." Wow, she does know a lot about me.

"Now please, sit down or something. Goodness, you're like a child. I'm almost done." I followed her and sat down on the dinner table where I rested my chin on my hands as I just continued watching and waiting for her to finish. I watched her cook quietly, she was making three different dishes at the same time. It was a bit amusing, watching her do it and the little movements that caught my attention. The fried chicken, beef curry, steamed vegetables, grilled fish that was inside the electric grill and miso soup. The ventilation system above the kitchen must be excellent since it prevented all the different aromas from spreading to the rest of her apartment.

After half an hour, she was finally done and took off her apron. She put the placemats and food on the table, and I was about to stand up and help her out but she put a hand on my shoulder and made me sit back down.

"You certainly cooked quite a lot..." I say

"These are all your favourites, no?" I slowly nodded at her, and she looked very satisfied with herself. "Too simple for my taste, but its nutritional value are acceptable."

"What about the cake?"

"It's in the fridge. We will eat it together later."

She sat down across me when all the preparations were done. ""Itadakimasu..."" We said together and started eating. As always, I started eating the grilled fish first and paired it with the rice and miso soup. Hmm, the texture of this...

"Blue Marlin...?"

She nodded and gave me a small amused smile. "How perceptive. Yes, it is."

I tried some of the curry and chicken, and they were quite good. She was more than happy to serve me seconds when my plate was nearly empty, doing it diligently and gracefully as with everything that she does. Being the honoured guest that I am, I showed my appreciation and delight to her cooking by giving her compliments and expressing how great the food is.

"How is the food?" She asked.

"Wonderful. The meat in the curry is especially good." I reply.

"That's good to hear. I was planning to make lasagna as well since Uncle mentioned to me that it was one of your favourites."

"Lasagna? Well, you do have an oven, so I thi-" I stopped when I replayed her statement inside my head. Uncle? Did she call my Father...?

I gave her a questioning look, and she wiped her mouth before answering it. "During the company visit your Father...how do I say this... favoured me very much. Always keeping me close and telling my class about his dealings with my own Father. At some point, it got a bit e-embarrassing because my class mistook me as his Niece or Step-Daughter, but he cleared that up so it was fine. I couldn't refuse when he told me to call him "Uncle". The company visit was very interesting, especially when we toured inside the ship named after you." She said.

This is new, but then again, why would my Father tell me such trivial things anyway? "Oh, I see..."

We soon finished eating since the conversation ended there. She only ate a moderate amount of food, only enough to sate her appetite. I, on the other hand, ate as much as I can since the food was really good. And the food tastes ten times better when it's served to you free!

When I was done, she wordlessly took the plates to the sink and replaced them with a smaller one, then took out a knife and the cake from the fridge. Six strawberries were around the top like a crown, and the cream and icing were neatly aligned to it like columns in an ancient Greek building.

She dug the knife deep into it, then put the first slice on my plate. I waited for her to put one on her own before trying it myself. We tried it at the same time, and I saw her make a delighted expression as she savoured the first bite and took another chunk from her piece.

"Hikigaya-kun, this tastes fantastic." She said and gave me a nod of approval.

I shrugged at her as I continued eating. "This choice sounded good, so I went with it."

She lightly giggled at my reply, the sound was something I haven't heard in quite a while. "That sounds very like you. I assume that you asked the salesperson for their recommendation?"

I nodded silently. I wasn't about to tell her that this cake was popular among younger couples, that would make the atmosphere a bit difficult to breathe in.

Both of us were quite satisfied with a single slice, and she got up and put the rest of the cake in the fridge, along with the other leftovers that were remaining which were still quite a lot. After cleaning the table, I took the blue apron and proceeded to help her in doing the dishes. She sighed and shook her head when I stood beside her defiantly but didn't protest as she passed me the plates for me to dry.

"You don't have to do this, Hikigaya-kun...I can manage this just fine."

"Don't mind me."

We worked silently and quickly until I put the last of the plates away and dried my hands on the kitchen towel. I was a bit startled when she suddenly started undoing the knot on my apron and I leaned down a bit to help her take it off.

"Go wait at the living room, Hikigaya-kun. I will prepare some tea."

I followed her words then went back and plopped myself down on the sofa. While waiting for her to finish, I just closed my eyes and leaned back on the couch as I put my arms on top. I heard the electric boiler finish, then the sound of teacups being moved. Footsteps slowly walked and I felt her sit down beside me after putting the tray that carried the tea on the small table in front of us. From the corner of my eye, she was fidgeting with the ends of her skirt with a conflicted expression. Some of her hair came loose and fell, hiding her face from my view. I sat properly, my hand accidentally brushing against her shoulder and waited for her to start as I tapped my knee with my fingers. I turned to the windows, and it had already gotten quite dark, perhaps two hours after sunset...

After around fifteen minutes of dead silence, she finally spoke.

"Hikigaya-kun, do you know why I called you here?" She said but didn't raise her head, her form was still and frozen.

Finally.

FINALLY.

I dropped the act, the same one that I have been doing ever since stepping into her apartment. This persona was incredibly difficult to wear and breathe in, no matter how much I mentally prepared myself. Looks like I still need some practice.

"I can think of a few reasons..." I say with no emotion in my voice. If she looked into my eyes right now, I'd wager that they looked void and empty.

From the corner of my eye, my phone light up since it was in silent mode with the vibration feature off, and I saw that my dear Mother was calling me.

She rubbed her arm with her hand and continued after several seconds of tense and deafening silence.

"I'm very happy that you came, do you know that? When I put the letter in your locker, I had my doubts. That you may think of me as a coward for not informing you face-to-face, that I prefer to hide behind written words on paper."

"Is that so."

"Thank you for at least being a bit cordial with me right now. I was afraid that you might be too cold and distant with me until after we... talked." She said softly, her voice getting smaller and smaller with each word that she uttered.

"I see..."

She faced me and fixed her hair for me to see her face. The expression she had on her face was a mix of shame and guilt. She couldn't bear to make eye contact with me and quickly looked down as I waited for her to continue.

"I-I'm...I'm truly sorry for all the hurtful things that I have said. I thought that we were just doing our usual banter, I should have known better than to push things too far. I apologize for my very inappropriate behaviour, I hope that you'll forgive me. Just say the word and I'll do anything to atone for my transgressions against you." She said and bowed her head.

For the next several minutes, I looked down on her with an emotionless expression, contemplating what I should do and say next. She stayed still as a stone as she waited for any kind of reaction from me.

...

...

...

No.

This isn't enough.

This isn't nearly enough.

"Yukinoshita, let me tell you a story." I started, and I could hear the gears inside her head tick in confusion from my unexpected reply.

"There was once two students, a boy and girl respectively. Both of them come from well-off families and are academically gifted. They were loners since birth and did not fit in with your usual crowd. In their first year together, they were classmates. They weren't friends, but they weren't exactly strangers to each other. Sure, they were sometimes chummy, but those were few and far in between. The both of them had a strange relationship, the girl, in particular, saw him as her rival, while the boy was either oblivious or didn't put much thought into her childish thoughts. The girl was rather cold and had the sharpest tongue that could make even the most hardened heart crack from her words. She had an intimidating aura around her, that made it difficult for other people to get close to her. Aside from his status in school, the boy was a very uninteresting-looking character, he wasn't cold like her, but he gave the expression that he was bored to death and uninterested in most things, even though he immediately joined the ranks of the StuCo at the start of the School year. He was kind, but his eyes made people think that he was hostile. He bore the burden from the expectations of everyone around him. The school, his classmates, his teachers, his sister and especially from his parents, even though they would never admit it."

Though she was bowing, she raised her head and saw my cold and empty eyes that watched her with disinterest. "Hikiga-"

"Do not interrupt me."

She gulped and said nothing.

"When the new school year came, they weren't classmates anymore. The boy got into a class where he was acquainted with some peers that he deemed honest and worthy of his friendship. The girl on the other hand, well who knows? The boy was forced to join a club that helps out students with their problems, the girl was the President and founder of that club. Another girl joined them but let's set her aside for now. Anyway, things were going well, until something changed in their club President. Although they would sometimes make friendly banter and exchange strange teases, the girl was starting to get more toxic and venomous as the days went by.

Now the boy wasn't unfamiliar with those types of things, but her words started to strike too deep and started to hurt him, though he would never admit it. It got to a point where he said his mind to her and walked out of the room, stunning and leaving her speechless. That was the first time in his life where the boy was genuinely upset about something."

Yukinoshita avoided my gaze and looked away, knowing full well what I mean.

"The boy was a gentle and kind soul, he had never experienced something like this before. Instead of confronting her, he chose to ignore her while contemplating his actions, because he had no idea what to do. And then he realized, that he had done nothing wrong. It was only natural for anyone to act the same way he did. He had endured for so long, and he was at his limit. He had no reason to apologize after all...

It should be the girl doing it instead..."

I reached out and held her soft chin where I forced her to face me and look at me in the eye. She looked nervous and bit her lower lip.

"He had been giving her the cold shoulder for the past few weeks, ignoring her greetings and any attempt from her to connect and reach out to him. A few times he leered at her when she only gave him a small cautious smile when they walked past each other at school, causing her to look rather hurt and quicken her pace opposite of him. It was unbearable when it was the first few days after that. Had his other clubmate not been there to give him some words of comfort, he was afraid of what he would have done or said.

But it's not his fault. One can only contain so much inside before cracks start to form.

Anyone would act the same...he may joke that her words do not affect him, but it's quite the opposite.

Her words hurt, they hurt very much. They were like cold needles that pierced his skin and prickled him with holes from the inside every time she said them. He doesn't know if she was just kidding, but if she was, then she definitely has a sickening sense of humour for her to take it lightly."

Yukinoshita tried to look away, but I forced her to stay still.

"Surprisingly, she invited him to her apartment through a letter that she left in his locker. The boy arrived and flawlessly acted like nothing had happened between them, even joking a bit and teasing her a little. He was on his best behaviour, and although he was quite relaxed on the outside, he was very guarded on the inside. He brought her cake and some cookies, even two books as a gift of some sort, and she was thankful to him for it. But when dinner was done, the dishes were clean and the food kept in the fridge, she finally took the initiative and asked him to sit down. Now we know that she apologized, but there's still something that doesn't add up...

Why did she act that way in the first place? They were on the road to becoming friends, but something made her act the way she did, being all toxic and venomous at him for no reason at every opportunity every time he stepped into the confines of their club room while he kept his mouth tightly controlled as he weathered and endured everything that she threw at him."

I let go of her and leaned back on the sofa. I breathed out, one that reverberated throughout my whole body.

" Why? "

It was a simple three-letter word, but it made the air heavy with tension.

Several tense seconds went by and she gripped her thigh, the mixture of guilt and shame she had on her face was multiplied a hundredfold. I had a feeling that she could break down in tears at any moment. After almost an eternity of her just staring at my chest, her eyes finally went up to meet mine and she spoke.

"I-I honestly don't know what came over me during the past few weeks...Something nagged at me from the inside, causing me to get somewhat irritable. Perhaps I was frustrated since I could not best you in our Year's rankings, or maybe because even though we come from somewhat similar backgrounds, you have more freedom in your life than I. We are so alike, yet so different at the same time.

But now that I think about it...maybe I was just being envious..."

I raised a brow. " Jealousy? What could you possibly be jealous of me for?"

She frowned, but it was more towards herself than to me.

"For a self-proclaimed loner, you have quite attracted quite a few individuals to your side whether you admit it or not. Most of the girls, and even Hayama-kun is very friendly with you. You are right, a cold person like me would have trouble gaining peers. But most of all, when I found out that we weren't classmates anymore, I was a bit frustrated...since I felt like I lost the only person that I could truly understand...and the only one who could understand me."

Wordlessly, she carefully took my right hand and clasped it together with her both of hers and kissed it gently. My stern face softened when she did it.

"H-Hikigaya-kun, I consider you as a very important person in my life. I want you to always remember that, e-even if you do not feel the same way. Even if you see me as a cold and annoying girl...even if you wish to disassociate with me and cut me off from your life, my feelings for you will never change. You are different from every other person that I have met so far. At first, you were someone that I barely tolerated, then an acquaintance, my partner as a Class Rep then a valued club mate. But most of all, I had forgotten to take into consideration the most important one of all...

You are a friend who I trust. My first and ever."

She led my hand to her chest, where I felt the rapid beating of her heart.

"You were the first person that made me feel... alive. You made my time in Sobu less boring with our witty exchanges and your playful teases. H-Has anyone ever told you that you have a way with words? The way you intricately construct them to get a proper reaction out of people, the way you can make others flustered, smile and even laugh with a simple sentence. Just sharing a class with you as we traded some conversation every day was enough for me. And on the times when we ate lunch together, I was elated and my mood did not falter for the rest of the day. I-I didn't push it too much, since you may grow tired of me and consider me an annoyance, so I held back. I was a-afraid that you might think that I am too clingy..."

She stopped for a few seconds after collecting her thoughts and breath then continued.

"When I found out that we're not together anymore, I felt a bit frustrated and sad. My classmates treat me well, but it wasn't the same without you around. It is just like what you said before, that there's an invisible wall that is keeping me from fully connecting with them. I feel that you were the only person capable of passing through that wall. And when I would see you with some of your friends that you enjoyed being with, I grew envious. A-A small part of me wanted us to be together again after class, just like before when it was just the two of us. But it was getting difficult since other people also wanted some of your time. Since I was too afraid to take the initiative, I wanted you to actively search me out and keep me company, but that was a stupid thought. In my mind, I was under the impression that you had c-cast me aside and chose to forget about me since you had better people around to keep you company, people that are more expressive than I, and could make you smile earnestly. People that were a hundred times better than me.

I got envious of them, that they get to spend more time with you and see you smile while I had to wait for classes to end to see you. I desperately wanted to know why I wasn't worthy. I spoke to Hiratsuka-sensei, you know? When I told her a fraction of what was feeling, she instantly told me: '

Ah, so it was just like that then. I owe Hikigaya an apology for this one. Anyway, this is easy, but might be difficult for someone like you. The only thing that you need to do is, apologize to him, preferably at your own home...'. I felt insecure and useless whenever I saw my reflection...

And a bit wrongly frustrated with you...

I just...I didn't want to share you with other people...

Just for once in my life...I wanted to be selfish...

I got too possessive of you...

It hurts so bad when I thought that you left me all alone...

I-I wanted...you...all to...myself..."

She smiled pitifully and from her chest, she led my hand upwards where she rubbed her soft cheek on it.

"That is why...I ask your forgiveness. I acted harsh and unjust towards you, my only friend. I have been feeling so confused and lost lately, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm just a foolish stupid girl that let her emotions get a hold of her senses. Had you said the word, I would have immediately stopped, but you are too kind to me to even consider that, aren't you...? You are so kind, too kind. You weathered and endured it all. You have never said anything hurtful to me, even after everything I said, it only happened when your patience finally went out.

P-Please Hikigaya-kun, d-don't hate me...don't leave me alone...I didn't mean to hurt you..."

Her voice cracked and then the tears came.

" I-I'm just...I'm so sorry..." With a shaky voice, she let go of my hand and hid her face as she openly started crying, her shoulders shuddering as she could not hold it any longer. Her sobbing was the only thing we heard in this cold and empty apartment.

I see, so it's like this huh...goodness...

I reached out and gently led her to me, she offered no resistance. I rested her head on my chest where I felt her tears fall through my shirt. I rubbed her back and touched the back of her head, trying to comfort her in any way I can.

" Sssshhh...come here. There there..." I whisper to her ear.

She let go of her face and I felt her hands reluctantly go around my upper torso. She was crying hard now, I felt her grip the back of my shirt with each shudder and hitch of her voice.

" It's fine it's fine...I'm here. I'm not going to go away...don't worry..."

" I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...please..." She whispered to me in-between sobs and hiccups, her body shuddering every time. She hugged me closer and stronger until I felt the beating of her heart right in front of my own.

I shook my head. "It's fine. You apologized. That's all I need and wanted to hear..."

She rubbed herself on my shoulder as her tears continued to fall. "I-I was an idiot, the lowest of the low! I shouldn't have vented my frustration and confusion on y-you of all people...! I shouldn't have done it...I shouldn't have done it...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry..."

" Sorry for ignoring you and being too cold."

She shook her head and pulled away as I finally got a look on her face. Tears were violently falling as her lips quivered just by saying a single word. Her shoulders shook with every intake of breath. She looked very angry with herself and gripped my collars. " N-No! Don't apologize! Don't apologize! This is all my fault...I deserve it...You should hit me for all the things I've said..." I calmed her down by fixing a bit of her hair and holding her cheek.

"I could never do that. I never hated you, I just preferred to distance myself a bit. Everyone has their shortcomings and flaws, even people like us. At least now, you're aware of it." I reply. She shakily nodded and buried her face on my neck.

She unconsciously shifted her position, until most of her was entirely lying on me while her chin rested on my shoulder. I continued gently rubbing her back and patting the back of her head as she continued. She stayed like that until her sobbing subsided after a long while. I hummed and whispered to her words of comfort until the rapid beating of her heart slowed and relaxed. We were in a rather risque position, she was sitting on my lap while her arms were around me for dear life. Most of my neck and some parts of my chest were wet with her tears but I didn't care.

After almost an eternity of just lying still and shuddering, she let go and broke our embrace. Huh, I thought that she had fallen asleep at some point.

Her face was flushed, her eyes and nose were red and puffy from the crying while she fixed her hair. One last tear fell, I gently and instinctively wiped it away with the handkerchief that I got from my pocket. Her flustered cheeks turned redder when I did it, and she avoided my eyes from the embarrassment. I had realized that my hand was resting dangerously on her upper thigh, when I attempted to remove it, she held it in place with her hand. She looked down on it, her hand over mine and gave me light touches with her fingers.

"..."

"..."

"So...Hikigaya-kun..."

"Yes?"

She looked deeply into my eyes waiting for my answer. "Do you forgive me...?"

I patted her head. "Yes, I do forgive you. How could I ever turn my back on my friend?" I chuckled and looked her in the eye.

Yukinoshita smiled, and then I noticed the sides of her eyes start to water once more.

"Hey hey come on now, no need to cry..." With my other hand, I held her soft cheek and gave it a light pinch, trying to cheer her up.

"Hehehehehehehe..." She started giggling while tears started to fall from her eyes, she didn't even bother covering her face like before as she shook. Even though she was a mess right now: her eyes red and watery, her nose runny, her cheeks pink with dried tears, she still looked beautiful as ever.

Watching the girl that was sitting on my lap shed tears of joy was something strange, the concept itself I mean. I wonder how it feels, feeling joy so much that you started crying. I wiped away a few streaks while she stayed still, she held my vacant hand in hers as she silently watched me with her teary eyes and a tiny smile.

"Thank you, Hikigaya-kun."

When I had wiped away the last streaks of her tears and also from the corners of her eyes, I had expected her to immediately get up, but she stayed comfortably on my lap. Her half-lidded eyes were staring deep into me, unfocused, and I saw something glint inside them. I gulped when I saw that her sultry and tempting lips were slightly open, and she unconsciously licked them as her hot breath washed over my face. She smelled nice, and I had to force every fibre of my body not to get the inappropriate things into my head. Her hands were slowly feeling me from my chest, where they went up. Her left hand was on my shoulder while the other one was holding the side of my face. It was like she was under some kind of spell. With her sitting on my lap wearing a skirt that short, I felt her soft thighs and bum which made me a bit uncomfortable.

She's feeling so many emotions right now and might do something in the heat of the moment. Females are naturally more emotional than males, Yukinoshita is not an exemption. At such a short amount of time, she felt sorrow, grief, regret, shame, sadness, surprise, embarrassment and then joy and happiness. Being the normally calm and collected person that she is, this is probably the first that she's feeling like this. She's like a bomb filled with those emotions right now and might explode and do something brash and impulsive.

Something that both of us might regret.

The instant she started slowly leaning forward and softly held my cheek, her half-lidded eyes staring into mine with her lips partly open while gripping my shoulders as if preventing me any means of escape, I knew I had to do something. She's not thinking straight, and I'm terrified at what might happen if I give in. I doubt that she even knows what she's doing right now.

So...I did what my superior intellect said to me.

I cried out in pain.

" Agh!" I groaned and forced my expression to contort to that one of extreme pain. Yukinoshita was very much startled and instantly snapped back to reality. She then took hold of my shoulders and held my cheek, unsure of what to do from my sudden outburst.

"H-Hikigaya-kun?! What's wrong?!" She exclaimed in a panicking voice, her eyes wide with fear as she frantically tried to figure out what was wrong with me.

I opened my mouth to speak, and pretended to be in so much excruciating pain that I can't even croak out a proper reply. Instead, I frantically pointed at my leg, writhing from pain while doing so. That seemed to catch her attention since she quickly lifted herself from me at a speed that I almost saw what was under her skirt. She then knelt on the floor as she looked at my leg, which she thought was where the pain was originating.

"What is it?! Are you hurt?! Hikigaya-kun!" As if an idea had somehow sprouted in her head, she then attempted to take off my pants. Her hands were already on my belt, ready to remove it before I could do anything.

Bloody fu-! Ok now, this backfired! Initiate plan A: contingency procedure column #2!

" C-Cramps! It's just cramped!" I cried out. She looked at me in the eye then reluctantly retracted her hands. "Iron deficiency and all that..ah damn!..." I added as I started gently massaging my right thigh. I did heavy breaths as I did so. Wanting to help alleviate my non-existent pain, she started doing it too on my lower leg.

"Sorry for making you do this Yukinoshita..." I wince.

She shook her head and focused on doing her current task. She is very serious, I have worked her up a bit. "I didn't know that this kind of thing happens to you..."

"You were making yourself at home on my lap, the flow of blood to my legs must have been under pressure or something like that."

She blushed but said nothing as she gave my lower leg light massages with her delicate hands.

When around fifteen minutes had gone by, I deemed that it was time to drop the act and relaxed my leg a bit. She reluctantly took her hands off of me when I said that I was feeling fine, and got up and sat beside me once more.

"O-Oh, the tea had gotten cold." She said after inspecting it. She gave me the other teacup, it wasn't really cold, per se. It smelled nice, pomegranate and ginger and was lukewarm at most, so I drank it in one go.

Yukinoshita frowned and poked my cheek. "Hikigaya-kun, drinking tea that way is very rude, especially when done right in front of the one who personally brewed it for you."

"Sorry. Won't happen again, Ma'am."

We silently sat there drinking the tea and enjoying the silence. My phone lit up again and it caught both of our attention. This time, it was my Father who was calling me. I turned to her and she nodded.

I was about to get up but she put a hand on my thigh, which made me reluctantly sit back down.

"Hello?"

" Finally! How's it going Hachiman? Having fun with your sleepover? I just found out about this an hour ago."

I frowned.

Sleepover?

I didn't say that. I just said that I was going to a friend's place... KOMACHI! YOU BRATTY LITTLE GIRL!

"Yeah, but-" My Father has that annoying habit of interrupting me when we're speaking. Like myself, he is soft-spoken in person and I have never heard him raise his voice ever, but that's where the similarities end. When he's on the phone, he has a loud voice and likes walking around the room. Yukinoshita curiously watched our exchange.

" Great! Can I speak to your friend then? I just want to thank them."

I turned to Yukinoshita. She must have heard my Father's words too. Reluctantly, she gulped and took my phone from my hand.

"H-Hello?" She said with a small voice.

" Good Evening! Thank you for taking care of my Son! I hope he's on his best behaviour!" Good grief, why is he treating me like a little kid...

She smiled and shook her head. "Do not worry, Uncle, your Son is in safe hands with me. I am making sure that his every need is being taken care of~." I lightly blushed at her words and so did she. Looks like it backfired on her too. Goodness, did she have to word it like that?

There was some silence before my Father spoke again. "Oh! Yukino-chan! It's you!" My Father laughed with delight. "I'm glad that he's with a responsible girl like you then! Don't spoil him too much though!"

She giggled at my Father's words. "Hikigaya-kun has been very helpful and kind to me. We already had dinner and now we're having some tea in my living room."

"Hmm, he should have told me that he was going with you. I could have dropped him off at your place."

"A-Ah, that would be my fault." She bowed as if my Father were in front of her. "The invite was too sudden. My apologies, I'm sorry for taking him away so suddenly..."

" It's fine! Don't be shy in taking some of his time, I believe this is his first time sleeping over at a friend's house." Oh God, why did he have to say that? This is getting more and more embarrassing by the second. Yukinoshita eyed me with amusement as I squirmed from the cringe.

"Well, it's the first time that I invited someone over, so I think we are on the same boat for that matter. I'll try my best not to bore him to death." She flashed me a knowing smile.

" Is that so! Well, don't let me keep you then! Anyway, have fun and don't stay up too late with him! Remind him to brush his teeth! Goodbye!" You know, you'd expect a parent to at least sound a bit concerned, instead of laughing and sounding very carefree. Well, that's just my Father. He gives me so much freedom in my life that sometimes I think that it is ridiculous. I wonder if other children out there are given so much freedom like myself. Probably not.

Yukinoshita said her farewells as well and my Father ended the very brief call, but not before we heard my Mother's loud voice in the background.

" WHAT?! MY HAA-CHAN IS WITH WHO NOW?!"

Her shoulders shook while trying to restrain a laugh as she gave me back my phone.

" H-Haa-chan...?" She turned to me, covering her mouth.

I rolled my eyes at her. "My childhood name. Haa-chan, Hachi-kun, Hachi-chan or just plain Hachi." Now that I think about it, I do have a lot of nicknames.

"T-That's...simply adorable." She said and started giggling. "Anyway, your Father is rather endearing, isn't he?"

"Wait till you meet my Mother. She tends to be a bit... clingy and possessive..." I mutter. Before the conversation goes somewhere awkward because of her relationship with the rest of her family, I decided to take the reins.

"Well...sleepover huh..." I whistle expectantly. I don't even have a change of clothes or anything like that. And I doubt she has a shirt that fits me that I can borrow in the meantime. I looked at my watch, it wasn't that late, maybe an hour left before department stores start to close for the day. I'm not really against the idea of staying here though, frankly, I'm a bit tired too.

She puffed out her modest chest and put her hands on her hips, looking proud for some reason. "Yes, I have prepared for this scenario. I will return shortly with your new clothes."

To say that I was surprised was an understatement. " I beg your pardon? You were hoping that this would happen...?" I ask.

Although it seems rather far-fetched, perhaps she spoke to my Father regarding this, and sought his permission beforehand? No, that's impossible. She would never do that if she weren't sure that we'd clear things up and properly talked face-to-face during this evening. I scanned her face and observed her body movements if she was hiding something.

She wasn't.

She blushed a bit and looked away while scratching her cheek. "I ummm... may have gotten carried away as I was buying your slippers...I bought you pyjamas, shorts, some shirts, a toothbrush and some towels...and some other stuff..."

"I...ugh...thank you I guess...?" I say with some difficulty, still trying to wrap my head around what she just said. She quickly excused herself and hurried away leaving me dumbfounded.

She came back, with a towel and a toothbrush over my new clothes.

"Come, I will show you to the bathroom." I put down my phone and followed her.

Her bathroom wasn't anything special, and I walked out from it feeling refreshed with my new clothes. Though I do think that I may take more time than I should have. As expected, she only chose the highest quality, and I had to admit that they felt nice. It was just a simple red shirt and some white shorts. Though there was some tightness to the shirt on my chest part, it still felt comfortable.

I got out and saw that she had changed clothes as well. The shorts that she was wearing was the same one that she wore under her bathrobe earlier, as for her top, she wore a red shirt similar to mine. I caught her sitting down on the sofa, reading the first few pages of my-, sorry, her book. She made a cute sound when she saw me, a little startled I bet.

"Enjoying the book?"

She nodded. "Yes, I am very much excited to start reading this."

"I got that from a bookstore nearby, a good thing I decided to check it out."

"Y-Yes, I noticed the store's invoice receipt. It is the same store that I frequent..."

"B-By the way..." She added and fidgeted a bit with her legs. "are these shorts too revealing...? Your eyes are focused on the whole time..." She tried to pull the shirt down trying to cover her thighs to no avail. I had to say that she looked really cute while doing that, added to the fact that pink dusted her cheeks.

I decided to make a more mature and casual approach. I remember reading that being more mature, casual and level-headed can make an awkward situation with the opposite sex turn around rather quickly. And it works quite well when I tried it out on Yumiko and Saki. Though when I tried it on someone older like Shiromeguri-senpai or Haruno for instance, they instantly saw through me and teased me about it.

"Was I now? Sorry, I was a bit taken aback that's all. This is the first time that I've seen you wear clothes like that. You look really cute and it wonderfully suits you." I reply casually, deciding to be honest and admitted it.

I mean, I was caught doing it anyway, no use in making up lame excuses and whatnot. Might as well come clean and throw a compliment or two, no?

She stopped what she was doing and hid the bottom half of her face with Leo Tolstoy's book. "I-I see...t-thank you. Your opinion is noted..."

"That's good to hear, having a diverse wardrobe can be fun and rewarding in its way. So, where am I sleeping?" I yawned to add effect. It's already a bit late, and today was draining so it's no question that I'm physically and mentally exhausted. I honestly wouldn't mind sleeping on her sofa.

She put a hand on her hip and looked at me straight in the eye with a serious expression. "Well on my bed of course."

"..."

"..."

"Are you seriously listening to what you're saying right now?"

"Why? Is there something wrong with what I said? The both of us are quite responsible and level-headed." I had to resist scoffing and laughing at her words since it was she who was the one who almost got into the heat of the moment earlier. Thankfully, she doesn't remember doing it.

"You're going to drag me out of the sofa if I'm gonna sleep on it, aren't you?" She nodded.

"What about a futon?" She shook her head.

She stepped forward and sighed in exasperation. "What are you so nervous about? Didn't you say that you always did this kind of thing with your sister? Or are you a shy maiden on the inside?"

I sighed and scratched my head. If she says it that way, it's like I'm the one getting worked up and jumpy. Plus my sister is my sister, while she isn't blood-related. Ah screw this, I don't care anymore.

"Fine then."

Her room was larger than mine and lacked girly stuff to distinguish it from a boy's room aside from some stuffed animals on the bed. The bed was good for two people at least. It was really simple, I liked it. Just like her living room, a large glass window dominated the wall covered by curtains. It was also cold, she must have turned on the A.C. earlier.

"Nice room."

"Thank you. Right or left?" She asked when she closed the door behind us with a resounding lock. For some reason, I felt trapped when she did it.

There was a nightstand on the right side and that was a good place as any. I sat down and felt it a bit, the bounciness and softness and all that. It's a bit too soft for my liking, but I can't complain. I am just a guest after all. I lied down and saw that she was watching me with a curious expression.

"Is the bed to your liking?" She asked as she sat down.

"Yes."

"Good. Would you like the lights completely out or not?"

"The former, thank you."

She nodded and proceeded to go to the switch and turn it off. Even though the curtains were only partially closed, it was still very dark, the only light was from her A.C system. The moon in the sky must be covered by some clouds or something.

"Just follow my voice," I said to her, somewhere out there.

"Ok."

"..."

"Don't stop speaking, I can't tell if I'm close to the bed or not." She said slightly frustrated, I can already imagine the small frown on her face.

"Sorry. But you sound close now. Put your arms in front, I'll try and guide you." I moved to the edge of the large bed. I closed my eyes and focused on listening to her footsteps.

Moments after that, I hit something thin and immediately latched onto it.

" AAAAHHH! " She yelped rather loudly when instinctively grabbed her wrist. Tonight gave me lots of first times from her such as this one for example. It was the first time I heard her scream that loud and high-pitched. That was probably the girliest sound that I heard from her.

"Sorry." I apologized and felt her slap my hand.

"H-Hikigaya-kun, you scared me." She held my hand as I guided her in the darkness and then felt her sit down on the bed. She was smaller than I expected, really warm too.

"Like I said, sorry." I sat up and tried feeling around the bed for the extra pillow that I had set aside. I indeed got hold of something, but it was soft and warm, and I squeezed it a bit. This was not a pillow.

"H-Hikigaya-kun...for how long are you going to hold m-my thigh...?" I heard Yukinoshita's familiar icy cold voice. She might sound a bit stern now but turn on the lights and I'm sure that there's a blush on her pale face.

I immediately let go. "Sorry, I can't find my pillo-" I couldn't finish what I was going to say since something soft had hit me straight in the face. My eyes were finally adjusting, and I saw the vague shape of her in the darkness beside me.

"There's your pillow."

After I got it, she lied down and put the blanket over us. She scooted closer until our shoulders were touching. My hands were over the covers as I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to overcome me. I noticed her move her arms and hands bit as if looking for something. Like myself, she was facing the ceiling, her mind must be going through the things that happened today. I tried to think of anything aside from the fact that she's really warm and soft and smells nice.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Hmm?"

"Are you feeling sleepy yet?"

"I just laid down so no."

"Ok."

"..."

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Hmm?"

"Please do remember to keep your hands to yourself."

"My hands are already over the covers."

"I see."

"..."

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Yes?"

I felt her turn her head towards me. "Would you like to do something?"

If I turn like what she did right now, our faces would be very very close. When she spoke, her hot breath tickled my ear and goosebumps formed. "Like what?"

"You decide."

I shrugged. "Well, I want to sleep right now, to be honest. You should too."

She grew quiet before giggling as I felt her poke my cheek amused at my reply. "Well then if that is what you want, Hikigaya-kun~..."

She leaned closer to my ear until I felt her lips brush against it. " Goodnight." Then she slightly scooted away. Before long, her breathing relaxed until she finally fell asleep. Moonlight entered the room through the windows and I turned to her and watched her sleeping face. She looked so peaceful and serene, it's hard to imagine that she was crying her heart out two hours ago. Poor thing, she must be exhausted.

This day was interesting. We cleared things up and it ended better than I could have imagined.

After watching her for a few more moments, I closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes and watched the moonlight that entered my room between the curtains. It has shifted quite a bit, perhaps maybe an hour or two has passed. I carefully turned to the boy beside me, closely watching his breathing. I poked his cheek to get a reaction from him, and then his rib if he was ticklish. If he was awake then he would have cringed away from my touch, but he didn't. He was asleep.

His left arm was over the blanket, and I slowly took hold of it and got it under. As expected, his hands were cold and larger than mine, but even so, they were surprisingly soft. I had expected it to be a bit rough. I played with his fingers and hand a bit before I intertwined them with mine.

I smiled sadly at our two hands together. "If he were awake, he would never do this with a rotten girl like me...someone like me can't possibly..."

My heart started racing as inappropriate thoughts started appearing in my mind. He looks so vulnerable, he would never know if I kissed him on the cheek or lips. I wonder if he has ever kissed a girl romantically...? With so many beautiful girls around him, the thought was not very pleasant for me. But he does not seem to be interested in any of them from my observations.

Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself over his face, our lips so close yet so far. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard that I could hear it. I clenched my fists so hard, I thought my nails would dig into the skin and blood would come out. My vision became blurry, the only thing that I focused on was his lips. He would never know it if I took his first time...our first kiss together...he would never know...

I want him. I want him. I want him. I want him. I want him. I want him. I want him. I want him.

I want to do it... I want to do it... I want to do it... I want to do it... I want to do it... I want to do it...

But...

I can't...

This is wrong...

I lied back down and checked if I had woken him up somehow. He was still fast asleep. I feel disgusted with myself for almost touching him in his sleep.

I turned my body to him as I gently took hold of his left arm and put my left leg over him, preventing any means of escape. My breasts rubbed themselves against him and I rubbed my cheek on his shoulder.

Ah...he smells so nice...so this is Hikigaya-kun's scent...

This is making my heart race, and my body heat up. It took everything I had to calm my breathing. I was delighted at the fact that he said that I was cute earlier. When he accidentally grabbed my thigh earlier, I am quite glad that it was dark since it hid the flustered smile I had on my face.

Still, these shorts are embarrassing, but it's fine if he eyes me that way. Even though he is dignified, a bit prideful and respectable, he is a male after all. The way that he turned away when he saw me earlier was adorable. I don't mind if it's him after all. Maybe I can convince him to stay with me until Monday morning...I think I can ask Uncle's permission to borrow his Son for a little while more...

And once the Summer Break starts, so many opportunities... so many...

" I hope that you forgive me from the bottom of your heart, Hikigaya-kun. I promise that I will make it up to you. Right now, I'm a rotten and terrible person, but I promise to grow into a girl that is worthy of walking side by side with you...

I promise you..." I whisper to myself before falling asleep once more.

Nearly 19k words damn. It longest chapter so far! WOOHOOOO!

Hello friends! I'm back! Have you lot missed me? Are you still following this story?

Sorry for the late update, I got a bit caught up with my other Fic, as you may already know. You know, the SMUT one...oh and too many events in FGO lol. I made this chapter EXTRA LONG for my EPIC COMEBACK! FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Aight!

Lots of things happened in this chapter, too many to write down in one sentence. As much as possible, I'd like to keep my Afterwords to a minimum, to not spoil some stuff here and there. I'd like to keep you lot guessing on what's gonna happen. Though I WILL say this:

Yukino's character development arc is far from finished.

Oh yeah, after Isshiki's reveal, there were too many reviews to reply to. The Isshikifags have made their presence known! And as a proud member of the Isshiki Gang! I can feel the excitement from your words alone! Forgive me if I didn't pick yours. :D

Elr1K: The horny was too strong! So strong that I made a separate smut Fic!

Digifan474: Don't tempt me to make another smut Oneshot with Hachiman and Komachi...

Dawnytilldusky: Hachiman is quite foxy himself, to Isshiki's surprise.

Ravishing-Impact: Thank you!

WatchHawkZero: Oi...

Atlas: Thank you!

EiNyx: Yup, by taking advantage of Hachiman's Siscon tendencies, Isshiki just MIGHT snatch him away with a smirk right in front of the other girls!

Sum9: Thanks!

Kuman: Exactly!

woodxvii: Same Bruv.

Many of you are asking about the DDLC, I'd just like to say that [WITHDRAWN]-[REDACTED]-[REMOVED]-[DELETED]

If you don't mind, please write a review of this chapter! It helps a lot! I'm feeling anxious if I wrote it properly since this had lots of emotional scenes and it's my first time writing them.

Or if you're too shy, send me a PM to let me know your thoughts!

As always, favourite and follow if you want!

Thank you and see you next time!

41

I groggily opened my eyes.

The curtains were partly closed and I saw sunlight going into my room. I moved a bit in my bed and stretched my arms and legs, I could not suppress a girly moan to let out from my lips.

" Aahh~..." I fixed my shirt which went too much to one side of my shoulders, exposing much of my skin.

For a split second, I had forgotten that we had slept together on the same bed and I turned to his side. He wasn't there, but the pillows were neatly on top of each other. I looked around and confirmed that he was not in the room, then I smothered myself on the place where he slept and buried my face on his pillow. I was expecting him last night to move around in his sleep, but he is quite a peaceful sleeper.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun's scent, he smells so nice..." I hugged the two pillows with my legs and arms as I rolled around the bed all giddy. "Hehehehehehe..."

I blushed a bit when I remembered the position that I fell asleep in last night. I was practically clinging to him, I wonder what his reaction was when he woke up...? It is a shame that I was unable to see it for myself.

When the initial giddiness went away, I soon felt embarrassed at myself and I covered my face with my hands and once again buried myself on his pillow. Why did I do that? That was so embarrassing, if he saw me like that then I want to die. G-Goodness, doing this first thing in the morning, this is entirely his fault for making me feel this way...

I calmed myself for the next few minutes before getting off the bed and going to my study table to get my mirror. Showing him my rather messy hair is not an option, after all, a lady must always look her best. Once I made myself look more presentable, I wore my slippers and went out of my room.

The scent of food was already in the air, and my stomach rumbled in response. When I went to the dining table, there was already food on it, but still no signs of him. It looks like he reheated our dinner from last night, he even took it upon himself to make some milk and heat some bread. I quickly went to my front door to see if he had already left, but thankfully, his shoes were still there.

That would leave...the bathroom.

The door was slightly ajar to the primary room and I peeked into it to see.

I saw him there, shirtless and sitting in front of my washing machine. He was concentrating on the machine in front of him as he put a hand under his chin. I spotted the red shirt that he slept in on a hanger, a large portion of it was darker than the rest, most likely from being wet.

He was surprisingly leaner than I expected. His uniform makes him look scrawny and thin, but now that I get a good look at him, he is very fit. His legs and abdominal muscles were toned, not surprising since he either bikes or walks to school every day.

After a few seconds, he nodded to himself and put his hand on the machine while his other hand held his wrist.

" Trace on!" He exclaimed, then quickly pushed the buttons and the machine came to life and started doing its duty. "There we go. Uwaah that was cringe... Good thing she didn't see that or else I would have killed myself from the cringe." He chuckled to himself and pumped his fist in the air.

I figured that it was time for me to go and I tiptoed my way to the sofa where I pretended to look as if I had just woken up. I heard the door open and then footsteps at the same moment when I sat down. When I turned to him, he brought with him the slightly soaked red shirt that he wore.

"Good morning."

"Yes, good morning..." I replied and yawned. I tried not to look at his shirtless form too much. O-Oh my, he's quite lean...

"I already made breakfast. I hope you don't mind that I used your washing machine to wash my clothes from last night."

I shook my head. "Thank you, and no I don't mind. Use it as you see fit."

"Well, earlier I sprayed the water on myself and my shirt got wet. Do you have a fan where I can dry this?" He held the thing up for emphasis.

I stood up and took it from his hands. "Let me do it, I'll get a new shirt for you while I'm at it." I went back to my bedroom where positioned the fan directly in front of it for it to dry faster. When I came back to him, he was already drinking milk on the dining table while he used his phone. I handed him a new shirt and he replied his thanks as he put it on.

I sat down across from him and took a sip from the cold glass of milk.

"You slept like a bear in hibernation so didn't want to disturb you. Have you checked the time?" He asked and I shook my head.

He turned his phone's screen my way and the time read "7:55".

He must have seen the surprise on my face since he immediately said some words to calm me down. "No need to get worked up, it's the weekend and all. Anyway, let's eat, you must be starving."

He ate as he browsed on his phone, I got curious so I asked him about it.

"What are you doing?"

"Just skimming through the news if anything relevant happened..." He replied without taking his eyes off of his phone. I did not mind it. He could have turned on the T.V but he never seemed fond of it in the first place. We ate in silence, and I was the one who stood up and went to get more when we were about to run out. Hikigaya-kun had a large appetite, and he would sometimes hum to himself as he read the news.

We finished at roughly the same time and I washed the dishes as I left him on the dinner table. When I came back, he had already cleaned the table and was in the living room staring out the window while he talked to someone on his phone. Since there wasn't any background noise, I heard his voice as he spoke.

" Yeah, I'll be there Boss Yuuka...This afternoon right?... I see...Okay...Oh, and can you ask Maya-Sensei what we're doing tomorrow?... Yeah, we have an event or something a few weeks from now...That would be great...Thanks, Boss, see ya later." He ended the call as I sat down on the sofa.

Even though I did not ask, he answered the question that lingered in my thoughts. "That was my Boss at work. I just asked if there was any change to today's shift." He shrugged and sat down next to me. I scooted closer to him when he was too engrossed in his phone after I turned on the T.V.

"Ah, is that so? You're employed as an...?"

"A cashier and a staff in her bookstore. Nothing special." He shrugged and stood up. "I'm gonna get some cake, would you want some?" He asked and I shook my head.

For someone like him from a well-off family to still have a part-time job was strange. I can't comprehend it. Maybe he is using the money he earns for himself? Or maybe he wants to be independent and avoids asking his parents for money? I honestly can't imagine myself as a part-time worker, my parents, especially my Mother, would be vehemently against it.

He came back with a slice of cake on a plate in his hands and sat back down. I was watching the news, it was about a random celebrity with their usual attention-seeking drama. I sighed as I waited for more relevant news to follow, from the corner of my eye, Hikigaya-kun rolled his eyes as he ate.

"Are you fond of movies, Yukinoshita?" He asked.

"Movies...Foreign or Japanese?"

"Either."

"I am not fond of movies in general so..."

"I see."

"..."

"..."

It seems that was where the conversation ended since he did not make a follow-up. We watched the morning news silently and he went back a few more times to get a slice before excusing himself to brush his teeth. I watched his back as he went inside the bathroom.

It could be just me but I think he is acting rather strange...he's too quiet and uptight for some reason. He has always been a man of few words, but his demeanour right now is rather unlike him. The air around him feels different. I mean, he is not exactly letting off a hostile aura, if anything, he is just a bit too formal. But still...

I know that hoping for things to go back to normal as fast as possible is wishing for too much, but I can hope, right?

He came back several minutes later and crossed his legs as he sat down. He must have fixed his bed hair while in the bathroom since it was neat and smooth. For a male, he is surprisingly conscious of his appearance. His hair, clothes and gait were all carefully chosen and practised. Even his fingernails, now that I take a closer look, it looks rather...

Hmm...

"Is something on my hand...?" His voice startled me a bit.

"Ah, no, nothing. But I could not help but notice that your fingernails are..." My words trail off as I hoped that he would catch my meaning.

Thankfully, he seemed to understand what I was getting at. "Oh, you mean these?" He showed me his nails that were very well maintained. "Recently, my Mother and Komachi do these for me when they're free, they also include my feet too. Mother is planning on setting up a salon with services as these see, Komachi liked the idea so they're 'practising' on me for the time being. Sometimes on the weekends, my Mother washes and trims my hair for me." True, his hair looks very healthy and smooth to the touch.

Oh, he's rather close with his Mother and Sister, isn't he...? They sound like the over-endearing type, especially his Mother. Mothers typically dote on and spoil their Sons, Fathers their Daughters. I wonder how that feels...

"Are you not bothered? Being a male and all that..." I say as I tilted my head to the side.

He casually shook his head. "Not really. I mean it looks and feels nice so I don't see any downside. It's like having your spa personnel at home." To add emphasis, he shook his head, causing his hair to sway here and there. True, it looks very light and smooth, unlike the messy hair that some boys in our Year have.

I scooted closer to him to reach out and touch the top of his head, he stiffened at my touch but said nothing. My fingers ran through his hair, smooth to the touch as I gently caressed his scalp. From what little of his face that I saw that was covered by his bangs, he was closing his eyes with a relaxed expression.

"Do you think that I should dye my hair?" He asked.

I started thinking about a boy in front of me with different hair colours.

"I don't know. You should decide that for yourself. But I believe you can do that once the summer break starts."

"What about the blonde?"

I immediately shook my head. The image of Uncle Hikigaya Joshirou's firstborn son being blonde-haired did not sit well with me and I frowned, showing my obvious displeasure. "Do not even think about it. You would look terrible."

I withdrew my hand from his head and he scratched his cheek. "I thought so too. I feel like I'd look like a delinquent... What about light-brown?"

"Too plain-looking."

"Light red?"

"Bright colours do not suit you."

"What about silver? Saki said that I'd look nice with it."

"No, that-" I stopped myself and put a hand under my chin. "You are already quite pale, and the silver hair would make it more prominent. And for someone of your background and standing doing that... I think even Uncle Joshirou would object."

He leaned back on the couch behind him with a drawled sigh. "Uwaah, and I was leaning on that option too. Isshiki and Shiromeguri-senpai mentioned that I should try out dyeing my hair..."

"You are his heir, after all, not to mention you being the Head of the Disciplinary and Events Committee at the Student Council. Hikigaya-kun, no matter how hard you deny it yourself, you should know that you are no ordinary person. You have a public image to maintain, a status to protect and uphold." I added.

I suddenly realized that I had spoken too much and might have tread on someplace where I should not have, I sounded like my Mother... He did not say anything and opted to just stare at the ceiling. "A-Ah, forgive me. It was not in my place to say that..." I say and give him a slight bow. He waved my worries away and spoke.

"Don't worry about it. I was thinking of trying something different for once. Just a random thought that passed my mind."

"What about me?"

He turned to me and raised a brow. "What about you?"

"My hair, do you think I should change it?"

He dully blinked at me a few times before answering. "Some girls cut their hair short when it's summer right? I hear that it's more convenient for them since long hair makes them feel stuffy. As for dyeing yours, I can't imagine your hair being any other colour except black honestly."

"It seems that you and Nee-san think the same. Do you like girls that cut their hair short?" I asked. This might be a chance for me to know his personal preferences.

"As long as she's comfortable, anything is fine." He answered and I sighed. That was a rather vague answer. "Anyway, I have work in the afternoon, so I'm free until then." He gave me an expectant look on his face after checking the time on his watch.

"So..."

Ah, is he asking me what we should do in the meantime...?

"You want me to decide?"

"I honestly have no idea what to do. I mean we can just hang around here if you want. But if you want to eat outside, we should go back here since there's still a lot of food left." He suggested.

"Are you sure?" I ask and he nods. His logic is sound, the only problem is that I have no idea where to go-

Wait...

We could...

"I-If you don't mind coming with me, then we could go there I guess..."

I am honestly surprised, I did not expect to see so many people here at this time of the day. I had forgotten that today was the weekend, so many like-minded citizens would come here as well. I saw families sitting down under the trees just spending time together, some elderly gentlemen playing board games at a table nearby, a few people walking their dogs...

"Hmm, so a park huh... I didn't take you for one to like things like these." He muttered beside me as we walked.

"Yes, I have been meaning to come here but I could not find the time to do so. Just a simple stroll in the park..."

I eyed him from the corner of my eye, even though he was wearing the same pair of clothes from yesterday, he still looked quite dashing. He walks differently right now. Though he does not exude the aura of authority, pride and one that demands a respect that he shows in school, he carries himself quite differently, causing him to stand out. He does not seem to mind the looks and glances that people give him I could sometimes notice him make a tiny smirk.

I was the one who combed his silky hair and ironed his clothes, he admitted that he was not quite confident in doing the latter since even at home he lets his Mother do it for him instead. I had him help me pick out my clothes today, I wore a slim-fitting white blouse with small frills at the end for my top and a red medium-length skirt.

I had fun as I was going through my wardrobe earlier and presented myself before him, I will admit that I deliberately did things slower and more extensive since I was quite enjoying myself. I thought he may grow annoyed and walk out of my room, but he didn't. I felt that he enjoyed himself. Who knew that doing a simple act such as that was held so much meaning and filled me with a certain kind of amusement? I never felt this elated even when I and Nee-san did it in our childhood.

Ah...it must be because it's h-him after all...

A couple walked by hand-in-hand, and I suddenly got conscious of how we looked. From an outsider's point of view, we must look like a couple. I was to his right and unfortunately, his hand was in his pocket. I could always hold his arm, but I could never do that... I would rather not do something that might irk him. It's too risky, even though I want to do it... If only I was more assertive... But it's still too soon for me to start acting chummy with him.

Thankfully, he does not seem to notice the turbulent thoughts that are rampaging in my mind right now. To satisfy myself a bit, I decided to walk a little bit closer to him until our shoulders were touching.

There was a man in front of us that carried his baby. She was looking at us with her big eyes, drooling as she chewed on her balled hand. "Yukinoshita, look at that baby. She's so adorable." Hikigaya-kun said and made faces at her. She giggled when he did so, making cute sounds that made my heart melt.

"Ino-sensei's daughter must be a few months older than this infant, no?"

"Yup. Ah now that you mention her, I miss her so much... I want to carry her in my arms again, she's so cute and soft and warm and a bit heavy, like a large marshmallow..." He had this faraway look in his eyes as he pretended to cradle something in his arms. I giggled softly as I watched him do it.

"I recall you saying that you once helped out at a daycare in your neighbourhood..." I say.

"Ah, that was only for a few times. My Mother is the Chairwoman of the neighbourhood community, she made me help out there a few times when they lacked some aides. I haven't been there in a while after my working schedule changed a bit."

"Hmm, so that is why you are very fond of children?" I ask and he nodded.

We stayed over a small bridge that went over a makeshift river filled with fish and ducks talking about random things that came to our mind. Our topics ranged from culinary Chinese and Indonesian culinary recipes to Japanese Mythology and the Crimean War centred around Florence Nightingale. Very random, I know. When he noticed me starting to sweat, he suggested that we sit down on a vacant bench under the shade of a large tree beside the main pathway. He's quite considerate and I smiled at how thoughtful he was. We sat down together before someone else took the seat away from us.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Hikigaya-kun. I appreciate it very much..." I smiled at him as I touched his arm. He did not seem to be affected by it.

"I've never been to this part of Chiba before, so this suggestion of yours was a very welcome one." He said.

We talked for a while under the shade: from his duties and noteworthy dealings in the StuCo, to what he does with his family in his free time. From what he said, he never has a dull moment on the weekends between helping out at his Mother's business, his part-time job and his Taekwondo practice. I'm honestly amazed how he can do so much in just two days given his age added with his responsibilities in school.

"By the way, I could not help but hear about an even earlier when you were at the phone. Was it perhaps related to Taekwondo?" I ask.

"Oh, you heard that? The different martial arts schools and institutions in Chiba are going to have a convention of sorts a few weeks from now. Our Sensei is the sister of my Boss at work, she referred me to her."

"Do you know any other martial arts?" I asked.

He put a hand under his chin. "Well, Taekwondo. I know a bit of Aikido, but I'm not confident in it."

"What are you going to do at that event?"

"It's honestly more like a glorified recruitment campaign. There's going to be a lot of showing off to attract newcomers, but nothing too serious. Maybe some friendly matches and sparring here and there."

An idea presented itself in my mind. Perhaps I could accompany him there. It sounds like he may need a pair of hands or something along those lines. No, I do not want to come out as too pretentious. I'll move this to a later date.

"Did you not think of joining a club that practised those arts?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Too many things to do with so little time. Though if I'm being honest, I was really curious about the Japanese Archery Club...it looks cool. If Hiratsuka-sensei didn't force me into the Service Club, I think I would have joined them."

"Then you should have joined."

"If I had, then I would be forced to step down from my seat in the Council. Between club activities and keeping my seat, I think it's obvious where I should put my attention to. Even though you can join a maximum of two clubs, it depends on the level of effort required by the club after all. Sports-related clubs are generally time-consuming after all, and if I add that to my responsibilities in the Service Club and the Council..."

I understood what he meant to say. He sacrificed his wants to serve the student body. "Ah, I see...but what about next year? Or the next semester?"

"No, I have other plans."

I turned to him. Something about the way he said it made me think twice about his words. "What kind of plans?"

He gave me a small grin that spoke volumes on his cunning. "Oh, you'll see."

He then started going in-depth about his responsibilities in the Council. It was also at that moment that I realized how much of a busy person he is, he purposely does most of the work in the Council to ease the workload of his upperclassmen. I got a bit guilty on the times that I berated him for arriving late in the club since I always took for granted his position in the Council.

"I'm sorry..." I say and gave an apologetic bow.

He sighed and told me to raise my head. "Good grief. That's all in the past now. Stop apologizing, you're going to ruin the mood and atmosphere."

I blushed at the hidden meaning in his words and nodded. I guess even he is aware of things such as that. He is right, I shouldn't wallow my mind to such depressing thoughts.

His eyes turned their attention to something behind me, and I instinctively turned to look at what caught his attention. There was a girl a few years older than us. She was dressed prettily and she looked above average. But my eyes were looking at her rather a large bust. Ah, so that was what he was looking at. She looked quite proud of them as expected since she walked with her head high and chest out as if to flaunt them to every female within her vicinity.

I felt a pang of envy hit me, and I looked down on my own. Sadly, he has never looked at me that way... I will admit that my development so far is a bit disappointing, but looking at my sister and my Mother, I think I still have a chance. Even Yuigahama-san is more blessed. I am a bit threatened by her to be honest since she sometimes clings to his arm. Not to mention the other girls that surround him... Ah, this train of thought is more troubling than I expected...

Hikigaya-kun looked like he was about to snicker at me, and I hit his leg in response, then I blushed when I remembered that he had felt my bosom when I held his hand to my chest last night. I-I wonder if he l-liked them... Ah! I mustn't think about t-those kinds of things yet!

I mustn't!

He gave me a thumbs up. "Don't worry Yukinoshita, it's not the size that counts, it's the girl attached to them!" He said with utmost confidence as he shared some of his wisdom with me. What he said was funny, yet made sense in a way.

I giggled with a blush from his words. "Hehehehehehe...that was funny, I have to admit."

This moment is quite perfect. Just the two of us here, spending time together at the park. A comfortable silence came on us as we would occasionally point at something in the distance that caught our eye. Even though it was just trivial talk such as guessing the pedigree of a dog that followed its Master, or talking about the snack vendors and the food that they sold, it was all very special to me.

"Hikigaya-kun." I touched his hand and directed him in the right direction. "That boy in the green, what is the breed of his dog?"

"That would be a German Shepard."

"Hmm, oh that one. The one resting while its Master is talking to someone on her phone?"

"A Yorkshire Terrier, it must be a female since it has a pink ribbon on its head."

"Oh, the tiny white one? The one that's being held by its Master?"

"An English Bulldog. Huh, I didn't know that puppies from that breed are that small."

"What about that small one being led by an elderly lady?"

"Ah, that's a Shiba Inu. The funny yellow dog that you'd sometimes see on the internet. Oh look, her face is so round like a Kabosu." He said and laughed.

Even though I can name a few of them, I decided to ask anyway. He was gradually becoming more and more amused as our little game dragged on. He already knows that I am afraid of dogs, so whenever a pet got too close he would try and get its attention to making it go to him instead. He has a way with animals, they immediately trust him from what I observe. "I know that you love cats and all, but are you allowed to have pets in your apartment?"

I shook my head. "Sadly no. Even if that were allowed I doubt that I can handle keeping one. What about you, Hikigaya-kun? Would you like to have another pet aside from... Kamakura...was it?"

"A Bearded Dragon or a Cockatiel. If possible, I'd like a red female Beardie, and I'd call her 'Liz'. If I got the latter, then I'd call her 'Jackie'." He replied immediately and with great enthusiasm.

Our topic changed and we began talking about the requests that we have received so far in the club. When I touched upon the chain mail incident, he started acting rather strangely. His replies were very short and he would avoid looking at me in the eye. Though we were seated side by side, he seldom turned to face me.

"How did you do it, Hikigaya-kun?"

"What?"

"The request. How did you solve it?"

He made a difficult expression and scratched his head. "A-Ah, well you don't need to know..."

I tilted my head to the side. "Why is that?"

"H-How I resolved it does not matter. What matters is that I have more scores than you!" He exclaimed and forcefully changed the topic. It seems that he is adamant about not telling me.

That's fine.

This is Hikigaya-kun that we are talking about.

It is not like he blackmailed and threatened someone into stopping and keeping quiet, right? Hikigaya-kun would never do that, he is the kindest person that I know.

"Can you at least tell me if the perpetrator's gender?" I sighed.

It took some time before I got a reply from him. "It was a girl. And that's the only that I'm telling you." It must have been from the lighting or something, but I thought I saw him blush.

"Well, if you are that keen on not telling me... On the other hand, you have outscored me, yes, but the first semester is going to end in a few days. The second would be the time that I make my dramatic comeback. When that happens, I will relish in the fact that you make as you admit your defeat, Hikigaya-kun~." I narrowed my eyes at him and giggled as I put my hand on my cheek.

He smirked and his eyes sparkled. "Ah, but victory is all very certain for me. I wonder, what should I make you do once I win... I have quite a creative and imaginative mind you know, and I can envision a great multitude of things that I can make you do for me..." His voice trailed off to who knows where. H-Hopefully not to something lewd.

T-Though I won't mind it if he thinks about me in particular... Hehehehehehe...

"That thought had already crossed my mind. What would I make you do, I wonder? Should I make you my slave and have you carry my things at school? Or would you prefer being my housekeeper for the rest of your life~?"

He visibly winced and leaned away from me. "Y-You were thinking that far?! Are you planning on making me your S ervant?!" He expressed with mock shock and disbelief. I internally rolled my eyes at him, his acting skills are getting better and better to the point where I don't even know if he is doing it on purpose or joking anymore. Needless to say, the people within earshot gave us strange looks, most of them eyeing me with odd expressions.

"Plus I'm a high-ranking divinity possessing this impressive vessel. It'll take more than that to bind me to you!" He was spouting all kinds of nonsense and I had no idea what he was talking about. But now that I think about it, it seems rather similar to what that Zaimokuza fellow was saying the last time that he visited the club...

What was the term again... chunni...?

"Hikigaya-kun, please keep quiet. People are staring..." He might not be bothered in the slightest by their stares, but I felt quite the opposite.

"Don't mind them. They're probably normies anyway." He said and shot glances at the people who had their eyes on us. They immediately turned away when he did so.

"Ah, it looks like your eyes do come in handy when it comes to situations like these, don't they Hikigaya-kun?"

"Shut up. You're starting to sound like Hina and Yumiko from the other day." He lightly flicked my forehead and I yelped in surprise.

It was painless, but I pouted at him and pinched his arm to show my displeasure. He was amused at my reaction given that he was smirking and the all too familiar teasing glint in his eye has returned.

On the other hand... "Hina" and "Yumiko"... I always hear those names from Yuigahama-san. The fact that he addresses her as "Yui" must mean that he is also quite close to those two, with him addressing them with their first names and all.

Ah, I would love him to call me "Yukino", but it is still too early... I need to be more patient, I will have my chance...

Even though we're comfortable being friends, I want more.

I want to be the girl that's always by his side to support him. I want to see his smile and hear his laughter more often. I want him to open up to me and know everything about him. I want to be the one to help him when the time comes. I want to be the one to hear how his day went as we walk to the school gate together. I want to be the one who spends time within his free time. I want him to be the one to put his coat on my shoulders when it gets too cold. I want to be the one who cooks his food for him. I want to be the girl that he brings home so I can meet his parents.

I want him so much...

I-I want to be...his girlfriend...and something more in the future...

But I don't know if he feels the same way towards me. If I act too brazenly, I may ruin our fragile friendship and cause us to drift apart. And I don't want that to happen...

I do not want that to happen.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and took a moment to calm myself down.

I turned to face him. His eyes were focused on some children playing on the grass and he had a fond smile on his face. When a Golden Retriever puppy went by following its Master, he leaned down and petted the tiny thing's head and it barked happily and licked his leg. I wish I can see this side of him more often. The more relaxed and free side that no one aside from his family and close friends can see outside of school. I love this side of him. For now, I am satisfied. This is all I want.

Just the two of us.

Here.

"A shame. Had it been late winter or early spring, this place would have been beautiful. The Sakura trees here are worth seeing." I say to myself wistfully.

He hummed in reply and then spoke after several moments of thought. "Good grief, I guess I have no choice, do I? Well, if you're making a face like that...there's no way I can say no."

"Yes..."

"..."

"W-Wait, what?"

He rolled his eyes and faced me. "Oh come on. The hint was dreadfully obvious. Do you want me to come here next year? Fine."

Did he just-?! Did he just misunderstand my words?! I was more or less talking to myself!

"N-No, you don't nee-" He interrupted me before I could finish.

"Good grief..." He said and sighed in exasperation. "I already said yes, didn't I? Nothing you say can change that. Why can't you just be honest with yourself? It's literally written on your face. 'Why don't you come here with me next year, Hikigaya-kun?'. I mean it was evident and all." He stated as if it was the most painfully obvious thing in the world.

His words greatly embarrassed me to the point where I felt my face get extremely red and I immediately covered it with my hands. From between my fingertips, I saw him tilt his head in confusion.

"Did I say something strange...?" He said and leaned closer, his voice filled with honest confusion.

I don't know if he really has no idea or if he's just teasing me. But what I am sure of is that if it were not for the people around us, I would have run away back to my apartment and locked myself in my room.

"Yes...yes you did..." I mumbled against my hand. W-Well, I can't say that I'm displeased by how things turned out. His rather embarrassing manner of pointing it out aside, at least I got what I want, even though I would never admit it. He is terrifyingly observant, I'll have to be extra careful next time. At least I got a promise of some sorts from him, ah but it's still a year away...

He said nothing as he waited for me to calm down. When I took my hands off from my flustered face, he had a look of amusement on him. He put a hand over his mouth, I thought he was going to cough, but then his shoulders started shaking.

He was laughing.

I started pinching his side, but that only seemed to fuel his merriment even more.

"You know Hikigaya-kun, you are starting to unusually sound more and more like Nee-san..."

He smirked and laughed. "Haha! I take that as a compliment, thank you very much."

We stayed at the spot for a little while longer until the time came for us to go. A lady walking her Shiba Inu approached us and asked him if he could take her picture. Of course, Hikigaya-kun being Hikigaya-kun, he agreed and stood up once she handed him her camera where they went a small distance away. Her dog took a liking to him and stood on its hind legs as it leaned on him for support. He rubbed its head and scratched under its chin and it barked happily at him. Once he knelt, he offered his hand to it, and the dog understood and put its paw on his hand.

A photo, huh...

I took out my phone, internally conflicted if I should proceed to what I was thinking.

I simply watched them, and he gave it back to her after several shots. As if noticing me for the first time, her eyes darted from me and to him and looked as if she suddenly had a great idea.

"Oh is she your girlfriend? Why don't I take a picture of the both of you?" She offered and I blushed madly from her words. Unsurprisingly, he did not look bothered at all by her words.

He turned to me, as if asking my say in the matter and eyed the phone that I had on my hand curiously but said nothing.

With both of their attention on me, the only thing I could do was squirm under their gaze before I meekly nodded my head. I gave him my phone and he, in turn, gave it to the lady, then he went back to sit next to me.

She angled the camera on us. "Girlie! Scoot closer to him!"

I did what she suggested until our shoulders and legs were touching. He doesn't seem to mind the contact.

"Perfect! Now just pose or do whatever expression that you can think of while I snap away!" She exclaimed as her dog barked in response to its Master's enthusiasm.

I straightened myself and fixed my hair and clothes. There was an uneven portion on his hair, so I started smoothing it with my fingers.

"Oi, unhand me, woman." He said and cringed away from me but I held him in place with my other hand.

"Goodness, stay still. What are you, a child?" I chided him and he rolled his eyes as I worked on his hair.

Once we were ready, we faced the camera together.

The lady had an amused grin upon seeing us with straight shoulders and emotionless expressions. "Don't be so stiff! Relax!"

Hikigaya-kun could not help but chuckle while I silently giggled at the situation that we found ourselves in. Of course, I decided to take full advantage of it. Hikigaya-kun did the same and I saw him smile.

I smiled at the camera as I leaned my head on his shoulder while I wrapped my arm was around his.

Right now...

I cannot express in words how truly happy I am.

Greetings! I'm back!

Sorry for the late update, I was under some writer's block and all that.

Looks like Yukinon finally got to spend time with Hachiman, if only for a few hours. She also got to see the side of him that all her competitors had already seen. Yukino still doesn't know what to do at this point: should she go and confess, or should she wait a little while longer? Ah but most of the girls are already ahead of her in the race to Hachiman's heart! She needs to pick up the pace! We already know who's leading after all!

I was also so SO close to writing an alternate SMUT ending to chapter 40, you know, Hachiman and Komachi in the bathroom... But I can't quite think of any scenario that would lead to it... Eh, don't mind me.

I'm not feeling up to it to reply to the reviews! I'll do it next time!

Favourite, follow, review or PM if you want! Don't be shy to share your thoughts!

See you next time! God Bless!

42

I watched Yumiko, Hina and Yui chat a small distance away as I leaned on the wall waiting for the last one in our little group to show up. He's busy as usual, so he's probably doing some stuff at the Council first before coming here. I watched students go out of the building, some of them look like they're going home while a small number went to their clubs at the separate building.

Today was the last day of the school semester and tomorrow would be the summer break. For someone as busy as him, it was probably a Godsend. I honestly didn't expect him to come with us, but Yumiko was very persuasive and pushy to the point where he just gave up and reluctantly agreed to her whims. It was amusing watching their exchanges, he would masterfully deflect all of her arguments with logic and reason. But the thing is, Yumiko is the type of girl that does everything to get what she wants. She provokes him, she teases him, she follows him everywhere, she glares at him the entire time during classes, she forces him to sit next to her during lunch, she clings to his side pestering and nagging at him as they walk out of the school together and she even texts and calls him after school hours.

Even someone like Hikigaya would give up in the face of such tenacity. In a way, it was a bit scary how bold she was.

I heard that she butted heads with the 1st Year girl that's under his wing and frequently tags along with him. I wasn't at the cafeteria when it happened, so don't know the detail nor was I interested in hearing it. I don't know her, but I have seen them together a few times after class and during the breaks.

My phone rang and once I saw the caller, I put it against my ear.

"Hey Tobe, how's your foot?"

" Aaaaaaa it still hurts y'know? Huhuhuhuhuhu..." From the other end of the line, Tobe started making fake crying sounds and I chuckled.

"I told you not to try so hard during practice...I saw everything happen from the 2nd floor..."

" Ah but Hikitani was playing! He's gotten really good even though he rarely does it with us too! I couldn't play half-assed if he was there! Oh and some of the girls from the other classes were looking so...hahaha..." I could already see him scratching his head. Tobe has a small tendency to show off when in the presence of girls. To put things short he managed to convince Hikigaya to played with us yesterday, causing Tobe to get hyped up. He tripped and twisted his foot.

"And look where that got you. When you twisted your foot, who was the one who immediately came to you and carried you to the nurse's clinic?" I chided him.

" H-Hikitani..."

It was fun being a spectator of all that. Hikigaya carried Tobe to the clinic on his back while quite several girls were loudly squealing with delight at the scene. It was something straight out of a Shojou Manga. Hina was very much upset that she wasn't able to witness things first-hand, but apparently, she knows some girls from the other classes who took pictures of them.

"Right. Anyway, we have a lot of homework to do over the break. I'll just send the stuff over to you tonight."

" Yeah, thanks Hayato. That's a big help! Anyway, I want to go with you guys but my foot hurts like heck!"

"I can imagine..."

" More importantly, have fun! Oh, and if Hikitani's going with you, thank him for me will ya?"

"Sure, no problem."

He ended the call right there and I resumed my attention to the school building.

I must have spaced out or something and some time must have passed since the others started getting restless.

As if on cue, I saw him from faraway accompanied by the First Year girl that imprinted herself on him. They walked a bit until he turned and they bowed to each other, presumably saying their farewells. She suddenly stepped forward and hugged his larger form, he was a bit taken aback by the sudden contact but he returned it and patted her head. After several seconds like that, she broke away and skips back into the building. He scratched his head and ignored the curious stares that were sent his way and finally started walking out.

I feel like I saw something that I shouldn't have...

On the other hand...I'm genuinely impressed at how he just shrugged off those stares like nothing. Even I would feel awkward and lose my composure a bit.

I raised my hand when he was close enough to recognize me and I heard Hina exclaim at his arrival.

"Oh! Hachiman's here!"

"Took him long enough..."

He rolled his eyes. "Leave me alone. I was busy." He said and then narrowed his eyes at Yumiko and Yui where they put their hands on their hips looking very proud of themselves.

"Where are you dragging me this time...?" He asked tiredly.

"Shopping!"

"Dinner!"

"Gunpla and figure hunting!" The three girls exclaimed at the same time and he sighed and put a hand on his temples.

He eyed me and tilted his head when I said nothing. "Don't mind me, we're in the same boat more or less." I shrugged.

Several minutes later, he stealthily drifted to the back, leaving the three girls at the front while he walked beside me. When we just started walking, he and Hina struck a conversation while the rest of us walked behind them. But a while after that, he brought up a topic that interested Yui and Yumiko which led to the two of them joining and that must have given him a chance to break away.

"Finished with football practice?" He asked when he retreated and found himself beside me.

"Nah, we didn't have one today. It's the last day and all, we still have lots of time to play during summer break." I turn to him and nudged his shoulder. "Well, assuming that the Council will approve it of course... It would be great if they could..."

"Hey, I'm not the one to decide those kinds of things. The most that I could do is give a word or two."

"I guess so. Oh yeah, Tobe told me to give you his thanks for yesterday." I say.

He sighed. " Again? He's been texting me that yesterday and today nonstop."

I laughed. "You know him, he's always like that. I'm surprised that you gave him your number...?" Hikigaya has always been kind of a solitary figure, even though he sometimes gets dragged by the girls. I admire that part of him, where stays true to himself.

He shook his head at my words. "Ah, no. He must have gotten it from one of the three of them." He replied, his gaze focused on the three girls in front of us.

We waited beside the road and crossed it once the lights were green.

"By the way, do you have any plans for the summer break?" I ask.

"I've got tons of work to do. Why?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Well...Yui and the others have been planning to go to the pool or beach for some time now. Tobe doesn't feel like it for some reason, add that to the fact that he twisted his foot..."

"What about you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't mind, but I'd like things to be sure first. I'd like to relax and stay at home during the break. I haven't had the chance to do something like that in a while."

He raised a single brow when he concluded. "So...you're not going if I'm not?"

"Gotcha."

He put a hand under his chin and started thinking. While waiting for his reply, I just focused on whatever caught my eye as we walked to the station. "I don't know. The beach is gross and I hate sand. It gets everywhere and the wind from the sea feels icky and sticky and makes my hair feel gross. Oh and not to mention the people, all different kinds flocking to one place...what if there are perverts?" He said as his skin crawled at the thought.

I restrained my laughter with my hand. "What the... Those kinds of complaints are what you'd usually hear coming from a girl..."

He tilted his head in confusion before continuing in a very persuasive tone no less. "No no no. You see it's gross, the sea I mean. Oh Lord and the Sun's heat above all else. I'll probably get a heat stroke and pass out and die or something. Not to mention a sunburn."

"Hikigaya...I didn't know that you were concerned about your skin that much."

"Of course I would be since I'm pale and look terrible with a tan. I feel like a dried fish that's got bad for goodness' sake." He said as if it should be obvious. It wasn't, I have no idea how his mind works after all.

"Anyway, the sea is off-limits for me. I'd settle for an indoor pool or just a regular pool if there's no other choice."

Ah, he's picky, isn't he... I thought he'd just say no right away but instead, he's just talking things that sound like excuses at this point...

Wait...could it be...?

"Hikigaya, do you not know how to swim?" I ask in a low voice.

He slowly turned to me. This aura that he's emitting feels just like Yumiko's when she's about to get angry...!

" Haaah? Where did that come from? I'm a pretty good swimmer you know? I'll have you know that I once swam two kilometres in the ocean in middle school just because I was bored. I participated in a swimming competition in Moscow two years ago. The last guy that I competed with was from India."

I laughed and was a bit surprised. I know that he's not mad, he does this kind of stuff with Yumiko. Somewhere along the way, he managed to imitate her mannerism. It's really funny when they argue during break times, they sound exactly alike to the point where it feels like they're talking to a mirror of themselves. Needless to say, Yumiko wasn't amused in being made fun of, but I think she enjoys their exchanges every time.

"Really? That's... impressive to be honest." I say with amazement in my voice. If he was that good, then why didn't he joi- oh right. Our school doesn't have a pool.

At that instant, his facial expression turned into a blank one, his tone as well. "Ah, no. That was just a joke."

"O-Oh..." Looks like I fell for one of his jokes. He always places his sarcasm at both the worst and best moments. The last time I heard him do this, Hina hit him on the head with her manga. To be honest, that was terrible, I don't have the heart to tell him how bad it is. I just laughed a bit to at least give him the impression that it was decent even though it wasn't...

As we started nearing the station, it was starting to get crowded and we had to quicken our pace since we had drifted too far from the girls.

Hikigaya didn't ask any questions once we boarded the train, neither did I. We are just tagging along, after all, it's up to the girls on where our destination is. I'm ok with things going on like this as long as I don't get home late. We sat beside each other while the trio sat across from us, whispering among themselves as they continued having their conversation.

"I will never understand how girls can be so talkative." Hikigaya shook his head and muttered to himself when Hina winked at him with a grin.

"Beats me, I'm not a girl."

The last passenger entered, it was a frail elderly woman. It wasn't that crowded, but all the seats nearby were already taken. Without another word, Hikigaya stood up and offered her his seat and she gave him thanks as she sat down. He walked a small distance away to grab onto the handles above. The girls watched him curiously and then began to whisper among themselves.

"Your friend is very kind." The lady turned to me and said with a small smile.

"He's always like that," I say and returned her one of my own.

Around fifteen minutes later, we got off and followed the three girls from a small distance away. They're quite engrossed in their conversation, I wonder what they're talking about? I feel like if I butt in, they'd be forced to change the subject. They turned and waited for us to catch up as they went to the side to not cause traffic to the other people.

"Do you think we should eat first?" Yui asked.

The both of us shrugged.

"I'm fine with whatever you guys go with."

"Same here."

Our replies were unsatisfactory, so they went to their phones and started looking for places to eat using the Map application. They finally settled for a Saize at Yui's suggestion after she eyed Hikigaya for his approval.

"Why'd you pick a Saize of all places? I expected you of all people to choose a bit more... you know..." I ask him when we started on our way to the place. It was quite a walk away, but none of the girls didn't voice their complaints at the distance.

"Do you think I'm that kind of person?" He threw me a questioning glance with a heavy emphasis on his last word.

"A bit," I reply admittedly.

He sighed in exasperation. "I picked it because it was the most cost-efficient place to go to. Cheap food for its price and all."

"For being a rich man's son, you sound like a typical filthy cheapskate."

He smirked and laughed to himself. "Shut up blond fuckboy. Of course, you're not wrong. I am very proud of being one after all."

He put his hands behind his head and whistled. "Ah, but if you want to, maybe we can go to Angel Ladder, but it's too far already... They treat me as if I'm one of the owners already..."

"I'd be glad to take up on your offer."

"On second thought, never mind. If Hina hears of this, she's gonna pass out." He quickly withdrew his words and it earned a laugh from me. I felt a fist hit my shoulder. "That was for directly asking Shiromeguri-senpai last time. Foul play I say..."

Of course, I knew the first part, he accidentally let that slip when we were talking a week or two ago after playing football. All this time I've been trying to recruit him into our club. When he would refuse, I'd ask Shiromeguri-senpai to borrow him for a bit and then he'd have to give in. Looks like he really really really REALLY has a soft spot for her since he'll do whatever she says without question or complaint. I always had a feeling that he'd be a great addition to the club, it's only been recently that he plays with us now and then, maybe twice a week during breaks.

He's gotten pretty good too.

"Sorry. Still no?"

He shook his head. "So persistent as always. Ugh, do you have a crush on me or something?"

"Ahaha. Nothing like that I." I laugh and patted his shoulder to assure him. It caused an opposite reaction from me since he looked grossed out and stepped away from me.

One of the girls in front said something which caused them to erupt into laughter. We turned our eyes to them as they chatted without a care in the world. I bet the other pedestrians around are feeling a bit annoyed. I felt that Hikigaya was about to tell them to keep quiet, but he sighed and gave up at the thought.

"Uwaaaahh. I'm so full..." She let out a sigh of relief after drinking a glass of water.

"You know that you don't have to finish it all," I say to Yumiko when she finally let go of her chopsticks and leaned on the backrest behind us.

She shook her head while observing Hikigaya and Hina across the table from us. "Nah, it'll be a waste of good food... Hikio was the one who paid for all of these y'know...the crafty snake gave his credit card in advance..." She said and whispered the last part into my ear.

"Yeah."

Yui was to his right and ever since it was quite clear that she has no clue what they're talking about, she was quite content to just listen to them. They were torn on where to go next to buy their stuff: Hikigaya wanting to go a place farther since it was cheaper there while Hina wanted to go to the nearest one to not waste time.

I don't mind either way, but if I had to choose, I'd go with Hina's proposal just for conveniences' sake. After several minutes of exchanges, Hikigaya finally relented to her, much to Hina's delight. You know, for someone like him, he's a pushover when it comes to things like these.

"Fine fine, shut up your voice is hurting my ears." He said and held his hands up and proceeded to cover the sides of his head. Hina wasn't amused and proceeded to hit his rib with her elbow. Yui and I laughed and teased at the pair, but when I looked to my side, Yumiko was silent while using her phone. Her eyes would glance up now and then as she had an unreadable expression on her face.

With how she looks right now...

There was some idle talk, mostly between Hina and Hikigaya, for some time until we decided that it was time for us to go. As is customary with girls, they all excused themselves and went to the restroom together. Hikigaya dully watched them walk away until he turned to me with a questioning look.

"What?"

"Thanks by the way. For the dinner and all."

He shrugged off my words and switched his attention to his half-full glass, twirling the water around. "Don't mention it. I just wanted pay, that's all."

"Ah, is that so? Well, let me say my thanks at least." I say and give him a slight bow.

"You're welcome."

"..."

"..."

Even though the place where we're eating isn't exactly the quietest one, the silence on our table was deafening. I put my elbows on the table and rested my head on them as I stared at my fingers. I felt his gaze on me, and I have a feeling that he's waiting for me to continue speaking. The atmosphere wasn't filled with tension, yet it wasn't awkward either. It more or less depended on the nature of what I was going to bring up.

"Do you mind if I ask you something, Hikigaya?" I say.

He slightly narrowed his eyes at the tone of my voice and slowly nodded a few moments later. "Hoh, this is a first. Fine then, ask away." The corner of his mouth went upwards to form a tiny smirk. It annoyed me a bit, but I ignored it for now.

"What are you aiming at? Why are you doing all of... this?" I ask.

He tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Hikigaya."

The haughty air around him instantly disappeared. His face became blank and his eyes hollow and void. It looks like he knows what I'm talking about.

"That doesn't concern you." His voice was equally empty. He spoke as if he was a statue, unmoving except for his mouth.

"Am I?"

"That depends if things change."

"And when will that happen?"

"Hopefully it doesn't. I like things the way they are right now."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"I see. So in other words, you're satisfied?" I ask and he nodded silently.

I took a moment to go through our very short and vague exchange. I don't know if he's lying or exactly what he is planning to do. But what I do know is that I have noticed something.

I look at the person across from me. He was staring at me unblinkingly, waiting for me to speak. It was as if I was looking at another person, someone not him. Everything about him is different right now, the aura that he's emitting and his eyes especially. It's so different from the one that I see at school.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Oh come on, no need to look at me like that. You of all people should know how hard it is. Even more so for me..."

I stayed quiet. I can't make a decent retort if he said it like that. "I guess so. Sorry, I don't know your circumstances..."

I know a lot about him, but at the same time, it's like he's hiding something from the outside world. It's ironic, he's the most recognizable person in our Year, a person that many look up to and aspire to be in the future, a model student that rose through his hard work alone. But at the same time, only a handful of people know him personally. I don't know if my words have some truth to them and I honestly feel bad for thinking of him in a very bad light, but it's almost like...

He's faking everything.

No...

It's like he's been a fake from the start. Right from the very beginning.

Not that I'm one to talk...

"What about them?" I ask.

His expression softened a bit, and he blinked for the first time. "They... They are what they believe themselves to be...and most of all, they are my friends. I would never-" He stopped himself from continuing and became silent once again.

I sense no lies in his words, but something's still bothering me. Just one look at him is enough to tell me that he won't say anything else on the matter. At least I got some answers from him. I have to ask some more before I can react to a conclusion, but I'll open up the subject some other time. He might lose his patience and shut his mouth.

"So we were more alike than I initially thought huh..." I mutter to myself. I'm sure that he heard it but he showed no visible reaction to my words.

"'ll leave that to your imagination. As for the other things, some things are better left unsaid, no?"

"What about me? Do you hate me or something?"

He blinked twice before replying which probably meant that he wasn't expecting a very straightforward question like that. " Hate is a very strong word. I disliked you at first yes, but not anymore."

"Well, thanks I guess...?" I scratched my head, not quite sure how to feel. I mean I had a feeling like that before but being told that straight at my face is a bit...

He shook his head. "Ah, no please don't be like that. It's just in my nature to be wary of your kind. Would you blame your pet snake for eating your hamster if they were placed in the same cage? Riajuus, especially a pretty boy like you who is always surrounded and sought-after by females will always be somewhat... difficult to deal with for someone of my ilk." He smirked and I felt the slight hostility from him slowly dissipate.

"Did you really have to compare yourself to a snake though?" I say amused. The smirk he had on his face slightly grew at my words.

"Sorry, a certain someone called me a 'scheming Snake' recently. It just stuck to me I guess. That girl is seriously a handful." He said and then shrugged.

Hmm...speaking of girls...

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you have a girlfriend?" I ask.

He instantly made a deadpan expression as he narrowed his eyes at me until they became thin slits. "I knew it. You're gay aren't you...?"

"Shut up just answer the damn question." I gave his leg a light kick from under the table. He frowned but didn't retaliate.

"Hmph. No, nor do I plan on having one. Why? Where did this come from-" He looked like he realized something and had a sudden headache attack him. "Wait, it's another rumour, isn't it? Good grief the more you pull out the weeds the more they spread like a plague..."

I shook my head. "Don't worry nothing like that happened. Is there anyone on your mind right now? Someone that caught your interest?"

He looked up while having a thoughtful look on his face. "I wonder about that myself. Wait why am I telling you this anyway?"

A laugh came from me when he suddenly got defensive. "Because we're friends and I'm just curious. Friends talk about this stuff sometimes. Don't worry, you can trust me." I raise my hand as a promise.

"The word 'trust' and 'friends' are still quite new to me, so do forgive me if I suddenly become too distant at times... Some random thoughts sprout out in my mind from time to time... But I see what you mean." He said with a low voice and momentarily broke eye contact with me. I decided not to ask about his past, it's very rude to bring up and ask about someone's past after all. I don't want to reopen his old wounds if he ever has them.

Even I have things I'd rather not talk about...

Especially that incident...

"Well, as for the lucky girl that caught my interest, no, at least not yet. But I do think about it now and then." He added.

Now that he finally said it, maybe I can finally tell him.

"Hikigaya, what do you think of Yumiko?" I start.

There was a new unfamiliar glint in his eyes, I don't know what it was, but it didn't feel hostile nor defensive. He arched a brow and thought for a few seconds before replying.

"Yumiko... Well, she's pretty cute, I'd rate a 9/10. As for her personality, some parts leave much to be desired but she's a good girl at heart. Oh and I'm terrible with pushy girls like her, she can get pretty annoying and demanding at times. I remember how she literally dragged me to a cafe to eat with her a few weeks back. I think I can see why Hina always says that I'm such a pushover..."

I slowly nodded and processed the new information.

"Hikigaya, I know that you're really observant when it comes to body language and all that. So I think there's no need for me to say it out loud now, do I?" I say.

He said nothing for a few seconds as he broke eye contact with me and stared at his plate.

I rolled my eyes at him and leaned closer. "You're telling me that you haven't noticed it? Those little looks that she gives you during class? Every time she playfully hits you on the arm and then giggling shortly after? The smile that she has when she's with you? It's either you're stupidly ignorant when it comes to this kind of thing or you're just blatantly ignoring the signs."

He looked at me as if I said something very strange. "Huh? But I was under the impression that she was the one that liked you?"

Now it was my turn to be confused and dumbfounded.

"What? Where did that come from? It's obvious that she likes you more." I say while trying to keep my voice level. If we were alone, I would have raised my voice out of surprise.

"No no no. See things from my perspective for a moment. She spends more time with your clique than with me, and when I'm not around for her to hound and bother, she latches onto you. The likelihood of her falling for you is extremely high."

"Of course she would come to me first since she always knows our whereabouts, unlike you where you could be anywhere in the school because of your duties." I fire back.

He arched a brow and was about to laugh before stopping himself. "Hayama, I have no idea how you got to that conclusion..." He shook his head. "Ok back to the topic. She knows you more than I have. We got acquainted last year, even played tennis a few times and she'd always strike a conversation with me but that was few and far in between. You're more interesting to her than I am. Those signs that you noticed was probably her being a tease and poking fun at me. Nothing more nothing less."

"Are you blind or something? You should see the face she makes when you're in her presence. It's like you turn on a switch in her or something." I say back.

"Haaaah? She has more fun with you guys than being alone with me. It's only logical that the more people, the more fun it is, right? Well, that logic doesn't apply to me but you get my point. And most of the time it's one-sided, she's doing all the talking while I'm just listening and adding some words here and there." He said and started making gestures with his hands.

"All the more reason to believe that she has taken quite a liking to you since she wants to tell you how her day went. That, and the fact that she makes the extra effort to go to you." I retort.

"That makes no sense. She spends waaaaaaaay more time with you than with me and is happier in your company."

I put my arms around my chest. "My intuition tells me otherwise. She's already happy when we're hanging out as a group, but she becomes even happier when you come now and then."

"I think the words that you're looking for are 'literally pestering and nagging at me until I give up'." He said and corrected me.

" Fine. But that doesn't change things." I say which caused a slight frown from him.

"Change what? There's nothing worth changing since there was none of it in the first place."

"Don't get so worked up. I'm just looking out for both of you as your friend. I thought that you should know at least." I say and defended myself. I didn't have any ulterior motive, he could have her for all I care. But that would have certain... implications on my part. Implications that would make things very hard for me to deal with.

He sighed in exasperation. "Why would she even like me anyway? I'm an uninteresting person to be with, I get gloomy thoughts and I'm too uptight, not to mention that I'm bland and my eyes would make a delinquent shit himself. I don't understand, I seriously don't. You're a better fit for her than I. You've got tons of friends, smart, handsome, athletic and well-liked by everyone. You'd make a wonderful pair so just hurry up and have her confess to you already."

Ah, now he begins self-deprecating himself again. "Ugh, you just sounded trashy right now you know...? Why would you deliberately pull yourself down like that?" I grimaced.

"Force of habit, I guess." He said which irritated me.

"I-I see, so you're going at it that way huh, then let me make a counter to your statements," I say before clearing my thoughts and forming the right words in my head.

"Be my guest."

"Hikigaya, did you hear yourself? Why are you deliberately pulling yourself down like that? You stood at the top in academics for an entire year even up to now, you're the 2nd person to perfectly pass the entrance exams in the history of our school, you gained a seat in the Council on your first day in Sobu, you are well-respected and looked up to by most of our Year and even by the First Years, you excel in athletics, everyone is impressed by your Father's work and expects much of you in the future and most of all, you have friends that look out and care for you. You have so much to be proud of. Now it's my turn to say that I don't understand. I don't understand how you look at yourself that way." I say seriously with furrowed brows.

This could be just a thought...but perhaps this is the side of him that he never shows in school...? The side of him that he would never show to anyone but to himself?

He rolled his eyes and sighed. Tch, he's not taking me seriously. My words didn't even get to him. "Thank you very much for those compliments. Not like I don't hear them and get reminded of it every day at school."

I subconsciously clenched my fists. "Hikigaya, I'm being serious here. You're my friend and hearing you say that to yourself is..." My words trailed off, when he heard and saw the seriousness in my voice and eyes, he broke eye contact with me and bit his lip before slowly nodding.

"Point taken... Still won't convince me that she likes me anyway."

Now it was my turn to sigh. "This conversation is more mentally straining than I thought..." He was quite amused as I rubbed my head. Who knew this could be so stressful...

He looked as if a light bulb had turned on in his head. "Wait, if you were using her as a shield of sorts, then you must have unconsciously chosen her to suit your preferences!" He said and snapped his finger at me.

"Wha-? What the heck? That doesn't even make any sense."

He shook his head when I failed to grasp his words. "No, think about it. You wouldn't just pick any girl now, would you? You'd at least find one that's appealing on the eyes." He said as he raised a coy brow.

I frowned. "Oi, you're making me sound like some kind of an asshole. But fine I see your point. I didn't have much of a choice on that matter, she was-" I widened my eyes when I realized what he was implying and he grinned.

"There, you get it now, do you?"

Damnit, why did he have to tell me such a thing so straightforwardly? He's right, I should have known. Maybe I've known it for quite a while but convinced myself otherwise since she also has grown very fond of him.

"Still, this was quite entertaining at least." He muttered to himself when I got quiet, mulling over my thoughts.

"Which part?" I ask.

"Oh, well everything. But I was half expecting you to say 'Oh no, I'm already spoken for.' or something along those lines. I'm honestly a bit surprised that you didn't say it." He says and then shrugs after sipping on his juice.

"Ah, well you're right that I don't have one. Not that I'm looking for one right now."

"Hooh..." He said lazily. "Then you should hurry up and snag Yumiko, I might just get tempted and take her for myself. Hypothetically speaking, if what you said is true, then if I have her for my own, you'd lose the only thing that stops legions upon legions of girls from swarming and confessing to you at every hour of the day... But you could also take her and be done with it, no?" He looked at me from the corner of his snake-like eyes, observing my reaction.

His words took me aback, and I even stuttered for a few moments as I tried to come up with a reply. There was no use in making up half-assed excuses at this point now he of all people realized it. Of all of them...

"A-Ah...was it that obvious...?"

He slowly shook his head. "No. Trashy grounds aside, it was genius. It took me quite a while to figure things out. I'd do the same if I were in your shoes if I had no other option. I won't pry nor judge you for doing it " He replied with a cold and calculating voice.

"Really? Even though I'm just using her for my selfish reasons...? Even though I'm faking it?" I ask as I looked away from the shame.

"I won't judge you. Everyone has their things that they'd rather not be real nor talk about."

"...Even you...?"

He nodded silently after several moments of contemplation. "Yes. Sometimes, I honestly don't know what I'm doing anymore... I don't know what the real me would do. At some point I don't know what I want to do, I'm just following the advice and expectations of the people around me..."

"Oh..." I say with a low voice. It looks like he isn't as perfect as everyone thinks...just like me.

The air got heavy from our conversation, neither of us spoke until I noticed his shoulders shake until he let out a light chuckle.

"This situation is pathetic, don't you think so?" He laughed mirthlessly and I imitated him.

"So, two so-called 'perfect guys' who are trashy letting out their insecurities..."

"I couldn't have worded it better myself." He grinned and raised his glass. I did so too and raised my glass to meet his.

"You know, I have a feeling that if Yumiko, or anyone for that matter, heard our conversation, they'd hate our guts," I say and sigh. The thought gave me a headache. Just thinking about it is enough to give me anxiety.

He winced. I guess that's quite in the realm of possibility. " If she finds out. I'm not particularly sure if I'm innocent either. Maybe at some point sometime in the future, I'll have to apologize to her." He said and nodded before looking to the side with a thoughtful expression.

"Same here..."

"Ah, on second thought, maybe I should make her mine. She's quite a catch if I'm being completely honest... I think it's time to bring a girl back home to meet my parents." He said and smirked.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Oh please. I highly doubt you'll do that. Unless you did like her in the first place."

The glint in his eyes intensified and he chuckled. "Who knows? Perhaps I do, perhaps I don't? Maybe she'll confess to either of us one of these days? Who'll be the first one that she goes to, I wonder... Of course, my money is on you."

"And mine is on you." From the corner of my eye, I saw Yui, Hina and Yumiko making their way towards us from the distance. "They're here," I say to him and adjust my posture as he did the same.

"Hayama. The things we talked about should never get out. The knowledge of our conversation and its nature should only be known to us..." He said seriously and I nodded.

We welcomed the three of them back, trying to act as normally as we could.

"Sorry guys, uwaaah the line was so long," Yui said with a tired voice and plopped herself right next to him, Hina went around and went to his other side.

"I know right? That was ridiculous."

"Some Onee-san was there, taking her sweet time in front of the mirror," Yumiko complained and crossed her arms around her chest. "Like, seriously. She was there with not a care in the world. Tch, thinking about her pretty face is annoying..."

"Hmm, but she was pretty wasn't she? You should have seen her Hachiman, I bet she's just your type." Hina nodded and turned to the boy beside her with a sly grin, to which he just rolled his eyes at her antics.

"You sound like a typical Mother to a 24-year old single guy who eagerly wants grandchildren. Come on, let's go. I want to hurry up and buy my gunpla already..." We followed suit when he got up. Yui and Hina were at his side while Yumiko and I were behind.

Before we got out of the restaurant, he turned to me with a knowing look, an unspoken message passed through our eyes and I gave him the slightest nod.

"Hmm? What was that Hayato?" The girl beside me was quick to notice and looked at me.

I shook my head and gave her a small smile, I noticed a very faint blush on her cheek.

"Nothing."

Maybe he's right after all...

Hey, welcome back!

Sorry for the late update, my Aunt got quarantined and it's pretty hard to write with those kinds of thoughts at the back of your head. But she's fine now thank God!

Oh and I've recently started playing Azur Lane, God save me from gacha hell...

I've been wanting to write a Hayama POV chapter for quite a while now, and I'm quite satisfied with the result. It's probably the first time in this fic that something like this happened. I always wanted 8man to have a conversation like this with someone similar to him to a certain extent.

The next chapter would be the part where they'd go on the extracurricular trip with Hiratsuka-sensei on Episode 7. But I want to add a certain twist to it... You'll see it in a few days or so!

Yup, so that pretty much wraps up everything for this chapter!

Oh yeah! Here are the top 10 countries from where the viewers come from for June 2020!

1. USA

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As always, PM, review, favourite and follow if you want!

Goodbye and see you next time!

43

"Hmm..."

*Stare~~~...*

Uwaah...! Why does he have to be so close! His chin is almost on top of my shoulder! Is he doing this on purpose?!

"H-Hachiman, I can't focus like this..." I say, trying my best not to stutter. He immediately pulled away and apologized. "Sorry, I was just really curious about how you were doing on our summer homework." He said and slightly scooted away.

"Ah no, you didn't do anything wrong or anything," I reply.

He nodded and went back to his homework. After getting his notebook and flipping a few pages, he stopped and started reading away.

We were sitting on the floor in the middle of his room with our study materials on the table, the only sound being from his air conditioner. It was still rather early, it hasn't even reached 9:00 am yet. A few days ago he said that he was going to immediately work on our summer homework and invited me. Seeing this as an opportunity to get some time with him and also to finish things on my end as well, I accepted without a second thought.

It's a good thing that Keika isn't here, she'll be hoarding his attention the whole time if she were. He dotes on her too much and spoils her rotten, sometimes I feel like Komachi gets jealous of her and pouts when she thinks we're not looking...

"Hachiman, where's Komachi anyway?" I ask. I didn't see her when we arrived, she's usually the one who opens the door and welcomes us. We didn't linger too long in the living room since we went straight here to his room. I've already had breakfast before coming here so that takes care of some things.

I was really surprised when he came to pick me up and showed up at our doorstep. It wasn't even part of our agreement that he would have to go to my house. He isn't a stranger at our home, but seeing him first thing in the morning was embarrassing and took me by surprise. My Father was the one who opened the door while my Mother pulled me aside and asked me about what his intentions were. While I was hastily getting ready, he was having a chat with my Father and Taishi. He thanked him for helping Taishi out with his studies and for coming to get me. As a fellow male, I think he quite understood Hachiman's intentions and didn't think too much of it, but my Mother thought otherwise.

She was already under the impression that he was courting me...

Thanks to that line of thinking, she made me wear clothes that I wouldn't normally wear. Skirts and blouses are too feminine and don't suit me at all... I've been fidgeting non-stop since coming here from how uncomfortable I was feeling.

"I made her do an all-nighter so she can finish her homework. We finished rather late so I decided not to wake her up yet." He briefly looked up at me and diligently returned his attention to his task.

"Oh, I see." Seeing him look so serious makes me feel self-conscious. I should work harder too! With that, I went back to my homework. Unfortunately, I stopped in my tracks after several minutes since I stumbled upon a really hard question.

I bit my pen as I racked my head for answers. It was a math problem, specifically on polynomials and quadratic equations. I opened my notebook and read the references that we discussed in class before the Summer break started. Even after doing that, I still couldn't arrive at the correct answer. Am I missing a formula? Did I screw up the first equation or am I forgetting to place them in the correct order?

I decided to do some trial and error until my paper was covered with scribbled numbers. At that point, I gave up and decided to turn to the boy beside me for help.

"Hachiman," I say to catch his attention. "can you help me out with this? I seriously don't get it."

He nodded and scooted closer. When he saw which part I was currently at, he took his notebook and started making comparisons. It surprisingly took him quite a while to find the correct answer. I didn't mind him being this close.

"Sorry, sometimes I still get confused at math. Ah, here we go." He said to himself and started making corrections on my work. "This here, do this, and then use this formula. Don't use the other one, this one's entirely different from before." He gave the notebook back to me and massaged his eyes.

"Thanks. Are you ok?" I ask worriedly as I watched him.

He nodded. "Just a little sleepy at all." He said before covering his mouth and yawning.

I noticed that there was some redness in his eyes and decided to point it out for him. "Your eyes are bloodshot, have you been getting enough sleep lately...?"

"No, it's been like this for a few days, I don't know why." He said and shrugged.

"You're not overworking yourself like last time, are you? Do I even need to remind you? Now that it's the Summer Break, you should relax and stay at home." I slightly furrowed my brows at him and put my hand on my hip.

He gave me a small smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Thanks for looking out for me, Saki. I appreciate it."

"Y-You're welcome..." I say and switched my attention to my pen.

"In any case, if you're having trouble with anything else, feel free to ask me." He gave his face a light slap as if to wake himself up.

Thanks to his help, the next few questions were relatively easy, but that didn't stop me from checking and rechecking them just in case. It took me some time to finish, and I hummed in satisfaction to myself when I asked him to compare his work with mine.

"Yep, this checks out. Good job Saki. Now, what's next?"

"Hmm, what about Japanese History? I've done some reading and I'd like to get the essay out of the way as soon as possible."

"Ok, but I'm already done with mine. I hope you won't mind if I skip this and go to Biology instead?" He got up to get his tablet when I nodded and returned to the table with it in hand. "I'm just going to look up some references."

The essay was really simple, but I had to make sure that my points were clear and concise since our Sensei in the subject was rather strict. I've already heard a few times that he scored a "0" on a major quiz just from a simple grammatical error. Hachiman was quiet as he continued reading and occasionally writing down notes in his notebook. It took me quite a while, but I finally managed to finish the essay before he was finished. I peeked and saw that he was reading on the types of cells and their internal parts.

"Oh, you're finished? That was quite fast." He said with surprise in his voice.

I shrugged at his words. "I already had the answers in my head. The only thing left for me to do was to write it down."

I took my time reading and scanning through my notes before I went to the subjects with the more difficult homework. He was engrossed in what he was reading, as was I. When you're alone in the room with the smartest person in your entire Year, it's quite normal to feel self-conscious and make an extra effort. So I did just that until my back and shoulders started to hurt from the prolonged lack of movement.

I stood up and did some stretches, causing some of my joints to pop. He looked up at me to see what I was doing and gave me a top-to-bottom look, and I secretly hoped that he was going to say something nice about my clothes.

"Saki, if you want, you can always lie down on my bed and study there you know..." He said and motioned to his bed a small distance away behind me. Since it looked quite welcoming, I decided to take up on his offer and took my notes and then plopped myself there. The bedsheets and pillows were soft and had his scent on them. Once I got myself more comfortable, I resumed my reading. From the corner of my eye, I saw him turn to me as if wanting to say something. After a few moments, he shook his head and looked down.

" Saki...Saki..." I felt a hand giving my shoulder a light shake. " Saki...?"

I instinctively buried myself deeper in the pillow that I rested my head on. "Nooo... Just a few more minutes..." His bed felt too comfortable and I didn't feel like getting up anytime soon.

I heard him sigh and sit down on the bed. "Saki...it's been four hours. We're gonna have lunch downstairs in a little while..."

At his words, my head shot up and I propped myself up with my elbows and turned to him with my messy hair. "N-No way..."

He wordlessly shrugged and showed me his phone's screen. It was nearly noon. I sighed dejectedly and buried my face in his pillow again. "Ugh, so much wasted time... Why didn't you wake me up?" I stretched out my hand and pinched his side. He just laughed it off then held and played with it, to my surprise and secret delight.

"You looked so peaceful in your sleep that I'd feel bad if I did. You were akin to...what was it... The Princess that's popular in children's stories in the West..." He thought for a bit and then snapped his fingers.

"Ah, you looked like Sleeping Beauty!"

"..." It's a good thing that I was covering my face since I'm probably red as a tomato right now.

I heard him start to snicker. "Oho, what's this? Is Saki embarrassed~...?" My finger started poking the exposed skin on my neck, and if I could have gone deeper into the pillow, I would. I felt ticklish, so I covered my entire head with another pillow.

" Leave me alooooone~..."

All of a sudden, he started pulling on the pillow. "Oho, and embarrassed Saki? Come on, let me see your face~." He teased as I tightened my grip on it.

" Stop it~!" I put both of my hands over it. Making him see my face right now is the last thing that I want to happen. He grunted in frustration when his initial attempts failed. I was about to smirk to myself when I felt two hands grip my sides and forcefully flip me over. Of course, the sudden contact made me feel ticklish so I couldn't stop a squeal from coming out of my lips.

" KYAH!"

Since the pillow that I used to cover my neck was now under me, I chose to cover my face with my hands instead. I lost my strength when he held my wrists, he pulled them aside exposing my red face while I bit my lip and looked to the side.

Uwaah! He's so close!

I just gave up and let my hands fall limp. He then started poking my face like an idiot. "Hehehe, Saki's face is so cute..." He snickered and teased.

"S-Shut up... W-Whose fault do you think it is? I-Idiot..." I mumbled and blushed at the closeness of our faces. I gave his chest some light punches to take his attention away from looking at my face for too long.

All it did was amuse him, the small teasing grin on his face slightly grew wider and he chuckled. I was honestly a bit disappointed when he lifted himself from me, but that's something that he doesn't need to know. He checked the time and asked me if I wanted something to snack on while we waited for lunch to get ready. "Oh, it's fine, I'm not hungry," I say.

"I'm gonna get something to eat. I'll be right back." He said and stood up and went outside, leaving me alone in his room. The instant that he closed the door, I sighed in relief.

" Uwaah, I should have worn shorts or something. I hate skirts..." I mutter to myself. I fixed my skirt and smoothed out the creases on my blouse after I sat up and went back to the small table on the floor. I don't normally wear stockings since they feel itchy and uncomfortable, but I wore one today since he might like it.

" A compliment or two wouldn't have hurt..."

I was waiting and waiting for him to tell me but it never came. I knew it, he doesn't like non-feminine girls like me...he's probably put off by what I was wearing right now. Someone like Yuigahama is his type. Not sure about that blond bimbo or Ebina though, I'm not getting those kinds of vibes coming from them. They treat him like how they treat the other blondie in class. But that blond bimbo, maybe she likes the both of them but can't pick who's better? What was his name again...? Hayasomething?

" More importantly, what's gotten into him? He's always been such a huge tease but... It's like I-I turned on a switch inside him or something..." I shook my head before my thoughts start to wander off to who knows where. He must be feeling good today or something...

To pass the time, I checked my phone and saw that my Mother had messaged me. When I opened it, she was telling me to "Be a good girl and don't cause trouble for him!". I rolled my eyes at her message and put down the phone. Seriously, she's got the wrong idea. I-It's not like we're dating or anything, w-well, not yet at least.

Ah, but I might bet getting too ahead of myself!

Do I like him? Yes.

Do I want to be his girlfriend? Of course.

As far as I can tell, he doesn't look at me that way. I mean, he's still single. As of now, I have some rivals, but they don't seem to have made a move on him yet. The biggest one would be the StuCo President and maybe Yuigahama. They're close, but it could be that it's just pure admiration since whenever the topics would go to the StuCo President, he would shower her with nothing but praises to the point where I get a little bit jealous. Yuigahama is giving off mixed signals from what I have observed, it's like she hasn't made up her mind yet. I have a feeling that the blondie and Ebina only look at him as a friend, but I could be wrong about the former. Sometimes she's a bit needy and nags at him, he gets annoyed at her but doesn't get to the point where anger comes in. It's like he's treating her like a sister or something.

As for that upstart Yukinoshita girl...she seems too reserved to act but I don't know her too much. I'm only assuming that she likes him because she's in the same club as him.

The latest one would be that clingy First-Year girl that he added to the Council. I've seen how she acts around him and she's like a stereotypical Kouhai smitten with her Senpai. I don't know if it's all an act or if she's genuinely like that. He doesn't seem to mind her antics from the handful of times that I've seen her he seems to be amused.

He's kind, smart, hardworking, responsible and great with kids. Plus he's a gentleman and treats girls very well. What's not to like about him? He's the first friend that I made at school, and I was his second. He said that the StuCo President was his first and I won't lie that I'm a bit jealous of her. I don't know if he'll mind going out with me, but I'm already on very good terms with his parents and sister, and he already knows my folks and siblings too so...

Wait...

Our families know each other, me and Keika would drop by at his house, we're very relaxed around each other and he doesn't seem to mind when I rest my head on his shoulder on the sofa, we call each other by our first names, his Parents like me very much and Komachi even already calls me "Saki-nee"... In other words...

Hmm...

Now that I think about it...

I'm the girl that he'll most likely end up with! I have the best cards in hand and the strongest contender of all too!

An uncontrollable giggle came out and I didn't even bother covering my mouth. The door opened and I saw him go inside carrying a tray with a bowl filled with potato chips as well as two glasses of water.

"Saki? Did something good happen...?" He asked as he raised a brow. It must have been weird, seeing me giggling at myself. I watched him put the tray on the table and sit back next to me.

"Oh nothing, I just thought of something nice~..." I say and smiled sweetly at him. The giddiness wasn't going away anytime soon, might as well tease and poke him for some reactions.

"Hmm... Do you mind telling me what it is then?"

"Nope~! That'll ruin the fun~."

My behaviour must have weirded him out since he tilted his head to the side, then scooted closer to me and put a hand on my forehead. He looked legitimately confused as I just waited for him to finish. "...?"

"Hehehehe... I'm not sick you know."

He nodded to himself when my temperature felt normal and looked at me as if I was a difficult math problem that needed to be solved. "Huh, nothing seems to be wrong... Wait, are you and Komachi playing a prank on me?" Without another word, he stood up and opened his closets, pulled the covers off the bed and even checked under it.

I was just giggling and watching him do all of that while eating some of the chips that he brought with him. In the end, he just sighed and gave up before sitting back down next to me. I wrapped my arms around his left arm and rubbed my head on his shoulder, giggling like a lovestruck maiden. Ah, he smells so nice and feels so warm... He arched a brow at me when I looked up at him, there was now some pink on his pale cheeks.

"S-Saki...? What's gotten into you all of a sudden...?" He asked as he attempted to take his arm off of me, I just narrowed my eyes and tightened my hold on him.

"Oh nothing, I'm just feeling very happy that's all~!" I reply and gave him my brightest smile.

It caught him off guard since he looked away as his blush started to grow more prominent. "O-Oh, is that so? Today must be my lucky day then..." He said.

I tilted my head at his words. "Hmm? What do you mean Hachiman?"

"I rarely get to see you smile like that since you're normally serious at school, much less one as charming as the one you're making right now. This is such a lucky treat~..." He said and gave me a teasing grin.

I felt my face get warm from his sudden compliment. "Huh?! Wha-?!"

His grin grew wider and he took out his phone from nowhere. "Let me snap a photo real quick and I'll make it my wallpaper~..." He managed to take a single photo before I knew what was happening.

"H-Hey! Hachiman!" I yell out and quickly reach for his phone. He leaned away and laughed at my red and very much flustered face.

"No can do~!" He teased and held me back with his other hand. I properly sat up and fixed my skirt, I was wearing black stockings anyway so it would be hard for him to see anything that he shouldn't. I lunged at him to try and get his phone and delete the photo.

He must have been expecting me since he rolled away with a stupid smirk on his face and snapped another photo. "Oh, this one's fantastic! Your infuriated and blushing expression is adorable!".

I lunged at him again, this time faster but he still managed to avoid me. "Fuahaha! You look like you're secretly enjoying this Saki!" He taunted the phone on my face and pulled it away before I could reach it. He laughed and quickly crawled towards his bed.

"Grrr! As if! Gimme that phone!" I growled in frustration as I went all-fours and went to him. I finally got him when he had his back to me and we fell on the soft bed together. I was a bit worried that I might have hurt him since I heard an "Oof!" come from him, but my worries immediately went away when he started laughing like an idiot.

He faced me, I was now on top of him with my hands on his chest, I was practically straddling him for the lack of a better word. But I didn't care. "Fuahahaha! You'll have to do better than that if you want it!" He exclaimed loudly and hid the phone behind his back. My eye twitched in annoyance at how he was being such a tease. Though I'll never admit that I'm secretly enjoying this.

I reached my arms around him to try and get a hold of his hands, my face was on his chest but I didn't care much at the point. "Who knew you could be so aggressive like this Saki! I love this side of you! Hahaha!" He exclaimed and teased. Every time I thought I could finally grab onto him, he'd somehow wiggle his hands away from my grasp and escape once more.

His words made me feel something, and I opened my mouth to reply before I could even stop myself.

" That's right! I've had it with being passive all the time! I'm gonna get what I want!" I mimicked his smirk and looked down defiantly at him. I finally managed to hold his wrists, but the only problem is that he won't let go of the phone.

"Well said, but how will you be able to retrieve my phone?" He replied cheekily. I narrowed my eyes and pulled back my hands since I knew exactly what I was going to do. He arched a brow when I rested my hands on the bed, effectively trapping him underneath me. I said nothing as I just stared at him with an "UnSaki-like" grin. He must have realized the sudden proximity of our faces since he blushed. "U-Um...Saki...?"

Without any warning, I made my hands go to his sides and started tickling him.

He instantly started laughing from my touches. " PFFFF AHAHAHAHA! STOP! STOP IT! " When he tried to sit up with his hands behind him, I pushed him back down and focused most of my weight on my chest since he attempted to roll and wiggle away from my hands. As effective as my attacks were, his hands were still behind him, not keen on giving up yet.

His legs were jerking as he laughed, I was starting to see tears on the corners of his eyes.

" H-HEY! HAHAHAHAHA!" His complaints would be instantly interrupted by fits of laughter as my hands went up and down his sides.

" Eep!" I let out a small squeak as I felt him brush against my inner thighs when he raised his knee in an attempt to push me away. I looked down on him to see if he did that deliberately, but I pushed those thoughts aside since he was too busy trying to keep his sanity while being attacked like this.

"L-Let me go!" He said with an expression of a mix between frustration and mirth.

"Give me your phone!"

"Nope, not gonna do that!" He laughed and stuck out his tongue defiantly.

When he used his other hand to get my face as far away as possible, I opened my mouth and bit him hard. He yelled out in surprise and immediately retracted it.

"Ew gross!"

"S-Shut up!"

His laughter filled the room, sometimes he'd rock the bed when he jerked his legs while attempting to untangle them from my own. But I wasn't about to let that happen. We almost fell together when he squirmed too much. I felt his abdomen contract every time he laughed as if the toned muscles underneath were trying to make their presence known. My breasts pressed themselves against his chest, this would have made the both of us start blushing madly, but the situation didn't allow any of that anymore.

"Oh~, I didn't know that your weak spot was... here! And here!"

" AH! OI YOU CHEEKY LITTLE- AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"F-Fine! I give up! I yield!" To make things clear, he raised both of his hands with his phone on his right one. I huffed out in relief, any more of this and things would have gradually become more awkward. "Here you go..." He said and gave it to me as his eyes were covered by his bangs.

Before I could even touch it with my fingers, I felt him suddenly wrap his arm around my waist and flip me. Now it was him who was on top. I was too wide-eyed and surprised to say anything, all I could do was rest my hands limply on the bed as I looked up at him. My long hair that was tied in its usual ponytail was now sprawled out around me. He looked into my eyes with a coy smile, I felt my cheeks get warm and a unconsciously gulped. T-This position is r-rather...

"H-Hachiman? W-W-What are you planning to do...?" I say with a quivering voice. I was too frozen to do anything when he lowered himself until I felt his lips touch my ear.

" Payback, of course..." He whispered, there was something under his voice that made my heart skip a beat and an unfamiliar feeling swell up inside me. I couldn't help a tiny pleasurable whimper escape from my lips. My heart was beating so fast it might as well pop out of my chest and I gripped the hem of my skirt as I fidgeted my legs.

When I felt his hands through the thin fabric of my blouse tickle my sides, I was already hollering with laughter. " NO DON'T EVEN- AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I'm a very ticklish person, and the slightest poke at my ribs would send me cringing away from whoever did it. I tried pushing him away, but I was instinctively covering my belly as I laughed from his touches. From the thin opening of my tightly shut eyes, I saw him grinning and laughing at my expense.

"Haha! Now you know how it feels! Who's laughing now?!" He cried out and intensified his assault. I arched my back from his tickles but that only seemed to have given him more places to tickle. His hands went up and down my sides and would sometimes poke my back, his knee was already between my inner thighs, my skirt was already a mess but at least I still had my black stockings on.

For the 2nd time of the day, I'm quite glad that I decided to wear them.

Thanks, Mom for forcing me to wear them!

"Hm~, I wonder where Saki-chan's weak points are~... Maybe here~?"

" AHAHAHAH!"

"Oh my, that was such a cute reaction~. What about here~?"

" HEY- HAHAHA!"

His fingers at my sides went dangerously upwards until I felt my breath hitch and goosebumps start to form all over my body. I accidentally and unknowingly let out a girly moan when his fingers brushed against the side of my breasts. Thankfully, he didn't seem to have noticed it. My mind was too preoccupied and conflicted on what to do; I desperately wanted him to delete those photos because of the embarrassment but on the other hand, I don't mind us being silly like this. And I won't deny that I'm loving and enjoying our moment, I haven't laughed like this in a long time.

" KYAAAAAAH!" I squealed loudly when he tickled the small area under my armpit, that was too much for me since I quickly made my arms stick to my sides. Unfortunately, I had unknowingly included his hands. In other words...

"Huh?" I felt something on my chest area and looked down.

Both of his hands were touching my breasts.

His eyes went wide as we both just stared at each other. He looked into me and then to his hands which were still holding them. I looked down and I noticed that a button had accidentally come undone, it must have happened earlier. After several seconds of dumbstruck, the reality of the situation dawned on him and he immediately retracted his hand. He looked to the side with a blush and I bit my lower lip, yet he was still on top of me.

"I...sorry. I didn't mean it..." He bit his lip as he said it.

I moved away from some strands of my hair which partly covered my eyes. "Y-Yeah, I believe you. I-It was just an accident, we were playing too roughly anyway. S-Something like this was b-bound to happen...a-although..." I say with a shaky voice as I rubbed his arm with my other hand and locked his leg with my thighs.

" I d-didn't mind it..." I say with a tiny voice as I looked to the side from the embarrassment. From the corner of my eye, I saw him make a surprised expression. He was at a loss.

"O-Oh..." He watched my fingers as they lightly caressed his hand up to his shoulders. It took everything I had not to cover my face from the embarrassment.

"..."

"..."

"...Do you dislike me...Hachiman?"

He immediately shook his head. "No, I can't think of a single reason."

His words make my heart skip a beat and I felt so happy. When I smiled, the blush on his face intensified "I see, then..." He attempted to lift himself from me but I held him in place with my hands.

" No. Not yet~." I say firmly with a small grin.

When he tried it again, I locked my thighs tighter around his leg. "B-But-" I hushed him with a single finger to his lips when he tried to verbally protest.

"Let's stay like this for a little while longer." He sighed and nodded at my request after thinking for a few moments.

"S-Sorry again for... you know."

I let out a giggle and raised my hand to pinch his cheek, he didn't try and avoid it. "Stop apologizing, it was only an accident. More importantly, there's still something missing..." I narrowed my eyes and gave him a teasing grin.

"What is it?"

I pouted and pulled his cheek from his answer. "It's something that a guy usually says when he invites a girl over~..." I say and let go.

He turned to the side with a thoughtful expression as I patiently waited for him to figure it out. When he finally did, he looked down on me with a small smile.

"You look lovely."

I smiled up at him as I felt my cheeks get warm from his words. "Thank you."

"Sorry for it being late and all."

"Better late than never," I say and we both chuckled.

"You should wear clothes like these more often. It suits you very much." He grinned and I bet I got even redder.

"F-Feminine clothes make me feel strange, that's the reason why I wear work pants in Angel Ladder. Not to mention that I might get hit on by the patrons if I showed too much skin..." I say.

His right eye glinted menacingly when I told him the truth. "Well, whoever even thinks of doing it will get their elbows dislocated and their jaws broke." He said, and I have a feeling that he wasn't kidding. I'm glad that he's protective of me though.

I touched the tip of his nose with my finger. "Thanks a lot for keeping your workers safe, Boss~," I say and smirked. He shook his head and rolled his eyes at my words. "You should at least say that to someone like my Mother, not to me..."

He dropped by Angel Ladder a week or two ago to play a prank on me. I should have realized it sooner when he walked through the doors. One of my coworkers attempted to give him a slight bow, but he raised his hand to stop him from doing so. Our Manager got nervous and reckless, checking to see if everything was in order. I didn't know what to do, so I hid behind the staff room's door to peek from behind it. Who would have imagined that he would casually take a quick look around, and go inside without a care in the world? He found me frozen behind the door, and when he was right in front of me, he just had this stupid grin on his face and said:

" Yo Saki."

Even after he explained the situation, I still couldn't work properly with his presence in the place. My movements and speech became stiff since I became too self-conscious. He just had some tea and dessert on a table in front of the area where the piano was being played. Sometimes he'd just look in my direction until we lock eyes and he'll smirk at me. When my shift was finally over, I decided to reschedule it so I don't go out in the early hours of the morning after our little talk before, he waited for me and so we can go out together. I thought he was with Auntie, but I was surprised when he said that he came all the way there by himself.

I even fell asleep on the train home, where he put my head on his shoulder for me to rest on. When we arrived home, my Mother was there and made him eat dinner with us. My siblings were asleep when we came, but Keika was still awake and joined us at our dinner table. She was elated and wanted him to stay for the night, but he had to go. I saw him off at our doorstep when it started to get late and thanked him for bringing me home.

When I asked him why he did it, all he said was:

" I just wanted to. That's all."

Now that I think about it, maybe it was his way of saying that he-

I was brought back from my inner thoughts when a finger suddenly poked my side, causing me to make a giddy yelp of surprise.

"Hellooo? Sakiiii? Are you in there? Don't go spacing out now~." He said and tickled me again to get my attention.

" Kyaaaaah~! Stop it, hehehehe~!" I giggled with delight and got back at him by gently smacking away his hands. We kept going at it for several minutes until it turned back to our original play, my giggles and his laughter filling his room.

" O-Ohh~..." His hands slowly grew bolder, it turned into something more slow and sensual as they went up and down my sides. My giggles became low hums, and then moans of delight. Sometimes, he would slowly brush against my breasts and I watched him look at them with a growing desire. I closed my eyes at some point to focus on his touches that caused sparks of pleasure to go up to my spine, causing goosebumps to form all over my hot and sensitive body.

I didn't hold back my low moans and whimpers of pleasure and I pushed him on with small nods whenever we would make eye contact.

I rubbed both of my soft thighs against his leg to get an unspoken message to him. He gulped but said nothing as I waited for him to act. Ah, this is making me feel all hot and bothered... My head is spinning and I can't think straight...he's so close. I could just lurch forward or wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him... My desire for him is growing by the second.

Haaahh...haahh...

I want him...

" S-Should we stop...?" He asked in a low and unsure voice. His breath was hot and his eyes were unfocused as they looked deep into my ones.

"No... Not yet." I reply.

His left hand brushed against the side of my breast, and then went lower and lower until they reached my hips. He passed my crumpled skirt and went to my leg where he began slowly touching and tracing my inner thighs. Since I was wearing mid-thigh stockings, I felt his fingers make contact with my soft and delicate skin, causing me to shiver with pleasure. He traced my skin, going up and down but never high enough to reach there.

I took his other hand and led it at the end of my thin blouse, hoping that he would get the message. He said nothing at first, and I was about to pout and tell it to him directly but then I felt him go under.

" Ahhhh~~...oh~~..." I moaned when he began feeling and caressing my sides and abdomen.

"S-Saki...are you sure about this...?" He asked me in a voice that brought me back from my mild state of bliss.

I raised myself a bit, my cheeks brushed against his ones. He was warm, and I whispered tenderly to his ear as he shivered from the contact of my lips. "You can do whatever you want with me..." I licked and gently nibbled on his earlobe to get my point across. He has to be the one to make the move right now...a little push is all he needs...and then...

He'll belong to me.

I pulled away and bit my lip as I batted my eyelashes at him. Its effect was intense, there was something in his eyes now that ignited a fire inside me and made me rub my thighs against him in anticipation. I stared deeply into his eyes and our noses were almost touching.

" So...what do you...want to do...?"

I lowly whispered to him, my voice had become sultry and seductive without me noticing. I led my hand to his chest where I caressed him with my fingertips through his shirt. He began lowering himself, going agonizingly slow as I waited for our lips to finally meet.

I felt him barely brush against my own, our hot and heavy breaths making our senses dizzy as I waited for the moment to come. We both want this, the desires in our eyes and the heat that our bodies emitted were evidence in itself. I don't care anymore, I want him so bad. I parted my lips and readied my hot and wet tongue for what was about to happen...

Until we heard the unmistakable sound of a doorknob being turned and the door itself opening.

It was too late to do anything since we turned our heads to the door to see a mop of black hair with an ahoge enter the room. My blood went cold and I couldn't move when I heard and saw who it was.

"Haa-chaan~! Saki-chan~! Lunch is rea-"

*Thud*

Hikigaya Hitomi, the Mother of the boy on top of me, dropped her phone and stood at the door, wide-eyed and mouth agape while still wearing an apron around herself. Her mouth slowly opened and closed as she tried to find the right words to say to address our very risque position

We were frozen on the spot, his hands still under my shirt and between my inner thighs. Our faces were red and breaths hot as we both stared at his Mother. Several tense seconds went by and not one of us had still moved.

Auntie took a second glance at where his hands were and her face burst with crimson. As if suddenly realizing the reason why I got disappointed when he withdrew his hands and sat up straight. I closed my legs and fixed my skirt but remained lying on the bed.

"O-Oh, H-Haa-chan, S-Saki-chan... A-A-Ah... I-I-It looks like I c-caught the both of you in a bad t-t-time!" She laughed awkwardly and quickly took her phone from the ground.

"A-A-Auntie! A-Ah...!" I start but it became nonsensical stutters in the end.

"M-Mom! We were j-just... playing! I-It's not w-what you think!" Hachiman said, to try and explain things.

Auntie shook her head in a blur. "N-No need to say anything you t-two! D-Don't worry I understand! I-I'll pretend that I didn't s-see anything... S-So, just go downstairs w-when you're done- I mean ready! READY! I MEANT READY! So...umm...bye b-bye...?!" She gave us a shaky wave and slowly closed the door behind her.

Then there was an awkward silence.

A silence so deafening and choking that I wanted to crawl into a hole and live there forever.

Hachiman was still unmoving like a statue, looking at the door with an expression of pure defeat. If it wasn't for the current situation, I would have laughed at him.

"Saki." He said and turned to me, his face still very much red.

"H-Hmm?"

Just like his Mother, he scratched the back of his head and gave out an awkward laugh. "T-Things got a b-bit intense back there..."

"Y-Yeah..." I say in a barely audible voice. I watched his eyes slowly wander all over my body, making me gulp and feel embarrassed. I-I must have made him very much aroused... I can't blame him since I'm the same too... Ah, the way he's looking at me right now, it's making me feel hot again... I bit my lips and tried to get a hold of myself. He's still looking at me, he must be thinking that I'm about to initiate it again. If things keep going on like this, it's only a matter of time until we...w-we...

...do something...

...l-l-lewd...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

I can't be thinking about those things yet! It's too early!

I lightly kicked him when his gaze lingered for too long on my chest and skirt. "O-Oi!" He apologized and I sat up and began buttoning up my blouse and fixing my skirt. I turned and pouted at him when I felt his stare, to which I pinched and twisted his cheek.

"D-Do you think I should go and explain things to my Mother?" He asked.

I turned to him with a conflicted expression. "I-I think you should give her some time to process what happened. It's also our fault s-since we got too into it..." I say with a slight blush after I sat up.

"...Okay, I'll do just that then..."

"..."

"..."

"Y-You p-perv..." I turned and pouted at him as I covered my body with my hands.

He looked at me with disbelief, his face becoming even more red than possible. "H-Haaaah?! Y-You-! Y-You didn't even try and s-stop me!"

"T-That's because-!" Now it was my turn to become speechless. I didn't have any excuse since I was the one who deliberately pushed him on. I think most of the blame goes to me, I k-kept making those lewd sounds, that must have flipped a switch inside the b-both us... Uwaah, so this is the result of getting carried away by the heat of the moment... "J-Just shut up! It was both our f-fault!"

"H-Hmph, if you put it that way... Still, y-you must have been feeling good if you-" Before he could finish what he was going to say, I put both of my hands over his mouth.

" SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUPP! I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" I scream and shook my head. I don't want to hear about what he was going to say! I didn't even want to think about it!

I want to cry from the embarrassment.

"Ok ok jeez that I was just kidding. Ah, were you trying to kill me...?" He muttered and rubbed his red cheek after I pulled on it until it was going to tear off.

Uwaaah, this is the worst...! Why did this have to happen?! He must think that I'm a perverted girl...

I had no idea what to do so I just looked down and fiddled with my fingers. He got up and took the bowl of chips on the table and then went back to me. He quietly started eating, and I likewise did the same. That was all we did until we finished the bowl and he handed me a glass of water. After quenching our thirst, we went back to just sitting and keeping quiet.

"Have you calmed down?"

I nodded. "Yeah..."

"I see, same here... So...what do you want to do...?"

"I don't know... Crawl in a hole and shut myself there forever... I want to cry..." I reply in a depressing voice and just stared at the door. W-Why did Auntie have to come at the worst time possible...!?

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I have a better idea." He said in a cheery tone.

I turn to him, not expecting anything. "Oh? Then let's hear it."

He wordlessly put his arm around my shoulder and whispered into my ear. "Do you want to play again...?"

Words cannot describe how embarrassed I was. I just looked at him utterly speechless for several seconds, my face reddening to astronomical levels as I felt my eyes start to water. He had his usual stupid grin on his face as he tried to suppress his laughter. I then went down on the bed and screamed into his pillow, the sound is effectively muffled as I kicked and jerked my legs.

" KYYAAAAAAAHHHHH~~~! "

"S-Saki? Saki?! Hey! That was just a joke! A JOKE! I WASN'T SERIOUS! " He exclaimed in a loud voice and put a hand on my shoulder.

That was my last memory since I passed out from the embarrassment.

Hello and welcome back!

How are you lot doing? Wonderful I hope! Anyway, Season 3 popped up a week or two ago, so make sure to keep up-to-date with the rest of the fandom. I get spoiled the second it finishes airing since most of my weeb groups in FB are hyped to the MAX! MAKE SURE TO WATCH IT!

Damn Yukinofags frothing at literally every episode SMH!... I mean I've read all the LN until the 11th one, but they're getting too cheeky!

THE HARUNO AND SAKI SHIP WILL CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS I DRAW BREATH!

Ok back to the fanfic!

HACHIMAMA WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COME AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME?! Looks like their little "playing" almost transformed into something else huh. The both of them wanted it, maybe this chapter sealed the deal with these two? I guess even Hachiman isn't immune to teenage male hormones as he initially thought! He is a healthy young male after all! *wink wink*

Well, I won't spoil too much!

(NEW) Sorry, I forgot to reply to some of the reviews so lemme do it real quick!

2theMoon: No ones dying here m8.

bluefish1945: XD

Sperance: EXACTLY!

Alseil12: Being compared to Watari Wataru-sensei is a bit too much... I don't consider myself THAT great of a writer lol.

Review, follow, favourite or PM if you want.

See you in the next chapter!

44

After I woke up when I passed out, we both went downstairs to have lunch. Auntie was there sitting at the head of the table using her phone while she waited for us. Komachi was also there to our surprise, and Hachiman and I non-verbally agreed to act as if nothing had happened. It was surprisingly harder than I thought...

Auntie was the same and acted normally, though she'd sometimes stare at Hachiman's hands as we ate. The thought that those same hands a few minutes ago e-explored my b-body made me want to die from the embarrassment. It feels especially naughty since his Mother is right in front of me, and whenever we'd lock eyes, the memory of the event would come back and causing us to immediately look away. His Mother being the one to catch us was the worst person possible... It would have been slightly better if it were Komachi, but that little brat is quite talkative and I'm afraid that she won't be able to hold a secret such as that. Hachiman must have noticed and diverted Komachi's attention to himself so she won't notice us.

After lunch, Komachi and Auntie were the ones who washed the dishes and we went back upstairs to take out stuff and transfer it to the coffee table in the living room. Komachi went to sleep and Auntie was at the dining table reading a book. I was the one who suggested it and he didn't protest. J-Just in case something like before happened again... I also did it to give Auntie some peace of mind so she would be able to keep an eye on us.

N-Not that I'm hoping for it to happen again or anything...

M-Maybe...

It took us quite a while, but we were finally done with all of our homework for the Summer. It was already 4:00 pm and I stretched my arms upwards causing some of my joints to pop. "Ah~! Finally!"

From across the table, Hachiman eyed my chest with interest before looking up to meet my eyes. H-He's gone cheeky and bold huh, not even bothering to be d-discreet now... He had enough restraint earlier to not cope them a feel, e-even though I wouldn't have minded it. I hope he doesn't do this kind of stuff when school resumes...

"Good work Saki-chan~..." He lazily said in a drawled out manner and his eyes returned downwards to stare at my pair. My eye twitched in annoyance as a slight blush dusted my cheeks and I lightly kicked his leg.

" H-Hachiman, I hope you're not getting any stupid ideas in your head..." I whispered as I covered them with a book.

He shrugged and started organizing his things now that we were done. "Nothing of sort..." He said in a monotone and emotionless voice, I followed him and put mine as well into the bag that I brought with me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I felt a pair of eyes turn their attention on us. It must be Auntie, I think she's just pretending to read that book and is observing us.

I checked the time on my watch. I still had an hour before I go to work at the local grocery store. I may be the one who told him to relax and stay put at home during the summer break, but I'm also doing extra work hours. I'm not going to let a single day go to waste since I'm saving it up for the future.

"Thanks for today Hachiman, now we don't have to worry about homework anymore." I raised my hand gave him a high-five. I stood up and went to his Mother who was at the dinner table. She looked up from her book and forced an awkward smile which then made me remember the events earlier.

"S-Saki dear! Leaving so soon...?" There was some pink on her cheeks, and I'm sure that she's trying her best.

"Y-Yeah... I have to go to my part-time job..." I looked down and rubbed my arm. This was WAY more embarrassing than I thought...

Auntie leaned to the side to look behind me and called her son's attention. "Haa-chan, will you be walking Saki to her house?"

"A-Ah, no. That won't be necessary. I'm fine going alone." I say quickly before he could form a reply. I'd like some time to myself, if even for just a few minutes. Having him with me will probably do more harm than good. I can already see myself stuttering and making a fool of myself, before sprinting home as fast as possible with a massive blush on my cheeks. I-I don't want him to tease me until I pass out again like earlier after all...

Hachiman wordlessly nodded and got my bag and went to the door. I was about to follow him after saying my goodbyes to his Mother, but she gently held my sleeve just as I was about to turn around. The way to their entrance wasn't a straight path, from the dining room where we were, you had to pass through the living room then to the corridor where the door was waiting. The living room wasn't separated by walls, but any conversation that we had here would not be within earshot from someone standing at the entrance.

"Haa-chan! I'll just speak to Saki-chan for a bit!" We heard a low reply coming from the direction where he went.

Auntie looked up at me with a small warm smile and made me sit down. I looked to the side, embarrassed but followed her nonetheless. She had a motherly air around her that calmed me down and cleared my thoughts as I looked into her eyes. I already have an idea of what she wants to talk about.

"So, Saki dear...do you like my Son?" She asked. A very straightforward question as expected from his Mother.

I didn't even hesitate in answering her, and instead of me stuttering from the question, my reply came clearly and earnestly. "Yes, I do. I like him very much."

She smiled wider and giggled while covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my, so straightforward~. I like that. If you don't mind me asking, what do you see in him?"

It took a little while for me to reply since I was still forming the right words in my head. "Well, he was my first friend in school, so that was a big impact on me I guess..." I scratched my cheek, remembering the times that I spent time with him last year and now. Auntie nodded and urged me to continue.

"Ummm, he is very kindhearted and doesn't hesitate to help out others in need. He's confident in school, even when bad rumours were floating around him, he held his head high and continued as if they weren't there. He chooses to be by himself but doesn't mind others who flock to him for his help, assistance, advice or just to hang out with him. Hachiman was very serious during the previous school year, but on the rare occasions where he would smile and chuckle, it would make my heart skip a beat. Now he's slightly expressive, but sometimes I think he's trying too hard, and suddenly reverts to his former self. He's such a huge tease too... He'd tease me when we're alone together and makes terrible jokes now and then. I feel very lucky that I get to see that side of him.

He's such a sweetheart. I think I know a few girls that like him. Of course, he's dense and doesn't notice them in the slightest. The fact that he's a gentleman attracted a lot of attention, it even made some of the boys in class self-conscious and imitate him. He's cool too... The way he plays badminton and tennis at school, he's really good. I've even seen him play a few times with the football club. During our General Education class a few weeks ago, he amazed everyone through his piano skills, the adviser of the Music Club was so impressed that he immediately asked him to join them."

"Ara, Haa-chan never mentioned that. Joshirou and I get home late, but sometimes I'd hear him play when he's not using headphones..." Auntie looked quite surprised and had a look of pride in her eyes that didn't go away as I spoke about her Son.

"Of course he wouldn't, he's too humble to even mention something like that." I laughed and she joined me shortly after.

She narrowed her eyes and sported a coy look. "Now, tell me about these... other girls...that have their eyes on my Son~..." It could be just me, but I thought she sounded a bit overprotective when she spoke. I guess it's understandable, seeing that he is her firstborn Son after all.

"I'm not so sure, it's just a guess." I shrug in all honestly.

Auntie smiled and studied me silently. I saw myself reflected in her eyes, the girl that I saw started to look nervous and anxious. Hachiman might have inherited his Father's eyes, but I think he got both of his perception and observations skills from both parents.

She started giggling after a short while. "Oh my~! I didn't know my Son got that sort of attention. Now, Saki dear..." Her hand over mine.

"You're a good girl, and I like you very much to be with my Son. I can vouch for my husband that he'll approve of you as well..." My heart skipped a beat at her words and I was about to jump and hug her for joy, but my spirits instantly fell when she continued.

"...but I don't think he's ready to make that kind of step yet. I'm sorry." She smiled sadly and let go.

I was speechless.

It was like I was slapped. My mind was going over and over on what she said, but I couldn't make any sense of it. Did I mishear her? No, I didn't. Her words were clear. My lips trembled, but I still managed to make out a barely audible reply.

" W- Why...?"

She smiled sadly and looked to the side, the light in her eyes was gone. "I fear that I will upset him very much if I tell you that myself... I'm sorry Saki, but I can't tell you. He has to be the one to tell you that himself." She shook her head as if recalling a bitter memory. "My Son... Sometimes he has this look in his eyes, I've noticed it a few times but never thought too much about it at first. But when I get a closer look at them, it's like I'm seeing a completely different person, someone that's not him... When he spaces out and stares at nothing, in particular, I see it. I don't know if he has done something like that at school, but... There's something wrong with him..." The tone in her voice told me that she felt afraid and utterly lost. Her eyes were the same when I gazed into them, her youthful eyes, always full of energy and life looked as if they had aged 30 years as we spoke.

I moved forward to comfort her but she raised a firm hand to stop me from doing so. I reluctantly followed her command.

I...I don't understand. What does she mean by that?

"Ah, forgive me. Just a Mother's instinct taking over and all...!" She began laughing it off, but I know that she was in pain. But I can't tell what was the reason behind it.

She looked up at me and pinched my cheek, trying to make me feel better. "Now now! Don't look so sullen, you'll ruin this pretty face of yours~!" She giggled, for both our sake's, I forced a smile on my face.

"I'm not trying to tell you to stay away from him or anything like that. It's...It's not the right time yet. I have a feeling that if you tell him your feelings now, you'll ruin something very precious that you both share. I know it's a selfish request knowing that you might get hurt...but please continue to be his friend."

I don't know what she meant by that, but I made sure to remember her words. "Of course I will." I slowly nod. Even though I don't know what he's hiding, what I do know is that I will be there to help him out as his friend.

That's what friends are for.

After a short hug and a kiss on my cheek, I said goodbye to her and made my way to the door of their household. I found him sitting on the ground leaning on the wall while playing on his phone. He briefly looked up at me and immediately got up with my bag in hand.

I noticed him eyeing me as I changed my shoes. It wasn't the lecherous kind of gaze, it analyzed my body movements and studied them carefully to find out something. He must have felt and noticed that something was off. I pretended not to notice, but I had a feeling that he knew that too. We stepped out of his house and he handed me my bag.

"Thanks again Hachiman." I say and gave him a slight bow.

Strangely, he didn't try and stop me.

"You're welcome."

Without any warning, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for a tight hug. Even though I'm one of the taller girls in the class, I felt small in his warm embrace. It took me by surprise and I unconsciously let go of my bag.

"H-H-Hachiman...?! Wha-?!" I say but I stopped when I felt him rub the back of my head as if to calm me down.

" You looked like you needed a hug. I don't know what you and Mother talked about, and it's perfectly fine if you keep it to yourself, but it put some strain on you..." I relaxed when he whispered those words to my ear. Reluctantly, I put my arms around him and returned his embrace and nuzzled against his chest, taking in his scent.

" ...T-Thanks..."

" Mmm... Kei-chan would be upset if her Haa-chan made Saa-chan come home looking very sad and down." He said and gently continued patting my head.

I pouted and looked up to him, my thoughts from earlier going away as he held me in his arms. " If you say that too much, Komachi is sure to get jealous..."

He smirked and chuckled. " Oh, I think she already is..." I join him before I started feeling his hands that were in my front slowly go from my stomach upwards. A slight blush formed on my cheeks and I narrowed my eyes at him.

" O-Oi, what do you think you're doing... There are people around you k-know..." I quickly whispered and looked behind me to see that there were none.

He smirked when I returned to look at him. "Oh, whatever could you mean... I'm not doing anything..." He whispered into my ear as I whimpered from his hot breath. He wasn't stopping... G-Geez, what's gotten into him... Teasing me l-like this, in broad daylight outside even... Don't tell me that it hasn't gone away yet?!

O-Oh...but I won't deny that he was a way with his hands...

" Do you want me to bite you again~?" I say sweetly at him with a menacing undertone. My words dripped with sweetness enough to kill a person.

" That depends on where you'll bite me..." He grinned and let me go.

I blushed madly and I wanted to hit and kick him for making me feel this way. But I know that even if I tried he'll just grab me by the wrists or something... "S-Shut up..."

"By the way, are you free tomorrow?" He asked as he put a hand on his hip.

"Hmm, not really," I say after remembering the day was, I had a day off tomorrow.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere?" He had this contagious and very relaxed expression that made me forcefully calm myself down on what he was asking.

"I don't mind... Where are we going...?" He flicked my forehead and I yelped in surprise.

"Oho, excited, are we~? That's a surprise, I'll tell you the details tonight." He grinned and motioned at his watch. "Anyway, shouldn't you get going?"

I had completely forgotten why I was going home earlier than usual, and after I checked the time myself, I picked up the bag that I dropped and bid him farewell. I was only around 15 meters away from him when he suddenly called out to me.

"Saki! Make sure to bring some extra clothes!" He said in a voice loud enough for me to hear despite the distance.

"Ok...?!" I gave him a confused nod and a final wave before continuing and not looking back.

I began thinking about what Auntie said. I don't get what she meant... It was like she's telling me that he's hiding something. As for what exactly, I have no idea. I've never seen him make the face that she described to me, or maybe I'm not as perceptive and observant as I initially thought. If he is hiding something, it must be personal. I just hope and pray from the bottom of my heart that it isn't hurting him in some way.

More importantly...

Extra clothes...? I wonder where he's taking me...

When Saki turned her back to me as she continued walking off in the distance, and soon turned at the corner...

I dropped the act.

The pleased expression I had on my face instantly turned into an unreadable one. I mentally sighed in relief and I relaxed my tense and hard body.

My exchange with Hayama a few days ago was very fruitful, and I gained many insights. I felt as if another eye within me was opened, and I saw many possibilities that I have never considered before. I'm sure it was because I was too stubborn for my good that I didn't see such things.

I looked down at my hands, the same one that intimately touched her body and held her close to mine. The warmth that she exuded was gone, yet I still smell the scent of her perfume on me. The softness and smoothness of her skin were unreal and unlike my own, I remember how I traced my fingertips up her thighs and barely touched her bosom as her eyes shone with desire and lust, wordlessly telling and urging me to do more.

One way or another I'll have to do something before things escalate, maybe a hint or two or outright tell her bluntly. I have pushed her buttons, and I'm sure that she's thinking about me as well as the events that transpired today. This will keep her up for the next few nights. After everything that has happened today, I doubt that she will act normally around me like before. As for me, well...I can say that I feel quite myself as usual, glad even. After all...

It was all just an act.

The warm smiles.

The blushes on my face.

The stutters as I spoke.

The playful and flirty teases.

The tickling.

The soft touches.

The intimate touching.

The embarrassment.

The attempt to kiss her.

All of it.

This was...a test.

I did all of that to confirm my suspicions, and I was right. I always knew I was right, but I forced myself not to acknowledge it. I realized that I have always been aware since a few months ago.

Kawasaki Saki likes me.

She seeks to take one step further in our relationship, to elevate our current one as "Friends" into something "More". This test finally proved the notion that she harbours romantic feelings for me. I played with her around my fingers, as if she were a toy that I used to entertain myself. I took advantage of her emotions and senses to further my ends, just so I could conclude that I did not believe. At first, I thought it was just a simple infatuation, something that will go away on its own. But it was something completely else...

Kawasaki Saki loves me. Not as a friend, but as a woman would love a man that she holds romantic feelings for.

That was the entire reason why I called her today.

The scary thing was that I did not feel guilty in doing it...not in the slightest. I felt absolutely nothing inside as we were in my room. Everything that I did and happened, I planned it outright from the very beginning.

I knew she would get flustered and chase me after I took her photo. I knew that we would fall on the bed together. I knew what to do to get her beneath me. I knew what sweet nothings to whisper to her ear. I knew that she would allow me to touch and feel her smooth and soft skin. I knew that she would eventually yearn for a kiss as I pretended to get carried away and my rational thinking clouded with emotions.

I also knew when my Mother would walk into my room. I explicitly told her to "Just come to my room to call us."

If she were a little late, then Saki would have taken my first kiss. Not that I don't mind giving it to her, she's a good girl. But if I did, even I know that there will be irreversible consequences. Either way, it didn't worry me if things got to that point if it meant that my little test went through successfully. A kiss is just a kiss after all.

I noticed something silvery-blue on my shirt, it was a piece of Saki's hair that somehow stuck to me.

Unfortunately for her, I can't reciprocate her feelings. Not with the way I am right now. Not with these thoughts swirling around and whispering in my head, being reminded of it every second of every day. I wonder what would be her reaction if I told her that the "Me" that she knows was just a collection of lies and deceits formed into a fake and temporary persona...? I honestly think that she would be very upset with me... It won't even come as surprising if he hates me for it. A tiny part within me wants to say that I won't deny my actions if I were confronted about them...but I highly doubt that I'll do that.

I care for her, she's my friend. I'll always be grateful to her for accepting someone like me. She's dear to me, just like Hiratsuka-sensei, Shiromeguri-senpai, Yui, Hina and Yumiko.

If I did force myself to like her the same way she likes me then it's just being unfair to the both of us. After all, I'm just a fake with multiple personalities and personas. She doesn't deserve a literal nobody like me.

Right now, Saki will just remain as a friend to me. And I intend to keep it that way no matter what. I'd like to maintain the status quo unless something happens to force me to decide otherwise.

I sighed and sat down on the doorstep. I felt as if I was carrying the weight of a thousand tonnes on my shoulders. Even though it was quite sunny, the floor felt deathly cold against my hands.

I wonder how many masks I have. I think I have lost count on the number of times I've tried one and threw it away. I have quite a number that I always keep within me, ready to be worn depending on the right person before me or the situation that I find myself in. It was hard at first, the constant changing. But then it felt natural as time passed by, I revelled and grew proud of my twisted skill even.

I have indirectly lied, deceived and manipulated so many people. I think I may have grown accustomed to these guilty feelings inside me since I no longer feel it, disgusting as it may be.

I faked kindness with the populace to gain a good reputation.

I faked helpfulness to those in need for them to feel indebted to me.

I tried to be as humble as possible since a person of my background might get called an upstart at the slightest provocation.

I did my best in removing and dispelling any bad rumours about me while acting like I'm not bothered about it.

I tried to smile more, but the unfamiliarity of it made my facial muscles hurt so much that I just gave up on it entirely.

The mask that I'm wearing right now...I have only used it a few times before. The last time that I wore this was when I manipulated Tobe into helping me out with Sumiya Yuuko's case a month or two ago. It was so easy that I didn't even make any notable effort, he's too much of a kind idiot and I honestly fear for him in the future. Being taken advantage of and used by trashy, fake and cunning people like myself.

The fact that I even keep one around my sister and parents feels extremely wrong to the point that it would cause me to have countless sleepless nights just thinking and reflecting on the matter. I would wake up in the early hours of the morning, sitting on the sofa and staring at the television yet not paying it any attention. The warm cup of milk on the table would grow cold since I would ignore it for hours on end. Even Kamakura grew concerned and would hop onto my lap and shoulders and lick my hand and hair as if to make me feel better. It got so worse that I had to resort to swallowing my pride and dignity to secretly purchase cosmetic products that would lift my dark and heavy eyebags to look as healthy and normal as possible. It was the fact that the people around me might ask about it and grow concerned that forced me to do so. Even though I managed to maintain my normal looks, the lack of sufficient sleep and energy made me feel nauseous and dizzy and I remember vomiting once or twice in the boy's restroom at school after I made sure that I was alone.

Not to mention that I would intake absurd amounts of energy drinks just to have the energy to walk and go around school, lunch was a saving grace since I would eat as much food as possible and take a quick nap to get some of my strength back. Yumiko and Saki grew concerned about me but I successfully managed to allay their worries. There was a time that I drank too much of it and my hands were starting to shake and my heart was palpitating to alarming levels.

I secretly take pride in my twisted skill, yet that does not mean that I am perfect. I took Saki's hair and looked at it while thinking of nothing in particular.

And so the list of people that I need to apologize to in the future continues to grow...

Hmm...

Now that I think about it, I almost broke my facade some time ago. When I was at Yukinoshita Yukino's place.

I remember my words clear as day. I made her feel guilty, small and the villain of everything. I spoke carefully chosen words that would make her feel that way. I wanted her to reach her lowest while not breaking her to see the " REAL" her. Every word I spoke unconsciously reminded me of my memories during my Middle-School days. The unfair bullying, the unjustified harassment, the insulting and harsh words that attacked me day by day... All of those terrible memories returned to me in a span of a few seconds. It was a good thing that she was looking down while I spoke, my eyes would have given what I was feeling away. I was barely able to control my hands as they shook and just as lucky that I was able to contain the onslaught of negative memories that swirled in my head like a violent tempest. During that time, my heartbeat was going so fast, but not from nervousness or something as petty as that.

It was mostly frustration. I may joke about it from time to time, but her words stab my heart like a cold knife. What have I ever done to deserve those things? What have I ever done to her to say such hurtful and horrible words at me? What drove my classmates in Middle-School to do those things to me? What have I done except existing?

What?

I was internally seething at her at that point. I know it was unfair for me to do so, but even someone like me got emotionally carried away inside. But I don't regret it. It was nothing less of a miracle that I managed to forcefully calm myself down. And the time that I comforted her as she cried on my chest?

I was just faking that too.

It honestly wasn't something that I did out of kindness. I just did it to make her feel indebted and grateful to me. If it made her think twice about badmouthing me again, then I'll do it without a second thought. So far, she hasn't done it again. If she did...then I'm not sure what I would have done.

I cannot, for the love of God, convince myself to believe her apology and trust her. It didn't make me feel anything, I daresay it made me even more annoyed at her. I've received apologies like that in the past, but they were hollow and those that said those words to me didn't mean it heartily. It has become impossibly difficult for me to completely "trust" someone.

Oh and let's not forget to mention that uneventful and dreadful park 'date' thing. I hated everything: the hot weather, the noisy children, the overly-touchy couples. I was testing her on what she would do since I gave her a chance. Thank goodness that she didn't try to hold my hand during that time since I would have instantly recoiled and pulled back my hand from her filthy talons. Like Saki's case, it was also a test to see if she had feelings for me. I have not concluded yet. She feels something, but I don't know if it is a romantic or just a possessive one. I honestly felt surprised when I realized that she feels that latter towards me, it was something that I did not expect. I was probably her only " Friend", I guess I should have seen it coming since I don't see her hanging out or socializing with anyone else except myself.

But then again, I doubt that she looks at me as a person.

I think she just looks at me like a piece of meat to pleasure herself with her superiority complex as she constantly rains insults on my person. Perhaps she gets off to degrading and humiliating others, especially me...? Maybe she even touches herself while thinking of the next icy and harsh words to throw at me the next time we meet? Serves her right since her toxic personality does not allow her to have any friends. That Ice Hag probably felt lonely when I wasn't there for her to verbally murder and demean on a day-to-day basis.

Every day going to the club and showing her the bare minimum of respect and kindness tasted bad in my mouth. I have already accepted the fact that I feel too proud to remove myself from the club, I also refuse to give her the pleasure of proving that she is right. The little smiles that she throws my way whenever our eyes meet make me gag. At least Yui is there to keep her preoccupied and not focus on me. Thanks to her, my time in the club is a bit more bearable.

Emphasis on " a bit ".

Yukinoshita Yukino is not my friend.

I lied to her as she shed tears of joy when I called her my " friend ". I didn't even feel any weight on my words, it just comes to show that I have gotten very good at doing this... Is that something to be proud of? I think so, regardless of the morality behind it.

The conversation that I had with Haruno at Angel Ladder still holds.

The thought may have crossed my mind once or twice, but NEVER have I considered Yukinoshita Yukino as a friend.

Seriously.

If it weren't for the fact that our Father's are acquainted, Haruno and I being on friendly terms and us being in the same club...

I would cut all connections and never associate with her ever again.

My eye started twitching and I was starting to clench my fists from remembering all those unpleasant memories from the past and present and I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK...! I can't lose my cool now... My Mother might see me and get concerned, and that's the last thing that I'd like to happen. I don't want her to worry and bother herself with something as trivial as this...

...

...

...

I am so very tired of everything. Sometimes I feel like giving up.

But I have already achieved and done so much for me to just drop everything and go back to the way things we-

...

...

...oh yeah...

I couldn't help but give out a mirthless laugh when I realized it.

The statement "back to the way things were" doesn't hold any meaning right now since I was faking everything behind my facade from the very beginning.

A year and a half left until graduation...until then, I have to endure all of this... The lies, the faking, the deceit, the facades, the multiple personalities...

It's too late for me, I can't stop now...

All I can do is to see things through the bitter end.

CHAPTER END

45

Just a few more things to finish up and I'm officially free~! I can't wait to go home~!

From the Faculty Room, I skipped to the StuCo Room whenever there weren't people around. It would be unbecoming if someone saw the StuCo President doing this after all~! Even I have to act a bit formal and at times too! Today was so exhausting, I barely had time for classes because of the workload that the teachers dropped on us. Ah, but most of today's meeting was just for purposes of giving us our homework to do over the Summer Break...

I open the door to our Room to see that the lights were off. After taking a quick look around, I confirmed that no one was there. Guess I'm the first one to finish our objectives for today then~!

I walked around my table and chair, the one where I stayed for a year and a half and tied the curtains to the side and then opened the windows to let the light and air inside. I always loved the view here, I can see the tennis court and much of the school grounds behind. A breeze came in as I was admiring the view. Hikigaya-kun always says that he can smell the salty scent of the sea from here, sometimes he'll just lean over here staring at the students below or the distant buildings from afar. I remember Chisako getting angry at him for doing it a few times last year since she was afraid that he might fall off three stories below. There was one time where she thought he was going to fall and she screamed at the top of her lungs.

All he said was " Don't worry Senpai, I can probably survive the fall. Probably."

We didn't find his joke funny and we didn't give him his favourite snacks for several Council meetings after that.

He didn't stop leaning on the window though, but at least it made him drop his dark and disturbing sense of humour.

Now with the rather recent addition of Isshiki-chan, Hikigaya-kun always keeps a watchful eye on her when she comes here and leans on the window. Some time ago I heard their voices from the hallway since they were arguing. He was nagging and berating her to always be careful while she retorted by telling him to stop treating her like a little girl. (Well, she is still a little girl so...) They sounded like a Brother and Sister duo where the latter was just entering her rebellious stage and the very much overprotective Brother still not allowing her out of his sight. He loves teasing her and Isshiki-chan's pouting and grumpy face is a daily occurrence in the Council. I love teasing him too, and Isshiki-chan would immediately jump to my side to join me. The other girls don't mind, Iori, Rie and Shoko sometimes join in too. Although when it comes to Tetsu and Mori, the male members aside from Hikigaya-kun, usually keep to themselves and don't come here unless I tell them to. Not that I blame them, being part of any athletics-related club can eat up a lot of your free time.

Uwaah, it's a good thing Hikigaya-kun didn't join the Japanese Archery Club when he mentioned it at the start of classes. Not that I'll forbid him from doing so or anything, I just got fond of him and I instinctively look for him when I'm here. We see each other every day and every Saturday, even a day or two without seeing him makes me a bit bothered.

He's grown so much over the past year...

Last year, he was always clinging to me and following me around, much like what Isshiki-chan is doing to him. With me being the closest person to him outside of his family, he always sought me out since his surroundings were still new to him. Knowing his personality, the others and I taught him everything we could. I can tell that he was still shy and nervous around strangers, that's why he tried his best in looking and acting like a member of the StuCo. He was so uptight to everyone else except to the StuCo and once the door closes, he'll collapse on the sofa from exhaustion.

Now, he's become independent and an indispensable member of the StuCo. Though sometimes he still likes following me around, old habits die hard I guess~! I don't mind his company, there was even a rumour that came around saying that he was my little brother or something! He also does a large part of the general work and tasks here, I have a feeling that it's his way of showing his gratitude to us. Now he even has his very own little Kouhai that's following him around! Since he was the one who invited her, he took it upon himself to teach her everything he knew, much like how we did to him the previous year.

This feeling within me is pride. I'm so happy with the way he turned out, looks like all my careful moulding, spoiling and pampering paid off~!

I'm so proud of him, he's come a long way. Once I step down, I'm sure that the Council is in good hands, assuming that he takes over for me. I've already secretly spoken to the others, almost all of them are stepping down to focus on their studies. Graduation is only a few months away after all... Those that aren't sure yet are already leaning on that decision. As lonely as it sounds, that'll leave him and Isshiki-chan the only members left...

If he follows after me as well, then there would be no one left... As selfish as it sounds, I want him to stay and take over my Seat for me, he can't keep following me around forever. I'm not going to always be there for him and guide him after all... When I leave the school, I'm honestly really concerned and worried about what might become of him... All good things must come to an end at some point...

The last part caused an unexpected pain in my chest...

I heard the door open and I turned around to see who it was.

Hikigaya-kun dragged his feet into the room and closed the door behind him. He raised his arm upon seeing me then collapsed on the sofa using his bag as a headrest.

"Hehehe! Are you done with your rounds Hikigaya-kun~?" I say as I walk over to him. I saw him nod and mumble an inaudible reply. I fixed my skirt before sitting right next to where his head was.

He raised his head and tiredly looked up at me, at this distance I can see some dark eye bags under his eyes, unnoticeable if you don't know where to look. "Shiromeguri-senpaaaaaaaai... I'm done..." He nodded and then yawned, not even bothering to cover his mouth. If other students were around us, the act itself is unthinkable to him. It just comes to show how much he trusts me.

I smiled and looked down at him, "Hmm~! Thank you for your hard work~..." I say and gently rubbed and patted his head with my hand. He closed his eyes and had this satisfied expression on his face. Again, this is one of the many things that he only does when we're alone together. I feel really happy and privileged that I'm the only one that gets to see this side of him.

"Hmm... That bag doesn't look comfortable...why don't you rest on my lap instead~?" Without waiting for his reply, I carefully took it from under him and then moved closer so he could properly rest himself on my lap. He relaxed and made a delighted hum after he made himself comfortable. Since the back of his head was on my lap, I could see the expression on his face as I looked down on him.

"Think of this as your reward~!" I pulled upwards on his pale cheeks until he looked quite goofy. He didn't mind and I stopped when he was about to say something.

"Ah, to rest on the lap of the StuCo President herself... Shiromeguri-senpai's world-class thighs...! Truly this reward is all that I could ask for!" He said dramatically, deliberately forcing his voice to crack and wiping a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye. I giggled and then laughed at his words.

"Hooh~! I hear the Drama and Theatre Club is looking for new members! I think you've got what it takes, Hikigaya-kun!"

"If I did, then I'd overshadow the main character if I were to play as the villain!"

"Hmm, you don't have to play as the villain you know?"

He shrugged and looked up at me. "Eh, from my looks, it's obvious that that's the role that I'd most likely end up as anyway."

I lightly frowned and pouted at his words. He yelped in surprise when I twisted his earlobe. Goodness, here he goes again, pulling and degrading himself like that with his self-deprecating jokes... He's been like this since the first time we met. To get my point across, I flicked his nose to which he voiced out his protest.

"Ouch! Senpai!" He furrowed his brows at me but his eyes didn't have any hostility in them. One might think that he'd sit up but he remained in his position.

"Hikigaya-kun... Shiromeguri-senpai doesn't like it when you talk like that to yourself you know~? She gets hurt just by listening to it." I say as he studied me with his unwavering gaze. After a little while, he looked away from our little staredown and sighed while pouting a bit. "Ok, I won't do it again..." He muttered something under his breath when he thought that I couldn't hear him. When I arched a brow at him, he gave me a sheepish look and whistled.

I sighed and just hoped that he'll stay true to his word.

His eyes widened as if he suddenly remembered something and he attempted to get up, but I put a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hmm? What is it Hikigaya-kun?"

"The Tea, I forgot to brew some Tea."

I shook my head and he relaxed from my words. "No, it's fine Hikigaya-kun. It's fine..."

He looked quite conflicted before opening his mouth to speak. "But Senpai...today's the last day of the semester. It's always been my job to brew tea for the Council when I'm here. I did it at the start and end of classes last year, remember? I did it too this year, it'll leave me bothered if I don't do it."

I smiled and patted his cheek, causing a small blush to form on his face. "Oh my, Hikigaya-kun has become quite sentimental huh~... Hehehehe, I guess if you put it that way, it couldn't be helped! Up you go then."

He nodded at me and dutifully got up to start his task. I heard the sounds of teacups and the electric boiler is turned on until it died down after its shrill sound. He went back with a tray and a small teapot and two cups and put them on the coffee table.

"Hmm, do we still have some snacks? Here, go buy some at the cafeteria..." I was about to get my wallet when he shook his head and put his hand in his bag and got a variety of crackers and sweets.

"Oh my! So many! When did you get these?" I ask when he handed me my share after carefully choosing from the pile.

"Isshiki was a good girl and hard worker so I decided to spoil her a bit. She wanted some snacks so I bought her a few. These are the ones that we kept for the StuCo." He said and sat back down next to me.

"But don't you already spoil her too much?" I giggled as I lightly hit his shoulder and gave him a sly grin. "Be careful, Hikigaya-kun~. If you keep this up she'll never leave your side and might even fall you~!"

Instead of denying my words, he tilted his head to the side with a confused expression after he froze. "Is... Is that how it looks like from your perspective, Senpai?"

"Well..." I made a thinking pose before continuing, trying to form the right words and all that. "Hmm, some might call it being a bit too friendly or you hitting on her. I even thought for a bit that you made her join because the two of you were a couple! But the others and I know that it's just you acting on your 'Brotherly Instincts!', the same way I treat you~!" I say and cheerfully patted his head.

Hikigaya-kun turned even paler at my words.

He tried to take a teacup with his shaky hands but I stopped him from doing it since he might spill and burn himself. He gulped and cold sweat started to fall from his forehead. "I-Is that so...? I guess the talk that I have my eye on the First Year girls wasn't unfounded... I can see where they're coming from at least... A-Ah, now that I think about it, what Hina said the other day that I'm a 'Senpai that preys on his cute little Kouhais' is kind of..."

Hikigaya-kun groaned from the embarrassment while he stomped his feet on the floor and violently scratched his head. "Ughh...this is so embarrassing. I must have been acting creepy to her... No wonder I get those strange looks from the girls in her Year level! As if I was going to pounce on them or something...! UGH! Stupid me!" He shook his head as he covered his face from me to hide his shame. On the rare occasions that he gets like this, he gets so cute that I can't help myself!

I playfully nudged his shoulders with my own and poked his cheek. "Hehehe... Hikigaya-kun's siscon tendencies are showing~! Oh, how funny it was, seeing the Head of the Disciplinary Committee, the one who gets the students in line and enforces the rules himself getting chummy and a little bit too friendly with his own little Kouhai~...!" I laughed haughtily as his ear started getting red.

" Senpai..." He mumbled against his hand. "if you knew all of that, why didn't you tell me to stop...?" He slightly moved his hand to reveal his right eye staring at me as if I had betrayed him.

I smiled and giggled. "I couldn't possibly tell you to stop since it was so much fun~!"

I saw a smoky figure rise out of him, I curiously watched it until it disappeared when it went through the ceiling. Wait, I thought I saw it give me a salute or something...

Oh my...was that his soul, I wonder...?

I felt a sudden weight and saw that he had already gone back down on my lap. His right arm was dangling on the floor while his left one was over his stomach. His face was paler than usual and his eyes completely blank and devoid of any signs of life as they blankly stared above. I hovered my hands over them and poked his cheek: no reaction.

I checked his chest and confirmed that he was still breathing. Thank goodness!

"Senpai..." He called out to me in a low and raspy voice.

"Hmm~?"

" Kill me. I can't handle the embarrassment."

I giggled and patted his head once more. "Hehehehe! We both know that I'd never do that!"

"Then I might as well jump from the window..."

"I'm pretty sure that I can hold you back and pin you to the floor at least!"

He shook his head and looked at me with his lifeless eyes. "I don't care what method you use. Put me in a headlock or choke me with your thighs so I can die from suffocation... I'd prefer the latter to be honest..."

I rolled my eyes at how he was overthinking things as usual. "Oh come on Hikigaya-kun, it's not that bad. At least they think that you're capable of emotion now! You always had this intimidating and unapproachable aura around you, but ever since Isshiki's been following you around, you're starting to smile a bit more!"

"I don't know how I feel about that..."

"Hikigaya-kun... Hikigaya-kun... Always overthinking things as usual~... Sigh. I'll never understand how you go about every day with that kind of mentality..."

He closed his eyes and put a hand under his chin. "Mmm, kind of tiring, to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I'm looking and digging for hidden meanings in conversations when there were none in the first place. Oh yeah and I easily get suspicious of people but I tend to hide it pretty well if I say so myself!" He said the last part with pride and I saw his eyes twinkle as he nodded to himself.

Oh, this is new... I always had a feeling that this Kouhai of mine had trust issues. Curiosity welled up inside me so I decided to ask him about it.

"What about me, Hikigaya-kun...? Have you ever been suspicious of me?"

He frowned at me with seriousness in his expression. "No Senpai. I've never once thought of you like that."

His words were spoken truthfully and with conviction. It caused a blush to form on my cheeks and an unfamiliar feeling in my chest. "O-Oh~! Hehehe, I'm really happy to hear that then~!"

"Umu, Senpai, if you must know, there are only three women in this world that can command and boss me around without a single word of complaint from me!"

"Oh my, am I part of the Trio?" I decided not to ask about the 'Umu' part. I have a feeling that if I did, then he'd get embarrassed.

He nodded. "Of course! The others are Hiratsuka-sensei and my Mother of course."

"What about Boss Yuuka and Maya-sensei?" I ask. Now that I realize it, whenever Yuuka-san tells him to do something, he drops his current task and immediately prioritizes her request. There have been a few instances where he left a cart full of books in the middle of the aisle or forgetting to put the "Floor is Wet!" warning sign at work. She chewed his ear out after that.

"Oh, they're always there. It's a given since I work for Boss Yuuka, Maya-sensei is strict and scary so of course, I follow her. Uhhh...there was one time where she made the entire class do the same routine for three hours since one of us couldn't do it properly..." The memory caused a shiver to go up his spine as his eyes darkened.

Before his demeanour could get depressed, I steered our conversation back to the right way. We talked about a lot of stuff, from work to some interesting stuff we recently read to even just reminiscing about funny stuff that happened in the past.

His phone sounded a notification alert and I got it from his bag and gave it to him. He read it for several seconds before putting it down with a heavy sigh.

"Senpai, do you mind if I ask you for advice...?" He slightly shifted his position on my lap, I felt some of his hair go through my skirt and tickle my thighs.

I clapped my hands once. "Of course! Your Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai will always be here for you~!"

He gave me a small warm smile before finally opening up. "Well... My Father has plans this month to go overseas. The trip would last for roughly three weeks. It's mostly just some of his associates, around fifteen of them I think. Some meetings and international conventions here and there..."

"Hmm, I see!"

"He...wants to bring me along. But I still have a lot of work to do even on the Summer Break. Work, work, work, StuCo work, I even still have to prepare for that ridiculous event. Seriously, what was Maya-sensei thinking when she accepted that? Tch!"

I tilted my head to the side at the new information and poked his cheek to get his attention. "Hmm? Why'd you said 'work' three times? Do you have other part-time jobs?"

"Oh, well there's Boss Yuuka's of course, then my Mother's place that counts as two. By the way Senpai, my Mother would love to see you again. Remember when we tried out my card with infinite credits together for the first time at that arcade, and we had dinner at her place after?"

"Right! Your Mother's really pretty Hikigaya-kun, I can see where you got that ahoge!" I giggled but I had soon realized that we had gotten a bit off-topic. "Hehehehe... Haa-kun~..."

He rolled his eyes as a slight blush covered his cheeks. "Senpai... Please don't call me that..."

"Hehehehe, you're no fun, Haa-kun~! Well, regarding the advice that you wanted from me..."

His eyes were expectant, and I can tell that he's going to take my words to heart.

"You should go Hikigaya-kun. A change of scenery will be great for you!"

He hadn't expected my answer from the slightly surprised expression that he had. "A-Are you sure Senpai? I have so many things to do... I can't possibly ride off on an aeroplane and escape my responsibilities..."

I gave him a soft smile and gently patted his cheek. "Hikigaya-kun, it's fine to let loose now and then. You've been working so hard over the past few months, you deserve a break too you know. You're not a machine that could go back to work after a few tweaks here and there, you're a person just like everyone else. You're trying to act all grown-up and mature for your age, but I know that it gets tiring, right?"

His eyes were staring deeply into mine, and he nodded after several seconds of silent contemplation.

"See? So if I were you Hikigaya-kun, I'd grab this opportunity and spoil myself to decadence !"

He chuckled and his eyes lit up with amusement. " 'To decadence...?', you mean spoil me rotten? It's one thing to just say it and another to do it on purpose you know."

"Hmm, you're right, it has to be specific! You can make friends with those strangers you meet out there! Just be careful about those types of girls! You know! The naughty ones that lead you on and tempt you to get your wallet!" I lean down and whispered the last part directly to his ear, causing a laugh from him.

"Hai hai Senpai. I'll watch out for those scumbag Onee-sans..."

"You can also eat yourself till you burst! Ah, perhaps when Hikigaya-kun comes back...! His face is all like...!" I put both of my hands on the sides of my face, trying to look as pudgy as possible. He chuckled loudly at my antics.

"Ah~! You don't have to worry about gaining some weight Hikigaya-kun, I daresay you even need it! No matter how you look when you come back, you'll always be my cute little Kouhai~! Always ~!" I gave his cheek a little pinch, a barely noticeable pout formed on his lips but didn't complain as I continued to pull on his cheek. Hmm, he's not trying to stop me...

I guess I AM part of his top three! I mean top... five! Let's test things out...

"Hikigaya-kun~."

"Yes, Senpai?"

"Your Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai is going to give you a reward for all your hard work~!"

"Umm, ok. What do I need to do then?"

"Close your eyes~." I look down at him with a small grin. There was a quick confused look in his eyes before he shrugged and closed them.

I carefully took out my phone without him noticing and snapped a photo of him, then I fixed my hair and bangs to the side and leaned down. My vision changed until I got close enough to his face that I could count the number of hair on his eyebrow.

*snap*

He stiffened when my lips made contact with his cheeks. He was very soft, I even caught the scent of his light yet fragrant shampoo and perfume. I stayed there for several seconds before pulling away. I had some light lipstick on, so I left some visible evidence on him added to the fact that he has rather pale skin. His naturally pale complexion now has a pinkish hue which was intensifying the second.

*snap*

"Hehehehe~! You can open your eyes now~!" I did my best in trying to stifle a giggle. I can feel him heating up, he pulled in his lips and bit on it as he slowly opened a shaky left eye.

"..."

"Hehehehe~!"

"Shiromeguri-senpai..."

"Yeeesss...?"

"W-Why... Why did you have to do that...?" He was already red and steaming as a tomato. He tried to sit up but I put a hand over his chest. He didn't move a muscle after that.

"Because I love teasing you silly!" I giggled and finally laughed out loud at his reactions. He couldn't handle it anymore and put his hand over his eyes.

"Just like the prank, you pulled when we were at the arcade..."

"Do you still have those photos? Y'know, when we went there!" I asked and he gave me a nod while he looked to the side with a blush from the memory as he scratched his cheek.

"Good! I love those photos that we took together~!"

"Yeah... It's in my wallet..."

"Excellent!" My fingers slid through his smooth hair as he lay there just looking at me. "Maybe you should get a new hairstyle while you're at it too."

"Maybe I should just shave my head. Hōzōin Inshun..."

"Don't do that, it's a waste to cut all of this hair away! Anyway, if you do decide to go, I'll tell Boss Yuuka and Maya-sensei for you."

He shook his head. "It's okay Senpai, I'll tell them myself."

There was a knock on the door and Hikigaya-kun sat up straight before I called whoever it was inside.

"Shiromeguri-senpaaaaiiiiii~~!" A familiar feminine voice called out before we saw Isshiki-chan peek her head through the opening and walk inside.

"Isshiki-chan!"

"Good Afternoon Isshiki." We greeted her and she pointed an accusing finger at him as if she caught him cheating.

"Oh! Hikigaya-senpai! Where were you?! I thought I asked you suuuuuuuuuuuuuper nicely to wait for me outside my classroom!" She exclaimed, then sat next to him as he started raining slaps and punches on his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead, causing a cute yelp from her. "If I did that then I would have wasted so much time."

"Grr! Why you-! Ah! These were the snack that we bought! I'll put them on the shelf for safekeeping, Senpai!" She got up and took the ones that haven't been opened yet. We watched skip away as I poked Hikigaya-kun's rib and whispered to his ear.

" Isshiki-chan is so hardworking!"

" Heh, looks like my spoiling and training worked after all."

" Hikigaya-kun, you still spoil her too much y'know..."

" But she deserves it, and I like buying food for myself too."

" Uwaaaah, you SERIOUSLY sound like a stereotypical Father who dotes on his daughter too much..."

" You're making it sound like we're married and Isshiki is our daughter..."

His words made me stop in my tracks as I felt my face start to heat up. He must have realized it too since it looked like something clicked inside him and he turned away while scratching his cheek.

A-Ah... Me and him, together...? I-It's not like I dislike him or anything...

Well...if he did ask me out...then...

I'd say "Yes".

Isshiki-chan came back shortly with her teacup in hand and sat back down at his side, she was still pouting and facing away from him. "Mou, Senpai... You're always being such a bully to me. You never know how to treat a lady like myself. Hmph!"

He arched a brow and wordlessly put a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "Haaaah? I don't see any lady here except for Shiromeguri-senpai. The other female occupant in the room that I am aware of is a cheeky little brat."

" GAH-! STOP. RUINING. MY. HAIR!" Isshiki-chan loudly exclaimed and proceeded to open her mouth and attempt to bite on his hand. He pulled away from his hand just in time and boredly kept her at bay. I swear, it's always the same with these two.

"Uwaah..." Hikigaya-kun turned to me with a tired expression. "Senpai, this cheeky mischievous little brat is going wild again..."

"Hehehe~! Well, I can understand what Isshiki-chan means! You shouldn't be too rough with her, Hikigaya-kun! Especially since she's a girl! Fixing her hair after you're done with your little games can be tiring."

"Hmm, I see." He nodded and focused his attention on Isshiki-chan. "If I can't do that to her hair, then what if I do this instead...?" With his two hands, he went to her face and started pulling on her cheeks.

"Ouchie! I thought you were gonna stoooop!" She complained, but she wasn't backing down. She put her two hands on the side of his face but stopped when she noticed something and tilted her head to the side. Hikigaya-kun was quick to catch on and stopped as well.

"Senpai...? There's some pink stuff on your cheeks...?" Her large round eyes looked at him inquisitively as she thought of what it might be.

I felt a jolt run up my spine when I realized what it was.

A-A-Ah! I forgot to wipe it away!

Hikigaya-kun was in the same position as I and as Isshiki-chan was waiting for him to give a reply, I started thinking about a possible excuse.

I saw him let go of her. "Huh? What do you mean...?" He asked with slight confusion in his voice.

Oh no! Don't tell me that he forgot about it! I hope he's just feigning it!

Isshiki-chan went to her purse and produced a small mirror to his face. "See Senpai! There it is! What's that?" She shook his shoulder, trying to get answers from him.

He widened his eyes and sighed. "Ugh, it must have been Hina or Yumiko that did this... Their stupid pranks and all..."

"Yumiko...? Oh! That girl that was being mean to me! I don't like her! Stay away from her Senpai! She's a bad influence on you! Oh, but the one wearing glasses was nice to me!"

"I can understand if Yumiko might come off as too strong for some but she's not that bad."

Isshiki softly touched the area where I kissed him and looked at the traces left on her fingers. "Are these...crayons...?" She asked and looked up to him. He shrugged and took out a handkerchief to wipe it away.

"I dunno, crayons or lipstick maybe. They must have drawn it on my face when I fell asleep earlier in class... Tch."

" Y-Yes! T-That must be it! " I say too loudly which startled them. The both of them turned to me, Isshiki having a curious expression while Hikigaya-kun tried to look unfazed but blushed a bit when we made eye contact. Thankfully, he brought her attention to himself to save her from further embarrassment.

"Isshiki, be a good little girl and drink your tea already. It's going to get cold. Here, have some snacks too."

She narrowed her eyes and pouted after being called a 'good little girl', but she let it go with a small satisfied smile on her lips. "Hai, Senpai!"

We spent the remaining time together just talking. When Iori and Rie arrived, Hikigaya-kun got up and prepared tea for them too and just listened in on us as we spoke. I still had to wait for Shoko, Tetsu and Mori so I told Isshiki and Hikigaya-kun that they can go on ahead.

"Let's hurry up Senpai~! You're gonna be late for your club thingy!" She quipped after getting her bag and grabbed onto his arm.

"Our Club President already concluded activities yesterday, so I'm free today." He said before suddenly groaning and massaging his forehead.

"What is it, Hikigaya-kun? Do you have a headache?" I asked with concern.

He shook his head. "Nothing like that, Senpai. I just remembered that I have certain... obligations to fulfil after class." He sighed and turned to the rest of us. "Well, we'll be going, Senpai."

"Goodbye!"

We gave them our farewells and watched them walk out the door.

"..."

Ah...

I know that I shouldn't be thinking about this but...

Seeing Isshiki-chan walk out with her arm around him, even though it was just a temporary thing, a short amount of time until he would gently untangle his arm from her grasp... It made me feel slightly...

Jealous.

Hello! It's me again, Ivanov117!

Sorry for the late update. I got a fever and got quarantined for two weeks, but it was nothing serious. I just so happened to get drenched under a sudden thunderstorm!

I'd rather not spoil or say too much about the happenings in the 2nd half of the chapter. Instead, I'll just list down some hints that I wrote down in the previous chapters...

Chapter 26, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 41 and 43.

By the way, Hachiman and HikiMama's dialogue was cut back in chapter 33 when they were talking about a certain girl. If you haven't realized it yet...

Review, follow, favourite or PM if you want!

See you next time!

46

I silently walked downstairs, careful not to wake up Onii-chan or Mom. Even though it's Summer, it still feels a bit chilly in the mornings. Kamakura was sleeping peacefully on his bed in the corner and the morning sun was already peeking through our windows. I looked at the time, the garbage truck must be coming in a few minutes I bet. I checked our garbage bins around the house excluding my Parent's and Onii-chan's room and they were already taken out. I slightly moved the curtains aside and saw them outside, waiting patiently to be taken.

There was a box a small distance away but still within the premises of our house. It was a big box, the ones that you see employees moving into their new department in movies and TV shows use. My Dad has some but I don't remember him coming, his car isn't even parked outside too. Taking out the trash is usually Onii-chan's job, he must have taken it out in the early hours of the morning when it was still dark out. I took another look at the box.

There was something hanging on top of it, it must have been closed hastily since its contents weren't fully sealed. I took another look at our wall clock and then at the box. I don't know why, but there's something bothering me about it.

Before I went out, I went to the closet in the living room to get and wear my tracksuit pants since I only wore this oversized shirt that I "borrowed" from Onii-chan over my underwear. The doorknob was still cold when I unlocked and opened it. I ignored the morning chill and made my way to it. Some of our neighbours just finished putting theirs outside, and I saw some watering the plants in their small gardens and housewives talking with each other.

It was bigger than I thought when I finally reached it. I moved it to the side away from the rest of our garbage, it was surprisingly heavy. What could this be...?

I kneel down and opened it.

There were some t-shirts, books, notebooks, novels, manga, thick papers bound by rubber bands and folders, toys, two pairs of shoes, photographs and lying on top of it all...

Were three shiny medals.

The boy in one of the photos wore elementary and middle-school uniforms, his hair was slightly messy and his facial expression grim. He looks very serious, one can even say that he feels annoyed at his photo being taken. In one of the photos, he was standing a small distance away from the rest of his class. In another, he was wearing a small frown as he looked at his classmates. Most of the photos of him were solo, either stolen shots or ones where he was forced to stop and face the camera. But his most striking characteristic of all were his eyes...

" Onii-chan...?" I whisper.

These are...these are his things from elementary and middle school... I even recognize some photos that were removed from the few picture frames that we have around the house. He's even throwing away his older novels and manga, the very things that he takes pride in. My first Shojou manga was from his collection, I saw it inside along with the others that I read when I was younger. He used to read this and teach me the harder Kanji characters when I didn't know them. His first English book and a few ones that he added to his collection over the years is here too, although I don't know the title since I don't know how to read...

I looked to my left and saw the garbage truck coming.

Why would he want to throw all of these away...?

These are his memories...

The thought of all of these being either incinerated or dumped in some landfill somewhere felt very wrong.

Hmm, let me think of a loophole...

Hmm...

Mmm...

Oh!

I grinned and closed the top, then lifted it will all my might and went towards the door.

This doesn't count as stealing since he already did the act of disposing of them, so I declare this as an act of RECYCLING! Let's save Earth-chan!

I let it go in front of our door and caught my breath before getting it and placed it on the corner beside our TV.

Ugh, that was super heavy... If I don't give myself a break before carrying them upstairs, I'm definitely going to fall! Poor Komachi's delicate girly body isn't made for this sort of stuff!

Kamakura had woken up when I sat down on the sofa, he went to the box and smelled it. Through the windows, I saw the garbage truck stop in front of our house and the garbage collectors take it.

Phew! That was too close! If I was a little late then...

Once again, I took the heavy thing in my hands and went up the stairs, going quietly as possible as well as careful not to lose my footing. I pushed the door open which was thankfully slightly ajar and put the box under my bed behind some other stuff that I store there then took off my pants. I'm really curious and bothered on why he would throw it away... I kinda feel bad for taking it without permission though...uwaahh the guilt is eating me up from the inside! What should I do to make it go away? Making him a huge breakfast would make him feel suspicious I bet. Maybe I could wash his back...

Ah, no I won't do that...!

The last time we did it... It was s-s-super embarrassing that I wanted to die! He teased me so much that I got all warm and dizzy on the inside. I couldn't sleep that night since all I could think about was him...

AAAAAAHHHHHH! I SHOULDN'T BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS!

*Ahem*

Anyway! As an Imotou, there are so many things that I could do for him that I could fill a book with it! He might never admit it but he loves it when I crawl in his bed to wake him up in the mornings! Though there was that one time where he got annoyed and accidentally shoved me, causing me to fall off the bed, but I wasn't hurt! In fact, he got guilty and let me do whatever I wanted, so I just snuggled into him until Mother called us downstairs!

I got up and went out then checked if his door was locked.

Thankfully, it wasn't...!

Carefully without making a sound, I tiptoed into his room. The covers were still on him and he was facing the ceiling. Onii-chan also recently developed a habit of sleeping without a shirt on, saying that it "Cuts some of our water bills and detergent expenses". I get to see him every morning walking around like that...

Hehehe~... Eye candy material~...

I slid under and snuggled up to him. His chest went up and down as he breathed, today is one of those very rare times where he doesn't wake up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for us. He's the one who usually does all the chores in the morning from sweeping the floor, feeding Kamakura and making breakfast and lunches. Mom sometimes forces him to allow her to help out but he's really stubborn! It's a good thing that it's Summer too, my suuuuuuuuper hardworking Onii-chan needs to rest from all the overworking that he's doing~!

I peeked through the covers as my eyes wandered through the room and I saw that his bag was already prepared and packed. I already did mine last night, so all I need to do today was to have our Mother drop us off at the volunteer activity thing!

I went back under and snuggled to his chest. Hehehehe, he smells really nice.

The memory of the time when I washed him came back to me, but the thing that I thought of was what happened after it. I still recall the scent of a feminine perfume on his clothes, it smelled really fragrant, not to mention expensive. I may not be experienced when it comes to this sort of thing but I have a feeling that only a rich upper-class girl could wear those kinds of perfumes.

Grrrrrrr... Who is the girl who wrapped herself around him! I looked up to him and pinched his cheek.

I pouted and turned away with a puff.

Hmph! He should have told me that he was going on a date at least! I could have tailed him and followed him to see the girl myself! She better not be those flirty girls who take advantage of simple-minded guys just to have him buy her stuff! She better not be playing with him like a toy or something! If he's going out with some girl, he should have asked for Mother and I's permission! She must be really pretty if she managed to convince him to go out with her, or maybe he got tricked and blackmailed!

Hmm, but I could be overthinking things. I mean what are the odds of him going out with a girl...?

...

...

...

Ok, maybe the odds are high, no maybe even higher than he cares to admit. He has always been stubbornly modest about literally everything.

Onii-chan isn't the same Onii-chan back in middle school. He turned a new leaf and changed for the better! If this keeps up, he might become a normie and a Riajuu! The very thing that he hated back in middle school! Ah but that's not really a bad thing, normies and Riajuus have lots and lots of friends, something that Onii-chan only has a handful of at the moment.

He carries himself quite maturely and with serious dignity in school and he's well-respected and known for his status in the Council and intelligence in his Year level, that's what Saki-nee says. He's even part of a club with two other girls, the "Service Club", I think it was called. Not to mention the fact that he's quite athletic and takes care of his appearance and public image now... He has everything: looks, intelligence, status, pride, confidence, fame and respect.

Something any girl would love in a guy!

(Though his eyes are still quite scary if he lets it out on purpose, and he has this really intimidating aura when he is serious about something)

Uwaaah! Maybe he even has his own secret harem in school...! And they do l-l-lewd things like hand-holding in public and other stuff...! Maybe that's the reason why he sometimes comes home late looking exhausted!

I was pulled from my thoughts when he moved behind me, then an arm and a leg went over my smaller form for a more intimate embrace. He mumbled something incomprehensible and I felt his bare chest and toned legs.

O-Oh... I can't really say that I dislike this new...development. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one! To make sure that he was still really sleeping and not making this as an excuse to be touchy-feely with me (Though I wouldn't mind either way, hehehehehe~!), I poked his rib several times and he gave out no reaction whatsoever. Onii-chan has always been a heavy sleeper, but it doesn't hurt to check after all!

I giggled as I rubbed my cheek on his shoulder. Hehehe, maybe if I rub by scent into him more, those vixens after him will back off when they realize that he's already taken!

...

...

Okay, that sounded like what a crazy overly-attached girlfriend would say... Not to mention really creepy ugh...

It might be just me but Onii-chan has been a bit distant to Komachi lately, his hugs aren't really tight anymore and we rarely go into our lighthearted banters. He's always had a poker face on but now he looks perpetually bored and disinterested in everything. It was just a few days ago where we would watch funny videos and movies in his room until it gets late, I even fell asleep and we slept together here on the bed. Now he looks always drained and without energy, which is strange since he always gets the right amount of sleep every night from the fact that he retires in his room early.

Well, that's assuming that he immediately falls asleep, maybe he's suffering from insomnia or it's his anaemia acting up again. I do hope that he's still taking his medication...

He moved again and he turned his head here and there.

*poke*

I felt something poke my bum but I ignored it, it must be his phone or somethi-

My train of thought stopped when I noticed his phone on the table light up and vibrate from an alarm.

Wait, if his phone was right beside the bedside table all along, then what's this thing poking my behind...? It couldn't be his hand or something like that.

It's stiff and hard...?

Hmm...

It's morning, Onii-chan is a male.

Against better judgement, common sense and literally every word related to it, I pressed my lower half against it to give it a bit of stimulation.

It got bigger and harder.

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! " I screeched and fell down on the floor. Onii-chan woke up from my shout and shot up from the bed, his tired and very bloodshot eyes widening, quickly scanning the room and his body automatically going into fight-or-flight mode. Once he saw me on the floor, he went and bent down beside me.

"What the-?! Komachi?! What the heck? What's going on?!" He asked and immediately started checking my arms and legs if I had hurt myself. With his hands roaming around my body just after that revelation, it made my face extremely flushed from the embarrassment.

"Damn, I thought that there was a strong earthquake or something... Don't scare me to death like that..." He frowned deeply and hit my head after checking my arms and legs. "So? Why'd you screamed? Had a bad dream? Wait when did you get into my room anyway, did you sneak in here last night?"

I crossed my legs and sat up as I sheepishly scratched my cheek. "A-Ah... Yeah, something like that..." I averted my eyes away from him since I really don't want to see his boxers. He arched a brow at me but said nothing before yawning and looking at the clock.

"Hm, well seeing that we're up and might we might as well get ready for later." He stood up and closed his eyes shortly before nodding to himself. "I'll take a bath first if you don't mind." He went to his closet and casually took a new towel. It was only for a very brief moment, but I noticed that there were some missing things inside. The box that I hid under my bed, it was just there inside his closet in its usual place before it was outside.

"O-Ok! I'll get breakfast ready and wake up Mom then!" I stood up and patted down the creases on my shirt.

"Wake her up after you finished cooking. She was pretty tired last night. Also, there's still some food from last night so just reheat them or something."

"Understood!"

"Is Father here? I was waiting for him to come home but I fell asleep doing so."

"No, he probably slept in his office like usual." He nodded and was about to walk towards the door but stopped after taking two steps.

"By the way, did the garbage truck come by...?" He asked while facing away from me so I couldn't see what kind of expression he was making. But if I had to describe the tone in his voice...it was completely monotone without a shred or hint of anything that might give me a clue on what he was feeling.

"I think...? With the time and all, it must have come by maybe an hour or two ago..."

"Is that so. Excellent. That's good. Very good..." He nodded as a deep and heavy sigh escaped from his body.

I followed him out of the room where we went downstairs where he was greeted by Kamakura. He knelt down to scratch his chin before disappearing behind the doors of the bathroom. I wonder why he wanted to throw his old stuff away, it was pretty valuable. Well from my perspective at least. I should keep this from him, I don't know what his reaction will be if he found out that I hid it under my bed. Good thing Onii-chan respects my privacy so the chance that he'll find it after snooping around inside my room is pretty low. I took the ingredients from the fridge as well as our leftovers from last night. I was about to put them in the microwave and start cooking until when I remembered doing that to him in his sleep.

I gripped the hem of my apron tightly before covering my face and sat down on the floor in front of the stove. That was so embarrassing...! I want to cry...! I'm going to turn myself in...!

" Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu... Komachi can't get married anymore... Onii-chan has to take responsibility..."

We were just walking away from the vehicle that Hiratsuka-sensei rented when an SUV parked a distance away from us. Our group of eight simultaneously turned out heads to it, Hiratsuka-sensei narrowed her eyes and then snapped her fingers.

"Oh, here comes our last remaining stragglers." She grinned to herself as we waited for the occupants of the SUV to step out.

The sliding doors moved to the side to make way. A boy gracefully stepped out, he wore a light blue fitting long-sleeved shirt, grey shorts and black sneakers. He put a hand over his gold-rimmed sunglasses, his watch glinting when it caught the light as he looked up to the Sun with an annoyed expression as if cursing it along with the Summer heat. He carefully checked his reflection from the glass and offered a hand inside the vehicle. A smaller and more feminine hand accepted him before she got out with his help.

She wore a ponytail on her silvery-blue hair, her shorts showed off her long and slender legs and she had a simple shirt with prints for her top. I watched her smile shyly and give him a meek bow in thanks as he reached inside the vehicle and got two bags with each hand. Another girl appeared, this time younger and more energetic than the two as she carried her own bag in her hands. The driver's side opened and out came a very youthful-looking woman, she was about to help him with his luggage but he held out a hand and politely refused. The four of them started walking towards us.

I noticed that the silver-haired girl would look at his hand from time to time.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Who is she? Why do I get the feeling that I had met her before?

"Hina... Is that Hikki with...?"

"I think so. What's with his get-up...? Is there a pictorial happening here or something...?"

"Wow, Hikitani looks fresh af! He's killing that get up! Oh look it's Kawasaki too! I didn't know that he was in cahoots with her!"

From the corner of my eye, I watched Hayato-kun put his hand on the shoulder of his very loud and boisterous friend. He looked very sorry for some reason. "Tobe, you should laugh while it lasts. When he joins us he's going to chew you out..."

"Huh? What do you mean?" The ingrate said but Hayato-kun just shook his head.

The only one who was in a completely different state among us was the blonde bimbo behind me who was laughing. "Pfff-! Hehehehehehe!" She tried to cover her mouth as best as she could but her giggles were still escaping. It was very annoying but I kept my mouth shut.

"Miura-san? What's so funny?" The silver-haired soft-spoken boy asked with curiosity. I took another look at his features, he was too feminine that it would be very easy to mistake him for a girl... I admit that I had to take quick peeks at his chest and the shape of his hips several times... He looks too much like a female that it is uncanny. No wonder Hikigaya-kun mistook him for a girl the first time they met.

As expected, Hiratsuka-sensei stepped forward to welcome them. "Hikigaya, good to see you here. Traffic wasn't much I hope?"

"Good Morning Sensei, nothing too serious." He said when he finally stood before us. That slicked back hairstyle... At this distance, he does look quite dashing more so than usual... He laid his slit-like eyes on each of us until he stopped at the blond bimbo. I heard a little giggle from behind me, and I almost missed it but I saw his eye twitch before slightly narrowing behind his sunglasses.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, good morning! Sorry for being a little late, I took a few wrong turns here and there." The lady, who was slightly shorter than Hikigaya-kun said in a smooth and pleasant voice. She looks similar to the youngest of the four as well as Hikigaya-kun himself. The little girl must be Hikigaya-kun's sister while the lady his older sister. "Looking very beautiful as always Hiratsuka-sensei! You could definitely pass as their senpai~!"

The one on the receiving end blushed while bashfully scratching her cheek. "A-Ah, is that so? Ahahahaha! You always know what words to say Hikigaya-san." Her eyes turned to Hikigaya-kun and to the younger girl with black hair. "Oh is this your sister?"

"Hm, her name is Komachi." He nodded.

Once the girl's name was called, she immediately introduced herself. She gave us a pleasant toothy smile. "Yup! My name is Hikigaya Komachi, pleased to meet you! I'll be in your care!"

"Likewise, I can see that you brought Kawasaki with you too..." The girl with the silvery-blue hair nodded and greeted Sensei as well.

Ah, so that was her name. I remember now. I met her a few times last year when Hikigaya-kun and I would walk around the school together to fulfil our Class Rep duties. Even back then, he had cordial relations with her. I have never personally spoken to her since she gave off the air that she did not wish to speak to me.

"Good Morning Sensei, Hachiman wanted me to come and I couldn't refuse so..." She said and looked to Hikigaya-kun beside her.

Hmm, she is even on a first-name basis with him. Now I feel quite alienated...

"I thought that another person couldn't hurt so I invited her too. I hope this doesn't complicate things." Hikigaya-kun spoke up and gave Kawasaki-san a reassuring gaze.

Hiratsuka-sensei shook her head. "No no, it's fine. It's perfectly fine."

"Now then," The lady started and looked to the other three. "Haa-chan, Komachi, Saki, be good and don't cause trouble for Hiratsuka-sensei, is that clear?" Their reply came in the form of nodding in unison. "Haa-chan, the icebox is still at the back of the car. I have to go since I still have some work to do."

I spoke before I knew what I was doing. "I-Is it heavy? I could help if you don't mind..." I say and stepped forward as I felt several pairs of eyes bore holes on the back of my head. I may have sounded too aggressive but it is too late for that.

Hikigaya-kun had not expected me to speak and was caught off-guard. Thankfully, the pretty lady answered for him. "Haa-chan could use another pair of hands yes!" He gave his bags to the two girls as his little sister gave me curious looks before being ushered by Kawasaki-san to join the rest of the group. We both looked at each other from the corners of our eyes as I passed her.

The short walk to their car was terribly awkward, for me at least. No one said anything even though I half expected his older sister to start pestering me with questions. Had it been Nee-san, she would have immediately started her usual teases. He walked beside me a small distance away, his pace slightly faster than mine. I sighed as I tried to think on possible topics to talk about, if I did not get anything out of this then I would be nothing but a fool... I looked to him from the corner of my eye and realized that the perfect thing to talk about was on him all along.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"What is it, Yukinoshita?" He replied without turning to me, his eyes trained on a bird that flew above.

"Your sunglasses, are those new? They look very nice on you."

As expected, he took it very coolly and shrugged. "My Father gave these to me, some weeks back. I just didn't have the time nor knew the place where to wear them and all."

I was hoping that he would say more or expand the topic, but he was being his tight-lipped self as usual. Maybe he is just shy about acting too friendly with me while in the presence of his older sister since she might start making assumptions. Our extremely short exchange of words stopped to a halt when we finally reached their car. His sister opened the back with a single press of a button from her key. The cooler was larger than I expected and looked quite heavy. I do not doubt that he would be unable to carry this, but I do think that even he would have quite a difficult time. He reached in and dragged it to the edge before lifting it and putting it down on the ground.

"How many days are you staying here?" His older sister asked me.

"Two days, three at most."

"Careful, it's quite heavy." She warned when she saw the strained look on my face when we lifted it. This was heavier than I expected and I'm even using my two hands.

"Yes, thank you Hikigaya-san."

"Well, I better get going then! Haa-chan, just give me a call if you ever need anything or when it's time to go home!" She went up to him and kissed his cheek where he just rolled his eyes but accepted and returned it nonetheless. My sister has never done such a thing to me after we started to understand social norms and whatnot, so to witness it first hand especially when the two of them are of the opposite sex to each other before my eyes are rather embarrassing. I guess there are families like that out there huh... I'm not judging of course. If had to pick, I would not mind the rest of my family is more open and affectionate to me. Though I know that it is an impossible request at this point.

Still, she is quite a tease and a very bold one to do it right in front of his classmate.

Maybe this is an unspoken warning to me...? No, I must be imagining things. I should not make baseless and unnecessary assumptions.

I fidgeted uncomfortably when he turned to me after they separated. His sister gave me a small smile before opening the driver's door of their car and we waved her off as their car turned on and moved away from our line of sight.

"Yukinoshita, let's hurry up. This heat is killing me." He says while fanning and opening the first few buttons on his shirt. I saw several drops of sweat fall from his forehead, where they travelled further downwards to his exposed neck and disappeared under the fabric.

"Ah, yes..." I say and lifted the cooler with him at the same time. My stamina is something that I am not quite confident about and he is quite aware of this. We were halfway back when he told me to stop and I did so as I shook off the strained feeling in my arms.

"By the way Hikigaya-kun..."

"Hmm?" He hummed in response as he checked his phone while waiting for me to catch my breath.

"Your sister is rather endearing isn't she?"

He turned to me and blinked a few times behind his sunglasses, seemingly confused. "Komachi...?"

"Your older sister gives off this very calming and relaxing aura that makes you feel at ease for some reason. She also appears to be fond of you, that much I can tell with your nickname. 'Haa-chan', hehehehehehe." I covered my mouth as I lightly giggled when I recalled their exchange.

He tilted his head to the side. "My older sister...?" He said and mouthed something I couldn't read.

"Mm, I was not aware that you had one. You always show your siscon tendencies to your younger sister, but never to your elder."

Something clicked inside him as he slowly nodded at my words. "Ah..."

"Yes. She is very pretty as well."

"Yukinoshita."

"Hmm?"

"Her name is Hikigaya Hitomi."

"Oh, that is a nice-." I say but he interrupted me before I could finish.

"She is not my sister." He deadpanned.

I turned and blinked several times just staring blankly at his face as his words dawned on me. Wait, could it be...? I recalled Uncle Hikigaya Joshirou's facial features and tried to look for it in the lady's face that was apparently not Hikigaya-kun's sister. I could not find one, but he and his little sister does share some traits from the lady earlier. He got the shape and colour of his eyes from his Father that much I can tell, but that ahoge on his head and the form of his jaws... B-But, she looks very youthful! If that is the case, then-!

"The lady you saw, Hikigaya Hitomi, is my Mother."

Well, this is rather embarrassing.

I stared at the ground, wanting so desperately to hide and cover myself under the Earth.

I felt him poke my arm when I was unresponsive. "Oi don't feel bad. It happens all the time when I go out with Mother. People mistake her for my older sister. Though there was that one time where we're mistaken as a..." He visibly cringed when he whispered the last part. Even without him continuing, I have an idea as to what he means...

"Even so. I must apologize." I say and give him a slight bow.

"What's with all the formality...? Come on, let's hurry so we can rejoin the others." He said and I followed his lead. We lifted together as we make our way back to the group, I see that the others are conversing amongst themselves while they wait for us.

Goodness, I could not even do something as simple as introducing myself to his Mother. That was an excellent opportunity that I failed to take advantage of due to my indecisiveness. I should be more observant next time...

"Did you say something, Yukinoshita?" I heard his voice but I did not turn to him to save myself from further embarrassment.

"N-No. Nothing."

Hello, I'm back!

Yup, I forget to add my A.N. at the end, for the readers who read this a few hours ago. Sorry about that!

This Arc will have around three parts. I'll leave it to your imagination on which things will happen and in which part with respect to the Anime. As for Saki, I wonder why 8man brought her along...? A sense of guilt maybe? Or he just genuinely wants her to join them...? We also saw how Yukinon failed to in her mission to get close to 8man by introducing herself to his Mother. She even did it right in front of her other "rivals". That definitely affected them somewhat and I can imagine some of them making their own moves as well.

So I got bored and reread the reviews...

Out of the 91 reviews on Chapter 45, "Sociopath" was mentioned 11 times while "Psychopath" was mentioned 3 times. It always gives me a good chuckle when I read the "Hikigaya Hachiman's Path to Degeneration"

Am I a sadist if I laughed at those who said that they were utterly horrified and appalled by the development? Lol

A reviewer said: "I pray that this arc doesn't end in tragedy."

Ohohohohoh... Who knows...?

Just like what Hjpbjb0j said in Chapter 45: "This chapter deserves a Dame Da Ne!" The 2nd half of that chapter is definitely a Dame Da Ne moment.

Anyway, expect another chapter in a few days!

As always, favourite, follow, review or PM me if you want!

Bye for now!

47

I knew that he would be pissed, and I also knew that I'd get pinched or my ears twisted. Even with all that said it still hurt when it happens!

" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! OUCH OUCH OUCH OK I'M SORRY FOR TRICKING YOU!" I gripped the back of his shirt as he dragged me by the ear away from the group. My complaints landed on deaf ears and he continued walking.

"H-Hina! Help me!" I call out to her as the distance started to grow larger. He was dragging me to the back of the group where he would make his way with me away from the others. Wait, that sounded wrong.

The Fujoshi forced a difficult smile and shook her head. "Sorry, Yumiko. This one's one you."

"Yui!"

She laughed and scratched her cheek when I called out to her. She was speaking to that upstart Yukinoshita girl who turned to me with a dismissive look in her eyes which slightly annoyed me. "U-Um... What Hina said!" I seriously don't get what Yui sees in that doll. Even Hikio too... To think that she'd be so bold and openly do that in front of us earlier... Even Hayato and Yui were surprised.

"Hayato! Tobe!" Hopefully, they might be able to convince Hikio to stop if I make it sound like I'm in pain enough. It's a guy's instinct to help a damsel in distress after all.

Instead of them coming to me, the both of them whistled and walked faster to the front of the group. The latter limped after Hayato with his injured foot. He avoided putting some weight on the top half of his foot since it's still painful for him to do so. Tobe turned to me and gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, Yumiko! Hikitani just chewed me out for coming here with my foot in this condition. I don't want him to get mad again!"

Hina covered her mouth and madly cackled at his words. "Hehehehehe, 'chewed me out', that sounds suuuuuuuuuuper lewd~! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"There's no one to help you so I'd give up if I were you..." Hikio said and nudged me closer to him, where he let go and then pinched the side of my tummy.

" Ah! Pervert! Help me!" He then flicked my forehead when I was about to get back at him. I hissed as I rubbed my ear and tummy at the same time.

" This is payback for your little 'prank'. Bear with it." He leaned down and whispered to me.

" Oh come on! You're overreacting! You look nice in that outfit! You should thank me even!" I forcefully yanked his collar back to me which caused an "oof" from him then I whispered back before hitting him with my elbow to get my point across. He smelled nice and a few strands of his hair tickled my nose. I was the one who told him that he had to wear a specific set of clothes for the Summer Camp. We argued and I thought that he won't follow my instructions, so it came as a massive surprise that he did. When he walked out of his car earlier, I couldn't stop laughing.

From behind his sunglasses, I saw him roll his eyes. "That might be so but not when I look utterly out of place when I'm grouped up with you lot like this. I feel like a playboy or something, not to mention ridiculous. I'm gonna throw up..."

"Ugh, lighten up Hikio. It's Summer! Be free!" I say and playfully slapped his shoulder.

He scoffed and gave me a top-to-bottom look. His eyes narrowed and when they landed on my chest and skirt. He arched a brow and gave me an unimpressed look. "Oi oi oi, are you seriously ogling me right here and now? Really? This early in the morning? Pervert." I say as I covered myself from his lecherous gaze.

My words were ignored as he opened his mouth to speak. "With what you're wearing, I could see why you would say the word 'free' so casually."

I looked down and checked my clothes. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them. I wore a black skirt that ended on my mid-thighs and a pink blouse that showed a bit of my abdomen and shoulders for my top. I even brought my favourite outdoor shoes today.

"Why? Do you think the colour matching is bad?"

He sighed and shook his head. "No that's not what I meant. Look at Hina for example." He nodded forward and we looked at the girl in question where she was speaking to Kawasaki.

"That light dress looks good on her, together with that...I don't know what that's called. The blazer-like thing that she has over her shoulders...? A shawl...?"

"Yeah, I get it."

"And the hat looks cute and comfy too."

I internally frowned at him. What's with the sudden focus on Hina? Does he think that I look bad and he has to compare me to the others? I always felt that something was going on with these two.

"Anyway, what I'm saying is that you don't need to wear over-the-top clothes to look pretty. You're pretty enough as it is already."

I slowly clapped sarcastically. "Wow, very smooth Hikio. Are you trying to woo me now? Where'd you get that? That sounds like what a typical MC would say to a girl from a show ten years ago." I put a hand over my mouth and snickered at him.

"Like I'd do that. Now that I take a good look at you, you stick out like a sore thumb as well. Not in a bad way."

"So we're together in this then. You don't feel like getting lumped with me? Is that what you're saying?" I reply with a challenging tone and glared at him.

He shrugged and turned to me. "On the contrary, I don't mind it either way."

I didn't expect his answer, so it took me aback."Oh." I thought he was being sarcastic, but it looks like he wasn't.

"What about you?" He asked immediately.

"Umm, I d-don't mind it I guess..." I say as I absentmindedly twirled the ends of my hair. It's a good thing that our voices were low enough to not be heard by the others. They were talking with each other and seem to have quickly forgotten about my earlier scene. He tilted his head to the side from my reaction but didn't say anything.

"Do you like this, Yumiko...?" He asked.

"Huh? Of course, I like it. I'm the one who told you the specific set of clothes to wear! But I think you should have worn white shorts and sandals for your feet though. Just no socks though, socks with sandals look funny lol." I put a finger on my lip and looked him over. Hmm, a hat would have been nice but that'll ruin his hair.

"Huh? No, I meant this." He spread his arms and gestured.

"Your shirt? Yeah, I like it. Looks neat and it hides those scrawny arms of yours hahahaha."

He shook his head. "No no no. I mean this activity. I don't see you as an outdoorsy girl in the first place. So it came as a surprise that you'd come here too."

There was a line of ants on the ground in front of us and we walked over them. "I don't mind it. The city life can be noisy and hectic. When I was a kid, my Father would take my Mother and me on trips like these. We'd camp out in one of the sites that have a great view of Fuji-san during the Autumn. We went on a trip to Hokkaido once and it was so cold." I say and smiled at the memory. We noticed some groups of elementary-school children looking for the checkpoint in their game thing as some searched the bushes and tree trunks.

"Huh. And here I was expecting you to be the stereotypical city gal gal that hates everything about nature... I was waiting for you to start complaining about everything as we walked since if you annoyed me too much I brought my duct tape to shut you up." He closed his eyes and nodded to himself. I slapped his arm for his snide comment.

" Very funny. Shut up. Well, I don't like everything per se. I don't like bugs, and camping out at night makes me anxious since one might crawl into your futon..." My skin crawled at the thought and I held my shoulders.

"That's understandable since I don't like bugs too. I'm not very fond of these sorts of things and I'm quite sure you know why. But don't hate it."

"What about you Hikio? Have you gone on trips like that with your family?"

Wait...now that I think about it, I barely know anything about his family aside from his Parent's job and the existence of his sister. That's pretty much it. I never even bothered to ask about it before and it's already been more than a year since we became friends.

He shook his head. "No. My Father was working multiple jobs when I was younger, and when I was old enough to be responsible and do the necessities like cooking and cleaning, my Mother resumed working full time. She came back a bit when Komachi was still an infant but went straight back to work when I was able to take care of her."

"Oh. What about your grandparents? Surely you've spent a summer or two there right?"

"Both of my grandparents from my Mother and Father's side, unfortunately, passed away before I was born." He said plainly and I immediately regretted asking something so personal.

"Ah, sorry," I say and bowed. He just told me that it was alright and it was fine to continue the conversation.

"Ok fine whatever you say then... Umm...what about cousins? Do you have some?"

He shook his head again. "My parents don't have any siblings. My Father isn't very close to the other branches of the Hikigaya Family. I've heard some are in Kanagawa, Saitama and the Kamakura Prefectures, but that's about it. I've never met them. Same with my Mother."

I laughed when I remembered the plot of a drama series that I've watched before. "Hoooh, maybe one of these days you'll meet them. Like those scenarios that you'd see on TV shows. You know, when the main character is already betrothed to one of their distant cousins to preserve the family wealth or something like that hehehehe."

"Oi oi oi, stop talking. You might raise a flag or something. This is real life not some rom-com slice of life light novel. But I seriously have no clue why my Father doesn't keep in contact. Not one of them showed up during the opening of my Father's company or my Mother's business even... And that's saying a lot."

So it's like that huh? Family problems that even he doesn't know. And he's the firstborn son too... I'll avoid going deeper into that topic then.

"Unlike you, I don't have any siblings. My parents work full time too so it sometimes gets lonely at home." I tried not to sound sad, so I smiled at him.

"If you want, you can always invite me for a sleepover." He offered.

"A-Ah, that would be..." I scrunched up my face at the thought. I wouldn't mind it but I think my parents wouldn't approve. I mean, inviting him to my house out of the blue would send lots of signals to my parents. Besides, friends of the opposite sex wouldn't do that kind of stuff at this age, especially when that friend doesn't personally know your parents. Even more so if it's just the two of them alone. It's not the same scenario as those childhood friends who are closer than siblings but aren't exactly in a romantic relationship like those tropes that you'd see on TV.

He nudged me with his arm when he realized that I was spacing out. "Yumiko, I was just kidding... If I suddenly show up at your place, I'd just cause trouble, your parents asking me my intentions towards you and all." He said as a matter-of-factly as if it wasn't embarrassing for him to speak out loud in the least.

I blushed at the thought and laughed it off.

I shouldn't be thinking about that kind of stuff. Hikio is my friend. He's just a friend. Just a friend...

I see him as just a friend...

... right?

"A-Ah, I see. Didn't you, Hayato and Totsuka have a sleepover at Tobe's place some time ago? I forgot to ask. How was it, did you have fun?" I say to try and change the topic. He nodded and we looked at Tobe who was limping ahead of us.

" He may not look like it but he comes from a somewhat strict household. He's a different person at home and school. This side of him is the 'free' side for the lack of a better word. When I learned that, I became more tolerant of his antics." He said and leaned down to whisper to me to prevent the others from hearing us. He didn't even answer my question.

" Yup, Hayato dropped some hints here and there, but it's you who said it bluntly," I reply

He took out his handkerchief and wiped some sweat that had formed on his forehead. His eyes looked up to the branches of the trees above. "Say, Yumiko..."

"Hmm?"

"You still have your grandparents, right?"

"Yeah."

"What's it like? Having grandparents I mean." He turned to me, eager on what I have to say.

I put a hand under my chin and started thinking before I decide to answer. "Umm, kind of nice. It's like you have an extra pair of parents, only that they spoil you more and aren't as strict hehehehe. My Grandmother always sneaks me some pocket money that I put in my savings. We sometimes visit them during the New Year's, we don't have plans this Summer yet."

"No cousins?"

"I have but we're not that close. The last time I met them was...two or three years ago I think. They're working adults now so it's kinda hard for us to get to know each other."

He slowly nodded after pondering on my words. "Ah, I see. Well, going back to the main topic, I've seen his photo."

"Of who?" I ask.

"My Father's Father. We have the same pair of eyes that it's unnerving. It felt like I was looking at my future self." I grinned at his words.

"I guess that genetic gift is only predominant among the male children huh."

"Perhaps..."

Our talk continued for the next few minutes until we heard a shriek that came from what sounded like one of the groups of elementary school girls. Hikio immediately picked up on the sound and quickly went to the source without a word. He was followed by Hayato and Tobe who limped after him. I got curious so I followed them.

Several girls were huddling near some bushes when I caught up to them. It was a harmless snake that they found. Hikio found a stick nearby and proceeded to move the snake away from the path since it might have an unfortunate encounter with the other groups.

Hayato went to eye level with them and asked them what they were doing.

"We're looking for one of the checkpoints!"

"Onii-san, can you help us out?" One of the girls gripped his sleeve to convince him and the others followed suit. I was slightly bothered that he agreed to them so quickly without consulting the rest of us but decided not to dwell on it too much. Just Hayato being Hayato I guess.

Unfortunately, one of the boys crossed his arms around his chest and arched a brow at the suggestion. "Hayama, what do you think you're doing?" Hikio spoke up and caught everyone's attention. The rest of the group caught up to us and were starting to more or less understand what just happened.

"Oh, Hikigaya. I just thought that they might need a little help. That's all." He smiled but Hikio wasn't convinced as he leaned his back on a tree under the shade.

"Getting assistance from a third-party? That's cheating. They'd cover more ground and save a lot of time if we did so. Which is unfair to the other groups who are doing this with the manpower that they have on hand."

"It's only a little bit, it won't make much difference."

"Still cheating though."

Anyone can tell that this was heading towards an argument. Yui and Hina looked between them anxiously, not sure what to do. I noticed the black-haired doll look down, pursing her lips and thinking about Hikio's words.

"Come on, there's no harm in lending a little hand. Plus it'll be our little secret, right girls?" Hayato turned to the girls where they gave him their cute smiles and nods. They were very eager to get our help, that much I can tell.

"Cool Onii-san with the sunglasses! Help us out too pretty please!"

"Yeah! Only a little bit!"

Hikio wasn't having any of it as he watched them with an unreadable expression. "Hmph, suit yourself then. I'll take no part in this. If you'll excuse me..."

He was about to walk away and continue going up the trail when Yui spoke out. "H-Hikki! At least wait for us please...?"

He shook his head before speaking. "No, since staying here and doing nothing except stare at you guys would make you uncomfortable. I'll be going on ahead then. Be careful and watch out for bugs, snakes and whatnot. Tobe, watch out for your foot. Be careful walking around in that dress Hina, it might get snagged in the branches."

"Yes Sir!" Hina grinned and gave him a salute, while the other one that he addressed did not look as enthusiastic anymore.

"Aw, Hikitan's no fun..." He said but was ignored by Hikio who was already walking away.

His little sister jumped and stood in his way, putting her hands on her hips. "Onii-chan! Komachi wants you by her side so don't go!" He just rolled his eyes and boredly walked past without giving her a spare glance. "Saki, look after Komachi for a bit please..." He turned to the girl in question, she nodded and touched his little sister's shoulder.

"Come on Komachi. Hachiman might be feeling under the weather today so let him go, ok?" The little girl pouted and reluctantly followed her words.

"There's a reason why he sometimes skips gym class after all. We can't blame him." Hayato said as we watched him walked up the trail, occasionally looking at something interesting on the ground or some birds on the branches. "Ok, now where could these checkpoints be...we should hurry before some of the other groups catch us doing this."

"Yup! We'll search over there!"

"Ok! The others and I think we saw something earlier at the base of a tree!"

I'm disappointed that Hikio didn't stay with us and I can't say no anymore to the girls at this point. That Yukinoshita girl watched him go with a conflicted expression and sometimes she'd look to the other girls behind. She took a step in his direction, and I was expecting her to follow, but she sighed and went to where Yui was instead. Hina came up to me and poked my shoulder to whisper something.

" Yumiko, you were with him earlier. Is something up?"

I shook my head and shrugged. "No, I don't think so. He didn't give off that kind of mood. We were just talking normally like usual."

" He must be just tired then. Have you noticed the dark circles under his eyes recently? Maybe he's not getting much sleep."

She scratched her head and huffed out in mild frustration. "Ugh, stupid Hachiman! I thought he'd lighten up now that we're away from school and it's Summer, but he's still his old self as usual." She said and I followed her to take a look at the bushes.

"Hikio is...well Hikio. You can't expect someone like him to change so easily. He's always been a little uptight whenever we go out, even more so during at school." I say and recalled the few times when we did.

"Yeah, but I wanted him to lighten up at least now that it's Summer..." She said as she picked up a stick and randomly swung it here and there.

I don't why, but the way she said it made me think that there was something deeper under her words.

I saw Hayato talk to one of the girls in the group that had a camera in her hands. She looked very uncomfortable as he spoke to her and wouldn't meet his gaze. She was the one who stayed at the back, I thought that it was just nothing, but then I realized that she was a bit of an outcast. The snickering earlier must have been something completely different from what I thought at first. She was the one being laughed at. I was too preoccupied with Hikio earlier to notice it. He led her back to the rest of the group and left immediately after to look for the checkpoints. When he did, there was some light snickering and she soon fell back to her original place.

She was approached by that Yukinoshita girl once Hayato walked away from her. They exchanged some words before the little girl followed the group a small distance away behind them.

Hina and I broke off from the others to search one specific area. I was surprised when she suddenly skipped to me and whispered excitedly while grinning from ear to ear. "Yumiko! Yumiko! I have the perfect idea on how to cheer up Hachiman! Something that I'd know he'd love~!"

" All right, tell me then." I looked around to make sure that we were alone and then I listened to her small voice as she explained it to me.

" I already prepared some stuff for this so...first I'll...next I'll take him to...then I'll take off my...once that's out of the way, I'll push him down and...after that I'll take his...then I finishing things up by...until one of us passes out from the exhaustion!"

Needless to say, it took me by surprise at how bold it was for her to suggest such a thing (S-She better not be s-serious!) and I felt my face explode into a blush and steam go out of my ears.

" H-H-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH?! YOU WANT TO DO W-W-WHAT WITH HIM?!"

She quickly shook her head. "No no no! It's not just me!" She paused and gestured for me to keep my voice down. "You and Yui are a part of this too so don't worry! Maybe we could even add in Saki-Saki and Yukinoshita-san as well, you think they'd like it...? What about Hiratsuka-sensei, he always told me that he liked older girls..." She said as an afterthought while scratching her chin as if that would make it better.

" T-T-T-THAT'S EVEN W-W-WORSE! HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK AND SUGGEST THAT?!"

She widened her eyes and laughed maniacally. "AH! AND I'D WATCH THE BOYS DO IT AMONG THEMSELVES! KYAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! " Some of her blood is already dripping from her nose.

" H-Hina...!" I say and softly hit her shoulder. " You shouldn't be thinking about those things with Hikio...! It's wrong..."

She grinned slyly and covered her mouth after she wiped the blood away. Then she laughed at my reaction, her glasses reflecting some light and giving her a more mischievous look. "Oh~! So you don't want to share... You want him by yourself then~! Greedy little Yumiko~..."

" SHUT UP! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

She put a hand on my shoulder after calming herself down. "Heheheh, relax Yumiko. I'm just kidding." She paused momentarily, and then her lips returned into a sly grin.

"Unless...?"

" HINA!"

"Hikitani!" Tobe called out to Hikio while he was sitting out helping the kids prepare and cook their food. Two boys were at his side curious about what happened to him.

Hikio turned back to him just as he was about to step out of the shade. "Hmm?"

"Are you going back to our lodgings?"

"Yes."

"Can you get a towel from my bag? I'm sweating like hell!" Tobe exclaimed while fanning himself to keep cool. He was soon reprimanded by Hiratsuka-sensei for using profanities while in the presence of children.

"Ok."

Since I was more or less done with helping out the girls, I stood up to catch up to him. "Hikio, wait up! I'll come along too." He waited for me to go to his side before we walked to their lodgings together. He had opened all the buttons on his top revealing the thin white sleeveless inner-shirt that he had underneath at my suggestion earlier.

"Why?"

"I'm just curious if the boy's sleeping place looks exactly as ours." For some reason I felt someone was watching me, so I looked behind me to see who it was. Hina gave me a sly look before snickering and moving to help Kawasaki-san and Hikio's little sister.

I read her lips when she mouthed something to me.

" Oh-my! Yumiko's-so-daring~!"

"Looks like Hina is saying something. Do you get what she's saying...?" I was startled by his voice, I didn't notice that he looked behind him too. He squinted behind his sunglasses as he tried to figure out what Hina was saying.

"N-No I'll ask her later. Come on let's hurry up!" I grabbed his hand and forcefully pulled him forward. "Jeez, what's with the rush...? Are you that curious?" I didn't listen to his complaints nor let go of his hand as we ran until we reached the log cabin that would serve as their lodgings.

He led the way and opened the door as I followed him inside. It was the same as ours, except for the small fridge at the side. Their bags and futons were already at the sides, as well as some other stuff on the table that they brought with them.

I sat on the floor next to the door as I waited for him to fulfil Tobe's request. As he was rummaging through his things, he spoke up. "By the way Yumiko. There are some refreshments that I brought with me in the fridge. Help yourself if you find one to your liking."

I skipped to small the thing near his bag. I was getting a bit thirsty, so his offer is great. "Don't mind if I do~!" When I knelt and opened it, I was slightly disappointed.

"Hikio..."

" Where is that damn thing... Oh, what is it?"

"Everything here is either an energy drink or the disgustingly sweet MAXX COFFEE that you love so much," I say as I turned to him.

He shrugged my words off once he got Tobe's towel. "You're right about the ' love' part at least. You still don't want one?" I sighed and just took one of the energy drinks that was inside, it was cold to the touch as I opened and tasted it.

"Is it good?"

"As good as an energy drink will ever be I guess. What are you standing around for? You still have something to do?" I say after sitting on one of the chairs and crossing my legs.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to change my shirt."

"Ok."

"..."

"..."

He just continued staring at me unblinkingly. ".."

"Well? Get to it then."

"Are you seriously going to watch me?"

"Haaaaaah? You're seriously embarrassed? What are you, a girl?" I reply. I'm not some shy maiden who immediately blushes and becomes a stuttering mess at the sight of a shirtless male. I don't understand some girls out there that get like that.

He put a hand on his hip. "Hoh, I didn't expect you to say that."

"Hmph! As long as you don't change your underwear or something like that in front of me, then it's fine." I say as I sat down on the chair nearby and crossed my legs before taking another sip from my drink. "Just one question though."

"Hmm?"

"Boxers, briefs or boxer briefs?" I ask.

"Where did this question come from...?"

"Just answer the question Hikio."

"Well fine then. I prefer boxers." He said and started taking off his long-sleeved shirt. Once he neatly folded and put it away, he untucked his white sleeveless inner-shirt and fanned it to cool himself down. He walked towards me and sat a small distance away after putting back his sunglasses in their case. "My God, this heat is going to drive me mad..." He muttered to himself as he closed his eyes.

I got up and got another drink from the small fridge and gave it to him. "Here Hikio, maybe that'll help." He thanked me and put it against his cheek before opening and drinking from it. I sat back down, closer to him this time so I can help him cool down with the spare fan that was lying around.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. On the other hand..." I covered my mouth as I started to giggle.

"What's so funny? Is there something on my face?" He took out his phone and checked his reflection in the glass.

"I thought you were a perverted man-whore...! P-Playboy pantsu...! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I burst out laughing when I couldn't hold it in anymore as I stomped my feet on the wooden floor. He turned to me as if I had gone crazy and I can't blame him.

"Huh? What I don't get it. Is it a new trend that kids have nowadays...?" He asked me in honest confusion as he continued fanning himself. Most of the sweat on his forehead had already dried up.

"Hehehehe. W-Well, if you're a guy wearing boxer briefs, you're a perverted man-whore." I say and explained it to him. Word around the girls some time ago was that it came from a drama series that recently got popular. One of the male protagonists was quite a looker and showed him in a scene wearing that, coupled with the fact that he is a known playboy. So it must have caught on with the female audiences.

"That's ridiculous. You can't judge someone like that based on what kind of undergarment he's wearing." He said and walked to where his bag was, before putting his hands on the ends of his shirt and taking it off. He stood there as he neatly folded his shirt like an experienced butler and then turned to me.

The light from the windows made it seem like his chest was glistening as he continued to fan himself without a care in the world. "Anyway, did anything interesting happen earlier when I went ahead?"

He had a surprisingly slim and slender, yet athletic build. His abdomen was toned as well, and the line on both sides that led to his groin was very prominent and eye-catching and I lightly blushed. His chest and shoulders were on their way to become praise-worthy too.

"O-Oh, nothing," I say and raise my eyes to meet his.

"Ah, is that so..." He stood at the window looking outside, cooling himself down.

I decided to ask him some things that were on my mind now that we were alone together. "Hikio, are you, friends, with that cold doll Yukinoshita?"

He took a moment longer to reply. "You can say that..."

I scoffed and crossed my arms around my chest. "Hmph, I don't get you and Yui. What do you see in her? All she does is act high and mighty like a spoiled princess who doesn't understand how the world works. I mean, just listening to Yui about what she does in your club activities pisses me off. Who the hell does she think she is talking down on you like that? If anything it should be the other way around since I can't name a single thing that she does better than you. You should stop being soft on her Hikio, put her in her place."

He turned to me. I was expecting him to reprimand me, but he just spoke in his calm voice as usual. "Yumiko, I didn't know that you had such strong feelings towards her. Did you two have a disagreement before or something?"

I frowned and shook my head. "No, but just listening to how she treats you makes me mad and is enough for me to hate her."

He sported a strained expression. "I won't deny that she can be a bit difficult to deal with from an outsider's perspective but-"

"Hah? ' An outsider's perspective? Hikio, let's be real. She even treats you like shit even though you're 'friends with her. It's only a matter of time until she says or does something that might hurt Yui too I bet." I say and interrupted him. "And she has this look in her eyes like she's annoyed at my existence or something."

He tapped his chin as he blankly stared outside. "I see...well try to bear with it for another day or two yeah? You won't ever see her again after this after all."

"That sounded like what a sociopath serial killer would say."

"You watch too many movies Yumiko..."

"You're still going to put up with her?" I ask while frowning.

"Yumiko, please don't ruin the mood..." There was a pleading look in his eyes so I decided to drop the subject entirely. If he doesn't know, there's no use in shaking any answers from him. Plus it'll make me look clingy and jealous, and I don't want him to think of me like that. "You're talkative today." He said.

I smirked and swung my legs. "Hmph, I rarely have alone time with you since you and Hina are always acting chummy at school. Yui won't leave your side during Home Economics Class, but I don't mind Tobe and Hayato's company. Even that bratty little First-Year, she sure has quite an attitude just because you're nearby. All bark just because her dear Senpai's around, but no bite whatsoever. But she acts cute so she's ok I guess."

"Isshiki? She's fun to have around. And now that you mention it, it has been a while since it's just the two of us huh?" He said as he nodded in realization.

"Oh yeah, I always wanted to ask. Were you always close with Kawasaki-san? The two of you don't give off that kind of air in school." I added. It's true though, they only seldom speak together in class and very rarely walk home together from what I can tell.

"Ah, well our parents know each other and her little sister drops by to play at our house or the playground. Sometimes, she and I study at our houses during exams or major tests since last year. Her folks are good people. That's pretty much it." He shrugged.

"Oh! I see. She doesn't have a boyfriend?"

He shook his head. "No. Also, she's hesitant to approach me sometimes because of...well, you guys."

I tilted my head, not quite sure what he's getting at. "Huh? What do you mean...?"

"To put it bluntly, she's rather shy and I'm her only friend. So she feels very reluctant to approach me when there are people around that she's not familiar with. It's fine if it's only one, but if it's a group then it would be quite difficult for her to do so. And seeing that I'm also usually busy with my StuCo duties...well you get what I mean."

A-Ah, so it's like we've been hogging all the time and attention from her only friend. Now I feel a bit guilty. I mean I have lots of friends so making the effort to give them some time and space isn't much of a difference. But if I were in her shoes, then I'd feel sad or maybe even irritated that the only person that I trust and consider a friend is constantly being taken away from me.

"Oh...I...I didn't know..."

"I'm telling you this because I trust you, Yumiko. Hina has already figured things out, Yui is getting there too. So please be patient when she's a bit apprehensive around others. She and I are similar in some aspects."

"Yeah, thanks."

"One of the reasons why I brought her with me was to become friends with you guys. Or at least have someone that she's comfortable talking to."

I gave him a warm smile. "That's very considerate of you."

He stopped and put the fan on the table, then went to his bag and took out a random t-shirt and wore it. I would be lying if I say that I didn't want to take my time looking at his figure. But if we took too long then the others would get suspicious.

"One last thing before we go back, Yumiko..."

"Hmm?"

He wordlessly stared for a bit, deep in thought before sitting down close to me and speaking. "What do you think of...Hayama?"

Hikigaya-kun came back with his blonde female friend. They were not in a hurry and took their time walking. I narrowed my eyes when I remembered how she boldly took his hand as they ran together earlier. He gave the small towel to Tobe-san and joined Totsuka-san, Yuigahama-san and Ebina-san who were assisting the children with preparing their food.

Kawasaki-san was currently helping me wash the utensils to be used. It has been roughly fifteen minutes since we started and not a word passed between us.

"..."

"..."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed that she was very quick in her movements. Which told me that she must do housework and cleaning at home. When I looked upwards, I saw her looking at me in the same way I was to her.

"You want to say something?" She asked defensively.

Seeing that I was caught, I might as well converse and get to know her. If she is worthy enough to be allowed to address Hikigaya-kun by his first name which shows how close they are, then conversing with her is a must. She seems to be a decent person, the children already adore her.

"Yes, if you don't mind me asking. Are you close with Hikigaya-kun's family?"

Her eyes softened and she had a small smile on her face. "Yeah we're pretty close I guess. Our houses are nearby and sometimes my little sister and I spend some time with him and Komachi. We occasionally study at each other's houses. Our parents are friends."

"He... goes to your house?" I ask carefully, making sure to listen and remember every word that she says.

She nodded. "Yup, my parents and siblings trust him, his parents know me pretty well too."

"I have only met his Father a few times. That woman earlier?"

"Auntie? What about her?"

I tried not to look too surprised when she said "Auntie". It appears that I should make my move soon...

"I mistook her for his elder sister."

"Pfff-what?! No way..." She stopped herself, but when I nodded she started laughing. Her laugh was not very ladylike, but it was not an unpleasant one. "Hahahaha. For real? Wow, that must have been awkward. Was she the one who sorted that out for you?"

"No, I kept my mouth shut since I was too confused and shy to say anything." Ah, what a blunder...that was so embarrassing.

"I can imagine that. Uncle is very lucky to have such a beautiful wife like her. Not that there's anything wrong with his looks of course. His Father is also handsome, it's just that his eyes can be ah...a b-bit-

""intimidating and scary."" We both say at the same time and I could not help but giggle with her.

She smiled and returned a wave from one of the children who passed by. "Right? I thought he'd look just at home in a film about the Yakuza."

"My, what an amusing thought Kawasaki-san. And the plot would be about him trying to blend into society, while also hiding the fact that he is the heir of the biggest Yakuza Clan in Chiba."

She hesitated, but then gave me a pretty smile, made even prettier by the beauty mark under her right eye. "I'd watch that show, to be honest."

We talked for a bit until we're finally done with cleaning the utensils. This was supposed to be my final task, but if she allows me, I want to talk with her more. I...admit that I enjoyed speaking with her. I'm already learning a thing or two from her and she is easier to talk to when the topic is about him. I found out that she is quite a hardworking and independent individual for her age when she said that she is currently employed in two part-time jobs. I internally apologized to her for judging her too harshly. On the few times that I see her in school, I always thought that she was a bit rough, for the lack of a better word. She does not tie the red ribbon under her neck which is compulsory for the girls to wear, she even opens the top button of her uniform. She doesn't wear the blazer, and when she does it's either left unbuttoned or tied around her waist. So it comes to no surprise that she would be mistaken for a delinquent of some sort.

The clothes that she is wearing right now show off her long legs. She is the tallest girl in our group, only towered over by Hikigaya-kun, Tobe-san, Hayato-kun and Hiratsuka-sensei herself. She was also pretty, her long silvery-blue hair tied in a ponytail is eye-catching even from a distance.

I took a peek at her chest.

...

...

They were big.

It's bigger than mine.

Substantially bigger than mine, maybe even the same size as Yuigahama-san's. Perhaps I should avoid being seen next to blessed people like her, it would make me too self-conscious...

*Sigh*

I took consolation in the words that Hikigaya-kun spoke when we were at the park:

" It's not the size of the breast the matters, it's the girl that's attached to them!" - Hikigaya Hachiman

I bit my lip and hid my smile with my hand when Kawasaki-san turned to me. "Yukinoshita, I'm going to go to the other kids if they need some help. What are you doing?"

"If you would allow me, then I would like to" The words died in my throat when I saw Hikigaya-kun sitting alone on the rise which overlooked our area, it appears that he has his eyes transfixed on something. "On a second thought, I have to go somewhere else."

"Ok. Don't let me keep you then."

"I enjoyed our talk very much Kawasaki-san. I can see why Hikigaya-kun trusts and calls you as his friend." I say which caused a slight blush to form on her cheeks. We separated after exchanging goodbyes and I walked to where Hikigaya-kun was.

Whether or not he was aware of my approach, he did not turn to me and continued staring at something or someone below. I followed his line of sight and saw Hayama-kun speaking with the girl from earlier, the one who was a loner and was an outcast in her group. There was some snickering from the other girls until she just straight up left him there and walked towards us and stayed a small distance away.

Yuigahama-san said something in response to Hayama-kun, but I could not properly hear her reply. Hikigaya-kun sighed, and muttered something about her being "retarded".

"Hmph, they are all retarded." She said while looking at her schoolmates.

Hikigaya-kun raised a brow and put his arms across his chest. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

She turned to him. "Everything. How they act, their attitude and mannerisms, it's all just stupid."

"That is a rather pessimistic view for someone as young as yourself."

"Name?" She asked.

"Before you ask something like that, it is customary your you to give out yours first," I say.

She gave out a slight pout before answering. "Tsurumi...Rumi."

"My name is Yukinoshita Yukino. This boy here is Hikigaya Hachiman."

She looked between the two of us as if looking for something. She finally stopped at Hikigaya-kun. "You were the one who walked away."

"Yes, what of it?"

"Thank you for earlier."

"You're welcome. Having fun with your little field trip?" He asked.

She looked down and shook her head. "No, not really."

"Same here." I arched a brow and wordlessly turned to him. He looked like he was enjoying his time with the others earlier so his words were rather unexpected. "I'd much rather stay at home than go out in this terrible weather. I can't wait to play games all day and read my light novels and manga..." He said dramatically with emphasis on the word "terrible".

"Hikigaya-kun, I can't comprehend how you could describe the weather that we are having as 'terrible." I sighed and shook my head.

"I have a low tolerance to the Summer heat that's all. You already know that I didn't like going out much, nor playing outside with others since I have no friends and therefore, no one to play with."

He started going into his depressing flashbacks, so I decided to intervene. "Don't mind him Tsurumi-san. He is just your average loner, nothing special."

I expected him to make a witty retort, but he closed his eyes and nodded. "That I am. Damn, I should have brought Vita-chan with me... Tch!"

I took a few steps closer to her. "Tsurumi-san, do you not have any friends?" I watched her eyes, they looked quite sad and lonely. I guess this is an answer enough.

"No, I don't. I don't like them anyway, it's fine if I'm alone."

We stopped and looked at Yuigahama-san who was making her way towards us. "Yahallo Hikki, Yukinon!" Then she went eye-level with the little girl and introduced herself. "You're Tsurumi Rumi, right? Nice to meet you!" She was put off by Yuigahama-san's excessive cheerfulness and turned to Hikigaya-kun who addressing her.

"What's wrong with being alone? It's better to be alone than to be around toxic people. You have nothing to gain from them." Hikigaya-kun continued. Yuigahama-san asked what he meant so we gave her a summary of our conversation.

"You're friends with her too...?" She asked him.

He put his hand on her head and then proceeded to give her head pats. "This cheeky airhead right here? Yes, unfortunately. For without my guidance, she could destroy the world as we know it."

"Who are you calling an airhead!?" Yuigahama-san shook off his hand and attempted to put her arm over his shoulder. Due to the height difference, it was rather impossible so he had no choice but to lower himself a bit. "Anyway, Hikki and I are friends! Don't be scared of his eyes, he's nice!"

"Yes yes, I possess the Mystic Eyes of Life and Death..."

I felt a pang of jealousy struck me when I saw them like that. I am once again reminded that of all the people here, I am the least close to him...

She blinked several times and looked between the two of them, just like how she did when it was still just Hikigaya-kun and me. Her eyes narrowed when they finally stopped on him as she tilted her head to the side. "You're weird."

Hikigaya-kun stood straight and comically puffed out his chest. "Yes I am weird and I am quite aware of that thank you very much." Yuigahama-san and I giggled as he went for his strange sense of humour and sarcasm.

"You have a wide array of friends don't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, umm... You say that you're a loner, but you don't act like one." She said after thinking for several moments. She must have noticed his closeness with the others, namely with Miura-san, Kawasaki-san and Ebina-san.

Yuigahama-san hummed and nodded to herself as she put a hand under her chin. "Hmm! Well, Hikki was a loner when we first met, always keeping to himself and all that. But then as time went on, he started getting some friends here and there! He's super helpful and smart and stuff so that helped a lot! Oh but he's still a bit shy and huge tsundere! It took so long for him to warm up to us and call each other by our first names too!"

" Thank you, Yui for that very informative speech, but she wasn't talking to you. You didn't even answer her question." He sighed before being hit on the shoulder by Yuigahama-san.

Tsurumi-san looked at the two of them before shaking her head. "No, I understood some things at least..."

She opened up to us on her worries, on when they started and what she intends to do about it. She was utterly devastated when we told her that things would not change once she enters Middle-School, I can attest to that. It will only get worse if she does not do anything about it. Yuigahama-san and I were doing most of the talking. We told her of the reality of the world, and people can be harsh and unforgiving. Hikigaya-kun sat a small distance away on the base of a tree and was very silent and did not say a single word the whole time.

He bit the back of his thumb with a faraway look in his eyes as he blankly stared at nothing in front of him.

Hiratsuka-sensei walked away after saying that she's retiring for the night. She and Yukino-chan talked about helping that Tsurumi girl as a part of their club activities. The others were either silently contemplating or talking and expressing their ideas. Yumiko and Tobe's suggestions were too shallow and would never work. I was hoping that Hikigaya would voice his idea, but he remained silent and just listened in on everyone. Even though he's right beside me and after I nudged his leg a few times, he still shows no sign of actively taking part.

I felt hope when Hina spoke up...but well, Hina is just being Hina I guess...

Yumiko quickly took the initiative and tried to lead her away since she might disturb the others.

"Unless most of the girls are involved, I don't see any plan that we make pull through. We need to somehow make a scenario for them to come together, and if possible, sort out their differences and be friends." I say loud enough for everyone to hear.

Yukino-chan scoffed and put her arms around her chest. "An idiotically optimistic plan like that would never work. Blind optimism I say... Open your eyes Hayama-kun. You can't do anything." Her cold words were like a stake stabbed into my chest and I had to resist forming my hands into knuckles. Hikigaya arched his brow and looked at me from the corner of my eye after whistling.

It wasn't just him who heard it, Yumiko stopped in her tracks and turned to us. She looks angry.

"Oi, Yukinoshita-san. What the heck is your problem huh?"

The girl in question calmly looked to Yumiko. "You wish to say something, Miura-san?"

"Everyone here is trying to help Tsurumi. If you don't like Hayato's idea, then you should just politely disagree like a normal person. What kind of reply was that? Seriously? Tch, what a rude girl."

She took it in stride as if conversations like these were commonplace for her. "I was merely speaking facts, Miura-san. Something that Hayama-kun failed or outright refused to acknowledge."

Yumiko scoffed and crossed her arms around her chest. "You know, this is why I hate spoiled rich girls like you. Acting high and mighty, and that attitude of yours isn't helping fix things at all. If you have nothing to contribute except shooting down everyone's suggestions, then go back to our cabin and sleep or something."

"Ara, it seems like the feeling is mutual. I detest loud girls like who speak without using their brains."

Before things could escalate, Yui spoke up to the two. "Yumiko, Yukinon! Calm down the both of you!" She chided.

"Hmph. It might be just me but Tsurumi isn't the only cold one." Even with Yui's words and Hina tugging on her arm, Yumiko wasn't backing down. "At least she is just a bit shy and a victim of bullying, unlike a cold and condescending princess who looks down on everybody. There's one here right now." She smirked and put a hand on her hip.

Yukino-chan sighed and put a hand on her temples as if she suddenly had a headache. "Ah, persecution complex I see. Very common, for commoners like yourself."

" Excuse me?"

"Do I need to explain it to you? Forgive me, I see that you are unaware of that term..."

"You expensive piece of shit. This is why people hate you. Your attitude is absolute trash, too bad that the only thing good about you is your slightly above average looks." Yukino-chan frowned at Yumiko's words, which must have slightly irked her.

"I admit my imperfections, but at least I don't dress up like a common whore."

I've heard enough, I was about to stand up and break them up but Hikigaya turned to me.

" Wait." I read his lips and the words died down in my throat the two continued to throw toxic words on each other.

"Oh, attacking my looks now, are we? Like I haven't heard that before, you need to try harder Princess. What's wrong? Gonna cry? Is Daddy's precious little Princess gonna cry?" Yumiko put her hands on the sides of her eyes and pretended to cry. She ignored Hina who was still trying to stop her.

I saw Yukino-chan's shoulders stiffen. "Says the wench who latches onto every dominant male in her vicinity..."

That was too far.

That was way too far.

Yumiko stopped and stepped forward until she was right in front of Yukino-chan who was still sitting. Everyone, included myself, were holding our breaths.

"Take that back."

"I will if you apologize."

"Ugh, as expected for someone as stuck up as you."

"Is that a praise, Miura-san? I will, but only if you do it first."

She laughed and shook her head. "Ah, what did I expect. Someone like you doesn't even know how to apologize. Come to think of it, have you apologized to Hikio yet? Talking down, treating him like shit as if he was a, as you'd call it, ' a lower life form'? Isn't that, like, your favourite pastime when you're at your little club, Ms. Club President?"

Those words took her back and the air was still for several seconds. I saw the eyes of Hikigaya's little sister's eyes go wide, Kawasaki-san deeply frowned while Totsuka, Tobe and Yui winced.

All of us here are guilty, we know that fact, but chose to ignore it since he didn't complain. I had dropped a word or two about it to him privately before, but he just shrugged my words off. My concern just became a bother for him, so I stopped altogether. The one with the most surprising expression was Hikigaya, his face was blank as he just stared at the two.

"Miura-san, please refrain from speaking about things that you barely understand-" She started weakly but Yumiko wasn't finished yet.

"' Don't understand?' Everyone here knows that you treat him like that. Everyone. Have you ever wondered why some people look at you funny when you're in the hallways? It's because everyone knows. I don't know what's your problem with him but I've never seen him fire back. Who do you think you are anyway?"

"H-He and I have already-"

"You what?" Yumiko said as she stepped closer. "Because from what I heard you're still doing your usual thing. Yui and he are my friends, if I find out that you did something to them, I swear I'm going to-"

"Yumiko, that's enough...!" I say but I might as well have been talking to a deaf person. No one paid any attention to me, everyone was too frozen and shocked to do anything but watch as all of their eyes were on the two.

"It causes me great pain, but I must agree with Hayama-kun. You are going out of control Miura-san. I suggest you cool off by removing yourself from our presence. The mere sight of you is..." I thought that she was going to back me up, but instead, she just added fuel to the flame.

"Come to think of it, why are you still with him anyway?" She continued, her eyes glowing fiercely and ignoring both of us. "Do you love antagonizing him? Wait, are you that kind of person? Gross. Is this some sick and disgusting pleasure that you get off to-"

"I would NEVER do that!" Yukino-chan finally stood up and raised her voice. Yui and Hina tried to speak up, but both of their efforts were in vain.

Yumiko's smirk widened. "Oh? Really? 'Cause, that's the only reason that I can think of on why you're still sticking close so to him."

"Your words are disgusting, fit for someone like you."

"Says the living block of ice who has no friends. I guess that's to be expected. Blocks of ice are just blocks of ice after all. I bet Hikio's just putting up with you out of pity since you don't have any friends!" Yumiko spat and from the corner of my eye, Yui looked down at her hands.

Yukino-chan's face was hard, it looks like Yumiko's words hit her where it hurts. If she flinched from that, there must be some truth to it, no matter how small or insignificant it is. Even if it's all in the past, the fact remains that it happened.

"Hey can't we all just get along...?" Tobe muttered to himself as he rested his head on the table, unable to watch anymore. He's not good with things like these, infighting and all that.

Hikigaya finally stood up beside me. I'm glad he did since I'm still mentally unprepared to do anything. "The both of you, stop it. Yumiko gives her some space." He said as he started walking towards them.

She turned to him warily, her frown still on her face. "What the-? What are you doing Hikio?"

When she heard his voice, I saw Yukino-chan sigh in relief. "Hikigaya-kun, thank goodness. I would have preferred it if you had come sooner. This friend of yours has quite a mouth."

"Oh look who's talking! Shut it!" Yumiko seethed with venom. "Same here! Tch! For a spoiled princess like you, you sure know how to piss someone off!"

"Yukinoshita, be quiet." He said rather sternly which caused her to instantly seal her mouth shut. Then, he went up to Yumiko. Hina looked relieved as well now that another person has come. "Yumiko please..."

She angrily looked at him as if he had gone mad and I flinched at the intensity in her eyes. "Hikio, are you seriously defending someone like her? This... disrespectful and rude cunt...?!" She exclaimed in utter disbelief with wide eyes.

He just shook his head. "This has gone long enough."

"Hikio! I can't believe you...! Are you seriously choosing her over me?!" Yumiko yelled at him, but he just stood still as her words washed over him. "This damn girl said all those bad things about me! I can't let this slip by!"

"Yumiko...the both of you are at fault here. I'm not choosing anyone." Hikigaya softly said.

"Every word that I said was right! You know I'm right! So why are you defending her damnit?!" She exclaimed before stomping her foot in frustration.

Hikigaya took a short moment to ponder on her words. He visibly flinched, then something flashed across his face, an expression that I couldn't quite describe. He gulped before looking to Yukino-chan beside him and then to Yumiko. "I know you're angry but please calm do-" He didn't answer her question but was interrupted when she took a step and shoved him, but it wasn't enough for him to lose his balance. He saw it coming yet didn't do anything about it.

Yukino-chan looked appalled at Yumiko after she seeing the act. "Don't touch him, wench...!"

"I said shut it bitch!

"Yumiko...this isn't about who's right..." He said with a low voice, but at this point, even his words weren't enough to alleviate the tension nor the anger and frustration inside Yumiko. Even when he was just shoved moments ago, Hikigaya tried approaching her to give her a reassuring hand. She stepped back and narrowed her eyes at him and Yukino-chan who had positioned herself closer to him.

She fiercely scowled at her. "What's this? You said that I ' Latch onto strong guys in my vicinity.' But what are you doing right now Ice Princess?" She spat with venom.

Yukino-chan said nothing.

Yumiko muttered something under her breath before looking up to meet Hikigaya's eyes. " Why would you...? Why her of all people? Even though...?" She said silently, her voice barely above a whisper as she clenched her shaking fists. She bit her lower lip as her breath hitched on her last words. She looked at him in the eye, unyielding, until something glistened at the corner of her eyes.

And then fell to the ground.

She's furious, that much is clear. Her voice, not much different. And most of all...

...she looks so hurt, betrayed and heartbroken.

It was clear what she was feeling. No other emotion could force someone to say things like that. No other emotion could make her sound so hurt and betrayed when she thought and felt that she wasn't chosen. No other emotion could make you feel so defensive when you see the person who hurt the one that you hold dear.

It is only expected for one to cherish and be protective of the people that they love in their lives, after all.

Be it a friend, a family member, or a...

Hikigaya was surprised when he saw her shedding tears. He quickly turned to Hina who stood frozen, not knowing what to do anymore after being ignored by the two girls. "I'll take it from here Hina. Come on Yumiko, let's have some tea yeah? Just the two of us." He stepped toward her and tried to reach her hand to lead her away and hopefully calm her down...

but she instantly shook him off...

and then slapped him hard right across the face.

She must have hit him with some force since she managed to have his head turn to the side, causing some strands of his hair to fall back on his forehead. The sound was loud, made even louder by the deafening silence that followed as everyone was frozen in place. He turned back to her after slowly touching the area where she hit him. The expression he had on his face was a pained one.

To everyone's surprise, the first one to react was Yukino-chan. She tightly clenched her hands into fists.

" You-! How dare you-?!" She's seething.

It's the first time that I've seen her like this. I doubt even Haruno-san or their parents have seen this side of her. Maybe this is also the first time that she's handling this kind of emotion. The others stood up when she stepped forward towards Yumiko. Witnessing the calmest and collected person I know, snap like that made me speechless and I found myself frozen on the spot.

I...I can't move.

"Oi!"

"Hey break it up!"

"Please calm down!" The voices from the others came at the same time as I dully watched them, feeling so helpless and useless. Even though they were close by, their voices sounded so far away and muffled.

It's... It's happening again.

Just like last time.

Before things could get physical, Hikigaya and Hina put themselves between Yukino-chan and Yumiko, who were still shocked at what she had done. He put an arm around Yukino-chan's waist and lightly dragged her away from the other two. "Yukinoshita, calm down! She didn't mean it."

Hikigaya's complexion has always been on the pale side, even paler than Yukino-chan's. Somewhat unhealthy pale even, so the red mark on the side of his face was very prominent.

As if suddenly realizing what she had done, Yumiko laid her eyes on her right hand, some tears falling on it. She looked like she was looking at something disgusting. It looked like Hina's words aren't reaching her. She turned and looked to Hikigaya who's still trying to calm down the black-haired girl, he held her arm, just in case she might do something again.

"H-Hikio...I-I'm so-...I-I didn't m-mean to..." Her breath hitched as hiccups rocked her chest. Regret and guilt were plastered on her pretty face. I didn't expect her to do that, but everyone handles their emotions differently. Especially when stressed out or being in an argument that got too heated...

When Yumiko slowly approached him, Yukino-chan struggled against his grasp which forced her to stop. Yui and Totsuka immediately went to calm down Yukinoshita, while Kawasaki and Hikigaya's little sister stood a small distance away.

Hikigaya turned to her having a soft expression on his face. "Yumiko, it's alright...it's alright..." He gave her a small smile while blood trickled from his swollen lower lip down to his chin.

Seeing him force a pained smile like that, the wound that she gave him, something that she inflicted must have been too much for her to bear. She took a step back and untangled herself from Hina.

Without another word, she covered her face with her hands and turned in the direction of their cabin and ran away. Leaving us still stunned and reeling from what happened.

Damn Season 3 Episode 11 was a roller-coaster ride of emotions...

Legit cried until tears wouldn't come out anymore...

Anyway, here's my A.N.

Sorry for the late update, I was supposed to pass this on the 11th of September, but I got busy with some stuff.

Time flew so fast, it's already been three years since I started writing this. This was just something of an idea that sprouted from my mind after I finished reading the LN three years ago. Who would have thought that this story would reach 47 chapters with a total of 321k words!

"What if this happened?"

"What would have it been like if they met like this?"

"What if instead of Hachiman sacrificing himself, he decided to do something, that his CANON self would never even think of?"

It always starts with "What if?" scenarios, something that all of us frequently think about.

After the season ends, I'm sure I'll be crying buckets. This series will always have a dear place in my heart. And although it pains me to see it end, I smile knowing that a masterpiece such as this existed and that it managed to make such a huge impact on my life.

I know that I am not alone and that this series as a whole, the one created by Wataru Watari-sensei, has made a positive impact on millions of its fans worldwide. It has taught us so much.

That it can't be expressed by a single word.

Thank you for your support these last three years and I hope you'll be with me until I conclude this story and all of my future works too.

48

I can feel several eyes staring daggers into my back as I walk through the hallway. Sometimes, when I pass by some students, they give me a hostile look and stop talking with their fellows. The males usually hid their displeasure from my presence, but the girls were more vicious, and I would sometimes hear their voices as I pass them.

" Oh look, it's her ."

" Shhh, keep your voice down."

" Look at the way she walks, so annoying. As if she owns the place..."

" Do you think she still does it? You know, openly treating Him like that? It won't come as surprising if one of the teachers talk to her about it..."

" Unlikely, since her Mother's an important member of the PTA. But seriously, who does she think she is anyway? Just because she's from a rich family and all that... I owe a lot to Him , he's been a huge help in our club and committees."

" Yeah, He helped me a lot when we were classmates. It's thanks to Him that my boyfriend and I didn't have to repeat the year..."

" I know right? You can barely approach her with that aura of hers, it's like she hates everyone's guts or something."

" He's a good guy, so it kinda pisses me off on how he's just enduring her like that. He should just put her in her place..."

" Looks like treating others with respect is something that she really lacks."

I ignored their words, as they are not worthy to be heard from someone such as myself.

As I was walking, I saw a familiar figure talking to some students just outside their classroom. He is the perfect model student, everything about him is perfect. How he grooms himself to look presentable and neat, his posture as he walks, the serious, yet respectable aura that he exudes, and especially the friendly nods that he would return to the students who know him when he walks through these very hallways. Smiling was always something difficult for him so he opted to nod instead.

He was talking casually to them, and would occasionally throw in a word or two. The small smile he had on his face was something that tried he adopting quite recently, and he looks more handsome and charming with it. I can appreciate the effort that he makes to do that, even though he says that it makes him uncomfortable at times.

He looks taller now that I get a closer look at him. I saw him during the opening ceremony some time back, but this is the first time that I see him up close ever since classes resumed. I would occasionally see him, but he is either too fast for me to approach or I am busy with something. His hair is also slightly longer now, but still short enough to follow the school's rules. I wonder what he did during the school break...

Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself drawn and walking towards him. When I was near enough, the students that he was speaking to noticed me and called his attention to me. They excused themselves and returned to their classroom after giving me a disapproving look.

" Ah, Yukinoshita... Did you need something?" He said when he turned around to see me.

I shook my head. "Nothing. What were you doing? You know them?"

He turned back to the classroom, where someone waved at him. "Oh, they worked under me during the committee before and I still know some of the other Class Reps from last year. They just came out to say hi when I walked past their room." He said and faced me. "Do you still remember some of them?"

I followed where he looked before, the faces of the students don't seem to be familiar. I saw some negative looks being sent in my direction, before turning their heads the other way and ignoring me altogether. "No, I don't."

" Already? It was just literally a few weeks ago that we were 1 st Years you know...?" He said, slightly surprised.

I had no comment on the matter, so I kept silent. "..."

" ..." He scratched his head, not quite sure on what to do nor react to my silence. I kept my gaze on when he eyed me from head to toe. "Umm, is there something else that you want from me...? Because if not, then I have to go back to class."

" I am going in the same direction as you are, so I will accompany you."

" Well, let's go then." He nodded and turned around, not waiting for me. I walked up and matched his pace so I could walk beside him. He walked with poise not very much different from my own. His steps were longer of course with the difference in our build and all. But aside from that, we were completely identical.

" I'm still not used to being in a club. I complained to Shiromeguri-senpai and faked crying, but she encouraged me and patted my head instead..." He said and sighed in exasperation.

" To think that she could convince you with a single word... Shiromeguri-senpai truly has trained you well..."

" Of course, Shiromeguri-senpai is one of the few people who I would follow without question." He said.

Before I could ask him what he means by that, he was greeted by several fellow 2 nd Years.

" Hikigaya-san! Thank you for your hard work!"

" Give our regards to the rest of the StuCo!"

He nodded at them, but their faces turned hard when they saw me. I am quite sure that he noticed, but he does not seem to want to ask about it. Not yet at least. He would occasionally look up from the clipboard that he was reading, sometimes turning a page or two and comparing something.

" Hikigaya-kun, please stop that. What if you bump into someo-"

My words became true when we turned into a corner, he collided with a female student. He was quick to react and was about to apologize immediately, and then he recognized the girl's face.

" Oh! Chisako-senpai!" He smiled and immediately gave her a respectful bow. I instinctively followed him.

Chisako...where had I heard that name before...

Hikigaya-kun was tall, but this girl stood a few centimetres taller than him. The ends of her black hair went past her shoulders and she had a hairpin with a bunny design. She was not wearing the back blazer that was customary for girls, and I noticed that her skirt was slightly longer than it should be. Her legs were toned, which meant that she must enjoy doing a sport of some kind. Aside from that, well...

She was blessed by genetics.

" Hikigaya-kun!" Her eyes lit up when she saw him and then hugged him. He was reluctant at first, but he sighed and gave her a light pat on the back. I raised a brow at him, but he just rolled his eyes. She still had a grin on her face when they separated.

" Senpai, I see that you finally grew out your hair. It looks great on you." He put a hand under his chin, giving her a quick look before nodding to himself.

" Thanks! Shiromeguri always said that I'd look good in it, so I decided to take it a shot during the school break! What were you doing during the break, Hikigaya-kun?" The older girl asked.

" Ah, just doing my part-time job and sometimes accompanying my Father. What about you Senpai?"

" I'm working part-time too, thanks to Shiromeguri recommending me to a place that her friend works at. But it's exhausting you know? Uwaah, I still have to practice at the Volleyball Club..." She stretched her back, causing her chest to almost explode out of her uniform. I am impressed he did not take a peek at them, his willpower must be very strong.

" Nothing is impossible for Chisako Mai-senpai." Hikigaya-kun said.

" Hehehe~! Thank you! I didn't know that I had such an adoring fan~!" She giggled while putting her hands on her cheeks, a slight blush was on them.

" Are you sure that you don't want to come back, Senpai? The StuCo Room feels really lonely without you now... I miss the sweets that you'd always sneak me when we had meetings..." Whether or not he was doing it on purpose or just acting, Hikigaya-kun truly looked and sounded what he meant.

" Aww, your Senpai is getting busy you know~? Being a 3 rd Year and all, I had to make a choice sooner or later. Plus, your Senpai is aiming for the top Universities!" She exclaimed and consoled him by patting his head.

" You can do it Senpai! I'm rooting for you!" He said and turned his hands into fists and started pumping the air, much to her amusement.

They spoke some more until Hikigaya-kun had realized that I was right beside him. "O-Oh, Chisako Mai-senpai, this is Yukinoshita. I believe you've already met her during last Valentine's Day, remember?"

Oh, I remember now. He gave her and Shiromeguri-senpai chocolates before we walked out of the school together.

" Yup! A pretty face like hers would be hard to forget!" She said and flashed me a smile causing a slight blush from me.

" Ah, yes. Thank you..." I say and gave her a slight bow.

She gave the two of us a knowing look. "Are you two still Class Reps?"

" No, I denied the offer from my class," I say. My classmates tried to force the responsibility on me several times. I appreciate the fact that they see my abilities, but I must say that it feels rather lonely when I am reminded of the fact that he is not my partner. Why did we have to get separated? I should have dropped a word or two to my Mother who is head of the PTA, but I do not want to get her involved nor depend on her assistance.

Also, there was no way for me to foresee something like this happening.

" Same here. It was so exhausting last year, balancing work at the StuCo and being the Class Rep and all... Remember the times when I would sleep on the floor, Chisako-senpai?" Hikigaya-kun yawned and covered his mouth as if recalling it also brings back the exhaustion that it brought.

Chisako-senpai giggled and hit his arm. "Of course! The other girls and I thought you were sneaking a peek under our skirts! Shiromeguri even requested that couch be added into the room, and some futons too!"

I gave him a deadpan look when he blushed at the older girl's words. "Hikigaya-kun you pervert~!" His blush deepened and he had to beg her to stop teasing him.

" Anyway, I heard from Shiromeguri that you're part of a Club now! We're so proud of you, Hikigaya-kun! You're finally growing!" She said and patted his head several times once more. "Was it the Taekwondo Club? Or the Japanese Archery Club? You know you always said that you were interested in the latter."

" It's the Service Club."

She blinked several times and tilted her head to the side. "Service...Club?"

" Yup, it's a new one that recently opened. I didn't even get to see the formal request, club information and all that since Shiromeguri-senpai worked on it so quickly at Hiratsuka-sensei's request."

" Oh! I see! What's it about though...?" She asked with curiosity.

He smirked before turning to me. "Why don't you ask the President herself?"

I told her of the reasons why I opened the Service Club, its scope and limitations, objectives and long-term goals. I also did not forget to mention that, currently, the members were just Hikigaya-kun and me, and we had still not received our first request yet.

" Wow, that sounds really impressive Yukinoshita-san. I can see why Hikigaya-kun was drawn to you and decided to join." She said as she laughed and started hitting him with her elbow. I did not disclose the circumstances of him joining, so I do not blame her for misunderstanding some things.

" Ah, well some things happened here and there, and soon after that my name was on the Club's members..." He scratched his head and winced when the older girl was not looking.

" Yes, I have a responsibility to him also. So I cannot let him out of my sight." I say with a straight face. Chisako-senpai widened her eyes and then grinned slyly at Hikigaya-kun, he gave me an annoyed look at my statement. We went on our separate ways, but not before she pulled him aside and whispered something to him that I could not hear. He had a small blush on his face after Chisako-senpai rubbed his hair until it became a mess.

When she was far away enough behind us, and after fixing his hair, he pinched my arm which startled me. "Do not touch me so freely," I say and leered at him. It had no effect since it only made him roll his eyes and pinch me again, much to my annoyance.

" You could have worded that last part better, idiot." He said and boredly looked at me from the corner of his eye.

" But it is true. Not the idiot part of course. I would prefer it if you would stop calling me names, Hikipervert-kun." I gave him a small smirk behind my hand.

He shook his head and sighed. "Look who's talking..."

We entered a part of the building where the hallways were empty of students. When I asked him where he was going, he said that he had to make a small detour to visit one of the clubs. Once he looked around to confirm that we were alone, he spoke to me.

" By the way Yukinoshita... Did something happen recently...?" He asked carefully.

" What do you mean?" I answered by firing back a question of my own.

" Well when we were walking, and I hope you don't take this negatively, I noticed some bad looks being sent your way. I was just wondering if you had a disagreement with one of your classmates or something." He said and observed my reaction.

" No. Nothing like that happened," I say too quickly which caused him to raise a single eyebrow at me.

I lied.

Something like that did happen.

It was something trivial to me, but to the one that I spoke to, she seemed to make such a big fuss over it. I do not understand what I did wrong.

Last year, something like that happened several times, but Hikigaya-kun would either interfere at the right time or would draw attention to himself. I realized that perhaps it was his way of wordlessly saying that I had overstepped and went too far, but I had no way of knowing since he never explicitly told me verbally.

Now that we are not together anymore, sometimes I get carried away. And without him to stop me, I feel that I may have irked some of my classmates to the point of resentment...

I truly don't understand...

Honestly, if only he were still around...

If only he were still beside me, just like before...

Everything was so good, why did it have to change...?

" Are you sure...?" I can hear the genuine concern in his voice. I badly wanted to tell him, but I also have my own dignity and pride at stake. If I did tell him, then that would make me look fragile.

And that is the last thing that I want.

He frowned, but he was not angry with me. "You do remember who I am, right?" There was a certain hint of pride in his voice, but not enough to reach arrogance. I would never tell him this, but he sounded very manly. "If I make a public statement here and there, maybe that will get them off your back." He offered. He may not be implying it directly, and he may be saying something entirely else, but to me, he sounded...

Protective of me.

I had to resist turning away with a blush.

I shook my head. "Once again, nothing like that happened, Hikigaya-kun. I do not want to trouble you nor the Council into doing such an unnecessary act." I touched his arm to solidify my words. "Thank you very much for your concern, but I am fine," I say and gave him a small smile to try and ease his worry for me.

He maintained eye contact with me for several moments, searching for something in my eyes until finally shrugging. "Well, if that's what you say so..." He cleared his throat. "I-If you need my help with something, don't hesitate to ask me..."

His words surprised me, but most of all, they made me blush so I had to look down to hide it from him. "A-Ah, I see. Thank you... Perhaps someday, I will... So please..."

" ...take care of me when the time comes..." I gave him a warm smile, and he returned one of his own.

Such a brief exchange of words made my heart flutter. Even so, I was once again reminded of my lie .

In this empty hallway that we walked, the silence made the lie that I spoke too sour in my mouth.

I finally snapped out of it when I felt someone shook my shoulders. "Hayato, you're spacing out." I hear Tobe's voice as I nodded and slowly got up to go to where the others were.

"Hina, give her some time," Hikigaya said when she asked him if she should go to Yumiko.

"Okay Hachiman, but does it hurt...?" Hina stepped away from him when the others and I got nearer.

He gave her a small grin, his blood still on his lower lip as it slowly flowed and fell from his chin. "Well, it's the first time that I've been slapped in all my life hahah. I guess there's a first in everything." He tried to laugh it off, but the result was him looking gruesome. The others and I didn't look convinced. Most of all were Yukino-chan.

She frowned at Yumiko in the distance. "How could she do this to you..." She said and was about to touch his face before he instinctively cringed away from her touch. She looked disappointed, but then lightly blushed when she realized that she was in the presence of others.

I arched a brow and gave him a knowing look, but he didn't seem to have noticed me. Or maybe he just ignored me, the latter is definitely something he would do.

He felt around his pockets when we pointed out that his lip was bleeding. Thankfully, Yui went up and offered him her handkerchief. Before applying it to himself, he took a good look at it for several moments and then looked to Yui.

"This handkerchief... I could be wrong but Yui is this...?"

Even after everything that just happened, Yui still managed to give him a bright smile. "Oh! You remembered! You gave me this after the car incident last year!" He looked at it fondly before being scolded by her. "Anyway, stop staring at it! Your lip is bleeding! Do you want me to do it for you?" He nodded and we followed the pair back to the benches, with Yukino-chan still sticking very close to him, keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact with the others.

"Well, I guess we can't really make a plan right now huh," I say and they nodded in silent agreement.

It wasn't even a question at this point. With what just happened, I doubt anyone of us could think of a decent plan. "I thought as much. We should retire for now. Let's talk again tomorrow morning everyone..." With that, they started to slowly disperse after staying for a bit for some light conversation. Tobe limped away and sat on the base of a tree at the edge of the clearing, I decided not to go to him since it looked like he needed some alone time. Everyone looked drained and had their energy sapped out of them.

After staying with us for a bit and helping Yui, Hina went to join Kawasaki-san, Hikigaya's little sister and Totsuka who were setting aside the plates to be cleaned. While Yui was still tending to him, Yukino-chan looked at him with concern in her eyes. I could not bring myself to talk to her. Sometime after the bleeding had stopped, she gave him her handkerchief and sat beside Yukino-chan which was to his right, and Yui in turn sitting to her right.

No one was in the mood to talk, even someone like Yui, even so, this was her own special way of helping us out. And I will always be thankful to her for this.

"Ne, Yukinon..."

Yukino-chan was startled when she heard her name and turned to Yui. She refuses to meet her eyes, or maybe she can't. "Y-Yuigahama-san...?"

"I-It's gonna be okay! Yumiko tends to f-forget stuff like this easily. So I'm sure that the both of you can mend things if you make up!"

It was like she was in a daze. She looked at her for a moment too long before nodding.

Before Yui could continue, Hikigaya quietly shook his head and sent an unspoken message. She looked reluctant, but followed him and just fiddled with her hands as she looked down. In the end, she excused herself to go ask for help from Sensei. Hikigaya and I both knew that she was the best person to ask Sensei for help.

That left Yukino-chan, Hikigya and I with each other sitting quietly on the benches.

I wanted to talk to him privately, but it looks like Yukino-chan refuses to leave his side, sitting as close to him as possible to the point where their sides were connected. She hasn't looked at the others eye-to-eye, especially his little sister. With what just happened, I bet they don't really see her in a good light. I can't really blame her since Yumiko's words earlier were really...

I would never even say this out loud...but in a way, Yumiko is right.

I don't really like picking sides, especially when it rips apart people like this... But Yukino-chan always had quite a mouth, she doesn't know that she's hurting and offending the people around her, that's why she doesn't have many friends. It also doesn't help that Haruno-san doesn't call her out on it, almost like she doesn't care about her little sister. She looks down on people, and together with her cold personality, well... Even back then, she'd unknowingly provoke her bullies...

And after that incident, I was a little afraid to approach her...

I nudged his shoulder, hoping to get my message through. He looked at me for a moment before turning to the girl beside him.

"Yukinoshita...why don't you go to Yui and help her in explaining things?"

She shook her head and looked down, with a quiet voice. "No, I'm afraid that Sensei might get angry at me..."

"You can leave the details for later, go talk to Yui. She'll help you, you're her friend after all."

I decided to add in a word or two as well. "Yukinoshita-san, Hikigaya is right. Plus, as Yui said, Yumiko gets angry rather quickly, but she's quick to forgive too. Right?" I gave Hikigaya a nod to which he returned as we both reassured her. She gave me a small frown, but softened up and disappeared entirely when Hikigaya spoke again. It took quite some time to convince her, but she finally excused herself and walked in the direction where Yui went. All the while trying not to look bothered by the looks the others were secretly giving her.

Of all of them, Kawasaki-san's gaze stayed on her the longest.

Once she was out of sight, the both of us let out a sigh of relief, one that we were unconsciously holding in. His sigh was heavier and deeper as it came from his very core.

"Are you alright, Hikigaya?"

He shrugged and looked up at the setting sky, long streaks of orange and red dominated the heavens. "No, of course not."

While he looked up, I looked down and stared at my hands as I clasped them together. "Do you think we could have done better...?"

He scoffed. "Too late to think of that, don't you think?"

I winced at how brutally honest he was, but I thanked him regardless. "I guess so. Sorry by the way." I say and gave him a bow. He turned to me, looking confused and asked me why I apologized. "I...couldn't do anything. I was frozen there just watching them tear each other apart. I couldn't move..."

I feel so ashamed of myself...

I followed him when he told me to raise my head. "I see. Well, it goes the same for me. I thought that...they'd sort it out by themselves. I thought they'd stop by themselves without us intervening...but I was wrong."

"What made you think of that?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. Intuition maybe, but intuition isn't perfect. It's literally guessing, only that it sounds fancier."

I chuckled, the first time since all of this happened. "Oh, the great Hikigya Hachiman makes mistakes too?"

"Shut up blonde fuckboi." The corner of his lips slightly went upwards, but at least I managed to lighten the mood. "You've gotten really close with her huh?"

"Who do you mean?" He asked with a raised brow.

"You know who I mean..."

He started counting on his fingers for some reason. "There are six girls here, or do you want me to include Hiratsuka-sensei and Shiromeguri-senpai too...?"

"God help me... You know who I mean..." I say as I massaged my brows. I noticed that I recently got this habit from him after seeing him do this countless times.

He gave me his signature deadpan look. " No, I don't know who you mean."

I smirked. "You know, her. The one that you have a huge soft spot for. You always look out for her and all."

" Soft spot? Shiromeguri-senpai...?" He muttered to himself, confused.

A-Ah, I should have known. Even he doesn't realize how much of a softie he has grown into. So saying which one that he has a soft spot for doesn't really narrow the list down. He's really grown from the first time I've met him.

"For all, I know you could be talking about my Secretary or Yuuko-chan for goodness's sake. Wait, scratch that. Isshiki isn't really my secretary, oh but I did personally add her to the Council..." He put a hand under his chin, closed his eyes and started muttering to himself.

This is also one of his habits, but I'm glad I didn't unconsciously copy this from him. Well not yet at least.

I kind of wanted to drop the topic, but I got interested so I decided to go with the flow.

"Isshiki? So that's her name? I heard a rumour a few weeks back that you were secretly a couple after quite some students saw her give you a bow, you know, confession-like, near one of the benches..." I say. Now that poke around my memories, Tobe did say something like that happened. He was there practising at the field with the others I believe, he even waved at Hikigaya from afar.

"Yes, that's my one and only cute little foxy Kouhai. The one who would occasionally peek inside our room looking for me. And stay away from her, she's mine. No, we're not a couple." He said with a warning undertone.

I was confused as I tilted my head at his words. "She's.. yours...?"

"That is true. She is indeed mine."

"But you're not a couple..."

"No, we are not."

"You're not making any sense Hikigaya..."

He nodded to himself as he crossed his arms around his chest. "Yes, I know. Hina said so too when she asked me about her. Isshiki complained about Yumiko's attitude when we stumbled upon her and Hina in the cafeteria. But she likes Hina though."

"And wait... Yuuko? Sumiya-san...? Why'd you bring up her name? Is there something going on between the two of you? Sometimes I'd see her give you glances in class." I ask, genuinely curious since it's something that I think about from time to time. Sumiya-san is part of the cliques in class, the girls that she usually hangs out with are Sagami-san and Naomi-san.

Surprisingly, a faint blush grew on his pale cheeks. "No. Well, it's complicated but it's over now."

"Ah, you broke up? Sorry I'll stop asking." I bowed to him again. I didn't know that he has an ex of all things. Maybe that's why he acts rather reserved around girls, breaking up isn't exactly a nice feeling. Well, not that I have experience in it.

"Nothing like that happened. Damnit can you not jump to conclusions?"

I lightly hit his shoulder. " You're the one who's sounding so suggestive. Not my fault for making conclusions based on what you say. Fine, I'll stop asking. But one day you have to tell me." He was about to retort stopping halfway and then nodding to himself. "Jeez... Well, you're right about that. Hina always said that I sound weird..."

"Oh yeah, is my face still red...?" He asked.

"Yeah, you look like you're blushing from this angle," I say and laughed.

He rolled his eyes and rubbed the side of his face. "She'll come around, Yumiko I mean. She's used to people talking behind her back. Not so sure about Yukinoshita though, being verbally attacked in front of everyone and all that..." I recalled the expression that she had on her face when she thought that Hikigaya was taking Yukino-chan's side. Betrayal, hurt, sadness, anger...

"Yukinoshita-san, really trusts you huh?" I say.

He didn't respond for several still moments as my words were still in the air. Seconds turned into minutes, and when I turned to him, his eyes were full of melancholy and emotion that I couldn't quite name. His expression, depressed and robbed of all life.

"But still, Yumiko really hits hard huh?" He forced a chuckle from his bloody lips. "It still stings a bit." He suddenly said and changed the topic, then gave the side of his face a light rub. If he chooses to stay quiet on the matter, then I'll respect his wishes. I wouldn't like it if someone keeps asking me questions about a sensitive topic.

"Well, she is a tennis player you know..." I say and watched him did some motions inside his mouth before he tasted some of the blood left on his lips with his tongue. "Ah, the metallic taste of blood..."

The sky was getting dark and the others were still there talking amongst themselves. When I looked for Tobe, he wasn't there where I last saw him. He must have gone on ahead. This has turned into a disaster...

"Are you going to them later?"

He shook his head. "No."

I couldn't hide my surprise and I turned my whole body towards him. "What? Why?" When he didn't answer, I pestered him to at least give me his reason. Even if I slightly irritate him, I must know. A word or two would be fine. "They both trust you, and with you in their presence, it's less likely that they'd tear each other apart. Yumiko knows that you'd never put this against her, but the guilt would eat her up from the inside. As for Yukinoshita-san, she's afraid of others and needs someone. You're the only one who can do this, if you need help then ask Yui. I...I-I can't do this... But you can. The both of them need you-"

"Hayama, please shut the fuck up..."

I frowned at his use of profanities. "Why won't you do it?" I ask again with seriousness in my voice.

He scowled at me. "I don't know yet how to go about this... Tch! Give me some time to think. Fucking hell..."

I thought to myself that he must be joking, or going on with his sarcasm and just pretending to sound sad. I realized that...I had put too much of my expectations on him, which is very unfair. I thought that he could solve every problem that he could come across with a snap of his finger. I thought that nothing was impossible for him to do.

"A-Ah, yeah. Sorry about that..."

"..."

He sighed deeply and then exhaled. "You know Hayama," He spoke, his voice raspy as if he had aged fifty years in the span of a few seconds. From the corner of my eye, he has a forlorn expression, one that I have never seen him make before. "I feel that after everything I had done... Does it sounds strange if I say that I deserve more than a bloody lip like this...? More like a few more, just to make this feeling go away, if only for a moment...?"

Slowly, I turned to him and I frowned at his words. "What...? What do you mean by that...?"

He stiffened and froze.

He must have unknowingly said that out loud. He glanced at me and then straightened his back. I was still thinking about the words that came out of him when he started stretching his arms and shoulders.

What the...

Those were-

Those were...violent self-destructive thoughts... I never thought that...he of all people would even think of that...

This is dangerous...

This is very dangerous...

I heard his words loud and clear, yet I forced myself to filter them out.

Because I feel that no matter how hard I try to deny it... No matter how hard I try to suppress and stomp down those thoughts to the back of my mind...

I've felt the same way before too...

He promptly stood up, ignoring my earlier words. "Let's go get some sleep. Ah, my lip still hurts..." He whispered the last part to himself and started walking away, not looking back at me and leaving me alone with my thoughts. I watched him get intercepted by his little sister and Kawasaki-san.

I couldn't stop thinking about what he said.

I can't sleep.

After everything that's happened today, it doesn't come as surprising that I would have some difficulty sleeping.

With Saika facing me like this, it really makes me a tad bit uncomfortable.

I got up and got out after wearing a jacket over myself and making as little noise as possible. Perhaps the fresh air could help me sleep and clear my head, anyway, I still needed to go to the girls and check on my little sister. I checked Tobe and Hayama, they were both fast asleep.

The air wasn't really cold, but I was surprised when I touched the wooden porch. A cloudless night sky and a full moon greeted me when I looked up to the heavens. The stars overhead, light-years away twinkled, as if it were their own way of saying hello to me. The sight absolutely enamoured me, and I found myself just staring at it for several minutes. For someone like me who lives in the city, this is a very rare sight. The lights from the city would never allow this beautiful sky to reveal itself, like a jealous woman hoarding her man from non-existent rivals.

Once I had my fill, I went on my way to the girl's cabin and saw that most of the lights were out. I took a quick peek through the window and saw that everyone, save for Hina were asleep. Perfect. She was still browsing something on her phone. Luckily, I brought my own with me, so I sent her a quick message. Then, I waited at the steps on their porch before hearing the doors of the cabin slowly open.

Like me, she wore a light jacket over herself and mid-thigh shorts. I waved and nodded at her as she sat down beside me. A light breeze came by, carrying her scent. She smelled nice.

"Breathtaking isn't it...?" I say as we both lookup. Their cabin had an even better view of the night sky than ours since theirs was at a small clearing with no overhead foliage and branches. I was a bit envious if I'm being completely honest.

"Yeah..." She said quietly.

Hina and I stayed silent for a little while, just gazing at the moon and stars. Like myself, she was absorbed by the sight. After some time, she huffed out and stood up, then turned to me with a grin as she offered me her hand.

"Up for a moonlit walk, Hachiman...?" She said cheekily as the moonlight reflected from her glasses.

I accepted her hand and took it in to my own after lightly chuckling. Hers was warm, or maybe it was mine that was cold. I don't know. "Thanks. Too bad the beach is too far away." I say and she laughed.

"A shame, but it's too corny for me."

"I thought as much."

We took a detour, sticking close to the shadows and avoiding the moonlight that peeked through the leaves and branches around us.

"Where are we going?"

I saw her grin. "You'll see."

We walked back to the large clearing where activities are usually held. I saw the area where we ate dinner off in the distance. She led me close to the edge and through a small man-made path through the trees until I heard the faint sound of running water. "Oh, a stream..." I say when I noticed the cold soil below turn into pebbles and rocks.

"I found this when I was poking around the map and geographic features in the area. We're coming here tomorrow in our swimsuits!" She said excitedly.

When we were near enough, I saw that it was just ankle-deep. I turn to her and put a hand on my hip. "You can't even swim here. Why would you go with the effort to change and just splash around with your feet? What are you, children?" I ask, completely dumbfounded.

"Because we want to!" She pouted and poked my rib. "Plus, don't you want to see us in it~?" She stuck out her tongue.

If she's teasing me, I might as well tease her back. "If I said yes, would you get creeped out...?"

She grinned and put some space between us. "No, not really. I'm not sure about the others though, I can already imagine Yui becoming a blushing mess and running away from you." She said and I agreed with a small chuckle.

There was a large rock nearby, and she led me to it where we sat down facing the stream.

It was a snug fit.

"Yumiko really did a number on you huh... But at least it's not big enough to warrant the need for stitches." She softly held my cheek and lightly touched my lower lip. The pain and swelling have subsided by just a tiny bit. I have some explaining to do when my Mother arrives... Not to mention that I have to be careful about what I eat for the next few days... Uwaah, goodbye spicy food...

"Does it still hurt?" She asked and I shook my head. "It's nothing. I'm not mad at her or anything."

She took my left hand and put it on her lap, then played with it a bit, she was giving me a hand massage. She does this to everyone after she read that it reduces stress. "Feel relaxed yet...?" She turned to me and asked after several silent minutes.

Because of how close her face was, I couldn't turn to her. So I opted to nod instead. "Yeah. Thanks."

She giggled and stretched her legs. "Weeeell, with all that happened earlier... Ah, I don't really need to say anything, do I?"

I shook my head with a small smile. "No. No, you don't."

She softly clapped her hands several times, grinning all the while. "Yay! I knew my hunch was right!"

This is our secret side that we only show to each other when we're alone.

Aside from Shiromeguri-senpai and Hiratsuka-sensei, Ebina Hina is probably the next person in school who knows me very well. The first step is the both of us calling each other by our first names in secret for around two and a half months until she decided to bring the others into the fold by dropping that fact at the Company Visit at my Father's company.

We've had quite a few "undercover sorties" as she likes to call it, and I had to admit that it sounds really cool. Going around different malls in Chiba, once in Tokyo because of our similar hobbies. Bringing Manga isn't allowed in school, but we trade from time to time. We even brought Yoshiteru and Saika with us several times. She and Saika could handle his cringe when he goes into his Chunni moments, but I can't and I walk away from them when it happens. He's amazing, that Yoshiteru. He reads BL manga without batting an eye, but it was also the first time that he read one. He said that he's doing research and studying references like the writing style and the manliness of bromance. Unsurprisingly, it was Hina who convinced him to read it when I found them huddled together in the store that the four of us visited.

Those two know about this and have sworn an oath of secrecy. We trust them of course, they're our friends too. The three of them got acquainted when they dropped by the Club at the same time. Hina helped me by proofreading Yoshiteru's manuscript, and since he didn't have anything else to do, Saika joined in too.

Yui got hyped by the number of people and decided to quickly use the Home Economics Room to bake cookies for everyone and was assisted by Yukinoshita. I feel so proud of her, she's come a long way. She says the cooking set that I bought for her as a gift was wonderful, even her Mother wanted to invite me for some tea sometime.

It was Hina herself who suggested this kind of secret arrangement between the two of us for the last two and a half months just after we became 2nd Years. I can't say this I dislike it.

It started on the weekend a week after The Service Club successfully concluded Saika's request. Hina, Yoshiteru and I were out shopping when our Chunni comrade announced his early departure, saying that Lady of his house has a quest for him. (Translator's Notes: His Mother had an errand for him so he had to go home.) Leaving me and Hina bidding him farewell at the train station. At that time, we were already hungry so we decided to have dinner before going our separate ways.

" Ne, Hachiman..." Hina said as she rested her chin on her hand. Since she's a light eater, she finished faster than me. Now she's just finishing the last few pieces of her fries.

Those were actually my fries, but she just kept on shamelessly taking from it so I just gave it to her. Damn girl...

It still feels strange calling each other by our first names though. She wouldn't stop bugging me about it so I had no choice but to relent to her odd request. It's the first time that I address someone aside from Komachi and Haruno by their first names too... Oh, Boss Yuuka, Maya-sensei, Kei-chan and Taishi too I guess.

" Hmm?" I ask after drinking some water.

" Is there a girl that you like right now...?" She asked nonchalantly and observed me behind her glasses for my reaction. Of course, conversations with topics like these don't really faze nor make me feel flustered anymore. It really helps when you don't have one in the first place, so there's no reason for me to blush and whatnot. As a result, I can talk about these kinds of things without batting an eye.

She looks serious, so I might as well answer her seriously.

But before that...

" What's with the sudden question...?" I say and lightly tilted my head to the side.

She shrugged. "I just thought about it. No reason really. You don't have to answer me if you don't want to. Oh but if you didn't that would mean that you do have someone in mind! Ahahahahaha!" She grinned cheekily and started hitting my leg from under the table. Good grief, how childlike.

I arched a brow at her, silently urging her to say more but her eyes had returned to looking at the glass. She may try to hide it, but I know that look in her eyes. She's deep in thought and contemplating something. What brought this on, I wonder? Is there a rumour about me that I haven't heard yet?

But then again...a girl that I like...? A girl that I'd like to be in a romantic relationship with...?

No matter how much I think about it, I honestly can't think of one.

Just like her, I found myself deep in thought, thinking about her question. I don't know how much time passed, but when I looked around the restaurant, most of the patrons had already left. Hina has been patiently waiting for me too. For while I was under some sort of incantation because of her question, she was just looking at me the whole time with a mildly amused expression.

" It doesn't have to be something like 'love' you know. Just an admiration is fine." She said helpfully. If it's just that, then it would definitely be Shiromeguri-senpai. But she's like an older sister that I never had, and isn't it already natural that you look up to your older brothers and sisters? Then, by that logic...

It would definitely be her .

I finally found my answer.

" Yes."

She was surprised and then leaned forward with an excited smile. "Really?! Who?"

" Fuahahahahahaha! Hiratsuka Shizuka , of course!" I say proudly and puffed out my chest. Since no guy out there is brave enough to marry her, then I'll do it instead! She's number one on my list of worthy women to marry after all!

Hmm, but she's the only one there... I honestly don't see any girl out there that would willingly marry me... Oh, but I did make a promise to my Mother that I would marry her when I was still very young and I did the same to Komachi when she just learned about the word when she was still a child... So does my Mother and Komachi count...?

Now that I think about it, probably not.

Hina's face lost all colour and she gave me a deadpan look, then went back to her seat with a loud thud.

Hey, that's my trademark look! If everyone just imitates that from me, then I'd have no other way of being distinct and unique! I'd lose my identity, causing me to spiral down into the depths of existential crisis! And then there would be no difference between me and nothing!

It would be as if I am here, but not here at all!

She put a hand to her forehead as if she were having a migraine attack. "You're not messing with me, are you...?"

" No."

" Ugh, and here I thought you were gonna say that you liked Yui or your beloved Shiromeguri-senpai..."

"Yui is a good girl and I like her as a friend. On the other hand, of course, I love Shiromeguri-senpai! Who doesn't love Shiromeguri-senpai? Please direct me to that person so I can preach about how lovely, charming she is. And if that's not enough, I will forcibly convert that person to my religion." I say and cracked my knuckles.

If a guy did something bad to Shiromeguri-senpai, I'd beat him up! And before Maya-sensei comes for my head, I'll plead that I was defending Shiromeguri-senpai's honour!

If it's a girl, then I'd beat- Oh yeah, I can't hit women... Maybe I'll intimidate or seduce her into stop doing it or something. Heh, like that'll ever happen...

Right...?

...

...

Shit, I think I triggered a flag right there...

Hina took a moment to think about my words, and then laughed. She wiped the corners of her eyes with some tissue before continuing. "Okay, aside from your daaaaaaarling Hiratsuka-sensei and Shiromeguri-senpai... Are there other girls that you fancy...?"

I shook my head. "No." I don't really mind having this sort of conversation with Hina, or the other friends that I have for that matter. They aren't the type to waddle in gossips and spread rumours. Hmm, maybe except Tobe. I can definitely see him accidentally letting something like this slip.

" Hmm, is that so...?"

" Yup."

" Would you not mind it if you had one right now...?"

I gave it a quick thought. The answer came surprisingly quick to me.

" Well, if she's not annoyingly clingy and she understands my busy schedule, then it's fine I guess... She has to be someone I know right now at least." I say and shrugged, not really putting in-depth thought into what I was saying nor thinking. This is just casual talk after all. "Oh and I still have to ask my Mother her permission and blessing of course."

She looked mildly surprised at my answer. "You're really a Mama's Boy, aren't you... On the other hand, you're in luck! " She exclaimed and slammed the table with her hands, startling me and rattling the utensils. Thankfully, none of the employees seems to have heard us.

" What? Why?"

" Because there's someone who likes you, or at least wants to be your girlfriend for now!" She said with a cheeky grin.

I was surprised of course, and how spirited she was was contagious. Whether she was joking or not, I decided to entertain her since I had nothing better to do.

" Hooooh? And who would that be?" I say bored and took a sip from my drink.

Her grin grew wider. " Me of course! "

I sat still for several moments, unblinking and staring at her, making sure that I had not misheard her and replaying her words an infinite amount of times in my head. There was only one word that I could say...

" Haah...?"

Not the most dramatic way to start something like this, but that's something that Hina would do I suppose. She even said it wrong the first time and had to clarify it several times for me to understand. She didn't even want to be my girlfriend, she just wanted us to hang out more outside of school.

From an outsider's point of view, we must be a couple and are dating.

But not once had she called our outings "Dates".

Not once.

It's true, nothing romantic happens. She might have pretended to be my girlfriend once or twice to avail a store's discount, but there was no blushing or stuttering when it happens. Sometimes we hold hands so we don't get separated when we go out, in the crowded trains and hordes of people at the stations. It was slightly embarrassing at first, not just to me but to her as well, but we got used to it as time went on. She's the one who usually initiates it.

It is a purely platonic accord.

When I ask her if she wants to come over to my house to hang out with Saki or just the two of us, she politely says " No ". When I invite her for lunch so I could introduce her to my Mother as a friend, she politely says " No " as well. When I offer to walk her out of the school since I was on a break from my StuCo duties, she says " No ". I even asked her if she was interested in joining the StuCo before, but, as expected, she politely said " No ".

But , when I ask her if she wants to check out a new game or manga corner, no matter how far it is, she'd immediately say "Yes" with an excited smile.

She makes a border that's clear for both of us and knows when to stop.

Hina is...a strange person, and unlike the other girls that I have met so far.

In a way, she's like Haruno: flirty, a tease, likes poking reactions out of me and a bit surprisingly assertive when it's just the two of us.

But unlike Haruno, her flirts and teases have a limit to it. They never go over a certain point, there is a clear line that she never crosses. Hina says that she likes poking at me for fun because my reactions are apparently funny. I know that she doesn't mean anything bad by it. When we go out, either with Yoshiteru and Saika or just the two of us, I frequently find myself just letting her plan our activities for the day. Not that I mind, planning stuff like that is really a headache. And because she's better than me, she is more than happy to take the reins from me.

And most of all, Haruno doesn't shy away from the idea of meeting my parents, unlike Hina. The former has already met my Father a few times, and my Mother even more. I mean, it's not like I was going to introduce Hina as my girlfriend, I just wanted to show my Mother that I had friends aside from Saki, Haruno, Taishi and Kei-chan. But a firm "No" from Hina is what I always get when I bring up the topic when we secretly go out.

Is she faking everything? No, that much I can tell. Her smiles and laughter are very real. It's just that she's afraid to take a step, or maybe she's using me to condition and train herself to open up to others more. If this is helping her in some way, then I'd gladly do it. She's my friend after all. And I have to say that I enjoy our hanging out as friends.

After all, there is a reason why she frequently said that "I am a pushover when it comes to girls." and in a way, she's right. She's the first person to notice it, and in a way, take advantage of me to both our benefit.

Is it wrong to say that I like being relied upon? To help the people that I care about? To see them become happy and make a positive impact on their lives?

I don't know what this secret relationship of ours is called, but what I do know is that we trust each other and we can confidently say without a shred of doubt that she is my "friend".

She's my friend and that's all that matters.

If I had to describe it, then we are closer than "friends", but not quite close enough to be in a romantic relationship. Because, as I had stated before, there is nothing romantic going on.

She must have sensed how tense I was earlier and decided that a short walk would help calm my nerves. As expected, she knows a great deal about me.

"Yeah, your hunch was right. I'm feeling rather stressed so I needed a breather like this." I say.

"I deserve a reward for this!"

"Yes yes, what do you want? Do you want me to bring you on a vacation with my Father and me?" I say half-jokingly. My Father joked that it's fine if I bring a friend with me, but it was a super lame joke. I didn't even laugh. It was very lame, only Kamakura liked it since he jumped on his shoulder and purred.

"I'd just ruin your fun. What did your beloved Shiromeguri-senpai say anyway? Did she say that you should go?"

I nod. "Yup, I'm going. I'll be gone for three weeks."

She pretended to cry while rubbing her head on my shoulder, much to my amusement. "Uwaah, I'm gonna miss you H-Hachiman huhuhuhuhu. Take care of yourself, you grew up so fast huhuhuhuhu... I remember when you were still a shy little boy who clutched to my skirt because you're afraid of strangers and going outside..."

I rolled my eyes and patted her head. "Yes yes, I'll do just that..."

"Where are you going anyway?"

I put a finger to my lips and winked. "Now that's a secret even you can't easily discover~."

She pouted from my words and turned away from me. "Hmph! So stingy..."

We both laughed about something that we really needed. I felt the last of the tension and stress leave me when I looked at the beautiful and laughing girl beside me.

She turned to me with a sly look and giggled behind her hand. "I forgot to mention that you brought Saki Saki with you today. That was really sweet of you. Really."

I shrugged and lookup. "Well, this is my way of giving her my thanks. She's warming up to you." I say and smirked.

"Hehehe. Maybe once we're close enough, I can integrate her into the HachixHayaxTobe cult!" She laughed like a mad scientist, I had to remind her to keep her voice down.

"So how did things go at your cabin?" I finally ask, keen to get to the main point of our meeting tonight.

"Somewhat quiet I guess... When we arrived, Yumiko had cried herself to sleep, and Yukinoshita-san, while still not looking at us eye-to-eye, was completely mute and kept to herself. Only Yui managed to get a word or two out of her. Believe me, I tried... What about yours?" She said after taking a moment to collect her thoughts.

I sighed. "Tobe is super depressed, Hayama looks like he lost all of his wills. Only Totsuka can act normally. We played card games earlier until the four of us decided that it was time to sleep. You know what happens after that."

She put her hands on her cheeks, trying to act all giddy. Good grief, this girl is such an actress. "Awwwww~! And then kept tossing and turning since you can't sleep, then you came to see me... That's so sweet of you~. Hehehehe~!"

I scoffed and flicked her forehead, causing a yelp from her. "Don't get your hopes up girlie. I was just checking on Komachi. When I saw that you were still awake after peeking through the window, I thought that I might as well call you."

She stopped and pinched my side. "Uwaah, pervert. Didn't your Mother teach you that peeking is bad?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." A small smile graced her lips when I bowed my head in apology.

I raised my head after thinking that now would be the best time to bring up a certain topic. Something that's been bothering me for quite a while. "Hina."

"Hmm?"

"Yumiko... I think she's onto us."

She stiffened and gulped from my words. "Really...?"

I gave her a small nod. "I think she has an idea. But nothing solid as of the moment. She kept asking some very specific stuff when we were at the boy's cabin earlier."

I've noticed it recently. First, it just glanced, but then it turned into looks that said that she was trying to find out something. I've tried it several times. When we go out as a group, I deliberately get close with Hina, acting too chummy and touchy, to the point where it almost hits borderline shameless flirting to see Yumiko's reaction. She would frown and pout when no one's looking, but that's pretty much it. I've tried it with Yui too, but her reaction when it was just Hina and I was stronger and more noticeable.

She gave out a disappointed sigh, so I asked her what was wrong. She giggled and motioned for me to come closer so she can whisper into my ear. "Uwaaah, that's really boring. And here I thought the two of you were on the floor, with each other hands under your clothes while making out, until you couldn't hold it in anymore so you took out your throbbing co- AAAH! " I strongly pinched her side on her rib before she could finish what she was about to say.

"Ugh, damn pervert... You're reading too much perverted stuff..." I say with disgust and inched away from her. I also wiped my hand on my shorts, as if I touched something dirty. She once snuck an adult BL doujin in my bag as a prank. When I got home, I sent her a picture of her precious manga over a small fire that I made in my room. She never did it again.

"Ahahahaha! I have a very imaginative mind after all!" She laughed it off while scratching her head before clearing her throat. "Anyway, so that's why you took so long..." She put a hand under her chin as she looked deep in thought. "Was it because I was being too close to you these past few weeks...? Sorry, I must have gotten carried away at some point."

"It doesn't really make any difference if they find out you know?" I say and turned to her to make myself clear. "It's not like I'm your boyfriend or anything."

She gave it some thought and then shrugged. "Hmm, well you're right I guess." She inhaled and exhaled deeply while closing her eyes. "Have you figured out Yumiko yet? I'm honestly at my wit's end. I think she can't make up her mind yet."

I put my elbow on my thigh as I rested my chin on my hand. "Same here. I think she's feeling confused as of the moment."

She waited for a few seconds, thinking that I would continue and then poked my arm. "That's all?"

"Yes." She leered at me from my answer.

"Have I mentioned that you always sound so cryptic and vague at the worst of moments?" She gave me a deadpan look, looking utterly unimpressed and disappointed.

"You're the one who says it to me the most. There's no need for me to elaborate when you yourself understand my words and the hidden meaning behind it, no?"

She gave out a defeated sigh before smiling. "Yeah, I guess so. Also, Hachiman, if you don't mind me asking..." She trailed off and muttered something under her breath.

"Hmm?"

She would sneak me glances from the corner of her eye as if checking me for something. "What about Yukinoshita-san...? Is there something going on between the two of you...? Because we already just talked about Yumiko, but what about Yukinoshita-san?"

Ah, so that's what she means. I felt like Hayama was about to ask me that earlier too.

"Well, she's confused too, I think... Umm..." I unconsciously scrunched up my face and frowned at nothing in concentration. This will always be a very sensitive topic for me. Before I could continue, Hina touched my hand and whispered into my ear.

"You don't have to force out an answer you know? Trying to understand a girl's feelings is a huge challenge in itself, whether you're a boy or a girl. You'll just burn yourself out, Hachiman~." She said softly.

Once she pulled herself away from me, I turn to her and ask. " Even...you?"

She grinned mischievously. "Ehehehehe~! Oh, who knows~?"

I looked to my left wrist to check the time, but I had forgotten that I had left my watch at home. Taking out my phone instead, I was surprised when I saw the time and how late it was already. Time really flies fast when you're not paying attention.

She slowly rested her head on my shoulder and looked down. "Sorry about earlier... I couldn't stop Yumiko nor Yukinoshita-san. I felt so helpless that I froze on the spot, completely lost on what to do... If only I could have..." Hina's voice sounded sad and regretful. She was at the forefront of the conflict too, so she might be feeling some weight in her heart for failing to stop those two.

I put my arm around her and patted her head. "There there, you did good today Hina. Don't be too hard on yourself, even Hayama and I were the same. It's our fault, we should have backed you up earlier." I say, trying to make her feel better.

"Still, I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for Hina."

I would never forget the look on Hayama's face.

In a way, he looked like me when I would recall my...bad memories from back then.

When I do remember those unsavoury times, I feel...angry. And I feel like I want to-

...

...

I'd rather not say.

Hayama's was something different. He looked like he was remorseful, stunned, useless, and too fearful to move and act. Something must have happened. Something involving him and Yukinoshita. I respect both of them, so I won't pry into their private life. If they have an issue with each other that happened in the past, then I have no right to interfere.

Before my mind falls into those kinds of thoughts again, I turn my attention to Hina since she looks like she wants to say something. She pursed her lips and thought to herself for a little while, before turning to me. "Hachiman, we're not doing anything wrong, are we...?

"Of course not," I say too quickly.

"This secret of ours, isn't wrong, right?"

"No, it's not. Why would it be wrong in the first place?"

She slowly shook her head against my shoulder. "The others may not see it like that though..."

From my perspective at least, there is nothing wrong with it. I see her as a close friend, nothing more, nothing less. Sometimes, I hang out with her during the weekends, just like how I hang out with Shiromeguri-senpai after work. I assist her when she needs my help with something, like how I help Saki with her studies. I laugh with her, just like how I laugh with Yui and Isshiki when they do or say something silly. We tease each other, just like how Yumiko, Haruno and I tease each other. We make light banter, like a certain black-haired girl whose older sister also happens to know quite a bit about me.

I treat her the same way I treat others. Well, aside from the occasional "undercover sortie". Ah but it's really just us hanging out by ourselves or with Saika and Yoshiteru.

"Is that really how you feel?" She asks me.

I nod. "One hundred per cent certain."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

She looked up stared deep into my eyes, studying me as if I were somehow deceiving her. There was no blush on her face, nor any hint of embarrassment or anything that could result from our faces being this close. "So why do I feel reluctant to open up to the others...?"

Now that was an extremely difficult question to answer.

"Why do I feel comfortable talking about these kinds of things with you, but when I think about the others, it makes me feel nervousness and anxiety...?" She added when I was still thinking about her first question. Her face said that she was confused, and under the moonlight that shined down on us, her eyes looked like they were scared and reluctant.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry Hina, but only you can find the answer to those yourself."

"Am I a bad friend to them if I say that I don't fully trust them yet?"

"Trust...may be difficult to earn, but it is even more difficult to convince yourself to trust another person. It's normal to be afraid. Trust me, I know." I say.

There will always be that voice at the back of your mind saying otherwise.

Always.

Because I know that feeling all too well.

She nodded and took several quiet moments to herself, thinking about our words before continuing. "What about me? Do you trust me?" She looked at me from the corner of her eye behind her glasses, either too shy or embarrassed to face me directly. Not that I blame her. That question is embarrassing regardless of who you are talking to.

Even though it was a bit embarrassing, I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Of course I trust you. You're my friend. I wouldn't agree to be in on this with you if you weren't. Remember what I said before? If this helps you in some way, if this helps you grow as a person, if this helps you learn how to open up to others on a deeper and fundamental level, then I'd be glad to help." I say with honesty and conviction.

Really, I wouldn't hesitate to help my other friends should they need my help.

Slowly, a wide smile graced her pink lips and she started giggling before giving my other cheek a light pinch, much to my chagrin. "Careful now Hachiman~, if you keep on whispering sweet-nothings that make my heart skip a beat like that, then I might fall for you and demand you take responsibility for me~. I'm not exactly a good girl you know, so I may be quite a handful~... Please be patient with me~!"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "What are you talking about? You're already a handful as it is. And please, we both know that it'd take more than that..."

"Are you sure~? Today might be your lucky day~..." She said and fluttered her eyes at me while shortening the space between our faces, trying to look cutesy. I raised a brow and gave her an amused look.

Hooooh... She's being such a huge tease today, I wonder if something good happened earlier before the fight. I did hear some very loud squealing from Yumiko and Hina's laughter after I left the group. I wonder what they talked about...?

It had better not be me...

"Are you hitting on me?" I say with mock surprise in my voice and hand over my chest. Like an Ojou-sama being addressed by a common town girl. "I'm sorry but I'm still not emotionally nor mentally prepared to be in a relationship. My mind is a mess right now and getting a girlfriend is the least of my concerns. I'll also be leaving Japan in a week and a half so immediately leaving you alone for three weeks just after being in a relationship would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Also, there are some things that I need to sort out first, like what I want to do right now and in the future. Please try again after several months maybe after my mind is clear." I finished it off by giving her a dramatic and apologetic bow.

She put a hand over her mouth and giggled, before faking a hurt and sad expression. It was terrible since she can barely suppress her smile and giggle. "Pffff-! D-Did I just get r-rejected by my super cool and rich 'acting-boyfriend'...? Uwaaah, this sucks... I'll go publish my HachixHayaxTobe BL Light Novel in the upcoming Summer Con in Chiba... I think I can at least sell a million copies and distribute a free copy to all the schools here..."

" WAIT! Oh no no no no no no! I'll stay so please don't publish it!" I exclaim loudly before we erupted into laughter.

She was just finishing wiping the tears on the corners of her eyes when we heard something behind us. We turned our heads at the same time and saw a little girl with a stick under the moonlight.

Now.

I don't know about Hina.

I don't know if she easily gets startled by things like these.

But seeing a little girl in the middle of the night, in the forest is something that would freak the heck out of me.

So, with that said...

I screamed.

" AAAAAAA-!" Before I could wake the Slumbering Gods themselves with my shriek of terror that must have been heard from all the different timelines, dimensions and realities, I felt a hand quickly cover my mouth while also being careful about my swollen lower lip.

" Shhhhh!" Hina hissed at me to stay quiet. My heart was beating so fast that I feared that it would explode out of my chest like a newborn xenomorph from the movie Alien. "Hachiman, quiet!"

The little girl continued to stare at us, possibly wondering what we were doing here by ourselves in the middle of the night. Hina took the initiative and called out to her. "Hello! Sorry about my friend here, he didn't expect anyone to walk in on us."

Since she was standing right between the shadows and the moonlight, I couldn't see her face quite clearly except that she had long hair. Hmm, I think I need glasses.

The small figure tilted her head to the side and then stepped forward. "No, I should be saying sorry for disturbing a couple like you." Tsurumi Rumi said. Before I could correct her, Hina pinched my side and gave me a look that said "Stay quiet for now!"

"Oh! Tsurumi-chan! Why are you out here?" Hina asked when she realized the little girl before us...

She shook her head and swung the stick here and there. "I can't sleep. What about you? Why ar-" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw me and then frowned.

"Hachiman? What's with your lip? Got into a fight with your girlfriend?" She asked nonchalantly. Goodness, this brat has no sense of tact. She's even already addressing me by my first name.

"Oi oi oi, getting awfully close now, are we... Anyway, it's none of your concern so don't mind it." I say. She didn't look convinced, but she also didn't want to disobey me so she stayed quiet. Instead, she turned her attention to the girl beside me.

"What are you two doing here?"

Hina answered for us. "Just talking and planning tomorrow's activities. Shouldn't you already be sleeping?" Tsurumi shook her head and suddenly got quiet. I exchanged a glance with Hina, she nodded. I stood up and offered Tsurumi to sit on the rock beside my female companion.

"What are you doing tomorrow, Tsurumi-chan?" Hina asked as she gently patted the little girl's head. I have to admit that that was a really smart move to coax some answers out of her.

"The...test of courage thing..."

Ah, that thing.

I hated that back in Elementary and Middle-School.

They always made me the monster, and I wasn't even wearing anything scary or anything like that. When it was done, no one would look for me, and I'd wait for an hour or two for the next group to show up. When I go back to my class, the teacher would humiliate me in front of everyone...

"Oh! We had that in Middle-School too! But I didn't really like it..." Hina's enthusiasm went up in smoke but she managed to quickly recover and continue the conversation. "Are you looking forward to it?" She asked.

The little girl shook her head and looked down, letting the stick that she held fall to the ground. "No, not really. If anything, I want to go home..." She said quietly. Having heard her tone, Hina pulled the little girl closer to her to make her feel better.

Looking at her, I see my younger self.

Sad, alone, being ostracized by my classmates and with no one to depend on but myself. I was literally a Sheep living among vicious Lions. My younger self back then, and the way she is right now aren't that different. In a way, it's like I'm watching my younger self. Just looking at her hurts me.

Aside from the fact that I went on ahead of the group because I was feeling under the weather earlier, it was also because I saw Tsurumi being treated as an outcast. It hurt me so much that I had to break away from the rest of the group. It's fine if she's alone, but when I see her being treated badly like earlier, the pain comes back.

Hina noticed my stare called my attention. "Hachiman? Is something wrong?"

I shook my head and called Tsurumi's name, she looked up to me, with those sad and lonely eyes. She looks just like me.

"Tsurumi."

"Hmm?"

I went to eye level with her and put my hand on her cheek. "Would you mind it if we added a little... twist, to your 'test of courage?" I ask.

From under the shadow of a tree, I watched Hina walk hand-in-hand with Tsurumi, guiding her back to her cabin. The little girl's pace was slow, poor thing must be exhausted after such a day. Before she let go of her, she gave Hina a quick hug then waved at me, and went quietly back inside her cabin. She had already hugged me too before she went with Hina a few moments ago, her small body felt so fragile against my own. I deliberately prolonged the hug, telling her that everything is going to be alright.

Once that was done, I decided to walk Hina to her own cabin. We walked slowly and carefully since the moon had moved quite a bit, along with the amount of light that passed through the canopy above. "I feel really sorry for her..." She instinctively reached out to my hand to maintain her balance when it was partially dark in front of us.

"I feel the same way. That's why I plan to help her."

I felt Hina tug my sleeve to get my attention. Even though I couldn't see her face, I sensed worry and concern in her voice. "What do you plan to do? I hope you don't do anything strange..."

"Something that would help her. I'll tell you and the others about it tomorrow morning." I say. Though I did say that I would help her, I still don't have a solid idea of what to do. Maybe I'll consult Hiratsuka-sensei or Hayama, they're probably the best people to ask aside from myself. I can see Yukinoshita offering her own idea, but with how she is right now, I doubt I could get a satisfactory answer from her.

I decided to not ask Hina, since I'd like her to have a clear mind tonight before sleeping, instead of getting dragged by my wish to help Tsurumi. Even though she promised to help her too, I'd like to do everything by myself if I can.

"I see..."

Once I walked her close enough to her cabin, she stopped and turned to me. "I'm fine here Hachiman. You should go too, one of them might have woken up and found out that you were gone."

"Yeah. Goodnight Hina."

"Yup, sweet dreams. Get some sleep, you need it." She gave me a small smile and turned around, not looking back once. I watched her until she disappeared behind that wooden door.

"..."

...

...

...

Aside from the sound of insects around, it was completely silent.

Since Hina wasn't with me anymore, I stopped sticking to the shadows and stepped out under the slightly lit areas. It wouldn't be good if I tripped over something and hurt myself after all. Another injury isn't on the list of things that I'd want tonight.

"..."

Recently, I realized that I'm unconsciously going out of my way to be with my friends more. Hina and the others, Yukinoshita and the Service Club, Saki, Saika, Shiromeguri-senpai and sometimes even Yoshiteru when he wants me to read his manuscript in the library or on the rooftop.

I don't know when this all started, perhaps two months ago I think. Hayama was the one who pointed it out several times, I would dismiss his claims, but I now realize that he was right. He says that I've become more sociable, not just him, but also Yui, Yumiko, Hina and Tobe. Everyone really.

But after my little test with Saki and Yukinoshita, I also realized something.

When I'm alone and by myself, I get...very bad thoughts.

Thoughts that I would never think of when I'm in the presence of other people.

Unthinkably disgusting and hateful thoughts about the people that I care about, and even about myself. They tell me that my friends are fake. They tell me that I am the biggest liar, and the friends that I have right now are just my tools and playthings. They tell me that I am a fake, that I am nothing but a liar and a deceitful conniving snake. They tell me that I am a worthless human being.

I still can't see eye-to-eye with them, the thoughts that I had with Saki and Yukinoshita. Looking at them just makes my heartache from the shame and guilt of what I did to them. When I see their faces, I deliberately unfocus and blur my vision. The smiles that they give me makes the pain feel a hundred times worse, so much that I want to run away and hide from them.

Saki... I feel so disgusted at myself. God, I feel like I molested her, touching her like that. Even when she didn't deny my advances, the fact remains that what I did was very wrong. Playing with her emotions and taking advantage of her feelings, that was seriously trashy and low for me to do. I don't know why I did that in the first place, I can't remember anymore. The horror and guilt came to me when my Mother asked if I was feeling alright when I was just sitting down on the doorstep and staring at nothing yesterday. To distract me from the remorse and self-repulsion, I stayed with Komachi in her room since her presence calms me down. Every time I see my own reflection, I feel the urge to hit myself for what I had done to her.

I think was just being too emotional with Yukinoshita's case when I was at her apartment. The frustration coming from myself was real, but directing it at her was very unfair. It was very unfair... Perhaps it was not just frustration, but something like my psychological state spiralling down when I remembered all the bad things that I endured back in Elementary and Middle-School. All those things coming back to me, attacking me all at once from all directions in the span of a single moment, it felt terrible. The loneliness, the helplessness, the feeling that no matter what I do or say, I will always be hated. I never want to feel that way ever again. Perhaps seeing Yukinoshita break down in front of me, crying on my chest and begging for my forgiveness, begging me to stay with her and not leave her alone triggered something inside me. The influx of so many pent-up emotions that I had kept tightly sealed within me for many years threatened to spill out like an overflowing dam.

Perhaps, I wanted to cry with her: to let out all the anguish and pain, to cry at how the world was so unfair, to yell at how no one even gave me a helping hand back then. Now that I think about it, maybe I should have. Maybe I should have cried if it meant that the pain that I've been carrying with me would subside a bit.

Why had no one helped me back then...?

Not even once...?

Was I...really not worth helping...?

Was I really worthless as a human being...?

That is why I have decided to help Tsurumi Rumi.

I will do everything I can to help her. No matter what kind of means and measures I take.

If I have to destroy the fragile friendships of those that make her life miserable so much... If I inflict so much fear into them that they would not even think of doing it again... Even if doing so will risk the reputation that my Family name carries with it...

Then I will do it without a second thought.

If it comes to it, I am willing to sacrifice everything. Even if the others hate me for it.

If no one was there for me... If no one was there to offer a helping hand... If no one was there to console and tell me that everything was going to be okay... If no one even bothered to ask me how I'm feeling...

Then I will be that person for her.

If I can at least save one person... If I can at least make a small difference in this cruel world by saving this little girl that reminds me so much of my younger self...

Then that is all I need.

...

...

Ah... I really need a hug right now...

Man, what started back in 2013 just ended yesterday. It took 7 years for this glorious series to end. And I'm glad I was with it from start to finish.

Season 3 just ended. It's been, wild ride boys and girls. The entire episode was spectacular, I must have filled an entire bucket with the tears that I shed lol. Watari Wataru-sensei is releasing a new book, following Hachiman's life as a Third Year, I can't wait to read it! If you REALLY want to support the series, PLEASE purchase the Light Novel, Blu-Ray and other Official Merchandise! Oh and follow Wataru Watari-sensei on his Twitter account for updates, and also the series' official illustrator, Ponkan8-sensei for their gorgeous art!

I myself plan to order online some figures of Hachiman, Yukino and Yui!

Okay back to the FanFic...

16k words, wow. I'm really going all out huh. 0_0

I'm really glad about the feedback on Chapter 48. That was my first time writing a heated exchange of words, emotional outbursts and all that. I was originally going to take out the slap scene, but then Yumiko is a very expressive and passionate person, it wouldn't come off as surprising if she got carried away by anger and all that. Especially since she's rather protective of her friends.

You know I was a bit worried that there was too much of a mix of positive and negative emotions in one chapter, but I'm glad that it turned out pretty well! Was the drama good? Or could I have done better at some parts?

Now in this Chapter, quite a few revelations are coming to light. Yukino's flashbacks, Hayama getting really worried for Hachiman, Hina's insecurities and her incapability to trust the others and the extent of her friendships(with Hachiman especially), and of course Hachiman's promise to Tsurumi and his monologue at the end.

I enjoyed writing Hina's scenes since I've been planning this Chapter way back in Chapter 31! She was supposed to finally get her own POV in Chapter 43, but I decided that it would be Hayato's turn for now! Ever since her Arc in the 2 nd Season, I've always found her really interesting as a character. I guess even Riajuus get trust and friendship issues too. There's also a reason why she's the 2 nd girl to be introduced in this story.

But still, Hina is really sneaky huh... Hiding from the others that she's "going out" with Hachiman and all that. Looks like she really was doing her own stuff with Hachiman on the sidelines, and showing him a side of her that she would never show to anyone else. They're not exactly dating, but it's still something I guess. Both of them say that it's a purely platonic agreement, but who knows what might happen in the future~? You never know how unpredictable a girl like her could be...

Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter by writing a review or sending me a PM! :)

Oh yeah, I'm also planning to update one of my other fics. Either the alternate ending one with Sumiya Yuuko, or the alternate future with Hiratsuka-sensei and Haruno. Just check out my profile if you want!

And I plan to publish a new FanFic too... Please don't get mad or cringe...

But I want to try writing an Oregairu Fanfic with a Fantasy World/Isekai/MMORPG setting... I'll be taking elements from That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, Overlord, Goblin Slayer, Sword Art Online, Log Horizon and a few others.

Anyway! That's enough of my Author's Notes!

As always, favourite, follow and review if you want!

See you next week everyone! :)

49

10:23 PM

NORMIES BEGOOOONE REEEEEEEEEE!1!1111!1! Group Chat! No normies and riajuus allowed! :)

(HinaHina desu~! is offline) ADMIN

(PrinceofTennis is offline)

(XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX is online)

(8MAN is online)

8MAN: "Oi, Yoshiteru."

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "..."

8MAN: "You DO know that I can tell that you're reading this, right?"

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "..."

8MAN: "Fine, fucking hell. Blademaster General..."

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MY NAME HAS BEEN CALLED! IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEED, O GREAT BODHISATTVA HACHIMAN? GOD OF WAR AND ARCHERY, REVERED GOD OF THE SEIWA GENJI LINE? AND IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY, ALSO GOD OF THE HEAVENS, NATURE, FERTILITY, PARENTHOOD AND RENOWNED DEITY AND PATRON GOD OF RHOZ-"

8MAN: "First of all, stop writing in all capital letters. Secondly, can you please change that absolutely atrocious nickname of yours? This should be a crime against humanity. It takes up half of my screen damnit."

(HinaHina desu~! is now online.) ADMIN

HinaHina desu~!: "Hachi-kun is right Kuza-chwan, your nickname is suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper lame... -_-"

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX:" E-Ebina-dono?! My sister-in-arms?! Even you-?! Fine..."

8MAN: "Yup, what she said." *HinaHina desu~! laugh and love reacted to this message 69 times*

8MAN: "Hina stop spamming the love and laugh reactions. My screen is filled with your emojis... It's making my phone lag." *HinaHina desu~! laugh and love reacted to this message 69 times*

HinaHina desu~!: "Hai hai Hachi-kuuun~! Shouldn't you be sleeping already? Want me to come and warm you up~? 333 Hey, want to sneak out again~? Hehehehehehehe~...!"

8MAN: "I don't know if that's a good idea..." *HinaHina desu~! sad reacted to this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Oh come on Hachi-kun, don't be such a killjoy. It's exciting in a way~..."

8MAN: "Well, if you insist... I can't say that I'm completely against the idea. We'll have to be quiet though, the others might wake up." *HinaHina desu~! wow and love reacted to this message 69 times*

HinaHina desu~!: "KKKKKKKKKYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHAAJNUFHAOISFHGASIJSXDGHJKASKF! 0w0 OoO UwU" *8MAN laugh reacted this message*

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "What the heck are you two talking about...?"

HinaHina desu~!: "I dunno... O_O. Ask Hachi-kun..."

8MAN: "Hina plans to drag me into the forest and make her way with me under the night sky." *HinaHina desu~! laugh and love reacted this message 69 times* *XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX angry reacted this message*

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPP THE BOTH OF YOU! Take your DISGUSTANG pillow talk somewhere else! THIS GROUP CHAT FORBIDS LEWD THINGS AND ONLY ALLOWS WHOLESOME STUFF! I don't want to hear any of that nonsense!" *HinaHina desu~! angry reacted this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Big talk for someone who's about to get removed from the group! I'm the ADMIN so you can't boss me around! Fuahahahahaha!" *8MAN liked this message* *XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX angry and sad reacted this message*

8MAN: "We're pretty much under her mercy... Yoshiteru, you know that we're just messing around to trigger you for the laughs, right...?" *HinaHina desu~! laugh reacted this message*

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Hachiman, keep your woman under control!" *HinaHina desu~! laugh reacted this message* *8MAN sad reacted this message*

8MAN: "I gave up a month and a half ago, to be honest. She's too wild for me to handle." *HinaHina desu~! love and laugh reacted at this message* *XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX angry and sad reacted this message*

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "MY BROTHER HAS BEEN BEWITCHED BY A WOMAN! That's what a SIMP would say! Shut up simp! Simp! SIMP! SIIIIIIIIIIMP! I don't listen to lowly SIMPS!111111111! #$%&*)(*&% YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO ALL MEN!*#& Q#!"

8MAN: "Yoshiteru... You can't really call me a simp since she acknowledged me, you know...?" *HinaHina desu~! love reacted this message 69 times* *XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX angry reacted this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Yeah stop picking on my Hachi-kun! :( :( Throwing around words before you know the real meaning and in what context they should be used is why you get roasted in online forums, Kuza-chwan." *8MAN like reacted this message*

8MAN: "That's my girl. Wife material right here." *HinaHina desu~! love reacted this message 69 times* *XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX angry reacted this message*

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "...It pains me to admit, but Ebina-dono and Hachiman are right. I have no choice but to change this name bestowed upon me by the Heavens into a more suitable one for this group chat..." *8MAN and HinaHina-desu~! like reacted this message*

(XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX changed his nickname to Riajuu_Destroyer)

8MAN: "..."

HinaHina desu~!: "..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "What now?"

8MAN: "I was going to say that you sound like a ship, but this is better than your old one I guess..." *HinaHina desu~! like reacted this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "What's with the strange name Kuza-chwan? Is this another light novel idea where you get reincarnated as a ship girl like A*ur Lane and K*ncole? That's lowkey creepy ugh. Finish one first before you start another one SMH my head. -_-" *Riajuu_Destroyer like reacted this message*

8MAN: "Anyway, are you busy right now?"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Aside from that fact that I am currently farming materials to ascend one of my SSR's that I got yesterday, and we have a dungeon raid an hour from now, then no. Why?"

8MAN: "I need a favour from you."

(An hour of explaining later)

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Hmm, that is a tall order... And before tomorrow morning?"

8MAN: "Yeah, can you do it?"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Fufufufufufufufufufu...!"

8MAN: "?"

HinaHina desu~!: "?"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "FUAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! A task as simple as this is nothing to the Blademaster General! *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! wow reacted to this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Kuza-chii, aren't you called Riajuu_Destroyer now though...?" *Riajuu_Destroyer like reacted this message*

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Names mean little to me! I am as unpredictable as the storms of the Pacific!" *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! like reacted this message*

8MAN: "Thanks."

HinaHina desu~!: "Thanks Kuza-chii! This is a big help to Hachi-kun!"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Speak nothing of it! Hahahahahaha!" *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! like reacted this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Oh yeah Hachi-kun, you mentioned that your phone is starting to lag right? Isn't that like an old model?"

8MAN: "Yup, she's served me for many years already."

HinaHina desu~!: "You should get a new one. As time goes by, it's gonna lose the support and get outdated, thereby your games would start to run slow and the phone's overall quality would go down." *Riajuu_Destroyer and 8MAN liked this message*

Riajuu_Destroyer: "My sister-in-arms is correct. Go buy a new one and stop hoarding your money! Your phone is for boomers, Hachiman. Haha Hachiman the boomer XDDDD." *HinaHina desu~! laugh reacted this message*

8MAN: "Hmm... You both do make some valid points..."

HinaHina desu~!: "Then after this camping thing ends, let's go on a Sortie together while you pick a new phone!"

8MAN: "Okay I'll see if anything catches my eye. Saika is already asleep next to me... Yoshiteru want to come?"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Saika-dono seems to be offline at the moment. Did he not say that he has club activities to do for most of the summer break? As for me, I need to finish my manuscripts, games, light novels and manga so I will have to pass thank you. But I will send you a link for the latest high-quality phones in the market to help you out!" *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! liked this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "You better finish that thing! And no half-assed results this time!" *Riajuu_Destroyer liked this message*

8MAN: "So it's just Hina and I..."

HinaHina desu~!: "DEAR, you sound disappointed~..."

8MAN: "ME? Feeling disappointed because I get to spend an entire day with you and you alone? Surely you jest DEAR. In fact, I am currently squirming and my body is racking with spasms from the delight and anticipation just by thinking about it." *HinaHina desu~! love reacted to this message 69 times* *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted to this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Awww~~! You're so sweet~~~! 33333" *8MAN love and laugh reacted this message* *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted this message*

8MAN: "Want to hang out at my house after it? There's a new show about to air its first episode premiere, but it's at night though." *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted to this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "I feel that you're trying to lure me into a trap and then you'd do lewd things to me like hand-holding~..." *8MAN love and laugh reacted to this message* *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted to this message*

8MAN: "Tch, looks like I got caught..." *HinaHina desu~! love and laugh reacted this message* *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted this message*

Riajuu_Destroyer: "AHEEEEEEEEMMMMMMM!" *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! laugh reacted this message*

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Anyway, shouldn't the both of you go to sleep already? It's getting pretty late and I'm not the one camping outdoors." *8MAN and HinaHina desu~! liked this message*

8MAN: "Yeah, you're right. Goodnight Yoshiteru, Hina."

HinaHina desu~!: "Bye Kuza-chii! Nighty nighty Hachi-kun! I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow~!"

8MAN: "Yeah, same here. Don't get suddenly clingy or touchy-feely with me though. The others might get suspicious." HinaHina desu~! liked and love reacted to this message*

HinaHina desu~!: "Hai Haaaaaaaaaiiiiii~, MY SWEET HONEY HACHI-KUN~~~~! Chuuuuuuuuuuuu~~! Hehehehehe~~! XD w" *8MAN laugh reacted this message* *Riajuu_Destroyer angry reacted this message*

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Oi..." *8MAN like reacted this message*

8MAN: "Wow that was really cringe not gonna lie..." *HinaHina desu~! like, love and laugh reacted this message 69 times* *Riajuu_Destroyer like reacted this message*

(8MAN is now offline.)

(HinaHina desu~! is now offline.) ADMIN

Riajuu_Destroyer: "..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "...These two shamelessly flirting...or something like that! Well, at least I'm happy for them. With Ebina-dono's presence, Hachiman has been smiling more lately. Even though they're not official and just playing around... I can never begrudge him that! He is my brother after all!"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "W-Wait, what I just said is really embarrassing... If those two found out, they'd tease me to no end..." (A message has been deleted by Riajuu_Destroyer)

Riajuu_Destroyer: "There we go!"

Riajuu_Destroyer: "Hmmm..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "..."

Riajuu_Destroyer: "..."

(Riajuu_Destroyer has set his nickname to XXX_420_69_BL4D3M $TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX)

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX RETURNS ONCE AGAIN XDDDD!"

XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX: "Okay maybe they're right that this nickname is too long and takes up a lot of space on my screen... But it still sounds cool though!"

(XXX_420_69_BL4D3MA$TER_GENERAL_69_420_XXX is now offline)

(PrinceofTennis is online)

PrinceofTennis: "Oh! The group chat suddenly got really lively! What's everyone talking about? :)"

PrinceofTennis: "Eeeeeeeeeh... Everyone's already offline... Looks like I missed a lot of stuff... :'("

Unbeknownst to Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, the ADMIN of a group chat can still see the list of deleted messages.

He would get teased by Hina, Saika and Hachiman for the next few weeks to his utter embarrassment...

Two girls standing in front of each other with their pyjamas still on.

"..." Green and fierce eyes.

"..." Blue and cold eyes.

I sigh and shake my head in exasperation. "You know, we're going nowhere if the two of you keep up this staring competition. You've been standing there for, what, fifteen minutes already?"

From beside me, Yui nodded at my words. "Hmm! Hikki's right Yukinon, Yumiko."

Yumiko and Yukinoshita's eyes turn to us and softened. Good thing Yui is here at the girl's cabin with me. I wanted Hayama and Hina's support too but they're not good with stuff like this, well that's what they said anyway. And I can't really force Hina.

Saki and Komachi were already making breakfast, assisted by the others.

I already know that Yumiko has put this behind her, she's that kind of girl after all. She might be rough on the outside but she's a huge softie in actuality. I can personally attest to that. Yukinoshita is the unknown factor here...

Yumiko's eyes lingered longer on my lip and she looked down in shame and avoided my eyes. She gripped the ends of her shirt tightly.

Ugh, I'm weak to cute little gestures like that...

"Yumiko..." I say to get her attention. She briefly looked up to meet my gaze. "It doesn't really hurt anymore. This is nothing. Everyone gets carried away by some point."

To everyone's surprise, it was Yukinoshita who spoke up next. "Be grateful that Hikigaya-kun is kind enough to forgive that violent mishap of yours, Miura-san." She narrowed her eyes at the girl in question, who returned a leer.

"Yukinon! Stop provoking Yumiko!" Yui chided at Yukinoshita and she reluctantly backed down.

Hoh, so it's like that huh. It seems that she's still offended on my behalf... Or maybe it's something else that I'd rather not say for now...

"Yukinoshita, you don't have a reason to be so hostile at Yumiko anymore, you weren't the one who was slapped..." I say. It was only a tiny reaction, but I noticed Yumiko flinch at the word 'slap'.

The black-haired girl had a reluctant expression upon turning to me. "B-But Hikigaya-kun, she-"

"I don't want to hear any 'buts' from you NOR from her. BUT, the both of you can show me your butts though." To lighten up the mood, I decided to throw in a harmless joke.

"Come on, hurry up. I'm waiting." I deadpanned in a serious voice while coaxing them with hand gestures after I failed to get the desired reaction from them for several seconds. They just continued staring at me.

*Insert lewd Kazuma hands motion*

"PFF-!" Yumiko immediately stifled a laugh and put a hand over her mouth then looked down, her shoulders shaking the whole while. Yui and Yukinoshita on the other hand turned to me with wide eyes and blush.

"H-H-Hikigaya-kun?! Wha-?" Yukinoshita's pale skin on her cheeks turned pink and she hid her chest from me. Pff, like there's anything worth hiding...

Yui frowned then pouted while hitting my side. "H-Hikki! You shouldn't make jokes like that to g-girls. If any other girl heard that, they'd be creeped out..."

Hina would definitely take this in stride.

"Yes, but the three of you aren't creeped out, right?"

They started scratching their cheeks and putting a hand under their chin. The girls looked to each other while occasionally humming to themselves in thought. Two of the three had more prominent blushes and the third one looked completely fine. Sasuga Yumiko-chan...

Yui, Yukinoshita and Yumiko shook their heads at the same time.

"See? You lot are just exaggerating. I wasn't serious or anything. What do you think of me, a thirsty pervert?"

The blonde's expression turned into a poker face and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Heeeeeeehh... But I feel Hikio's eyes on my skirt now and then... Especially when I'm walking in front of him..." The two other girls turned to me with accusatory stares. A pair of blue and brown eyes...

What the... I feel like I'm being accused of cheating on one of them... This scene is straight up from one of those drama shows on T.V.

"That's because your skirt is too short and is against the school's rules when it comes to the female student's uniform." I retort coolly after putting my arms around my chest.

Yumiko clicked her tongue and bit her thumb, obviously trying to think for something to use against me.

"Hikki isn't a perv!" Yui exclaimed and defended me. Hmm, Yui is such a sweet and nice girl. It's thanks to her that I'm able to somewhat trust nice girls and all. She's definitely nearing my list of possible women to marry. Watch out Hiratsuka-sensei! You've got an almost-rival now! I was about to commend my favourite airhead but her earlier expression faded and became confused. "I-I think so...?"

Naturally, I quickly defended myself. "You're the one who's rubbing herself on my arm, jumping on my back after sneaking up on me and suddenly getting too close to startling me. You lewd girl ugh." I returned my own volleys and she quickly started denying me claims.

"What?! Y-You're making those up!" She said and tried getting to eye-level with me by standing on her tiptoes and holding my arm for support.

I poked my finger on her forehead. "Haaaah? You do that every day nitwit. Ask Yumiko or Yukinoshita." The both of us turned to the former where she had a conflicted expression before nodding her head at me while scratching her cheek.

"YUMIKOOOOOOO! Nooo..." Yui grabbed Yumiko's shoulder as she pleaded at her to take her words back.

Yukinoshita, who has been quiet all this time looking to Yumiko and Yui, spoke up. "I admit that I have felt Hikigaya-kun's gaze wander all over my body, undressing me with his eyes while possibly thinking of lewd things about me.." She covered her coy smile with a hand and looked at me from the corner of her eye.

What the hell... Says the girl who touched me in my sleep!

But it's just a feeling. When I woke up that morning, her legs were over my own and her arm was across my chest. She must move a lot while sleeping and mistook me for a warm pillow.

A refined young lady like Yukinoshita Yukino, who comes from a respectable family, would never even think of doing something like sensually touch me and rub herself on my sleeping form that night at her apartment, right?

Right?

Right...?

...

Y-Yeah, she'd never do that.

B-But hypothetically speaking... If that DID in fact occur, and I w-woke up in the middle of it...

*Gulp*

I wonder what would have happened... Just thinking about things escalating into SOMETHING makes my head spin...

I was pulled out from my inner thoughts when I felt my shoulders being shaken and a mop of black, peachy and blond hair enter my vision. Three pairs of curious eyes harbouring different emotions reflected on them.

"Hikigaya-kun. Please stop fantasizing this early in the morning. We know that you are in the presence of three very beautiful females and you are a healthy male. I myself feel very much flattered but please control yourself."

"Hikki! You're spacing out again! And why do you have that weird expression on your face? Are you hungry?"

"Haah? The hell are you talking about Yukinoshita? Can't you, like, talk like a normal person for once? He looks fine. Pale as usual, but still fine to me." Yumiko reached out and pinched the skin on my cheek. "He needs to put on some weight though..."

I look down at the three girls who have invaded my personal space, two of them having to exchange words while the third one looks at them cautiously.

Their scent filled my senses and I had to take a step back. "Eh, he's probably hungry or something. He came here immediately to help patch things up between the two of us remember." Yumiko turned away from Yukinoshita and twirled the ends of her hair.

"I-In any case, sorry about yesterday. I got really carried away... The things that I said were bad and I really regret saying them."

Yukinoshita was surprised at her words and she immediately straightened her back. "Likewise, Miura-san. I... I am not good with words and I cannot express my feelings and properly. And I have had many disagreements with others in the past, as you may have already known and heard. I am very blessed to have patient and understanding people like Yuigahama-san and Hikigaya-kun beside me." Yumiko still has not fully faced her, preferring to look slightly to the side.

The girl known as Yukinoshita Yukino took a deep breath.

"I have already properly apologized to Hikigaya-kun." She briefly turned to me and I nodded at her to go on. "He is very kind to have let me known my faults and imperfections, and for that, I am truly grateful to him. I fully understand your feelings of protectiveness for him, since he is your beloved friend too after all. I do not hold that against you. I greatly admire your assertiveness and fierceness in defending your friends. One day, I hope to be like that. Unlike myself, I am a coward..." She said and looked down with a small yet bitter smile.

Yumiko blushed at the last part. "H-Haaah?! I've had my fair share of bad things too, you know? I always get badmouthed behind my back but I keep up a strong front so I won't look weak. I've even been called a bully before, but I didn't really mean it... And I really don't like it when someone is being bad to the people that I care about. I get too defensive and emotional and well... Sometimes words just come out of my mouth before I realize it. "

"Yup, I can attest to that," I say which caused a giggle from Yui, followed by the other two.

"Sorry about those things that I said. That was really low of me to do."

Yukinoshita shook her head. "It's fine, I hear those kinds of things from time to time. In a way, I have grown used to them. I should apologize as well. I should have read the room yesterday instead of being so pessimistic. I ruined the dinner for everyone because of my ignorant words..." She looked down. Yui was about to instinctively go to her but I stopped her.

"But I really want to help that Tsurumi girl." She said firmly. No one can question the resolve in her voice.

"Well, that's something I can get behind, right Yumiko? Yui?" I say as I go to them and put my arms over their shoulders and ruffled their hair. Wow, this is seriously something Tobe would do. Looks like some of his mannerisms have rubbed off on me.

"Yeah!" Yui's smile brimmed and she started pumping her arms in the air excitedly. Her enthusiasm is dangerously contagious and I found myself smiling a bit. So this is what having someone like her does to you huh...

Hayama is right. I really have softened up.

Not that that's a bad thing of course.

The blonde lightly shrugged me off and stood before me. Looking down a bit before meeting my eyes. "You too Hikio, sorry about yesterday." She bowed low.

"Yeah, it's fine. Don't think too much about it. Everyone gets carried away." I say and she gave me a small smile and then went to Yukinoshita.

"S-So... Does this mean that we're okay now?" Yumiko asked carefully at the girl before her.

Yukinoshita nodded after fidgeting a bit with her hands. "Yes. I honestly want to put this behind us... A-Also..." She looked up, before looking down again as a light blush turned her cheeks rosy pink. Yui and I exchanged a glance and Yumiko tilted her head to the side at what Yukinoshita is about to say.

"I-If you don't mind, and I understand if you deny my offer..but..." She said, her voice barely above a whisper and then turned to us. I nodded and nudged Yui, she mouthed some words of encouragement to the girl who needs it.

"W-Would you like to be a-acquaintances with me...?"

It was just a simple group of words, but the effort made just to say them can never be quantified. I can't imagine what she must have been feeling before she said it. In a way, we are witnessing first-hand personal growth.

Yumiko's eyes widened, and then she smiled. When she suddenly felt hands around her own, Yukinoshita was startled to see that Yumiko had already closed the distance between them. She clutched them to her chest, her smile widening when she saw that Yukinoshita was blushing and stuttering.

"Miura-san...?!"

She started giggling before speaking. "Of course I'd want to be friends with you. A friend of Yui and Hikio is a friend of mine!"

Yukinoshita stiffened and her blush intensified at the word "friends". Someone like her would have some difficulty with outright just using it as an offer, so it would make sense for her to use "acquaintances" first. Yumiko isn't shy when it comes to this sort of thing, so it would definitely take Yukinoshita aback when she used the word itself.

She gulped with pink cheeks and tried to regain what little of her composure was left. "I see. T-Thank you Miura-san..."

Beside me, Yui smiled as she watched the two while lightly clapping her hands. Uwaah, I feel so proud of them. I feel like Yui is my wife and we just witnessed our two wonderful and talented daughters reconcile after a messy argument.

I lean down when she signalled me. "Looks like things ended better than we planned Hikki."

" Yup I'm glad you're here. Sorry for texting you so early in the morning. Even I'm not sure if I could have controlled them if they went at each other's throats again." Her hair tickled my nose as I in turn whispered to her. She smelled really nice too.

Something flashed in Yui's eyes and she pouted and pinched my side. "Hikki, you should have faith in them more, and by extension, in us also..."

" Yeah, sorry. I'll try harder next time. Promise." She blushed a bit when I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed her in a reassuring gesture.

I returned the warm smile that she sent me but our little moment was interrupted by a blonde's loud voice. "Oi! What the heck are you two whispering about there?!"

I lean down again and quickly whispered in her ear before Yumiko forcefully brakes us up. "Anyway, I thought of something interesting. Back me up, okay?" She nodded and stepped away to get some space between us. Of course, our little chat didn't come unnoticed by a certain black-haired girl in our vicinity. She looked at us curiously before narrowing her eyes slightly at me.

We heard a knock, from the door, and after several seconds, it slowly opened to reveal Hina looking around. When our gazes were locked, I gave her the slightest nod.

"Hulloooo~... Breakfast is ready~..." She said and walked inside the cabin and leaned on the door behind. Only Yukinoshita was surprised and unsettled by Hina's appearance, she eyed her carefully and I felt her eyes on me as well. It looks like she must have wanted as few people around as possible...

"Have things calmed down now...?

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about anything," I say and answer for the other three.

She looked relieved and smiled.

I honestly didn't think that she'd come here, given that she didn't even tell me beforehand. I was already under the impression that she wasn't interested in mediating things with Yui and me, or that she was too busy doing some other stuff.

"That's good. Since you guys were taking some time, I came here myself to check things out. Looks like I was worried for nothing!" She clapped her hands, delighted at how things ended. "Anyway, come on! Breakfast might go cold! SakiSaki and Komachi-chan were the ones who cooked and the food is incredible!"

"Fuahahahahahaha!" I laugh loudly and put my hands on my hips. "Of course! Komachi learned from ONLY the best!" I puffed out my chest with pride. Yui, the girl who I literally pounded senseless and mercilessly until she couldn't take it anymore with all of my knowledge in culinary arts every day at the Home Economic Room for three weeks straight, nodded vigorously and also puffed out her chest while having a very smug-look on her face similar to my own.

"Yeah! Hikki is the one who taught me too! Mama and Papa say that I've improved so much!"

She may be a boing boing slightly clumsy airhead student...

But she's MY boing boing slightly clumsy airhead student who I personally taught with my pride as Hikigaya Hachiman at stake.

I patted her head while she gave me a confused expression, not really understanding why I suddenly did it.

I raised this girl... I'm so proud of her...

I can't believe I became a Father this early...

After I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, while being stared at by the four of them like I was a weirdo, I turn to Yukinoshita and Yumiko. "Since the two of you have made up, I have another proposition." Four pairs of eyes looked at me with anticipation. Yukinoshita waited quietly while Yumiko raised a brow and put her hand on her hip.

"The others must be waiting for us as we speak. Given that we separated last night in... unsavoury terms, I have thought of an idea to at least lessen the worry and doubt that they have. We can't really proceed smoothly if the cohesion in the group is low." I paused and waited for their reaction. The four of them had a mix of doubt and acceptance plastered on their faces but looked willing to hear me out.

"I see... If that is what you think, then I will do whatever you say Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita nodded after putting some thought into my words, which was followed by Yumiko.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too..."

"Plus, even though they wouldn't admit it, they wouldn't wholeheartedly believe that the both of you have made up so quickly, even with Yui and I's help. There has to be something that cements and places everything in order. So, what I thought is that the two of you should currently be in a 'time out' or something like that." I say.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hina asked.

"Time out? Like when kids fight and they have to be nice to each other again?" Yui voiced out her own thoughts as well.

I nod. "Exactly. Komachi and I have never fought so I don't know that feeling. That's because I spoil her rotten and allocate a large portion of my time and affection for her. I love her so much that I hiss and snarl at any male within a 1km radius, not to mention the fact that I have to control myself with every inch of my being when I'm alone with her. The thought that someone other than myself would have her fills me with so much rage and madness that I go into my full super grand bazakah Saiyan Bankai 4 th Ressureccion 100% Jinchuriki 15 tails ascension 12 gates unsealed form and unleash the unparalleled might of my RANK EX STAND and Noble Phantasm EX: [108 LONER SKILLS OVER HEAVEN] ACT 10."

As expected, Hina was the first one to understand all of my references and started laughing while clutching her stomach. Great job Dear, you truly are a woman of culture... Yui soon followed and started awkwardly giggling at the deathly silence from the remaining two.

Yumiko and Yukinoshita sported disgusted expressions. Looks like they ignored my reference and focused only on the siscon part.

"Siscon."

"Siscon."

"Yes, I'm a siscon." I proudly state and, after clearing my throat, I continued.

"My absolutely terrible and cringy jokes and references aside, my point still stands. I'll have the two of you in 'time out' like those little kids as Yui mentioned."

Hina, Yumiko and Yui nodded, but Yukinoshita looked unconvinced. "I think I get the gist of what you mean Hikigaya-kun... Then what do we have to do?"

"It's simple. You'll just hold hands for an entire day." I say, but she looked dumbfounded and tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, that's it?" Yumiko asked after several moments of silence before I nodded to her. "That was really anti-climatic." She nonchalantly went up to Yukinoshita and took her hand, slightly startling the Ice Queen as a result. Sasuga Yumiko-chan! She's really assertive...

"M-Miura-san... Please warn me. I am not good with these sorts of things..." She said under her breath and Yumiko just flashed her a cheeky grin as a reply.

"Hehehehe, they're like little kids..." Hina muttered, much to Yukinoshita's embarrassment.

"It's only for a day! You two can do it!" Yui gave them words of encouragement. Yumiko faced and started teasing Yukinoshita, causing the latter's blush to deepen.

"One last thing though. I know the both of you have apologized to each other but I still want to see one last heartfelt and passionate act before we leave this cabin." I say and stood before them.

"Hmm? What is it Hikio?"

"What do you have in mind?" Both of them asked at the same time.

I put my hands on their shoulders, and then on the back of their heads.

"A makeup kiss of course," I say seriously and nudge their faces to each other.

Of the two, Yukinoshita was frozen numb and Yumiko was the first one to react. When their lips were centimetres away from touching, she immediately moved away to the side to avoid a Yuri-like scenario from occurring. She was a blur of blond hair and a very girly and high-pitched scream came from the both of them once they understood what is happening.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

"AH!"

For some reason, Yui from behind me screamed too.

"AAAAHHH!"

And Hina, who in contrast to the other three, squealed with delight.

"WOAH! KYAAAAAAA!"

The two girls stepped away from each other and Yumiko eyed me with disbelief, her face red and flushed from what nearly happened.

"H-HIKIOO YOOU IDDOIOT T-T-THAT WASN'T FUNNY!" Yumiko exclaimed loudly while flailing her arms around like some sort of bird trying to get off the air and hitting my chest with weak slaps. She tried to sound angry, but the stutters as she spoke turned her into a blabbering and steaming mess.

"It was to me though," I say dully.

Hmm...maybe that was too far... Eh nothing I can do about it anyway.

Yukinoshita was in a trance and staring at the floor, her hands shaking as she clutched her lips. "M-My first k-kiss...a-almost taken b-by a g-girl..." She muttered and then held her cheeks while vigorously shaking her head as she turned even redder than before. The expression she has looks faint and dizzy, her legs wobbly as though they might give in at any moment. Her heart must have been beating rapidly since she put a hand over her chest to calm down her heavy breathing. Yumiko briefly turned to her, and the two immediately broke eye contact as steam went out of their ears and they got even redder.

What the hell... Was I just imagining things?

I think I may have also created a new possible couple.

"GRRRRR-!" The blonde growled once she took hold of my shirt and started shaking me. A nerve twitched at her forehead when I gave her a smug grin.

"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! ANOTHER PAIRING! ANOTHER PAIRING! YUKI X YUMI! YUKI X YUMI! Or Miura and Yukinoshita... AH! MIYU! MIYU! OR YUMI OR YUYU! IT WORKS WELL TOO! AAAAAAHH I CAN'T PICK! THEY BOTH SOUND SO CUTE~~~!" Hina squealed and exclaimed with glee, which earned a flustered ineffective glare from Yumiko and Yukinoshita.

"H-Hikki! What you just did...! They almost k-k-kissed!" Yui said after being taken aback by Hina's sudden change in demeanour.

I turn slightly to her, with a red-faced Yumiko still pelting my chest with her hands and a steaming Yukinoshita shaking her head while muttering to herself in the corner.

"Yes. And?" I say nonchalantly. I may be acting a bit out of character, but if they forget about everything with the help of this, then this isn't much of a big deal.

Hina strode towards me, grinning all the while. "Good going Hachiman! Ah! So close-!" She exclaimed in a frustrated tone, earning appalled looks from both Yumiko and Yukinoshita. She raised her hand and we clapped our hands together.

I think I may have also given my unofficial girlfriend a new fetish...

"The two of you are overreacting. It's just a kiss. I'll have you know that I give and receive kisses every day from an older and very beautiful woman." I say in an even voice when the said girls gave me dirty looks.

Once again, three pairs of eyes turned to me, absolutely stunned at my words. Hina already had an idea as to who I was talking about, and put a hand over her mouth to prevent her laughs from getting out. I felt Yumiko's grip on me slightly loosen.

"And that woman would be my loving, affectionate and overly-endearing dear Mother, Hikigaya Hitomi of course."

Never in my life have I felt such bloodlust and killing intent than from the three girls before me.

Once everyone had calmed down, and after I got my sides pinched, cheeks pulled and earlobe twisted to the point where they got red as punishment for my little prank, (Of the two, Yumiko did the most damage to me of course. Yukinoshita just leered at me and quickly looked away with a blush when her eyes laid on Yumiko.) I ushered the girls outside so they can finally rejoin the others.

That said, I made sure the two were holding hands, even though it gradually turned into pinky-holding, and had Yui and Hina follow them around in the meantime.

"Go on ahead, I have a call to make," I say and pull out my phone to show them. When I said that I wouldn't be going with them, Yumiko and Yukinoshita looked reluctant to take a step further.

After Yui gave me a nod, I decided to give some words of encouragement. "Go on you two. No need to wait for me."

"Yeah! Things will be fine." Yui added for me when the two looked unconvinced. I nudged them both forward until their feet left the wooden planks and onto the ground. "Go on. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Yukinoshita was about to say something but stopped when Yumiko beat her to it. "Let's go Yukinoshita. We shouldn't depend on Hikio too much, he must have had a hard time too. I-It's fine to start trusting me y-you know... Just do things at your own pace..." She said with a slight blush and looked to the side.

Yukinoshita did so as well and rubbed her arm. "O-Oh... Yes, I will do that. Sorry for being inconsiderate..."

Her reply earned a smile from Yumiko, and she shook off her earlier embarrassment. "Plus, he might take too much time and it's time for breakfa-"

*growl~~...*

Came a strange sound from Yumiko.

She awkwardly laughed it off, which was followed by myself, Hina and Yui. Yukinoshita was about to giggle but stopped herself. "Agreed Miura-san. I think I would like to eat now as well. Let us go then." After nodding and giving me a wave, they started walking away hand-in-hand closely followed by Yui.

"Don't take too long Hikki! The food might be getting cold!"

"Yeah. See you."

Hina looked back and secretly gave me a wink and a smirk, to which I returned one of my own.

Once they were far enough, I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the steps, the same ones that Hina and I sat down on last night. After collecting my thoughts for a bit, I took out my phone and dialled the number that I intend to call.

It was immediately answered as if the person on the other side of the line was waiting for this exact moment.

"Good Morning," I say.

" Hachiman! Good Morning! How's the camp thingy?" She asked with genuine curiosity. Even though I can't see her, I'm pretty sure that she's grinning from ear to ear right now. Something tells me that she's been really looking forward to our little chat.

"Definitely a change of pace. I'm not really fond of the outdoors, as you may already know."

I heard a giggle from her. "You're right about that. Hehehehe~..."

"Hmm?"

" Sooooooo have you made your move yet?"

"Not yet. I'm still waiting for your confirmation."

" Hmm... Is that so... ANYWAY! That stuff is boring. Let's talk about something else for now." She's really enjoying this huh...

I roll my eyes and sighed. I don't really have much of a choice on the matter. Might as well entertain her for now. "Fine. Ask away."

" How's Auntie doing? I haven't dropped by her place for some time." Her question completely took me by surprise. I was expecting her to poke fun and tease me, but I didn't expect her to ask about my Mother.

"O-Oh, she's doing fine. A bit busy than usual because of the sudden change in her schedule. Going to and fro most of the time and all that."

" Hmmm, is that so. Isn't her birthday coming up in a few weeks?"

Another surprise. Her words completely caught me off-guard.

"Yeah. How come you know anyway?" I ask.

" Hmm..." I heard a sound akin to when you plop yourself on the sofa, and then she deeply breathed in and out. She must be lying on her sofa or bed or something. "Aaah~... Oops! That came out very unladylike~! Hehehe."

" To answer your question, she did tell me that herself and also extended an invitation to my family as well. I told my parents about it, my Father would definitely go off course, I'm not so sure about my Mother. As for Yukino-chan, well... " She said nonchalantly as if this information is just triviality to her and trailed off. "Though when I asked her if Uncle was the one doing the managing, she just smiled. Any idea what she meant by that?"

Of course, I knew.

My Father and I wouldn't be able to attend my Mother's birthday celebration since we'll be overseas at that time.

"Hmm, must be a surprise or something," I say. "So do you have a present for her? I'm sure she'd love to receive anything if it's from you." Those two have gotten really close lately. She would sometimes hang out at my Mother's place and bring her college friends along. If it's just her, she's more than happy to have a nice little chat with my Mother.

She giggled after humming at the other end of the line. "Hmmm~... Well, I have thought of something..."

A bird flew on the porch beside me and I was about to coax it to me but then I forgot that these birds were not the ones from school. "Oh, mind telling me what it is then?"

" I wouldn't just tell anyone about this, but since you're Hachiman, you get the pass! Telling you directly would just be plain boring. I'll give you a little hint~! But if you figured it out, then no need to tell me." She said.

"Fair enough."

" Let's see... Remember when we went out some time ago?"

"Which one...?" I have gone out with Haruno around three times so she has been specific, exempting the ones where we just hung out at my Mother's place and tutoring me.

" When we went to the arcade and played that drasted and accursed crane game that had desserts as prizes!"

I couldn't resist grinning at the memory. That day was something that comes back to my mind from time to time. "Ah... That time when you startled me by jumping from out of nowhere, almost giving me a heart attack in the process, and you messed around with me at that boutique?"

" Yup!"

"When you literally dragged me around that place for the whole day and we had lunch at the Italian place?"

" Yeah!"

"When you couldn't get the prize that you wanted, and you almost lost your cool?"

" Yes... Geez, stop it. You're embarrassing me..." Her last reply had lost some of its earlier energy and enthusiasm.

I put a hand under my chin in thought. "That time huh... Let me think..."

" Hehehehe~..."

For the next few moments, I tried recalling the conversations we had that day but I could only do so much. We spent time with each other for no less than ten hours I think. I had been quite talkative, trying to do my best to ruin the mood with my silence and all, not to mention not trying to keep her bored of me. So trying to think back on all the possible hints that she might have dropped is quite the undertaking.

She stayed quiet, and I have a mental image of her grinning in anticipation and waiting for my reply.

I was about to concede to her, but I finally remembered it.

It wasn't something that she said.

I was the one who said it, and then she connected the dots and dropped a hint for me to take the bait. And I almost did, now that I recall thinking back on it.

"You're very sly."

" Thank you~! I take that as a compliment. You're quite cunning yourself too, Hachiman." I roll my eyes at her words.

"Oh please. Who do you think is the Onee-san that forced my hand?"

She giggled a pleasant sound that I never tire of hearing. "Hehehehe... I wonder who it is? She sounds like a really talented girl who loves playing mind games and the like. Someone who has an ulterior motive and a higher objective in her sights, something that you'd never expect. An unpredictable, yet undoubtedly interesting kind of girl. She must be really close to you if you willingly let her snake her way through your barbed chest and coil herself around your cold and still heart~..."

"Hmph. That's a lot of words and double and hidden meanings. You're making her sound like a villain or something. Or is that another hint that I hear...?"

" Ehehehehe~! Who knows~?" She stopped and adopted a more serious voice. "Anyway, let's talk about why you really called me last night. You ready to listen, Hachiman?"

I sigh in relief. "I'm ready when you are, Haruno."

I do not mind a girl's touch, since being around touchy girls like Yui, Shiromeguri-senpai and my own sister really condition you to react to it in a platonic manner, completely disregarding unnecessary things like blushing and all that.

A smaller hand was holding mine, leading me to our destination. Of course, I admit that I am a pushover, so I could not find it in myself to deny her. On my other hand was the bag that she made me carry for her.

But that does not stop me from complaining like an old woman.

"This is pointless, ludicrous, ridiculous, useless, purposeless, worthless, absurd, silly, childish, meaningless, stupid, foolish-"

"Quiet you old hag-!" She exclaims and I just decide to shut my mouth.

"..."

I continue to get dragged, I could always stop but I couldn't find it in myself to do so.

She suddenly turned around to me, with a sly look on her face as she covered her mouth. The glasses that she wore reflected some of the sunlight as we walked. "Heeeh~~...Are you expecting something to happen, and that's shy you're acting shy and scared all of a sudden~...?" She teased and then stuck out her tongue.

"No. I just think that changing into a swimsuit to play around in ANKLE-DEEP water is ridiculous and a waste of time." I say, remembering our conversation last night. "Seriously, I don't see any point in it?"

"You're such a killjoy Hachi-kun, let us girls do girly things." She pouted before looking around and making sure that no one can hear us. "Plus, aren't you interested in seeing me in a swimsuit~?"

I sigh and scratch my head from her words.

"You're putting me in a really tough spot Hina... If I say yes, you're going to tease and poke fun at me. If I say no, you're going to act disappointed that I don't want to see you in one even though you made an effort to show it off to me, which then, in turn, would make me feel guilty and inconsiderate... Worst case scenario is that you're going to call me gay or something..."

She winked and smirked. "You know me so well~."

We finally saw the girl's bathhouse which was where she was supposed to change. She could have changed in their cabin with the others but she said that she wanted to take a bath again and then immediately change. As for me, I'm just her handyman I guess. Ugh, how low have I fallen...

She's really bold this morning too, openly declaring that I'll be going with her. I was about to protest but she had already taken my arm and forcibly yanked me away. The YuMi or MiYu pair, as what Hina labelled them as were doing fine and things seemed back to normal. On the surface at least. Them walking around with their hands together gave us much amusement, and we'd snicker at them from time to time. Hayama and Saika lightly chuckled at how I was literally being manhandled, and Tobe teased that I should "man up" or something. Seriously, Hina is stronger than she looks.

Right now, holding my hand wouldn't bring out much suspicion from the others, given how much I resisted her earlier. They probably think that Hina is doing it just in case I runoff.

"You know," she started and turned to me with an inquisitive look on her face. "I was really surprised at what you did back at the cabin with Yumiko and Yukinoshita-san. I didn't really expect you to break character so much. If Kuza-chi and Saika saw that, they'd think that you've gone crazy."

"Ah. Well, I just wanted to distract them a bit. You think it worked?" I reply.

"Hmm... I guess so? They were getting along during breakfast from my observations."

A bunch of elementary girls went out chatting amongst themselves. When they saw us, they immediately greeted and ran up to us.

"Oh! Nee-san! Sunglasses-nii-san! Good morning!"

Sunglasses-nii-san...? Is that supposed to be me? But it's just clasped against the cloth of my shirt...

Ah, these were the group of kids from yesterday. The same one that encountered that snake. We raised our hands and greeted them in return.

"Hi! What are you guys doing today?" Hina asked.

"We have free time so we're free!"

"Our schedule today is open so we can do whatever we want!"

"We're going to the other classes to where our friends are!"

They chorused in their high-pitched voices.

Hina was strangely curious and asked them several questions more. "I see. If you're going to the forest, don't go alone and ask permission first from your teachers okay? And keep an eye out for each other too." I added after some time had passed since they gave us more detail about their plans for today.

"Haaaaiii~!" We waved them off as they started walking away. Once they were out of earshot, Hina squeezed my hand a bit tighter.

"Hachiman..."

"Hmm...?"

"Those girls, yesterday with Rumi-chan... You noticed haven't you?" She said and turned to me, giving me a knowing look.

I nod and walked, leading her to the bathhouse. "Of course I did. When it comes to these sorts of things..." She seemed to have lost some of her energy. After hanging around her for several months, I realized that things like these get to her rather quickly, and it really shows on her face when it's just the two of us. To distract her mind away from the topic, I pinched a specific area on her side, one that instantly makes her squirm.

"Eeep!"

Its effect was immediate, and she yelped and jerked away from me. "Stop it with the gloomy expression. It doesn't suit you. You were going to show your swimsuit to me, right? So cheer up, it'll ruin the surprise." I say and gave her a cheeky grin, causing a slight blush from her.

"That was definitely a 7 out of 10. It made me blush yeah but was still a bit corny. Hehehehe~. You'll have to try harder~." She giggled and poked my cheek.

I shake my head and sigh in exasperation with a small smile. "Please have mercy on me, if I try any harder then I'll literally die from the cringe..."

We shared a laugh before we entered the small building.

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

The sounds of the rustling of clothes being taken off shouldn't bother me. I mean seriously, how many times have I heard that sound from Komachi when she takes one of my shirts and changes in front of me? (With her undergarments on of course.) But that's from my sister.

It feels completely different when it's someone non-blood related to you. And also the fact that we're alone in the bathhouse. Which made the sound of running water through the shower too prominent. Like some bathroom stalls, it had some open space under and an open portion above it and the clothes that she took off was hanging on top of the door. Since my phone wasn't with me, I fiddled around with her bag which was resting on my lap as I waited for her to finish.

"Oops!" I heard her voice from the other side of the door and then something falling to the floor not a moment too soon. It's already been a while since she started so I instinctively called her.

"Hina? Are you okay?"

I heard a huff from her through the sounds of the running water. "Yeah, I'm fine! I just dropped the soap and all!" Her voice echoed around and I sighed in relief. "Oh, and can you take my clothes and put them in my bag? Some of the water is hitting it."

I raised a brow at how casual she was, but didn't think much about it and just followed her instructions since it was just her shirt and shorts. "You don't have to rush you know? Just take your time." I say and cross my legs. To pass the time, I hummed a tune as I played in the air, pretending that a piano was in front of me.

"Eeehhh... But I want to go to where the others are. They might get suspicious of us if we take too much time. Hachi-kun? Shampoo please, it's on the left side of the bag." She asked.

I opened her travel bag and took the thing that she asked me after she turned off the water. She slightly opened the door, the rest of her body was behind it and I gave it to her, her arms still wet and water dripping from her bangs. She also narrowed her eyes since some of them might enter them.

Instead of closing immediately, she looked up at me and blinked several times, wordlessly asking if something was wrong.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought that I rarely see you without glasses and all." I say and admit.

She then sported that all too familiar cheeky grin. "Heh~... And here I was thinking that you were paralyzed and dumbstruck by how I looked."

I shake my head and roll my eyes. "Yes yes, whatever. Here's your towel and your swimsuit thing." I hand her the first one, but for the latter, I opened the bag and let her take it out herself.

"Anything else?" I ask after she took her things and hangers them somewhere inside.

"You know," She said and poked her head out of the door, looking at both sides. "it would be really bad if someone walked in on us like this. I think normal 'friends' wouldn't do something like this, now that I think about it... I really should have thought this through..." I could literally see the imaginary light bulb over her head come to life with a 'ding'. The expression she had was kind of cute, but the context behind it made me feel nervous.

"You realize that now of all times?" I sigh and poke her head back. "Go back inside, finish things up and please stop raising flags like that."

"And it's not like-" I add but she interrupted me.

"Wait there were two missing girls that left early." She suddenly looked down and frowned.

Her words made me stop.

This morning I kept an extra eye trained on the YuYu pair. They sat beside each other and walked around holding hands as promised. My idea seemed to work, and I didn't sense any hostility and animosity coming from both of them.

I realize that I may have been too watchful on them, and didn't pay much attention to anything else around my surroundings as I ate.

Wait, Hina must mean...

"Saki and Koma-" Before I could even finish what I was going to say, we heard voices outside.

" Komachi! Wait up! Stop that, you might trip and fall!"

Our eyes widen from the voice.

Damn...! Why Saki of all people? Anyone else could have been fine but I really don't want her to see me right now...!

That was Saki's voice, and we soon heard a pair of feet running towards us. This small building only had one way out, if I got out right now, they'd see me and question me why I was here in the first place. And seeing that Hina was the only person here...

She quickly reacted to the incoming danger, and slightly closed the door, before opening it again seconds later, taking my arm and pulling me inside before I could move. I miraculously managed to manoeuvre her bag so that it didn't get stuck on the door.

The inside of the stall was smaller than I thought, around one meter in width and a meter and a half in length. Barely enough space for two people.

Hina had put the towel on briskly around her, but it still managed to cover everything. Her face was slightly flushed, her hair covering her left eye as water dripped from them and the droplets running down her exposed neck into the space between her cleavage.

She put a finger on each of our lips and I nodded silently.

We heard the footsteps stop at the entrance. "I win Saki-nee!" Komachi exclaimed loudly, and almost a minute after that Saki arrived and berated her.

Hina and I exchanged a look.

" That was too close."

" I know." We mouth to each other and sigh at the same time.

We heard them walk around for a bit, for the second time in a row within the span of only several minutes, Hina pushed me against the wall before letting go of me and going to the other side and lightly turning on the water. Thank goodness that her bag was small enough to not get hit by the water. I mean, even though it was one of those expensive outdoor bags that brag about it being waterproof, I still wouldn't place my bet on it so easily.

" What are you doing?"

She held up a finger and gestured me to wait.

From the small space under the door, I shadow came and briefly stopped. "Oh, this one's occupied..." Komachi muttered to herself and moved on to the next one, closely followed by Saki. They chose a stall further away, but we still heard their voices.

She must have thought that Komachi might peek under the door to see if this one was occupied. Goodness, her finding out that I was here with a girl is definitely the worst possible thing to happen right now...

" Should I go out now?" I whisper to her, my voice is muffled by the sound of running water after I carefully put her bag on the wall-mounted hangers, just barely out of reach from the shower's range. Surprisingly, she shook her head, to my confusion.

" No, you need another pair of eyes before you go out. Let them finish first. Who knows if you might bump into someone when you go out... What if a staff member saw you? You'd get in trouble for sure." She said as she moved a bit of her wet hair the covered her eyes.

I can see the logic in her words, she's being very careful that much I can tell. But I really want to get out of this risky situation as soon as possible.

We heard Saki's voice again. "Komachi, did you see your Brother this morning?" Her voice was loud and echoed around the place. It was impossible to tell just how far she is from our stall.

" No. I heard that he got dragged by Hina-san to go with him somewhere." She replied.

" Oh, is that so..." The tone in her voice made me raise a brow. She sounded disappointed and didn't come unnoticed by Hina. "But they weren't there when we came back?"

" Maybe they took a different path or something..." They continued having their conversation about trivial topics, completely oblivious that two people are overhearing them.

I don't really like eavesdropping, so I decided to focus on the sound of running water. Since Hina draped with a towel around herself was across me, I decided to turn my head to the side.

Still, that towel is really short...it's barely covering her. It ended just on her upper thighs. An extremely dangerous area.

When we go out, either just the two of us or with Yoshiteru and Saika, she always wears comfortable long skirts and sometimes knee-length shorts with leggings on. A hat if it's too hot and those thin breathable cardigans that girls wear during the summer. So with that said, today is the first time I've seen her exposing such a large portion of her skin.

She noticed the glances that I was giving her and giggled behind her hand. To my surprise, she stuck to the wall, avoiding being hit by the water from the showerhead and stopped next to me.

After gesturing at me with her finger, I leaned down to let her whisper into my ear.

" You know Hachi-kun... This moment feels straight out of a lewd doujin..." She grinned from ear to ear as her hand was over her chest and holding the towel in place.

" Hina. There's a time and place for everything." I whisper back to her while hearing bits and pieces of the two girls somewhere here in the bathhouse.

All it seemed to do was fuel her amusement even further. "You know, if SakiSaki was your girlfriend, then this is really NTR, don't you think...?" She said and pressed herself to my left arm, her finger poking my chest with each word that she said. Her chest felt really soft and warm, and I tried my hardest not to let it get to my head. I couldn't recoil away since I had no other place to go.

" Hina...come on. Not now please."

She stood on her tiptoes and closed in on my face. "Good thing that she's not then~... Since if she were, I'd be really feeling guilty about this..." Her arms went around my neck, locking me in place and preventing any means of escape. She pressed herself on me, and the front of my shirt slightly got wet as a result. Since she is too close, I turn my head to the side and look at her from the corner of my eye. "Well, maybe~."

I lightly put my hands on her hips, the thin towel the only thing barring me from fully touching her skin. She grinned in surprise but it disappeared just as fast when I gently started pushing her away. Yet that only made her hold that she has on me more firmly.

" Hey~, Hachi-kun~..." She said in a low sing-a-song voice.

" Hina...enough with the games..."

What's gotten into her...? She's never like this. Seriously...

" Since they might take a while, I might as well resume taking a shower, no?"

My eyes widened at what she was hinting at. "No. Don't you dare."

" Oh, I will." She grinned devilishly, releasing me from her hold and putting her hand on the towel over her chest. My shirt was already slightly wet from the stray water that managed to hit me, but that wasn't my concern right now.

" Oi Hina... Are you being serious...?" I ask her, keeping in mind not to let my voice get too loud.

She giggled at my expression. "Do you really want to find out? You can just face the wall you know? Or maybe..." Her voice trailed off, and I knew what she meant.

I took a deep breath and sighed. I really wasn't in the mood to play around with her little games, given the rather dangerous situation that we currently find ourselves in. I also know that she wouldn't go as far as do that in front of me.

With that in my mind, I somehow managed to calm myself down and assess the situation.

" You wouldn't do that. If you did, then I'd be a dripping mess. The others would definitely ask about it." I say and kept my voice even and quiet

My reply seemed to have satisfied her, and she put a hand over her hip and smirked. "As expected of my Hachi-kun. Even the sight of me with only a towel on doesn't dampen that wit of yours. Anyway, I'll just change into the swimsuit so we can immediately go out." She whispered and I turn around.

" H-Hey, don't look behind, okay?" For the first time since coming here, her voice sounded legitimately shy and reluctant.

I couldn't help but make a smug grin at how she must look like right now. I instinctively turn to her but immediately felt a finger poke my cheek.

" Hachi-kun..." From the corner of my eye, she was red-faced with a small frown. Her other hand was clutching the towel tightly over her chest that had gone even lower than before. I chuckled, causing her to pout and retract her finger.

" Yeah yeah... Where is the sass that you had on your face earlier?" I say and teased.

That seemed to get to her, and her eye twitched in annoyance as the pinkish tinge on her cheeks darkened. "F-Fine! I don't care if you peek...! D-Do it then for all I care...! Hmph!" She hotly whispered back and I stifle a chuckle at how I managed to push the right buttons and get the desired reaction from her.

I face the wall, and several seconds later, I saw her shadow move. She would look several times behind her, just to make sure and her gaze would linger for several moments before moving again. She took off the towel after turning off the shower. She started rummaging something through her bag, a new towel from the looks of things and started patting her naked body here and there with it. I close my eyes and listen to the other two occupants in the bathhouse, they have gone silent but their showers were still running. I tried to focus if there were speaking in hushed voices but it was impossible to tell. I hope they hurry up and finish already...

Hina sure is taking her sweet time...

I opened my eyes and just as she started putting it on, starting with her legs and then to her top. It must have been a tight fit or something like that since she was struggling with it and adjusting some of the suit's material that covered her. There must have been something wrong with her back since she could not reach something, no matter how she tried with her arms.

After several moments of trying, she turned and touched my back. "Hachi-kun..."

" Hmm?"

" The zipper on my back, it's stuck."

I turn to her in disbelief. "Now of all times...? Hina, you better not be fooling around." She shook her head, and I don't sense nor see any lies reflected in her eyes.

She wore a blue one-piece swimsuit over herself. It accentuated her figure nicely and had a really professional feel to it. Before I could comment, she turned around and as she said, the zipper was on the middle part of her back.

I put a finger around it and squeezed the two sides further above for the zipper to pass through more easily. It barely budged when I did so, and I started getting irritated after several failed attempts.

" Looks like you weren't kidding..." I mutter.

" Of course I wouldn't. Even I have my reservations too you know..."

I tried again, this time with more force and I had to lightly touch her bareback to do so. Tch, stupid thing...!

She made a small sound, flinched from my touch and shivered a bit. Goosebumps started to form on the back of her visible neck and some parts of her back.

I decided to pull it lower a bit, one of the tiny teeth that locked it in place must have gone wrong earlier. I found it, Hina must have forcefully pulled at it, that's why there's an imbalance of some sort.

" Hina, I'm going to lower it a bit okay? Don't get all flustered now."

She nodded and I proceeded to pull it downwards until I stopped on her lower back, where I unhooked it with each other. Thankfully, I fixed it in one go and went up slowly until it ended on the base of her neck. I pat her shoulder to tell her that it was fine now, and after checking it herself, turned around to face me once more.

After taking a step back, she looked up at me expectantly. It really hugged her body nicely and didn't show that much skin as I thought at first. If I was a girl or was asked to pick a swimsuit at someone's request, then I'd definitely pick this.

" Yup, you look great," I whisper and gave her a thumbs up. "But it looks familiar for some reason..." I put a hand under my chin and gave it another top to bottom look. She smirked and slowly did a little twirl. Even though she is showing herself off and doesn't mind it, I avoided looking too much at her erogenous zones and her bum. I mean, I'd feel like a perv if I stared too long.

She grinned. "Remember when we went out with Hayato and the others after classes officially ended? Us girls picked our swimsuits at the department store while the both of you just waited outside."

I snapped my fingers when I remembered that day. "Oh, I see. So that's why Hayama asked me if I wanted to go to the beach..." I whisper back and nod. I was wondering what they bought at that time with Hayama's words hanging in my mind and Hina dragging me around all over the place.

We got silent when the two other occupied stalls being used had their showers turned off at the same time.

Looks like they're finished, or about to be.

Since we had nothing better to do than to wait for them to get out, Hina sat on the floor and rested her chin on her knees. As for myself, I opted to just stand, since leaning on the thin walls might be too risky for the moment. Good grief, my shirt is already wet... Hopefully, I don't run into anyone at our cabin.

A stall's door opened, shortly followed by another one and then closed at the same time.

" K-Komachi...! Why are you dressed like-?" Saki exclaimed in a surprised voice.

" Huh? Why? Wait, you didn't bring your swimsuit?"

Wait, what.

" Of course not! Nobody told me about that!"

" Oh yeah, Onii-chan must have forgotten about it, or maybe he didn't know in the first place hmm... I'll be wearing a jacket over myself for now so it's fine." They're still lingering outside their stall talking with each other. Komachi must have been in contact with the girls without my knowledge...

Sneaky little brat...

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Hina turned to me and made a peace sign with her tongue out.

" Tehee~!"

I reached down to her and twisted her ear, much to her dismay.

YOU-!

DON'T YOU "Tehee~!" ME!

" It's a real shame Saki-nee... You're really blessed and have a nice figure too. I'm sure Onii-chan would have loved to see you in a swimsuit~..." Komachi teased and then giggled.

" R-Really? You t-think he'd like it...?" Saki's voice came out small and unsure. It doesn't take an idiot to get the hidden undertone in her voice and words were. The girl in front of me stood up and then started poking my rib with her elbow having a very amused look on her face.

" I'm sure of it!" Komachi replied enthusiastically.

" Oho~. So SakiSaki has you in her sights huh~? I honestly didn't expect this... Were you aware beforehand that SakiSaki has taken an interest in you, or is this your first time hearing it?" She once again stood on her tiptoes and whispered to my ear, making an extra effort to press herself against my arm. I felt the material of her swimsuit against my skin, not to mention the softness of her chest.

I already knew the answer to her question so I just whispered back to her to keep quiet. "But I wonder how Hachi-kun feels about her~...?" Hina completely ignored my words and continued her whispering.

" Come on, tell me~."

Since she still isn't letting up, I decide to reply just so I can satisfy her curiosity for the moment. "She's...just a friend."

" But you have to act quickly Saki-nee. It was only tomorrow that I found out that Onii-chan has some pretty girls around him." When we heard Komachi say that, Hina had a smirk on her face before snickering behind her hand.

" Umm... A lot of people know and have been helped by him, so you can say that he's a bit popular or something along those lines I guess... And his name also carries some weight if you ask around our Year level..." She replied to my utter embarrassment.

I really don't like being praised, it makes me feel undeserving, self-conscious and awkward. Hina saw the look on my face and giggled, further causing my cheeks to flare up. I raised my hand and pushed her face away from me with my finger.

" See?! That's why you should hurry up! What if one of them takes him for herself?! They're all lookers too!" Komachi exclaimed in an excited voice and we heard some strange sounds from Saki.

" A-Ah! Komachi! Stop shaking me!"

A giggle came from both of them before Komachi continued again. "Still, I shouldn't boss Onii-chan around. He's free to pick whoever he chooses and if he's happy, then I'm happy..."

Her sentimental thoughts made me tear up and I choked back a dramatic sob from escaping.

*Hick*

*Hick*

Komachi, she's such a good girl... I'm glad I raised her so well...

" Hooh~... You have such a considerate and sweet little sister Hachi-kun. No wonder she loves you so much." Hina smiled warmly and I had to vigorously nod in agreement with her. We just stared at each other for a little while until she slightly widened her eyes. "H-Hey, are you seriously going to cry...? Geez, you even teared up back at the cabin at Yui too..." I managed to forcefully calmed myself down and we continued listening to their conversation.

" In all seriousness Saki-nee, if you need some backup, then just tell me! Or maybe you want to do everything by yourself? Anyway, Komachi-chan will always be supporting you~! Mom and Dad really like you too!" I said nothing when I saw something pass over Hina's face for only a very brief moment. Knowing Saki, she probably just sighed and smiled off Komachi's words.

We heard footsteps, and we froze and held our breaths. "Hehehe. I'll keep that in mind. Come on, let's go." Shortly after that, two shadows passed by our stall which caused me to involuntarily stiffen and stare at the space under the door, with Komachi still insisting and pestering Saki to start acting. After we couldn't hear them anymore, we waited for several seconds and released our breaths that we have been holding all this time. Hina opened the door and put her head out, giving me a thumbs up when the place was clear.

"Aaaaahhhh..." She gave out and slumped to the floor with her legs under her. "That was a close call..."

I was in the same position as her. "You're telling me. That was really risky." Once she had her moment of respite, she held out her hand to me and I pulled her up.

I got her bag, from the stall. It was in fact waterproof to my surprise. The droplets of water seemed to just skim and run over it. We got out and she got a white jacket from her bag and wore it over herself.

Uwaaah, I'm soaked. I should change my shirt first before going to the others. This girl, it's her fault for playing and fooling around at the worst possible time...

We talked quickly and decided what to do next. She would take a different route while I head straight away for the boy's cabin. If we get asked, we'll just make up some believable excuses to allay any suspicions that may arise. She asked me to put her bag back in their cabin for her and I refused at first before I just gave up and followed her.

"Hachi-kun."

"What is it?"

She started giggling before a playful grin formed on her face. "Don't you think that was kind of exciting? The thrill of almost getting caught with people around... It made my heart start racing, you know? Hehehehehe."

This girl...

I sighed and she laughed with mirth. "For you maybe, but not for me. Seriously, that was too dangerous for my liking." I say which caused a disappointed pout from her as she poked my wet chest with her finger. "Eeeehhh, you're no fun Hachi-kun..."

After a bit of chitchat and bidding me farewell, telling me that we'll see each other at the stream where she showed me last night.

However, before she could get too far, I walked towards her and grabbed her hand. There's still one thing that I want to ask her. Something that really bothered me since these recent unexpected turns of events took place. She was nearly out in the open and I was still in the shadows under the bathhouse.

"Hina."

She stopped when I took her hand and didn't turn to me when I called her name "..."

"Hina," I call again.

"Yes, Hachiman?" She replied still not facing me and with a strangely neutral and stiff tone in her voice. I've never heard her speak like this before and it momentarily caught me off guard.

"...Hina, what's gotten into you? Really? You were never this... touchy and affectionate before..." I say in a firm voice that demanded none of her usual playfulness. I just wanted a straight and honest answer.

"..." Her hand stiffened, and then went slack.

I waited for several seconds and decided to continue when her reply never came. "I mean, to be completely honest, it's not like I'm complaining or anything. You just took me aback by how much your demeanour changed in such a small amount of time... I just wanted to know where all of that came from? And if it's fine with you, mind telling me what's on your mind? I can always listen." I say quietly and carefully.

When I let go of her hand, she didn't walk away, nor turn to me. She kept standing with her back to me as I waited for her to speak.

After several moments, she took a deep breath and shook her head.

"I-I... I'm not so sure myself Hachiman." She looked down and held her arm. "I just wanted to play and fool around with you I guess...? We never had the chance to do something like this before so... Umm... Like you have never hugged me and all, we got interrupted last night... The only things that we did close to that were holding hands... I guess I just wanted your attention, and to tease you or something like that I don't know..." She said in a low voice and shrugged at the last part.

Hina sounded confused and unsure of what to do or say next. I would wholeheartedly believe her if she said that while smiling and grinning, but she seemed to do neither of those things.

She never did something like this before.

She always keeps a respectable distance between us. Things were strictly platonic, it's an unspoken rule that she laid down and I follow. And even though I resisted at first, I soon came to enjoy our time together outside of school, where I can be free of all the pressure and responsibilities and just drop all the facades that I have. I always keep that in mind and even Saika and Yoshiteru know this. There is always a border that she wouldn't dare cross, and that border has always been present throughout all this time.

But with how she acted earlier...that definitely isn't something a mere friend would do.

Something's going on in her mind.

Still, I won't push her to answer me right now. I'm not that cruel. If even she doesn't know herself, then there's no use in backing her into a corner like this.

She didn't protest when I led her back inside, nor even as I made her face me. She continued looking to the side or on her feet, literally anywhere except looking at me in the eye directly.

I scratched my head before finally forming the right words to say.

"Hina... Come on, look at me. I'm not angry..." I put my hand under her chin and raised her.

She lightly bit her lower lip when we finally locked eyes. A light blush was on her face and she gulped before sporting a worried and nervous expression.

"Hachi-kun, you're not angry...? I thought..." She replied and I let go.

"Of course not. Why would I get mad?" I gave her a small grin and pinched her cheek.

She looked to the side and fidgeted with her jacket. "I thought that you got mad because I took things too far. You know, with all the teasing..." She muttered in a low voice as her voice trailed off, the pinkness in her cheeks becoming more prominent.

"Well, I guess you did..." She looked down from shame and embarrassment. "You surprised me and I didn't know how to react. I mean, who wouldn't? That was seriously all out of the blue... Really, it would have been bad if we got found out. What would have happened then huh? How were we going to explain it to my sister and Saki? There's a time and place for everything. Goodness..." I lightly scold her, and she looked like she was getting smaller with each word that I spoke. My heart started to ache just by looking at her and I decided that it was enough.

I took a moment to collect my thought before continuing. "B-But it kind of felt nice, being on the receiving end... And w-well, I didn't exactly say that I hate it nor dislike it..." I say and admit, looking to the side and scratching my cheek as I felt myself start to get warm. The same act that she did just mere moments ago.

She looked up at me, obviously surprised at my statement. The colour on her cheeks is quite similar to mine, perhaps even more intense in its shade.

"O-Oh, r-really...?"

I nod.

"Really?" She asks again not believing me.

I nod again.

She frowned and pouted, clutching my shirt and lightly pulling at it. "Really? Are you sure? Are you just saying that to be considerate? You're not disregarding your real feelings again, are you Hachi-kun?"

I sigh and pat her head which seems to have calmed her down quite a bit. The frown that she had soon disappeared and was replaced by a small warm smile. She's really cute, with or without her usual glasses on.

"No I'm not geez, you still don't believe me?" She said nothing and just narrowed her eyes at me. "Then why don't we just go back inside that stall and continue where we left off-" Before I could finish my joke, she hit me on the shoulder as her blush had once more returned, this time stronger and pinker than ever.

"O-Oi! Hachi-kun! Y-You've been getting really cheeky lately!" Before I could react, she reached to the side of my head and took hold of my ear.

She twisted and pulled it downwards, forcing me to follow her movements. "Ouch! Cut it out you fujoshi!"

"That was a PURELY PLATONIC moment and still within the bounds of our agreement! I-It's you who's looking too deeply into things! Don't get your hopes up just yet!" She said with her face all flustered and pink before letting go of me.

"Tch! That was just a joke. Quiet down before someone else hears us." She was about to unleash another barrage of verbal outbursts but stopped when I made her see reason again.

We leered at each other, with blushes still on our faces until we looked away at the same time.

"Hmph!" She turned back to me and put her arms around her chest. "Anyway, that was just for today. I just let things get to my head, that's all."

"Yeah, I hear you..." I mutter and rubbed my ear.

"You better not be expecting more of this in the future. T-That was just a one-time thing! Do you hear?! That won't ever happen again!" She stood up on her tiptoes and said, obviously trying to make herself look intimidating or something. It had the opposite effect since she looked like a kitten.

"I'd be lying if I say that I'm not hoping for more..." I say with a straight face. Hina's eye twitched, and I thought that she was going to take my ear again but then she shook her head and just sighed in exasperation.

"A-Anyway, sorry if I got carried away and all. I feel like things are going to be a little bit awkward from now on... I suddenly felt needy and clingy for some reason... Ahahaha..." She laughed a bit but there is no mirth nor life in them. It is just an empty laugh just done for the sake of breaking the silence.

True, her acts were in direct violation of our original agreement, or at least close to that. I myself feel that there might be some awkwardness and hesitations between us along the way. This is the first time that something like this has happened, so we really have no idea how to go about it and make things return to the way things were.

What she did, would only be done to someone that she is romantically interested in... Hina is not an easy girl. She would never do something like that with any other guy. I had never imagined that she would do that sort of thing with me, until now.

I should have just stayed outside earlier, so we could have avoided all this mess but I didn't want to face Saki after...

I still feel gravely guilty about what I did. That's why I made her come along so she can get her mind off of me. I admit that I have been avoiding her since yesterday and used Komachi as an excuse for her to look after her... It's the same with Yukinoshita. She tried to get close to me yesterday morning but she couldn't since Yui would not leave her side and I had Hina, Hayama and Saika with me throughout most of the day. Hayama's presence was enough to keep her distance.

I'm a coward.

I don't want to break this special thing that we have, I know that she shares the same feelings with me. I don't want things between us to escalate nor deescalate into something. She's one of the few friends that I can freely interact with without having to worry about my reputation and image, and I don't want to lose her. I can tell that for reasons that she still refuses to answer me, she keeps up a face to show in front of the others. Still, with what just happened, a tiny part within me can't help but feel like maybe it's time for me to take a step forward... To make us official and stop playing and fooling around, to stop ignoring the budding feelings that she may be harbouring for me. I may be wrong with the latter since it came from herself but still... Maybe I can try...

...

...

...

Only I can't do that since I'm still not in the right condition to do so. And this will just turn into another situation similar to Saki's.

And I really don't need another thing like that right now.

I clear my throat before speaking. "Well, you were just suddenly feeling needy right? I can understand that last part at least since Komachi feels that way from time to time. And if you look at it from a certain perspective you almost crossed the line but never took it further than you wanted, so I consider this as just one of your usual 'teases'."

She blinked several times and pondered over my words before nodding. "Y-Yeah, I guess you're right. I must have let get the situation get to my head or something."

I put my hand over her face and flicked her forehead, earning a cry of complaint from her. "Hey!"

"That's your punishment for your little prank. Be grateful that this is all that I'm giving you." I say, and she pouts and nods while rubbing the area where I hit her with my finger.

For a little while after that, we just stood across each other, not quite knowing what to say nor do next until she clasped her hands together and touched the tip of her pointer fingers with each other. She looks like she's about to say something so I opted to put a hand on my hip with a raised brow while waiting for her to build up the courage to speak once more.

"S-So it's fine, right...?"

"What is?" I ask.

She frowned and seems to be having some difficulty in what she's about to say next.

"Y-You know..." Her voice trailed off and became smaller and smaller until I couldn't hear her anymore. "If it's from time to time... Then it's fine, right...?"

I sigh and shake my head. "Hina... I'm not a psychic. You're going to have to say it bluntly."

After a little while of me just waiting, she seems to have given on to what she was originally going to say and just sighed in exasperation.

"Ugh, never mind. I-I'll bring it up some other time then..."

"Hmph. If you say so." I instinctively look to my left wrist only to be reminded that I had left my favourite watch at home. "Well, I guess I can say that we laid down most of all that needed to be said," I say and picked up her bag which was on the floor.

"Come on, we should go," I say but she still refuses to budge.

"..."

I take a good look at her, before sighing and putting my arm over her shoulder to lead her outside. "Cheer up Hina... This isn't a fight. We just cleared things up and it's nothing to get worked up about."

She seemed to have come to her senses when we stepped out of the bathhouse and I let go of her.

"Yeah." She raised both of her hands to her face, before lightly slapping her cheeks several times while I just looked at her with amusement.

Her usual smug grin returned in full force and I returned it with equal fervour.

"That's more like it," I say and pat her head much to her delight. "Being gloomy doesn't suit you."

"Umu! You're right about that!"

I nod and smile at her now that she's back to normal. "In any event, I'll go on ahead and take your bag back to your cabin. You just go to where the others are."

"Ah, no. It's fine I'll just do it myself." She says and reached for it but I raised a hand to her.

"No, it's alright. I have to drop by at our cabin too anyway." She looked like she was ready to protest but then just let it go.

"Oh, okay then. Thanks, Hachi-kun." She says and gives me a grateful smile.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later. Bye." I give her a small wave before turning around and walking away. I felt her eyes on me for several moments before I heard her footsteps going in the opposite direction.

I'm thankful that we ended things on a good note and I'm happy with the way things are going, with Hina and our little group of friends. At some point in the future, I'm sure that she will be able to open up to others on a fundamental level. I still have some other things to sort out with Yukinoshita and Saki, and when that day comes, I hope that I'm ready for it.

As for Hina and I, if things do start to change...

Well...

I'll just cross that bridge when I get there.

I can't wait to get out of Japan and put all of this behind me, if only for a few weeks while I clear my head...

Hello! It is I, Ivanov117 once again bringing you a new chapter!

How are you lot doing? Wonderful, I hope!

Sorry for the late update, I had too much fun writing my other Isekai fic hehehehe.

You know, I've reread the two smut fanfics that I made and I can't help but cringe. Uwaah, the things I make when the horny takes over... Can't believe I've been horny on main. _

Oh and I already published the Isekai fic, if you haven't read it yet then please check it out too! I'm not going to spoil too much, so I'll just reply to some of the reviews since I haven't done that in a while.

RandomSam12: Hachi x Haya b-bromance?! O_O Don't give me ideas mate...

Licculle: Thank you for your kind words! I already published the Isekai fic though.

Omni - celestial: Yes, Hachiman really needs one, or at least a support figure for him to willingly lean on without his pride in his mind.

GoodguysRoverated: Hmm... I'll think about it!

s08812578: Ahahahaha! Your words make me feel a tad bit embarrassed lol XD

ExBlazE: Thank you for your very detailed reviews! I've had fun reading them! :)

Lenjab: We'll see in future chapters... ;)

Arkaiopedys: "Tragedy" huh... Hmm... With all the intense psychological introspection monologues that 8man have been giving out. I'd say that that is a hint in itself about what's to come.

MyAssForYou: Thank you for your kind words! :)

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50

Hikio turns to me with his heavy half-lidded eyes. "What do you think of...Hayama?"

It took me three seconds before I could register his words.

Even though it was a bit predictable, I dodged his question and fired back my own. "H-Huh? What's with the sudden question Hikio?"

He shrugs while having no expression whatsoever on his face, taking a sip from his energy drink. "No reason really. I just suddenly thought about it." He casually crossed his legs and started humming a tune, l blankly looking in front of him. He's really good at hiding his emotions and his agendas so he must be thinking about something.

" Really Hikio, what's all this about?" I ask and tug his shirt. He made no reaction at first but opened his mouth to speak after a moment.

" Hmm... Ah, please forget that I mentioned it." He bowed which surprised me. "It's something between the two of us."

The two of them? Why would they have an interest in me? What could they possibly be thinking and talking about which forced him to make that slip up just now?

He caught my curiosity and I scooted closer to him until my bare shoulder was against him. He had no reaction when our skin made contact.

" What's it about~? Is it a secret with the boys~? Does Totsuka and Tobe know?" I nudged myself against him, trying to get any kind of reaction aside from the blank face that he has right now. When that failed, I grabbed his shoulders and made him face me.

" I don't know what you're talking about Yumiko." He said as his gaze slowly looked to the side.

I narrowed my eyes at him and started playfully hitting his arm. "Heeeh~? Come on Hikio, tell good 'ol Yumiko what it is!" I tried to get him to look back at me but he still refused to meet my eyes.

Hikio is really strange, in a not offensive kind of way. He's usually extremely good at hiding stuff, but sometimes he deliberately lets some things slip from his mouth. Like this time for example.

" Ne ne ne~, Hikioooo..."

" ..."

" Hikki~...?"

" ..."

" Hachiman~!"

" ..."

" Hachi...-kun~?"

He stiffened and finally turned to me.

There! Aha! I knew that it'd catch his attention since that's what his Mother called him earlier!

He wordlessly took my hand and placed them back on my lap. "Yumiko. Please don't call me that. It's embarrassing." He says in a slightly pleading voice.

" Hehehehe. Hikio, your Mother is really pretty isn't she?"

" Of course she is. Where do you think I got my genetically superior and gorgeous good looks from?" He dramatically turned to the side, his bangs swinging from the movement, not to mention that he somehow made his eyes sparkle like those in Shojou manga.

Shojou Manga Hikio looks so weird...

I giggled and playfully hit his arm. "Okay I have to admit that you do look a lot like her." I agreed. He got his most of his facial features from her, made a bit masculine because he's a guy and all. If he were a girl, he'd be really pretty too, if a bit intimidating because of his sharp eyes.

" You should have introduced us to her."

" Ah, my Mother is a busy woman. As we speak she's probably on her way to work right now. My Father also."

I nodded and thought back to the company visit at his Father's place. "Yeah, I got that sort of vibe from him as well. We already talked earlier about how my parents are busy due to work too. Still Hikio..." I smirked and hit his rib with my elbow. "You're secretly the Son of a big shot huh? You should have told me sooner, it was super embarrassing when I found out. After that company visit, I didn't really know how to act around you." I say jokingly and grinned with amusement when he turned to me with slightly wide eyes.

" Really?"

" Yup. I even thought of just calling you back to Hikigaya-kun. Just kidding ahahahaha."

" Yumiko... Stop it really. You know I don't like talking about this sort of stuff." He sighed and shook his head.

" It's exactly why I talk about it since it makes you feel embarrassed!" I giggled and he said nothing as he continued taking sips from his energy drink. He has a faraway-look in his eyes, and I couldn't really tell what he was thinking. I stared at his hand from the corner of my eyes while pretending to browse something in my phone.

" ..." After nearly a minute of quietly sneaking him glances, it happened.

... I knew it.

I felt it when I held is hand earlier.

He arched a brow at me when I deliberately made myself get caught in the act. "Hmm? Yumiko? What is it?"

" You should really stop that you know." I say in a serious voice.

He blinked and then tilted his head with confusion. "What...?"

" That." I say and pointed at the drink in his hand.

He looked at it strangely, and then checked something on the labels and such. "Well it's not expired..."

I shook my head with mild annoyance since he still doesn't get what I mean. "You know, I noticed something about you these past few weeks." I say and turn to him. From the tone of my voice, he immediately gave me his full and undivided attention and faced me.

" And that is...?"

I wordlessly held out my palm. "Give me your hand." He didn't protest and wordlessly followed me. I touched his fingers and felt his hand, we didn't do anything for several heartbeats but then it came.

His hand and fingers involuntarily twitched.

I frowned and looked up at him. "See? This is what I mean. Didn't I talk to you about this before? How you're overdosing on this kind of stuff? How much did you drink before you arrived here with your Mother?" I look at the thing that he held in his other hand, as if it were something absolutely disgusting.

Something passed over his dark eyes and his face betrayed no emotion reflected on them. "And?"

I felt my own frown intensify and I got slightly irritated at how he was taking me lightly. "Hikio, your hands twitch and move on their own, you're clearly overdosing. Seriously, classes are over, why are you still drinking this stuff? You think I haven't noticed the crazy amount of drinks you intake in a single day at school?" I wait for him to make a retort, or any kind of reaction but it never came.

" I don't know if the others have noticed this but I sure have. Are you addicted to this kind of stuff Hikio? This isn't healthy anymore and I am genuinely worried about you. When I opened that little fridge earlier, I knew there was something off. I even talked about this with Hayato but he just shrugged me off and said that you're fine." I say and got the can from him. He didn't resist me and placed his now empty hand back on his lap.

I may be overreacting but this is something that I really want to make him understand. I'm just doing this out of concern for him. He still hasn't said nor made any kind of reaction to me, he just continued to stare at me.

And it was a bit unnerving. I have never seen him make this look before.

With how close we are, I can see the dark and heavy bags under his eyes. "Hikio, what's happening with you? You always looks exhausted, are you overworking yourself again? Are you getting enough sleep? You didn't have to come if you didn't feel like it you know. I'm sure Hiratsuka-sensei would have been fine with the idea."

He took a moment to silently observe me and he sighed after taking his hand from me. "Yumiko, as what I've told you before. This isn't a big deal. Come on, we should go bac-" He stood up but I interrupted him before he could make a step.

" Hikio, is this your coping mechanism?"

He stopped and stood still for several moments. Unfortunately, I can't see what sort of face he's making so I have no idea how he reacted to my words.

Just when I thought of reaching out to him, he turned to me with his usual blank face on. " Careful now Yumiko. You might say something that you shouldn't ... I highly advice against doing that." His eyes were hollow when he said those words, I couldn't see a single light of life in them.

Even though he didn't sound hostile, the warning undertone in his voice still sent a chill up my spine, and I was at a loss of words for several seconds. The tiny hairs on my arms and on the back of my neck stood up by themselves. I have known him for more than a year but I have never heard him say something that way before. He completely took me aback. It was like the person in front of me wasn't him. Even the aura that he exuded felt...like a stranger's.

" A-Ah..." I croak out and forced my eyes away from him. Instead, I look down to avoid his intense gaze.

His finger twitched again, and he put his right hand in his pocket.

His form remained unmoving, and I can tell that he's boring his eyes into me, eyeing my every move.

After what felt like an eternity, I hear him sigh and his shoulders and arms relaxed when I slowly raised my head to look at him again. When we made eye contact, the unknown...thing that hid behind his eyes earlier were gone. All I see are the sharp, yet familiar eyes that I have grown to admire after all this time.

But I think it was still there. Hiding somewhere.

" Yumiko..." He started and scratched his head. "I appreciate your concern, really. Thank you, but I'm fine. You don't need to go out of your way to do that for me." He reached out with his hand and patted my head, ruffling my hair and getting it messy in the process. Uwaah, and here I spent so much time this morning styling it...

This guy-! T-Treating me like some sort of pet or toy!

*rub*

*rub*

*pat*

*pat*

A-Although it does kind of feel nice...

I shake off his hand from my head before the nice feeling gets to my head. "Y-You can't fool me Hikio! I know that you're trying to change the subject!" I exclaim and puff out my cheeks in frustration. It only produced an amused smirk from him, much to my disappointment. To my surprise, his lips turned into a mischievous grin and I felt a bad feeling from the pit of my stomach.

" Of course I am because this is the end of this discussion." Without warning, he leaned forward and put his arm around my waist, pulling me up and slightly dragging me towards the door. He pressed me against him and I blushed at how close we were. I felt helpless and surprised against his sudden assertiveness. "Now come on, we still need to help those kids cook and I'm really looking forward to Yui's cooking."

" H-Hey! Don't just suddenly touch me like that! I'm a girl too you k-know! Y-You perv!" I say and squirmed from his hold, but he just pulled me closer to him, much to my embarrassment as I felt my cheeks start to warm up..

" Haaah? Do I look like I care? If you're getting jittery and skittish, just shrug me off then." He says and continues pulling me forward with his arm around my waist like it was nothing.

" Hnnng..."

I can always step away from him and put some space between us. I really think that it'll make the rapid beating of my heart calm down and tone down the blush on my face...

But I decided against it.

Even if we have to separate at the door, even if I know that he's just using this as an excuse to drop the conversation, I don't really mind this moment that we have. If he says that he's fine, then just bugging him about it will just make me an annoyance. Maybe he's hiding something too personal for even someone like me to know, something that he'd never let anyone know about. Or maybe I'm not as close to him as I first thought...

"..."

I shake my head to make those kinds of things go away. Honestly, I really hope he's not just downplaying himself or my concern for him...

I guess all I can do now is take his word for it and believe in him.

" G-Geez... Fine you win..." I sigh and give up when he flashed me his usual cocky smirk.

Seriously, sometimes I feel like he's just playing with me around his fingers...

On the other hand, after I saw that side of him, I realized something.

I guess I don't know everything about the boy named Hikigaya Hachiman after all.

From the corner of my eye, woman bowed several times while talking to someone on the phone. She was a distance away to avoid me from overhearing. Since we were at the dining hall at this time of the day, it was empty except for the two of us. It's plain to see that she is thanking or apologizing to someone, but if I close my eyes and focus on the tone of her voice, it is a mix of the two. If a non-Japanese were to see this, it would be strange. But here it is perfectly normal.

I sigh and cross my legs, hoping for her to quickly finish up her conversation. I instinctively look to my left wrist but my watch was not there, much to my annoyance. I think I left it in my bag again, I've been feeling forgetful as of late, sometimes I can't remember where I put my things. I really hope this goes away soon.

The others must be at that stream where Hina and I went to last night. After I went back to our cabin to change my wet shirt, thanks to Hina playing around earlier, I made my way to the main building where I am right now to set things in motion. Haruno and Yoshiteru's assistance were vital to what I had in mind, it's thanks to them that I made it this far. I'll treat Yoshiteru to lunch or something before I go, as for Haruno...

Well, something like that would never satisfy her.

I have to do more.

Finally, the woman stood straight and removed the phone from her ear and then turned around and started walking back towards me. She fixed her skirt before sitting across me and put the phone on the table.

In front of me was Rika Kushino-san, Head of the Elementary department of her school and also a longtime friend of my Father from their college days together. A very serious-looking woman that exuded an aura of professionalism. Her hair was in a tight bun and I could see her contact lenses on her dark eyes. She has very sharp facial features especially her eyes that befitted her personality, yet she was still attractive. It honestly came a surprise to me when I found out that she was still single and unmarried. I guess she does come off as too strong even when my Father introduced me to her a few months ago at a government sponsored orientation or seminar thing... It was during the school break, those few weeks that I tagged along with him during work.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Hachiman-kun. I was about to address this with the rest of the teachers on a latter date, but this is fine as well." She started after several moments of silence. Their conversation lasted roughly around half an hour.

"Hmm. What did he say?" I ask, honestly curious at the outcome.

She pursed her lips before nodding. "It will still pull through, he gave me his promise and support in the future. It pains me to say that we need it at the moment. Of course, I will do my end of the bargain as well..." She sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, to have things reach this point is rather shameful..."

I made no comment on her words but decided to open another topic. "What of the girls?"

Her hand turned into a fist and she frowned, but she was not directing her hostility towards me. "I will personally talk to the parties and involve their parents as well. Indirectly if I may add since if I act too much it will make things worse. I will make the scale larger and use it as an excuse to raise awareness if it comes to that."

I put a hand under my chin and nodded. "Yes... Yes that is a good idea. If you do proceed with that course of action then I would not mind filling in for him or for my Mother as well if they are unavailable due to their rather busy schedule. Of course, I'm just a representative so please don't expect much from me... Perhaps on the first week when classes resume for the children? That would be a good way to start the new semester, I think." I suggested and she took out her phone to check something. Several moments of scrolling later, she stopped and nodded after having thought of it to herself.

"Hmm, yes it does sound feasible. I will start the preparations right away." She says, her voice resolute and firm.

"Are you sure? I think it is still a bit too early to start, no?"

She shook her head. "Hachiman-kun, when it comes to things such as these, it's better to draw the initial phases at the earliest time. You will understand when you get older." She says and gives me knowing smile, to which I returned one in kind. I was about to argue but I decided against it when I made sense of her words. Being an adult, she obviously knows more than me so I shouldn't act like a cocky know-it-all too much.

"I see... Well I'll leave it to you then." I say and give her a bow, much to her surprise. "I'm sorry for asking such an unreasonable favour Kushino-san. When I noticed the circumstances, I just couldn't sit still. It was pure good fortune to see you here as well and I knew that you were the right person to approach."

"Ah, the Chiba Municipal Government already had a plan like this for the schools in the area. This is just speeding up things up if you look at it from a certain perspective. Honestly, I've been too busy and I admit that I have overlooked and delegated some crucial positions to the wrong people." She says and shakes her head.

When she remembered that I was in front of her, she cleared her throat and composed herself more formally. "In any case, you remind me so much of your parents, your Father in particular."

I got curious, since even with how close I am with my Father, I only know very few stories from him before I was born. "How so?" I ask.

"Something like this happened before during our internship together. Long story short, he was the first one to notice something wrong and immediately directed his concerns to our superiors. You could say that it was a very bold move on his part but he just couldn't get his mind off of it until the matter was settled." She said and smiled, the nostalgia from the time reliving memories from the past.

"I think you should get going and leave the rest to the adults. You are here to have fun with your friends after all. There's a test of courage thing later this evening so make sure to do the necessary preparations, Hachiman-kun." Her eyes said that they were expecting much from me, of course I wouldn't let her down or at least fail disastrously. "Komachi-chan must be missing her dear older brother already. Wait... I think she already forgot about me..." She says and she scrunched up her face in thought.

I nod and bowed to her. "Don't worry Kushino-san, you'll see Komachi for yourself tonight. I'll talk to the others as well as Hiratsuka-sensei. Thank you again Kushino-san."

She waved off my words and laughed. "Oh please Hachiman-kun. You don't have to be so formal with me, your Father and I go way back. Just call me Rika-san!"

I was about to go but I was drawn to her eyes. There's something about them that bothers me, something that I only recalled once I saw her again after a few months... I can't explain why, but...

She blinked several times and looked confused. "Hachiman-kun? Is there something wrong...?"

I shake my head and give an apologetic bow. "A-Ah, sorry Rika-san. Please pardon my rudeness. I just spaced out all of a sudden."

"I see... No harm done." She says and motions for me to raise my head.

"I'll give my parents your regards when I see them."

"Be sure to give the kids a good scare! Oh and can you be a dear and ask your Mother when she's free? I haven't seen her in a while and I'd like to have dinner or lunch with her sometime." She smiled after I gave her one last low bow and excused myself.

I couldn't stop thinking about her eyes.

Seriously...

TCH!

How do they find this fun... This is so ridiculous and childish... Playing and splashing around in ANKLE-DEEP water, good grief! If it was at least waist-deep, then this would not be a WAIST of time since I'd take a dip in the water too!

"H-Hachiman..."

I turn to the white-haired boy with very feminine-looks beside me who was also sitting under the shade of the tree. He decided to join me here when he had his fun. "Hmm? What is it Saika?"

He forced a smile with a strange expression on his face and leaned into my ear to whisper to me. "Tone down that killing glare that you're giving to Hayama-san and Tobe-san, they're not even on the water with them... I can literally feel you drain the life of the plants nearby because of your killing intent... You don't have to act too overprotective over Hina you know?"

I look at him, wide-eyed from his words before looking around to make sure that no one else can hear us. "I was looking out for Komachi. Did I really look like that?" I ask in turn and he nodded with a small knowing grin.

I return my gaze to the girls playing a distance away from us. Of course, my main concern was Komachi since I don't like the idea of her being around other males aside from myself and our Father. That's why I'm keeping an EXTRA watchful eye on her. She was playing with Hina, accompanied by the YuYu/YuMi pair. Despite the initial awkwardness, she seems to have warmed up to the two of them. Since she didn't bring her own swimsuit, Saki opted to just sit with us in our little area under the shade of a tree where we made light conversation about a wide array of topics. She got up a little while ago to call her Mother about something. Thankfully, Saki and Saika were getting along fine.

As for Tobe and Hayama, they were poking and looking into the bushes further out but still in the same direction as the girls. I wonder what they're doing, maybe they found a dead animal. Poking a dead animal with a stick is definitely something a boy would do.

"I don't think they're that kind of guys Hachiman..." He says and put his hand on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring pat. "Unlike that one time where we went out and Hina got hit on by some shady guys."

"Ah, that time..." I say as I started recalling that particular day.

We were doing the usual thing, hanging around and going to some arcades. (The ones where I didn't have my privilege as a child of one of the longtime investors, I was still a bit embarrassed to show it to them and the only people who know about it are Haruno and Shiromeguri-senpai.)

Anyway, us boys went to the restroom together while Hina waited on a vacant table. When we came back, two college students most likely, had sat on the table, clearly making Hina uncomfortable as she politely denied their advances as much as she could without offending them. Hina sprung from her seat and immediately latched onto my arm when I was close enough, saying that she was mine. The two guys backed off when I gave them a warning-look, while they also felt the disapproving glares of onlookers nearby especially from the security guard of the restaurant who already had his eyes on them.

After that incident, she decided to cling to me closer to send out a message and to ward off any who would try bothering her again. I didn't complain, it really felt nice being held like that and I can tell that she liked it too.

"No, as I said, I'm just looking out for them. Another snake might appear in the water or something." He didn't look convinced and continued giving me a sly grin.

"Okaay, if that's what you say then. Anyway, I read the groupchat last night. I missed so much stuff, Yoshiteru is really reliable huh. So did you pull it off?"

"More or less." I say and we returned our gaze to the scene before us. "I'll ask for your help when the time comes."

"Okay, I'll just help out however I can. Still that was really amazing, what you did I mean."

I shook my head, still not believing how easy it was. "No, I barely did anything. It's all thanks to the crazy coincidence that I personally know their Head, and that she's an friend of my parents. Not to mention that she's really kind."

"Do you plan to tell the others about it?"

"No, except for Hiratsuka-sensei of course." I saw something move from the corner of my eye and I instinctively turned my head. "Oh look, there she is now." I mutter once I recognized the tall woman wearing a sun hat walking towards us. She was greeted by the girls and they immediately went to take a closer look at her. The YuYu pair were still holding their hands together, much to my amusement.

Komachi, Yui and Yumiko wore similar swimsuits, Hina had her one piece and Yukinoshita hid her own swimsuit under a thin and stylish cloth that women usually wear at the beach before they take it off to swim. I'm really curious how she looks under them.

I would never say this to her face, but she kind of reminds me of those suits that old ladies wear. Wait, maybe I should tell her to piss her off hehehehe...

Anyway, all of the girls are pretty in their own right of course, be that as it may, I am an older brother to one of the girls, therefore I must still say that Komachi still stands at the top of them. I'm honestly a bit disappointed that Saki wasn't wearing one. I really wanted to see her, and I'm sure she has an amazing figure and assets that would rival the others in a certain department. We did do something in my room after all...and I had felt them on my hand as well as her slender waist and stomach...

A-Ah... I shouldn't be thinking about that... I still feel bad about it...

But even I have to say that I am weak to the charms of older women.

Sensei took their compliments in a very unlady-like fashion by putting her hands on her hips and giving out a rather boisterous laugh, making her chest lightly jiggle in the process. I thought that it was very cute, the laugh, not the jiggle part I mean, and it really added to her appeal and made me like her even more. The way she smiled and grinned pulled at my heartstrings and made my heart skip a beat. I found myself unable to look away from her, no matter how I tried. I suddenly developed tunnel vision, I filtered out everything in my view until she was all that remained. I was transfixed on her, so much that I thought that I was under some sort of spell. All I could do was stare at her figure like a lovestruck maiden.

That's it.

I'm gonna marry her and make her my wife! I don't care if she's older than me! I'm going to take my inheritance and run away with her! I'm gonna make an entire football team with her!

I was startled when I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and I turned to Saika whose existence I had temporarily forgotten about.

"Hachiman are you okay? Your breathing is erratic and heavy, and your face is flushed and red..." He asks with a concerned expression.

I realize how unbecoming I must have looked, and compose myself more formally after clearing my throat and straightening my back. "O-Oh, I must be t-thirsty or maybe it's because of the weather or something." I say.

He looked resolute and his hands turned into fists. "Hina would get sad if I let you pass out again like that one time in gym class. I'll go get something for us!" Before I could say that he didn't need to do it, he stood up and jogged towards our cabins. Wow he's already quite a distance away, I guess when the Service Club helped him out, it really improved his legwork huh.

He's still not as fast as me though. No one can run faster than me, not even Tobe and Hayama who are part of the football club. No one from class and no one from the other classes either. I'm fast as f*ck boi. I'm Hikigaya Hachiman and I'm the fastest man alive. One of these days, I'm seriously going to quit the Service Club and join the Japanese Archery Club or Football Club, since I have an interest in the former and a knack for the latter... Hmm, but I can't just leave my daughter Yui alone with Yukinoshita, who knows what the Ice Queen what might turn my precious cinnamon roll into... Wait, maybe I can convince Shiromeguri-senpai to change some of the Club Policies for the next semester so that I can join more.

Holy shit I'm so smart and cunning that I scare myself sometimes...

Just as I was about to start formulating my master plan, the girls, together with Hiratsuka-sensei, start walking towards me. Damn! I wanted some alone time to think about my plan.

I sigh and raise my hand to greet them. Yumiko looked like she wanted to play around at the water but decided to come along when she remembered that she has to stick with her girlfriend(AKA Yukinoshita Yukino) for today.

"Hel-aaaaaaaooohhhh..." I say but got interrupted by a yawn that came out of nowhere. Because of that, I got laughed at by them and I had no choice but to just bear with it.

"Hikigaya," Sensei says to get my attention. "why are you meditating here under a tree? Why aren't you joining the others?" Since I was sitting down on the ground, I had no choice but to look up at her, and there were two large milk jugs partially blocking my view. Okay maybe they weren't that big but my thoughts from earlier were still in my head causing me to hallucinate and see things that aren't exactly visually accurate to reality.

"Well Sensei, I don't like playing around in ankle-deep water since it's childish and looks stupid." I say, causing a glares and pouts from girls which I ignored. "Add that to the fact that I do not have a change of clothes and I forgot my sunscreen, going under the direct heat of the Sun will damage my pale and delicate skin. And I do not want to look more haggard than I already am so that's that. It is suicide and I would literally die within five seconds."

"I have sunscreen if you want." Yukinoshita and Yui raised their hands but I shook my head.

Sensei scratched her head and before rolling her eyes at my words with an amused-look. "What are you, a vampire...?"

"No Sensei, Onii-chan is definitely a zombie." Komachi quipped as they all started having thinking expression on their faces.

"No maybe a Ghoul? What's a Ghoul anyway, I heard Hikki and his strange friend talk about it once."

"Hmm, from how deathly pale he is, I do believe Sensei is right. And Vampires are typically physically superior to those two." Yukinoshita said, which honestly surprised me. I didn't know that she knows this sort of stuff.

"What about, like, a Zombie Ghoul Vampire?"

"No no no all three of them are undead so I think it cancels out. Don't mind Hachiman, sometimes his chunni comes out all of a sudden." Hina winked at me when I narrowed my eyes at her.

Their conversation had taken a strange turn and then they started walking away, leaving me and Sensei alone by ourselves. Sensei suddenly crouched next to me after fixing the long piece of cloth that she turned into a skirt that covered her legs, almost giving me a heart attack by close we were. I quickly turn my head to the opposite direction before I start ogling her like a disgusting pervert.

"What is it, Hikigaya? Something you wanted to say to the girls?" She asks, obviously confused at my strange action.

"A-Ah, no Sensei. I'm just a bit worried for Komachi after all..." I say and face her.

She lightly punched my arm and she started chuckling. "Always the overprotective older brother huh. Lighten up, she has four people with her. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"I guess so. By the way Sensei, do you know what are the kids doing today?"

"Hmm, I think they're free today and can do whatever or go wherever they want. There's a test of courage thing happening tonight, you better think of something good!" She says and grinned. It was contagious and I couldn't help but make one myself.

"Ah, I'll leave that to Hayama. When it comes to things like these, he's way better than me." I say and we both turn our heads to his general direction. Him and Tobe were still looking for something until the latter stopped and picked up something on the ground. Shortly afterwards, they ran further ahead and turned deeper into the forest, with Tobe slightly lagging behind due to his foot. That idiot might hurt himself again sheesh. What are they doing anyway, are they chasing something? Is it a rabbit? I heard that rabbit meat tastes good. Ah now I'm curious...

"You know, I honestly didn't think that you two would find common ground. Knowing you, I thought that you'd immediately come into conflict with him."

I shrug and think about her words for a moment. "He is annoying cringe Riajuu sometimes, but there's no reason for me to be so hostile with him. And we have some common friends so that's that." I say.

Sensei gave me a knowing-look and arched her brow. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"And that would be...?"

"You know, avoiding coming into conflict with anyone, since it may jeopardize your position in the StuCO and also on your reputation as a whole?" She says while nudging my shoulder to poke reactions out of me.

I roll my eyes at her words and smiled. Since Sense was the one who caught me, I might as well admit with dignity. "Sensei, I can't hide anything from you, can I? Ah..."

"Of course you can't, it's my job as a teacher to keep an eye on my students who need the most help after all." She says, grinning all the while.

"And here I was thinking that you already forgot about me..."

She had an expression of mock hurt on her face and put a hand over her chest. "What? You're my favourite student, as well as the most interesting one after all, so I always have my eye on you."

Wha-...

I wanted to badly to hide my blush, or to stand up and run away but I decided against it. Sensei looks like she's having fun at my expense. Not that mind it, she could use a hearty laugh every now and then. She looks prettier with it and we haven't talked just by ourselves in a while too. That is reason enough not to end her fun.

"I wonder what the you from one year ago would think when he sees you now?" She says and nudges me with her elbow.

I shrug at her words. It's honestly something that I think of from time to time. Especially when I'm alone or am about to fall asleep. "I don't know he'll probably cringe at me or something. Maybe even call me a gross normie Riajuu..."

A Faker...

I don't know what kind of expression I made on my face, but it caused her to raise her hand and rub and pat my head. "It's part of growing up as a person Hikigaya, character development, personal development through interacting with and befriending different kinds of people and all that. And as your Sensei, you've come a long way and I'm so very proud of you." Her hand went lower until she held my cheek with a small warm smile.

"...Really Sensei, you're embarrassing me... I'm gonna tear up, I look absolutely terrible when I cry you know?" I shake my head with a small sigh after she laughed from my words. Well, receiving headpats from Sensei is extremely rare so I might as well enjoy it while I still can. "I have to admit Sensei, you sounded really cool."

"Of course I'm cool! I'm young, beautiful and YOUNG so that automatically makes me cool and LIT af fam!" She exclaims with YOUTH ful energy, pumping her hands in the air as her eyes sparkled with approval from my words. She really sounded like an Auntie trying to learn the latest trends and I couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Sensei, you said 'YOUNG' two times."

She chuckled at the face I was making and put her hand around my shoulder, and then coiled it around my neck. My blush deepened when I felt her skin against mine. "Hoooh? What's this? Hikigaya Hachiman is embarrassed~? That's rare! Come here you-!" She pulled my head to her chest and started violently scraping her fist against the top of my head.

It hurt, but at least I got to feel her warm, firm yet ever so supple soft breasts. Ah, I want to smother my face against them... She smells so nice too.

They feel so soft, its softness is so unreal and out of this world... The mature appeal that older women have TRULY are the best...!

OLDER WOMEN ARE THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD!

Even though I felt their heavenly softness, it did not make the pain that I felt from her knuckles go away.

"O-Ow! Sensei it hurts!" I squirmed from her grasp. I legitimately wanted to get away from her because she REALLY wasn't holding back, but all it did was tighten her hold around my neck and push me even more against her warm and soft chest. All the stimulation was too much for me to handle, if she keeps this up, then I'm seriously going to confess to her here and now. I'll make her take responsibility for making me feel this way, this is all her fault!

She laughed at my cries of pain and pressed and rubbed her knuckle even stronger than before. "S-Sensei! It hurts!"

I swear if she keeps on teasing me like this, then I might as well go with the Sensei Route! No, even worse, this might turn me into an M ! Although I wouldn't mind it if Sensei was the one doing it to me...

I heard a small cute sound from Sensei when I tried to untangle her arm around my neck and she reluctantly let go of me after being still for a second. I non-threateningly narrowed me eyes at her and pouted, something which I rarely do. She grinned awkwardly and softly patted the area where she rubbed her knuckle against.

"Ah, looks like I went overboard a bit... Sorry about that." She muttered when I continued giving her a light glare.

With her other hand, she made a peace sign and stuck out her tongue, making a cutesy pose. "Tehee~!"

WHA-?!

My mouth, which was currently straight as a line turned into a crooked smile upon seeing her do that. She broke my absolute defense with a single pose, Sensei truly is strong! Shit that was too cute... Stop messing with my heart like this, Sensei...!

"Sensei, w-where did you copy that adorable pose?" I ask with a shaky voice.

She grinned and crossed her arms around her chest, making them seem bigger in the process. "Umu, I saw this in social media last night! Apparently it's trending right now. Don't you think it's cute? It's cute right? Right? RIGHT? RIGHT? RIGHT? " She says, saying the word more intensely every time it's repeated and does the pose again.

" Tehee~!"

HNG-!

ACK-!

The alarms inside my head rang deafeningly loud, and I saw the crew of the advanced Stealth Submarine The Hachiman running around frantically while smashing buttons on their consoles left and right

" Magnetic Homing Type-003-SAS Cutesy Pose Torpedo narrowly missed our starboard side! Enemy signature readings say that it's a Recon and Anti-Submarine plane sent from the Super Heavy Battlecruiser Shizuka! She's readying another pass! Commander, we need to DIVE!"

"Sensei..." I say while clutching my chest from the intense pain that she had unknowingly given me. She tilted her head to the side at how I was acting, furthering the damage that I'm sustaining. "please don't show that to anyone except to myself..."

"Umm... Why?" She asks with bewilderment in her voice.

"Because..." Every word that I spoke took a great strain upon my body, and I found myself pausing "you're so cute and cringe at the same time." I say while covering my mouth, summoning every ounce of my will not to cough up blood.

Sensei lightly jumped at being called "cute", and a light blush grew on her cheeks. She blinked several times and then looked to the side. Sneaking me glances as she started twirling the ends of her hair with her finger.

"I-I'm... cute?" She asks as if she had misheard me.

"Yes." I say with utmost seriousness, as if my very life depended on it.

" R-Really?"

I nod. "Absolutely. You're very attractive Sensei, you should have more self-esteem and confidence in yourself."

Once again, my words caught her off-guard and she laughed it off awkwardly. She must have not expected that I'll turn the conversation in this direction. "Y-Yeah! I'm really pretty, aren't I?"

"That you are Sensei, and you're really YOUNG too!" I raise the pitch in my voice, trying to sound upbeat so I can hype her up to make her believe me. "Any guy out there would be lucky to be with you!"

"!" She was about to smile but stopped and had a sudden downcast expression on her face. "But...all the guys that I dated eventually broke up with me... My longest relationship was six months..." She muttered in a barely audible voice as her form seemed to grow smaller and smaller with each passing moment.

I had unconsciously gulped at the new information since it was rather very personal. I honestly would have preferred not hearing it in the first place. I quickly started thinking of a way to pull Sensei from falling into the depths of despair and hopelessness.

"T-That's because they don't know a great woman when they see one!" I blurt out without thinking.

Sensei started steaming and her cheeks turned bright red from my words. I can tell that I got red too, if not more so than her. I pursed my lips together before my stupid mouth starts speaking by itself again.

"E-E-Eh?! W-What do you mean by that, Hikigaya?!" She exclaimed through stutters and a madly blushing face.

SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT ME AND MY STUPID MOUTH! CURSE ME FOR PLAYING TOO MANY DATING SIMS AND REMEMBERING THEIR CHEESY AND CRINGY LINES!

"I-I-It's exactly what I mean Sensei!" I say while desperately thinking of something to salvage the situation, trying not to get tongue-tied or stutter as I waved my hands around. "T-They're obviously fools! H-How could they just give up on you like that? They should know that women like you are worth waiting every second for in the end! If it was me, then I'd never let you go! "

Her eyes went wide, and her mouth closed and opened several times but were unable to bring out words.

A-Ah... I worded it wrong.

That legitimately sounded like a confession...

After several seconds, she seems to have gotten her wits back since she laughed awkwardly and straightened her back. "A-Ahahaha! N-Nice one Hikigaya, almost got me there...! You're a funny guy...! " She exclaims and slaps my shoulder several times. I keep my mouth shut before I could say something that would make the already awkward situation even more awkward. She's just forcing those words...

We both blushed when we made eye contact and I immediately looked away. She stopped hitting my shoulder and started getting up. "A-Anyway, keep an eye on the girls f-for me, will you? I remembered that I have something to do..." She smoothed the creases on her skirt and stood up while looking in the girl's direction.

" S-Sensei..." I say, but she already turned away form me and started walking away. I dramatically crawled on all fours while reaching out to her with my hand, whether or not she heard me, she continued walking away as I watched her retreating form go further and further.

" Sensei... Nooooooo..." I summoned every ounce of my will not to break down and cry.

A-Ah... Looks like I got rejected again...

This is the second time after she-who-must-not-be-named...

Wait, I wasn't even confessing in the first place. That wasn't my intention so this doesn't count.

As I lay on all fours, I heard light footsteps from behind the bushes, where it stopped when the owner must have seen my pathetic form.

"Oh," it was a little girl's voice. "Hachiman."

I looked to the source of the voice and I saw Tsurumi Rumi standing beside the tree.

"..."

"..."

She broke eye contact with me and briefly turned to Sensei's direction. "I never expected you to be a two-timing scoundrel. To even have your eyes on your own Teacher... Don't you already have Hina-onee-chan?"

I narrow my eyes at her, get up and sit down on the other side of the tree with my elbows resting on my knees. "Leave me alone brat." Instead of replying, she went over to me and unceremoniously made herself comfortable on the space between my legs, almost hitting me head on the process.

"...Oi girlie, what are you up to?" I look down on the little girl, who was fiddling around with her camera as if what she just did wasn't a big deal.

"Wait, I'm trying to show you something." She says and continued pressing buttons, completely ignoring me until she stopped and turned while showing my the camera's display. "This part here, how do you change the resolution? It's too narrow, I don't want a portrait, I want a landscape."

I sigh and shake my head. "Fine, give it here."

Thankfully, her camera wasn't those expensive DSLR ones. Their quality is topnotch but I prefer slim and simple ones like these because the latter is sometimes too complicated and confusing for me. As I was still making sense and familiarizing myself with the device's User Interface, Rumi decided that my chest was probably comfortable and just leaned on me.

"Rumi, what are you doing?" I say and raise the camera over her while focusing on my task.

She looks up at me with a bored expression with my chin almost hitting her head. Her eyes reminded me of my own. "I'm using you as support. Is there a problem?" She says with a very laid back and uncaring tone. Tch, if this brat keeps this kind of attitude when she grows up... "Plus, you don't seem to mind stuff like this since you did it with Hina-onee-chan last night."

Thank goodness that she's still a child since it really sounds suggestive...

I lightly chopped her head. "That's because we have a thing going on so it's fine. And keep it a secret." She continued having that bored expression and just nestled herself on my chest after silently nodding.

Now I'm not unfamiliar with things like these, I've volunteered at a daycare and nursery before, as well as occasionally playing with Kei-chan and Tania-chan when the latter is at the Faculty Room with Ino and Hiro-sensei (Tania-chan is getting heavier every time I hold her! And she's growing teeth now too!). Still, this position has problems. If someone sees me like this, (Yumiko, Hina or Yoshiteru or instance) I'd get called as a Lolicon NEET Pedophile.

When I tried to move away, she gripped me leg and made a grunt of displeasure, so I had no choice but to continue working on her camera to fulfill her request. After doing a bit of tweaking here and there, I managed to do it and returned it to her.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Instead of getting up, she just stayed and stared at her camera, occasionally looking to the voices of the other girls. I sighed and softly patted her head, she didn't jerk nor move away from my touch.

"You want to play with them...?" I ask.

She meekly shakes her head and look down, clutching the camera closer to her small frame. "No, I'm fine. I'd just make them uncomfortable."

It's no use in asking her where her other classmates are. Since I already have an idea on what the answer is. Asking it is just redundant and might make her feel bad.

"What about you? Why aren't you with Hina-nee-san or your other friends?"

I shrug and look to the girls in the distance where they were playing and chatting amongst themselves. "Eh, same reason with you I guess and I didn't bring an extra change of clothes. Plus, I'm the only guy. I'd definitely get self-conscious you know?"

She gave my words some thought and nodded. "Hmm, I guess you're right. Say..." She says and turns to the YuYu/YuMi pair in the distance. "Why are those two holding hands...?" They were both playing or something similar to that. Yumiko was fine but her girlfriend's movements were clumsy, awkward and low-key cringy to watch. She's obviously not used to that sort of thing.

"That's their punishment for something bad that they did."

"Oh. Which one started it? I'm guessing it's the black haired one. She looks like type to start that kind of stuff. I already forgot her name..." She says and points at Yukinoshita with her finger.

I pulled at her soft left cheek, causing her to yelp in surprise. "Rumi, pointing at people is rude. Also, it doesn't matter anymore. They're both at fault." I let go and she turned and leered at me.

"...Okay sorry." She says before pouting and looking down.

"It's fine. No need to worry. What do you plan to do today? You're free right?"

She unconsciously played with the camera's buttons while trying to come up with an answer and avoided my eyes. "Umm... I-"

"Do you want to hang around with me for today? I don't mind."

She turns around looks up at me with her eye lighting up, surprised at my words. She was about to speak but stopped and mumbled to herself in a low voice. "No... It's fine. You should have fun with your other friends too. I don't need a babysitter."

I chuckled and rubbed the top of her head. She looked annoyed but didn't do anything to shake my hand off. "Who said anything about babysitting you? Didn't I say last night that I'll help you out? So hanging out with you definitely counts."

A light blush grew on her cheeks when I gave her a small grin, and she looked to the side to hide it. "A-Ah... Well, since you put it that way..." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I-I'll be in your care then..."

"Yup, glad to have you." I say and pat her head several times while pulling at her cheek with my other hand, causing her blush to deepen. Uwaah, she reminds me so much of Komachi when she was little... "Anyway, what do you want to do? Do you want to play? Are you thirsty? Do you want something to drink? My friend is on his way to get something right now so just tell me if you want one. Oh, and about this evening's activity, I added a little twist and I want you to hear me out-"

Before I could finish and unfold my master plan, the girls were making their way towards us with Yui and Hina jogging ahead from them. A certain something attached to her bounced up and down and I instinctively turned my gaze to Hina before I could get teased and called as a lech. Also, if I get caught then I have a feeling that Hina might get jealous and pull a prank on me again or something as revenge...

Better safe than sorry I guess.

The cheeky Fujoshi grinned when she got near and gave me a look that said "Uwaah Hachi-kun, you're going after lolis now? Wasn't I enough...?"

"Hachiman, your friends are coming."

"Thank you Captain Obvious."

Once she was near enough, Yui raised her hand and greeted us. "Hikki! Rumi-chan! Yahallo!"

The little girl turned to me with a questioning-look after pulling at my shirt. "Yahallo...? Is that a dialect or something...?" She whispers and I whisper back. "Ah, it's just her way of greeting. You know, peculiar normie Riajuu-talk and all."

Rumi arches her brow at me, as if I had said something strange. "But aren't you a normie Riajuu...?"

A nerve ticked on my forehead and I pinched and pulled on her cheek, much to her dismay. "Oi, take that back."

"O-Okay okay sowwy I take it back... Ow..." She mutters while getting her cheek pulled, and I immediately let go.

"Rumi-chan what are you doing here with Hikky?" Yui eyed the girl in question, where she looked up to the older girl who addressed her.

"Hachiman looked lonely so I decided to hang around with him for today." She says in a dull and bored tone before looking down and fiddling with her camera again.

"Yeah it's what she says so be good to her." I say and from the corner of my eye, Yukinoshita eyed Rumi with an unreadable expression.

They soon started introducing themselves to Rumi, who was a bit overwhelmed by the attention but went with it regardless. Komachi and Yui stuck up a conversation with her after I stood up to give them some space. She's surprisingly easy to talk to once she's comfortable with the person that she's having the conversation with. Saika and Saki finally came back bringing drinks for everyone, good thing that they brought enough since Hayama and Tobe returned at the same time, shortly followed by Hiratsuka-sensei.

I was just standing around leaning on a tree when our eyes met and we looked away at the same time. Even with this distance, I vaguely saw the light blush on her cheeks.

It didn't come unnoticed by the girl beside me who had sought me out for some reason. Geez, and I wanted some alone time too... "Hmm? Hikio? What's wrong?" Yumiko asks after taking a sip from her drink.

"Nothing. Are you and your girlfriend getting along?"

Yukinoshita, who was to her right immediately turned to me with a leer in her eyes. "Hikigaya-kun, please stop spreading nonsense." She says and puts a hand on her hip. "I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop referring to me as Miura-san's 'girlfriend'." Her girlfriend looked amused and turned to me to see my reaction.

You know, now that these two beauties are side-by-side, Yukinoshita's painfully obvious inferior trait really shines. Yumiko is obviously superior than her girlfriend.

"How about no." I say coolly, causing her to sigh in exasperation. "Yumiko, keep your girlfriend under control. She really doesn't know how to take jokes."

She laughed and turned to her girlfriend who was still giving me a light glare. "Now now Yukinoshita-san, Hikio is just kidding as usual. No need to take him seriously." Her words calmed the Ice Queen down after a few moments. Amazing... To see the Fire Queen calm down the Ice Queen like this...I never would have thought that I'd witness this firsthand. "I like this side of him more since he's so uptight at school. Him saying things like these would definitely strange if others heard him." Yumiko says.

Suddenly, Yukinoshita protectively puts her arm around her chest and turns away, causing Yumiko and I to give her a questioning-look. "H-Hikigaya-kun... I would appreciate it if you would stop staring too much... It's embarrassing, so please..." She says with a small voice and steps away from me.

"Hah? I'm not even looking at you, nitwit." I scoff out and Yumiko turns to me with a hand over her mouth.

"Uwaaah, Hikio... Stop it, like, seriously. Ugh." Yumiko's face had a look of slight disgust on them and she stepped away and covered herself as well. "I know you're a guy and all but still... Have some restraint..."

I arch a brow and was about to defend myself when I saw Yukinoshita snickering behind her hand. She moved it to the side and mouthed. "P-a-y-b-a-c-k."

THIS-!

SLY-!

LITTLE-!

Fine! I'll fight fire with fire!

" Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?" I say and went into the male counterpart of a gyaru gal gal, basically Riajuu-mode Hikigaya Hachiman. It's something that I picked up from Yumiko when I copy her during our harmless little banters. "That's, like, stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid. Why would I even look at those GREAT PLAINS that you have when there's a MOUNTAIN RANGE right beside you?" I say and put my hands on my pockets and slouch, like a stereotypical delinquent. "Are you, like, stupid, or something?"

It took several seconds, but when she finally registered my words, her cheeks burst with crimson and she turned away from me to hide them.

"H-Huh?! Y-You lech! Perv! Hiki ecchi-kun! Predator of women! Stalker! V-Verbal molester! Creep!" She says through stutters and points an accusing finger at me.

"Shut up you walking ironing board! Don't make me tie you up and bring you home to use you as my new personal mousepad!" I retort and she grew even more aggravated at my words.

"I-I-I'm not an ironing board! And not a mousepad EITHER!"

"Yeah but from the looks of things you DO need a PAD !" I turn to Yumiko. "Oi! Your girlfriend is getting rowdy again! French kiss her to make her shut up or something I don't care!"

"H-Hikigaya-kun! Miura-san and I are not l-like that!"

Sparks flew as we glared at each other. On the other hand, Yumiko was still thinking and looked down in thought with a hand under her chin. "Hmm...? Great Plains...? Mountain Range...? Ironing board...?" After several seconds of thinking, it looked like something clicked inside her since she made a surprised sound.

She took a peek at Yukinoshita and to me, and had an awkward expression on her face. "H-Hikio... You s-shouldn't really point out that kind of stuff... Ahahahaha... It's fine if it's me but if others heard you, well..."

Yukinoshita was quick to nod and back up her girlfriend. "I-I agree with Miura-san, Hikiecchi-kun. Someone of your background doing this sort of thing is very unbecoming. What would Uncle say?" Heh, what a cheap blow. My Father would just laugh this off.

I sigh and raise my hands. "Yeah sorry." Of course, I wasn't going to back down so easily. "If I say it directly, a certain someone would get even more self-conscious and embarrassed . Aww but I have to admit that that certain someone's face gets really cute when she's flustered... I just can't resist teasing her I guess." I said the second part as an afterthought and shrugged without a care in the world.

Their reactions were completely different. Yumiko's giggles turned into full-blown laughter and started slapping my arm as it racked her body. Ugh! She's like my Mother when she gets into a fit of hysterical laughter! It got so bad that she had to lean herself on me to prevent her legs from giving in. The steaming Yukinoshita on the other hand, well, she just couldn't speak anymore as her face grew incredibly red like a Sun becoming a Red Giant.

Yui suddenly calls out to us, saying that we're going to have a group photo with Rumi's camera. I took Yumiko's wrist and lead the two of them back to the group. She still can't stop laughing, and touching Yukinoshita was out of the question since she might literally melt or turn to steam and disappear.

The boys, with Rumi at the center, crouched in front while the girls stood at the back. Rumi, Hina and I exchanged looks when the makeshift platform that we used for the camera was the large rock that we sat on last night. We took several photos together as a group, as well as several more after that.

I couldn't take my eyes off Rumi's smile. She looks so happy, and her smile is so real and pure. I was momentarily filled with melancholy and sadness from my childhood memories.

I never smiled like that outside of my home.

Not once.

Ever.

Hmm... The girls should be here any minute now. I already know everyone else's places. Together with Rumi, we came here earlier and did some scouting as I explained what I proposed. They looked disgruntled by what kinds of things are going to happen, but no one openly went against me, added to the fact that Hayama threw in some reassuring words here and there.

Yukinoshita fidgeted beside me, she wore a getup suited for the Yōkai " Yuki onna" in folklore. Quite poetic, given her personality and the meaning of her name.

"Stop moving, are you really that uncomfortable without Yumiko's hand? Do you want me to hold your hand and pretend that I'm her?" I say and she made a sound of displeasure and pinched my side.

I couldn't quite see her because of what little light the Moon provided right now, but I can tell that she made an equally displeased expression. "It is quite difficult to move around like this. I should not have worn this ridiculous thing."

I shake my head without turning to her, still keeping an eye out for the girls that are going to come this way. "Nah, it looks really good on you. Reminds me of that costume you wore during last year's event. You know, the Miko one."

I felt her grip on my sleeve slightly tighten. "O-Oh... Thank you Hikigaya-kun." From the corner of my eye, I saw her take some strands of her hair and put them behind her ear. "You looked rather dashing as well."

"Ah, is that so...? I didn't really feel like it back then. I literally came up with it on the night before the event." I mutter, only half-listening to her. That suit plus mask was absolute cringe, I'd rather not wear that getup again. What's taking them so long? They should have arrived by now.

"If I may, is the Student Council planning another event like that this year?" She asks inquisitively and I feel her inch closer to me.

I shook my head. It's something that we had a meeting about a few weeks ago. "I honestly don't see it happening. Too many unnecessary expenses were incurred last year. If we keep it up then the next administration will have some financial troubles. If by some miracle that it somehow passes through the first stages, then I will personally block and prevent it from happening." I say.

She giggled, a pleasant sound that reminded me much of her older sister.

"I can see that happening."

After several moments, we heard voices to our left. The girls have finally arrived, carrying torches that shone here and there. Yukinoshita and I crouched even lower to prevent being seen by them. Rumi wasn't with them as planned. She either lagged behind even further or hid and separated from them along the way.

Yukinoshita was too close, I can literally catch the scent of her hair. I immediately and slowly sat up when the girls had turned their backs to us, she did so as well. When they walked further ahead, they came across Hayato, Yumiko and Tobe who were going to play the part as villains for their test of courage. After some laughter and exchanges of words, they got quiet when they slowly started feeling fear. I can't really blame them, those three are really getting into character.

They soon started muttering amongst themselves after some words from Hayama and Yumiko. It turned into a squabble, then an argument as they started pointing fingers and blaming each other. I turned to Yukinoshita beside me who couldn't get her eyes off the scene.

"Ugly, isn't it? Look how they quickly turn on each other in desperation, like sharks cannibalizing their own kin out of hunger. And how harsh, they didn't even bother waiting for Rumi."

"..." She said nothing and pursed her lips.

"It's ironic. Children can be the nicest or the most evil things to ever exist depending on their upbringing. Do you know about child sociopaths and psychopaths? Either is fine but I mean more about the latter. They feel no empathy even as they grow older. They cannot comprehend it. Scientists say that it is caused by a particular part in the brain that lacked development either while they were still in the womb or in their early infancy. Adults who show these symptoms are terrifyingly good at hiding their emotions and true intentions, as well as faking and putting on mask after mask to show to the world. I once read a similar essay and research paper submitted by one the clubs for me to review. It was disturbingly fascinating, for me at least. When I read their biographies, as well as the heinous crimes that they have committed. Normal people cannot understand them at all. It is impossible to really get an accurate analysis on them." I say.

Yukinoshita briefly turns to me. "I did not know that you knew such topics Hikigaya-kun. What piqued your interest about them?"

I shake my head and shrug. "Nothing much. When you have no one to talk to, all you can do is read whatever kinds of books are lying around in your house. Unfortunately, books can't talk. So all you can do it keep it all inside, like a bottle. You get small pieces of paper and write 'happy thoughts' in each bottle within the depths of your mind. You put them in shelf after shelf until all you see when you close your eyes is an endless and dark hallway filled with an infinite number of it."

From the corner of my eye, she tilted her head to the side and frowned with mild confusion. "I... I don't understand. What do you mean by that...?" She tugged at my sleeve to get an answer from me.

I put a finger to my lips and pointed forward. "Enough of that. It's almost time. I suggest you prepare." She looked like she was about to argue but nodded in affirmation to me.

One of the girls started looking down and wiping the corners of her eyes, followed by another. They were the ones who were chosen by the majority as a "sacrifice". I saw different expressions on them, anger, regret, betrayal, sadness and many other things. Hayama's torch that he secretly carried flashed at our direction, and I poked Yukinoshita's side, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"That's the signal." I say.

She turns to me and pouts. "...I'll see you later then, Hiki ecchi-kun." She says and gives me a tiny grin before preparing herself.

Out of nowhere, a girl's loud voice from a megaphone started laughing and several moments later, Saika, Yukinoshita and Yui jumped from the bushes and startling the girls in the process. They went to where the girls were and giving them friendly teases. Once they understood that it was all an act, they wiped away their tears and awkwardly laughed it off.

They weren't a group anymore.

All of them clung to anyone but their so-called "friends" . Their friendship was broken, and I don't know if they'll be able to mend it together anytime soon. Maybe not ever.

Hmph. Not like I care. They could fight each other and I'd just watch from here or sneakily walk away.

If they as a group were being a bother to Rumi, perhaps scattering them and preventing any chance of them reconciling will somehow ease the bullying that Rumi experiences at school. This was just a short-term solution to a long-term problem. I have already taken measures for the latter. They started walking away together with my accomplices until their flashlights disappeared in the trees further ahead.

I sent a text message to Hina and I received a reply not ten seconds later.

A little while after that, two figures appeared on the path where the girls came from. Hina was walking towards me with Rumi's small hand being held by her own.

"Hi hi Hachi-kun~." Hina cooed when she got close and took my arm closer to herself. She wore a magical girl outfit that she didn't take off for some reason.

"Why are you still wearing that? Isn't that uncomfortable to walk around in?" I say and look down on her dress. She even has the wand strapped to her hip.

She pouts and pokes my cheek. "Because you didn't even compliment me earlier~..." She says and changes the tone of her voice to indicate sadness. I roll my eyes as Rumi look between the two of us with a bored expression. "Yes yes you are the cutest in the world..." I say and she giggles before coming to an abrupt halt. Her voice was low and serious when she spoke next.

"Is it done~?" She says it in sing-song way, but she looked quite the opposite.

"Yeah. They went on ahead as planned. What about Saki?"

"She and I split up when she said that she's going to go to Komachi... So how was it?" Hina's eyes looked void behind her glasses, which is similar to the unnerving smile that she has right now. Rumi looked up to me and silently waited for my reply.

I sigh and shrug, looking in the distance where it happened. "Well, it went as I expected it to be. Everyone's acting was so convincing. I should recommend them to the Drama and Theatre Club." I say, causing Hina to giggle. Rumi looks like she wants to say something and I nod at her to speak.

"Hachiman... Things aren't going to be the same anymore, won't it?"

Instead of replying immediately, I go to eye-level with her and pat her head. "Things like these aren't easily solved Rumi... This is only a temporary thing."

She avoided my gaze and looked down. "They didn't even look for me when I hid. They really didn't care about me... What if I got lost and they left me all by myself...?" She says in a depressed and betrayed voice that caused Hina to squeeze my shoulder. Even though I expected it, hearing it from her was still painful. I felt like a sharp serrated shard of ice stabbed my heart and twisted it around. "How can they hate me like that so much...? I never did anything to them... Why are they like that...?" She continues and mutters under her breathe as her voice is about to break.

For a fraction of a second, I saw a younger version of myself right beside her. I saw him being treated badly by his classmates, just for the sole reason of him existing. My eye and fingers twitched on their own and my heart started palpitating. I had barely contained the momentary spike in my anger and I forcibly calmed myself down with a deep and shaky breath.

"People are like that Rumi-chan. There's good ones and bad ones." Hina says while I was getting a grip on myself and crouches down as well. "Before I met your Hachi-onii-chan, I ran into some bad people and I had major trust issues for a long time. But thanks to him, I'm starting to believe in others again!" She says in a cheerful manner and puts her head on the side of my shoulder which seems to have uplifted Rumi a bit.

"Do you think that if I saved them...or something like that, would they have changed their attitude towards me?" She asks in a hopeful tone. What I came up with wasn't exactly good, even a little girl like Rumi could understand. It was horrible but I don't feel guilty nor regret doing it. I am accountable for everything, and there was no other way. If something went wrong, then it was up to me to shoulder the blame. I had already informed Kushino-san a vague idea of my plan, and she told me to go ahead.

I close my eyes and shake my head. "I don't know. I've seen things like this before, and it doesn't go away so easily." After giving my words a bit of thought, she slowly nodded and I got up after gently holding her small hand.

"Come on, let's go."

"We'll only be with you until the point where we agreed to earlier, Rumi-chan. But don't worry, we'll slowly follow you until you make your way back. You have to show them that you're perfectly capable in taking care of yourself after all!" Hina adds before getting up as well.

"Okay..."

What no one else noticed yet was in this way, the other girls would get punished by their teachers for not looking out for Rumi. That and their friendships now have cracks... Well that's not my problem anymore.

The less things she has to deal with, the better.

Hina takes my arm closer to her, deliberately making me feel the side of her chest and whispers to my ear. "Ne ne, Hachi-kun. I feel like we're a family right now~."

I rolled my eyes as a small smile graced my lips. "It's too early to think about that kind of stuff, we're not even a couple."

She leans away from me and winks. "Not yet~." Needlessly to say, I couldn't help a chuckle. Rumi's eye twitches and looks like she's finally had it and pulls on our hands and starts walking away with her in the middle between Hina and I.

I take a glance at the two of them and I do feel like I have a family of my own, embarrassing the thought may be.

I hope I get a good ending like this one day.

I really don't like looking at bonfires. It reminds me of unpleasant and embarrassing memories. I don't understand the reason for it being made either. It's a complete waste of resources and it adds to air pollution. The kids don't seem to mind it though. It's a perfect full Moon too, the Moon was large and high in the sky and lit up the surroundings with its light.

Still, I can't deny that small handheld fireworks are fun, typically the temochi, susuki and senko. Sensei had bought some for us, most of them were huddled together and playing. As for me, I sat on a rock away from them. I haven't seen Rumi after we separated earlier, since she didn't come and seek me out, I think she's fine.

"Hikigaya, you're spacing out." Sensei says from beside me, who also had her own firework with her. She seems to have disregarded our earlier...conversation and is keeping up the face of a reliable Sensei. "You've been pulling some strings from behind the scenes huh. And here I was wondering why you didn't arrive with the others earlier."

"Yup. Anyway, did it cause trouble for you Sensei?" I ask after nodding.

She shakes her head and takes a sip from the soda that she carried with her. "None. That was really sneaky for you to do."

I shrug with a smug grin that I did not bother hiding from Sensei. "I guess it's a win for me then."

"You really call that a win? Messing with those girl's heads like that?" She asks in an even tone. She wasn't praising nor reprimanding me. She was merely asking me a straight up question with no repercussions.

"Of course. As long as I win in the end, no matter how dirty or low I go about it, nothing else matters." I say in a neutral voice. Sensei made no reaction to my words and remained still looking in front, yet I felt the air around her change.

After several moments of silence, she finally spoke. "That sounded rather heartless, don't you think?."

"Yes it was." To my surprise, Sensei gives out a light chuckle. "You really are a bag full of surprises, aren't you Hikigaya?"

"I take that as a compliment thank you."

She grins and shakes her head after giving me a pat on the shoulder. "I knew you were my favourite student for a reason, you're really interesting. That mind of yours I mean." I felt her soft hand on my cheek and gave me a light pinch and pull. "But be careful Hikigaya. If you keep up with that kind of mindset, it's going to come back and haunt you in the future. There are other alternatives aside from doing things these way."

"The circumstances were different Sensei. There was no other choice."

She grimaced at my words seeing that I was right. "Well, you're correct about that at least. Just because you're correct doesn't mean that you're right. But my point still stands." She says and sighs. "In any case, I have one last meet-up with the teachers from the other school. So round up the others when you feel like it's time to sleep."

I nod at her order and she stands up and walk away, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

Shortly after she left, Hayama came jogging towards me asking me for some spare fireworks that I still have.

"Thank you for your hard work." I say dully as I handed them to him.

He gives me an awkward smile and scratches his head while looking to Sensei's direction. "Y-Yeah..."

I eyed him carefully and watched his body movements. "Did it leave a bad taste in your mouth?" I ask and he visibly flinched. He looks down and stares at the things that I have given him.

"A bit to be honest, I'm just not used to something like that I guess."

I shrug and light up another one as it burns its life out. "That's understandable. What you did wasn't exactly good. You should go, Tobe is waving at you to hurry up." He looks behind him and we saw Saika join in.

He was going start walking when he stopped and turned to me. "You're not gonna join us?"

"In a bit."

He looked like he was about to convince me but sighed in the end. "Okay then, by the way Hikigaya. I don't think any less of you for what you did. I'm sure the others feel the same way." He says and gives me a reassuring smile.

"That's a comforting thought." I mutter to myself as Hayama starts walking away. I took out my phone and answered several text messages that my Mother and Father sent me, as well as ones from Shiromeguri-senpai and Isshiki who asked me if I was having fun. After promising the last two that I'd send photos to them, I called my Father and told him how things went, then my Mother to tell her Kushino-san's regards. I was finally about to get up and join the others when I heard quiet footsteps emerge from my left.

"Hachiman..."

"Oh, Rumi." I say and walk up to her. "Did you have dinner already?"

"Yeah."

"Did they leave you alone...?" I ask.

She slowly nods while I was patting her head. "Yeah... They weren't together anymore. They scattered and sat at different tables with other students." She says and I give out a sigh of relief. I took her hand brought her along with the others where she thanked us for our help earlier and joined in lighting the small fireworks. She was reluctant at first but eventually gave in.

When her schoolmates started to return to their cabins for the night, we decided to return to ours as well. As the others went on ahead, I waited for Rumi to say something since she held my sleeve to prevent me from going.

"What do you want to say Rumi-chan? You already said your thanks lots of times earlier." Yui says, and the other girls join in when they saw us.

What's Tobe doing anyway? He looks excited and is showing something to Saika and Hayama on his phone, the three of them are ignoring us! I think it's a game that he got into recently since I noticed that he's always on the phone now. Damn I'm curious. Why are they leaving me to fend for myself surrounded by these Vixens, traitors the lot of them! That bastard Hayama even winked at me before walking away!

Even Saika... I'm gonna tell Hina to change his nickname to a funny-sounding one as punishment!

"She's probably scared by the Ice Queen." I turn to Yumiko and her girlfriend. "Oi, scram." I say and shoo her away with my hand.

Saki stifled a giggle while Yumiko started laughing. "Very funny Hiki ecchi-kun. Stop looking at me, I feel like I am being undressed by your eyes." She rolled her eyes with an unimpressed-look and crossed her arms around her chest.

"Shut up you iro-" I was about to roast the absolute living being out of her but Komachi stopped me by hitting my arm.

"Onii-chan stop picking fights with Yukinoshita-san!"

"Ah, no need to worry Komachi-chan. Hachiman loves picking on girls at school." Hina says and Komachi turned to her with wide eyes.

Oi! WORDING, WOMAN!

"What?! Onii-chan fights other people and is a brute who beats up women?!" She says and steps away from me as if I might assault her or something. Seeing my own little sister look at me with fear in her eyes hurt me.

"A-Ah, no I didn't mean that." While Hina was explaining to Komachi, I knelt down on one knee to Rumi.

"What is it Rumi? Did you forget something?" I say and the others got quiet.

Surprisingly, she wasn't overwhelmed at the numerous eyes on her and looked at me directly. "Thank you again everyone, for everything. F-For being nice to me and being my friend too." She says and ends with a slight blush on her cheeks when I ruffled her hair.

"You know, if you keep on thanking me like that, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask a reward." I say cheekily. Rumi was surprised and was at a loss on what to do. I'm joking of course, I'm just teasing her.

The other girls must have thought that I was serious and immediately made sounds of disappointment. They started lightly shoving me like I was a criminal or something. Am I seriously about to get lynched by a mob...?

"Uwaah, Hikki you sounded kinda cool until you said that..."

"Hikio what the heck, and here I thought that you were being a good Samaritan or something."

"You shouldn't ask for things like that at the end Hachiman. What if Keika copies you? You're her role model you know?"

"I am very disappointed in you Hiki ecchi-kun. I expected more from a person of your position."

"That was really low on Komachi points Onii-chan..."

"I kind of expected something like this happening. Wait what are Komachi points...?"

While they were talking, Rumi was unable to do anything but squeak out small sounds through stutters. "I-I don't really know what... A-Ah... Umm..."

I chuckle and ruffle her hair. "Hey, that was just a joke. No need to do anything like that. Just your thanks is enough for me." I say, which caused her to pout and lightly hit my chest. Behind me, I heard the others give out a collective sigh of relief. I could never be so low as to ask for a reward for something like this. I think the most that I could ask for is a hug or something wholesome like that.

She suddenly looked like she had an idea, and started fidgeting and playing around with her fingers while a cute blush was growing on her cheeks. "O-Oh, but there is one thing that I can g-give you..."

I tilted my head to the side out of curiosity, and for some reason, the girls behind me started arguing with each other, Yumiko and Saki's voice was louder than the rest. The topic was about those "Komachi points" that Komachi mentioned.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Whatever she had in mind, made her greatly embarrassed since she started avoiding my eyes by looking to the side. "Y-You have to close your eyes first though..."

Seeing that there was no harm in following her wishes, I closed my eyes. She better not pull a prank on me or something...

Just as I was about to open them after nothing happening, I felt small hands on my cheeks, and then a soft and slightly moist sensation on my lips as my nose bumped into something equally soft.

Wha-?

The girls who were busy talking amongst themselves instantly got silent.

The sensation only lasted for a second and a half, and when I opened my eyes, Rumi had separated herself from me and clasped her hands together. Her face was steaming red and she looked like she was getting dizzier by the second. "U-Um... S-So that's your r-reward Hachiman... A-A-Ah... S-See you tomorrow then...! G-Good n-night...!" She gives me a quick hug, bows and then sprints to the direction of her schoolmates where they were being ushered by their teacher.

I watch her run away and slowly touch my lips with my fingers.

T-That cheeky little brat... She went in and stole my first kiss just like that...

The first one to break the silence was Komachi.

"W-Woah! Did you see what Rumi-chan did?!" Komachi says excitedly and almost hops onto my shoulders since I was still kneeling with one leg on the ground. "Onii-chan! You can't get married anymore!" I must have had a blush on my face since Komachi laughed and pointed a finger at me.

"K-Komachi stop jumping around..." I say and stood up and was immediately verbally bombarded by the others.

"Lolicon..."

"Pedophile..."

"Lolicon Pedophile NEET..." Yumiko, Yukinoshita and Hina say in that exact order. Surprisingly, Saki and Yui didn't join in and instead defended me.

Yui's giggles stopped and she turned to the others, not sure if they were teasing me or legitimately serious. "Huh? What's wrong with it? I thought that it was really cute. You know like a Princess thanking her Prince thing."

Saki puts her arm around Komachi to prevent her from moving and she started wiggling around like a worm caught in a bird's beak. "Yeah Rumi-chan is still a kid so it doesn't count. And stop exaggerating, it's normal for kids to do that, Keika does it to Hachiman too."

Though Keika kisses me on the cheeks, not on the lips like what Rumi did...

"Y-Yeah it doesn't count because she's still a little girl." I say but the opposing three gave me looks of disgust as if I were a gross insect on the ground. It also doesn't help that I'm blushing and stuttering. "Y-You wouldn't get it since you three don't have any younger siblings...!"

Yumiko and Yukinoshita narrow their eyes at me, but it was Hina who spoke. "Big words from a Lolicon Pedophile NEET... You're even blushing!" She says while stepping towards me and points a finger on my face which caused my eye to twitch in irritation.

"Of course I'd blush since it was all of a sudden you Fujoshi!" I retort and poke my finger on her forehead. Hina must have remembered her antics this morning and blushed as well.

"S-Shut up!"

Once again, they started arguing about whether or not it "counts". Yui and Saki vs Yumiko, Yukinoshita, Hina and lastly Komachi who for some reason decided to join in on the opposing faction... What a strange topic to argue about... I wish they would just hurry up and stop since it's getting really embarrassing. Tobe, Saika and Hayama really left me with these Vixens...

Even though they were getting a bit rowdy, I didn't stop them. I also couldn't stop a small smile from forming on my lips.

Seriously...

This is the first Summer Camp in my life where I enjoyed myself.

Greetings and salutations friends! Ivanov117 here!

How are you lot doing? Has the quarantine been lifted in your area? Anyhow, I hope all of you are doing fantastic!

Usual excuses for the rather late update: FGO and Azur Lane events and frequent laziness attacks. Those of you who have been following me for a while must already know by now lol.

I hope that you don't have any problems in reading this, there was a bug of some sort in the site and I do believe that it's fine now. It happened to many other authors since I asked around in my FB group for FB authors. If you cringed at Yoshiteru, then than means I successfully wrote him well. I'll leave it to your imagination on how to describe Hachiman and Hina's relationship. Also, Rumi really surprised Hachiman with her "reward" huh. I guess him being too cheeky at times will get him in some awkward situations.

Is this the sign of a HachixRumi fic in the making...?!

I'll just reply to some of the reviews for now.

Majin Othinus: I hope you and your countrymen are doing okay! :)

Arkaiopedys: Ehehehe... We'll see ;)

liculle: Thanks!

sergioqsc: Perhaps...

LLHOTF: Yes it was.

percyjackson1728: Thanks!

s08812578: Thanks! About the Danmachi part, I can't recall much of S1 tbh, and I think there's a already a crossover written and posted by another Author in the site. I mean I am sure that I can write one, but it might be a tad bit redundant.

The ship has sailed. The YuYu/YuMi pair will have their Yuri smut. JK lol. Speaking of smuts, I'm thinking of writing another one, but I can't decide who. Let me know who'd you suggest lol.

And I'm also having the sudden urge to write a crossover, but like the above mentioned, I can't decided yet.

Anyway, that's all for today!

As always, favourite, follow or write a review or send me a PM if you want!

Goodbye and I'll see you in the next chapter!

51

Rumi's hair tickles my nose while she's giving me a tight hug. Have I not been accustomed to dealing and being with children, then this moment would be very awkward for me. Their bus was leaving first before us, and we decided to come here to say goodbye. I was a little late since I took too long in the showers, but I still managed to arrive just when she's about to go inside the bus. She had already said her goodbyes to the others, they were a small distance behind me after she adamantly refused to take a step when I still haven't come.

Rika-san was waiting for Rumi to say goodbye to me, she stood beside the bus while giving us a small smile. I can also feel the eyes of her classmates from inside, most of the girls who were giggling with hands over their mouths, not to mention that I hear the faint and muffled sounds of childlike squealing behind the glass. I'm very sure that she's going to be bombarded by her giddy classmates when she gets inside... From the corner of my eye, I saw a few of the girls from last night who were giving us looks of indifference. Unsurprisingly, they weren't together anymore.

I hear her breath hitch and feel her shoulders start to shake.

Oh no, she's going to cry... If she'll cry then I'll cry too... I may not look like it but I cry really easily.

I gently started rubbing the back of her head to calm her down and she hugs me tighter with her small arms. "There there..." I whisper.

" I... *Hick* I don't want y-you to go... Or the others... *Hick* " She says with a muffled voice and nuzzles deeper into my neck. I feel her warm tears fall on my exposed skin.

This is the part that I dreaded the most... If I were in Rumi's shoes, I wouldn't want to say goodbye to the first people who were good to me either. I'd want them to be by my side always, to have someone that I can depend on and protect me. Everyone needs someone like that, someone who will say that it's going to be all right.

Unfortunately, I didn't have anyone like that when I was her age.

But like what Sensei said yesterday, this is part of growing up. You meet different kinds of people along the way, some good ones, some bad. As for me, well...better late than never I guess. Goodbyes will always be hard, especially in Rumi's case, but that doesn't mean that this is the end of it.

I slowly pull away from her, and she quickly looks down to hide the tears at the corners of her eyes as her hands were balled into shaking fists to prevent any more from coming out. I rubbed her head in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Where's the sneaky little girl who surprised me by stealing a kiss from me last night?" I say and chuckle when she made an involuntary movement of surprise from my words. Her hands went up and covered her face, much to my amusement.

" I-I thought you were k-kidding... S-Stupid Hachiman..." She mutters through her hands, and I can see the side of her face, as well as her ears, start to get red.

"Sorry that your first kiss had to be from a guy that got his lip busted on the night before." I joke, but she didn't seem amused since she made a disgruntled sound and bumped her head on my shoulder several times as if to punish me. I really need to learn how to make good jokes...

"A-Ah... That sounded rather inappropriate, wasn't it...?" I ask while awkwardly scratching my cheek, and she nods and rubs her head on my shoulder.

" Yes... Yes it was..." She says and pulls away from me.

"Well, it was worth it anyway. That was my first kiss too by the way." I shrug coolly and make a small smile when she finally takes her hands off from her face.

"M-Me too..." Her cheeks were red, her nose eyes and nose puffy and wet from the tears as she looked at me with a mixture of embarrassment and shyness. She wiped it away with her hand, but more poured out as she continued having hiccups. "Cheeky little brat...!" I reach out and playfully pinch and pull on her now-exposed cheek as punishment for her little stunt last night. "Don't just do stuff like that!"

"H-Hnngg..." She doesn't escape nor squirm from my grasp and just bears with it.

Once I let go, she tries to smile and laugh it off, but pouts as her lower lips start quivering once more. " ... *Hick* ...U-Umm... *Hick* " Some tears resume falling from her eyes, so I take out my carefully folded handkerchief and wipe them away while she stands still. Her breathing hitches as occasional hiccups come from her mouth, and I also wipe her red and wet nose while I was at it. "You know, I once heard a really cheesy saying. It went like this: 'A handkerchief not used to wipe away a crying lady's tears is not a handkerchief at all.' Or something like that." I say and grin.

She blushes and then starts giggling. " Hehehe... *Hick* T-That sounds really s-sweet... *Hick* Hehehehe..."

"See? You look cuter while smiling." I say and hold the side of her face, much to her delight. After I wiped the last of her tears away, I took her small hand and put my handkerchief over it. "Here, you can have this. Something to remember me by. Make sure you don't lose it."

She gives me a bright smile that could rival the Sun itself and looks down at it, before holding it tightly and clutching it to her chest. "Thank you! I will!" Her arms go around my neck and pull me in for yet another tight hug.

"That's a good girl." I pat the back of her head and give her a smile of my own after she separated from me. "Keep it safe for me since I might come back for it sometime in the future." She widens her eyes in surprise from my words, and I saw hope in them.

"Huh? What do you mean Hachiman?" She takes a step closer and I had to instinctively lean away, it is a tad bit difficult since I am also kneeling with one knee on the ground. She cutely pouts when I shake my head. The sound of the engine coming from the bus was hard to ignore, not to mention the many pairs of eyes on us and I knew that I had to finish things quickly.

"You'll know soon enough, no need for me to spoil everything." I give her a smirk and she huffs out in disappointment. "Anyway, it's time for you to go Rumi. Your classmates and teachers are waiting."

Her smile faltered a bit, and she looked to the bus as well as to Rika-san. To my surprise, instead of looking sad, she smiled and held her head up high, still red-eyed and having shallow breaths. Her effort in trying to hold back her tears and look strong was very commendable, and I give her a smile of encouragement. "Y-Yeah, I guess y-you're right Hachiman." She says and reaches for something inside her backpack, and takes out her camera.

"D-Do you mind if we take a picture together? Just the two of u-us..." She says shyly and looks at me expectantly. With how she's looking at me, of course, I can't say no to a cute face like that.

"Of course," I say and rub her head, causing her to giggle. She stands closer beside me and snaps a few photos of us. It was going as you would expect it until she sneakily smooched my cheek just as she pressed the camera's button. I start hearing squeals from inside the school bus.

"Oi... You mischievous little rascal..." I say and give her my signature dead-eyed look before pinching her side, but she just giggles more and laughs at me. It almost made me forget that she was so sad to separate from us just several moments earlier.

She completely disregards me and browses through all the photos taken and nods in satisfaction to herself. What the heck, where did all this sudden cheekiness come from...? Did the girls say something weird to her while I was away...? "You good to go? Have you checked all your belongings?" I ask.

"Yup, everything is all packed in here." She replies and pats her backpack.

"Okay stay safe then." I give her last one pat on the head. "Take care, Ru-" Before I could react, she leans forward and gives me a quick peck on the lips, then takes a step back and starts happily giggling with a bright blush on her cheeks. From the corner of my eye, I saw most of her female classmates start squealing even more loudly, the sound becoming faint because of the windows that separated us. Even Rika-san is surprised, and puts a hand over her mouth and started giggling as well when she saw the pinkish tinge on my cheeks.

Ugh! Why'd she have to do that! Twice in a row even...! Just when I lowered my guard, this happens again!

I wanted so badly to put my arm around her neck and rub my knuckles on her head, just like what Hiratsuka-sensei did to me yesterday, but I decided against it.

I sigh and shake my head, keeping an eye out for another sneak attack. "As I was saying , stay safe and take care Rumi."

She smiles with a bright blush on her cheeks. "You too, Hachiman!" After giving me a last hug and a slight bow, she turns and happily skips towards Rika-san, who ushers her inside after sending a wink my way. Seeing her happy like that was worth the embarrassment on my part. If I'm told to do it again, I'd do it without a second thought. Once the door closed, I saw her giddy classmates through the windows rush at her excitedly.

I'm sure they're asking about me...

I stood up slowly, watching the bus move out of the driveway and to the path that would take it to the main road. One of the windows went down, and I saw Rumi waving at me with a smile on her face.

"Hachimaaaaannnnn! Goooodbyeeeeeee!" She screams out with all her might as she puts both of her hands on the sides of her mouth.

I inhaled as well and prepared to give her one last sendoff. Uwaaah, I hope my voice doesn't crack at the end, I rarely raise my voice after all...

"BYEEEEE RUMIIIIIIII!" I yell back to her and waved my hands. I hear the others shout out their goodbyes as well. I am genuinely happy, her smile is contagious even at this distance. I'm honestly very pleased with how things turned out: I gained another friend, helped her out and made a positive impact on her life, as well as becoming a role model for her. I won't be able to see her again until after I come back from overseas, but that's alright. It's not like I'm never going to see her again. I have decided to personally watch over her, as well as occasionally visit her. She's just like me back then, and if no one else can help her, then I will do that. Such a pure and gentle little girl like her doesn't deserve to have a childhood like what I went through... If I can make a small difference in this world by helping this little girl that reminds me so much of my younger self...

Then that's all that matters.

...

...

...

L-Let just ignore the fact that she stole my first kiss, which was also her first as well... AND that I got called as a Lolicon Pedophile NEET as a result...

In yet another unexpected act of mischievousness, she put her hands on her lips and blew kisses my way, smiling, before their bus turned at the corner...and I didn't see her anymore.

Uwaaah... That was something that wives would typically do to their husbands in those old war movies...

Ah... I don't see him anymore...

He had a goofy and awkward expression on his face when I blew him a kiss, and it was worth the embarrassment on my part to see him make a face like that...

I was brought back to reality when I heard one of my classmates call me my name.

"Tsurumi-san! Tsurumi-san!" She says, I'm not so sure, but I think her name was Mitsugi-san. "Who was he?! Wasn't he the sunglasses-Onii-san who the others met the day before yesterday?" Her friends and others were right behind her, looking at me expectantly.

I am honestly a bit overwhelmed, but I steeled myself to at least make a reply. "Ah, yes that was him. His name is Hikigaya Hachiman..." I unconsciously touched the handkerchief that he gave me that was on my lap.

"Oh! So that's his name!"

"His name is really cool!"

"You know, I think I heard of his family name before!"

Mitsugi-san excitedly seats herself next to me, startling me because of how close we are. Her friends do the same too, are at least try but they weren't able to because of how narrow the seats were. "Tsurumi-san! We didn't know that you had such a cool boyfriend!"

"Yeah! That was really sneaky! Hehehehe! You should have introduced us to him!"

Of course, I couldn't help but get surprised at their words.

"H-Huh?! N-No, we're not like that..." I say and waved my hands in front of me as I tried to keep my voice from cracking.

All of them tilt their heads to the side before something clicked inside their heads at the same time that caused them to squeal and get even giddier. They had bright blushes while holding the sides of their faces with their hands. I couldn't understand whatever came out of their mouths because their voices sounded stirred and interrupted by giggles and squealing.

"Oh! So it's a fiancee thing?! Kyaaaahhh~!"

"Or a first love?!"

"It's like something from one of those shows my Onee-chan watches!"

"You gave him a kiss too!"

I blush profusely at how much they misunderstood us. Uwaah... I knew I shouldn't have done it...seeing his reaction to it after was too funny.

But I don't really regret it...

Before I could melt from all of their embarrassing words, Kushino-sensei dispersed my classmates, and they reluctantly went back to their seats with pouts. They said that they wanted to talk more after the trip, which really surprised me. Kushino-sensei and I made eye contact, and she gave me a knowing wink which made me squeak and blush.

The seat next to mine was unoccupied, and I put my bag on it and checked all my stuff. I went through the photos that I took throughout the trip and smile fondly at all of the new friends that I made. The handkerchief that I had on my lap fell, but I managed to prevent it from touching the floor with my foot.

There was something white inside it that I didn't notice before, and I pick it up to see that it was a small slip of paper that was folded tightly. I open it to see what it was.

Hi Rumi.

If there's anything you need, or if you just want to talk about stuff, don't hesitate to call or message me with my contact information below. :)

Yours truly,

Hikigaya Hachiman

And right below them was a set of numbers as well as an email address.

I smile and giggle to myself after rereading the small note several times.

This is really sweet of him to do...

"Tobe, Saika, have you checked your things?" I ask them as I close the door to the cabin. We already had a quick breakfast with the others, and we immediately started to get our things ready to finally end this short summer camp of ours.

"No problem here!"

"Mm, we're good to go Hachiman."

We joined Hayama who was at a small distance away waiting for us. After a short walk, while talking, we met up with the girls and Sensei who was patiently awaiting our arrival. Since Komachi, Saki and I came with my Mother, and Yukinoshita, Yui and Saika with Sensei, we would be separated into three groups while going back to Chiba.

As for Hayama, Yumiko, Tobe and Hina, their ride was already here and we made our goodbyes. While we're having a last-minute chat, Hina pulled me aside and motioned for me to lean down. I was a bit worried that it may cause some suspicion, but no one seems to pay us any mind. Saika was with us, so I can imagine that it helped quite a bit. We don't really mind having Saika overhear us since he knows as well.

" Hachi-kun, did you have fun~?" She says, and I catch the scent of her familiar perfume.

" Yes, I did," I reply as I watch Yumiko and Saki share a laugh over something that Yui and Komachi said, while Yukinoshita just looks at the four with an expression of bewilderment.

Saika turns to us and makes an apologetic face. "Hachiman, Hina, sorry that I can't go with you with the phone hunting and all. I have Tennis practice with the club like what Yoshiteru said at the group chat."

I shake my head at him. "No. It's fine, Captain. I'll just bring this perverted Fujoshi with me then."

Hina's smile cracks a bit, and she pinches the side of my arm for my retort. "Says the Lolicon Pedophile NEET..."

Before I could make a comeback, I suddenly had the strangest feeling that I am forgetting something extremely important. The two of them must have noticed the sudden change in my expression since they grew concerned and asked me about it.

I put a hand under my chin and frown while looking back in the direction of the cabin. "I... I don't know. I think that I forgot something..." I say while feeling all around my body for anything that I may have overlooked. Wallet, phone, my other handkerchief, watch... I didn't bring my gold necklace nor my wide-brimmed hat.

When I instinctively narrowed and shielded my eyes from the Sun while looking up in thought, it was when I remembered it.

"Ah, my sunglasses."

After thinking for a bit, Saika says that he hasn't seen it since the day before yesterday, which is similar to Hina's answer. He then went to the others to ask if they saw it around, Hina was going to join him too but he said that it's alright. I had already triple-checked my bag, and we scoured the cabin up and down before going out earlier so it couldn't be there.

Where could it be...? Let's see...

Yesterday morning, I was at the girl's cabin to help Yui reconcile Yukinoshita and Yumiko. Then I met up with Kushino-san, breakfast, then Hina and I got trapped in the girl's showers, the stream with Rumi and so on and so forth. She started thinking as well, and her brows furrowed in concentration.

She sighed and huffed out, looking slightly frustrated. "Sorry Hachi-kun, I can't remember..."

"Do you think it fell on the bushes or something? Maybe one of the kids found it and didn't bother handing it to the place's Admin for lost and found items?" I ask as my thoughts went and took every possibility into consideration.

Hina shakes her head. "I don't know." She says, before quickly looking up at me with wide eyes and gripping my arm. "Hachi-kun! The showers! Remember when I pulled you inside? It could have fallen there when we went out." She says in a low voice. We see Saika asking the others about it with all of them shaking their heads and shrugging after turning in our direction.

"Are you sure? That's really unlikely. Maybe I accidentally put it in your bag?" I say while thinking about yesterday's events. Now that I think about it, I think it did disappear at around that time.

"No, it's not in here. I would know if it was." She gestures to her bag while shaking her head.

We reluctantly went back to the main group just as Hayama, Tobe and Yumiko started getting on their rented vehicle, the YuYu pair finally separating after a brief and awkward goodbye after the blonde gave the Ice Queen an unexpected hug, much to her embarrassment. Yumiko gave all the girls a hug but whispered something to Saki and Yui, which caused them to giggle and playfully slap her arm. Komachi said something as well and grinned before patting her head. It's good to see them all getting along. Yukinoshita wanted to say something, but stopped herself and swallowed her words instead.

She was the last to get on, but before entering, she turned to me with a smirk. "See you later, Hikio."

I give her a simple nod. "You too-"

"Oh sorry, I meant Lolicon Pedophile NEET."

My eye twitched and I raised my fist at her while the others laughed. "Don't make me hit you on the head. I'll send you flying to Siberia."

She giggled and stuck out her tongue. Once their car was out of the driveway, Hiratsuka-sensei walks over to us and after hearing the small commotion about my sunglasses. After explaining things to her, Hina and Yui jogged to where the showers while Sensei sent a message to the Admin. Since things might take too long, Hina told Yumiko, Hayama and Tobe to go without her since she might take a while after accepting Sensei's offer of riding with them.

As I was busy thinking, Hirastuka-sensei turns to me with a raised brow while we were waiting for Hina and Yui to return. "You and Ebina are really close, aren't you?"

Oh.

"Does it look like that, Sensei?" I ask and she nods. "Hmm, I guess we are then." I shrug coolly. Vehemently rejecting Sensei would be too suspicious, the best course of action would be to gracefully accept it calmly. And I'm not one to get all flustered and start stuttering over such a trivial thing. She eyed me longer than I would have liked before speaking again.

"Why are you looking for it in the girl's showers anyway?"

"She dragged me to go with her yesterday morning since she had no one else to ask. I just carried her things."

"And it just so happened to fall there...? Inside...?" It's clear that she doesn't quite believe our story or at least a part of it. I can't really blame her. I'm going to have a little talk with Hina about how she should properly act in the future.

"I don't know Sensei, it doesn't hurt checking." I shrug and say in all honesty since I don't know as well. It could have fallen on the corner outside of our field of view or I could have carelessly put it on a branch somewhere while I was fixing my shoes for all I care. I seriously don't know. She observed me for a little while before speaking again. "Did you go inside?"

That sounds really lewd.

"No Sensei. I didn't." The lie tasted extremely bitter in my mouth, made especially so because it was Sensei that I was blatantly lying to.

She looked like she wanted to interrogate me further but stopped and sighed. "Hmph, at least you have someone that you can get chummy with after all. And it's a girl too." Sensei says with a small smile. I admit that Hina may have been a bit too clingy these past two days, and I even warned her yesterday and in the group chat as well, but she just can't stop herself. That's honestly not a good excuse, maybe I'll give her a punishment or something.

"Sensei, it's like you're saying that I am unpopular with the male population. Saika, Hayama and Tobe are my friends too you know?" I say and she laughs and pats my shoulder. Not just them, my Senpais in the StuCo, the Class Reps that I got acquainted with as well as some Club Presidents, members and committee volunteers. I don't like to sound like a scheming snake, but I know who to talk to if I need a favour or something that I can't do because of the risk of exposing myself too much. Quite a few people owe me favours after all, and they are more than willing to come to my call to arms.

"What about that Zaimokuza fellow? I saw him in the Club once or twice."

"Yes, him too of course." I sigh and roll my eyes, but on the inside, I'm quite glad that Sensei changed the topic. She was about to say something until we both saw Hina and Yui coming to us. Both of them were panting with some sweat forming on their foreheads and I kind of felt bad for making them do it. To my disappointment, they both shook their heads.

"It wasn't there Hikki. We searched every stall and the place around it too." Yui says with an apologetic face, followed by Hina.

"Well..." I tried to hide my disappointment, but I couldn't help but accidentally give out a rather loud huff of frustration. I immediately regretted it since I had startled Yui and she withdrew her hand from me. That pair was given to me by my Father, I'm sure that he'll get upset when he learns of this. Maybe I can buy another one...

I felt Yui slowly reach out and rub my back. "H-Hikki..."

"Ah... And I have to return the car before I get a penalty, the Admin hasn't replied yet too..." Sensei makes a difficult face and turns to cheer me up. "Don't worry Hikigaya, if it's here then it's probably with them. Probably." Sensei says, and Yui and Hina follow up with their own words to try and uplift my sour mood.

"I guess that it can't be helped then..." I make a resigned sigh. I saw something akin to regret in Hina, she must be feeling responsible about it or something, which is completely illogical. It's my fault and no one else's that I got careless and lost it. The four of us go back to join the others, I was dragging my feet on the ground while Yui pushes my back forward.

"Hikki! Cheer up!"

I just groan at her, as if I have gone mute.

"Come on Hikki! What would it take to cheer you up? Do you want to go somewhere after this? I know a great place where they sell really good cakes and pies!" She starts walking beside me and pulls my arm forward. "Oh, I know! Let's go to my house! Mama says that she wants to meet you!" Sensei and Hina just watch the two of us with amused smiles on their faces.

Hoh, an offer for lunch or dinner at Yui's place...? The invitation sounds enticing, and I am honestly curious at how much this student of mine has improved her cooking outside the school. I don't really mind going to her place, I know where she lives since I had given her a ride on my bike home some time ago. As I recall, she invited me for tea but it was my turn to cook that night so I had to respectfully decline. And with a direct invitation from her Mother, then I don't need to feel nervous and anxious and all that.

"Really...?" I ask to make sure that she's not joking.

She smiled and nodded. "Really!"

"Hmm, well..." I say after thinking a bit and scratch my head as she looks at me expectantly. "It would be rude to keep your Mother waiting, then -" I stopped mid-sentence when I heard the familiar horn of a car.

Ah, she's here...

Yukinoshita perked up at the sound as well and looked around. She suddenly looked startled and I saw some fear in her eyes.

We soon saw the car itself, its sleek and slender form making its way towards us until it stopped at a small distance away. Hiratsuka-sensei had a look of surprise on her face, I didn't know that she was acquainted with her, much less recognize her car. As for Yukinoshita, she had stiffened upon seeing it and looked as if she had turned to stone.

The car's engine turned off, the door to the driver's side opened, and out stepped Yukinoshita Haruno wearing a white sundress. As always, she is breathtaking no matter what she wears.

" Haruno...?" I hear Hiratsuka-sensei mutter from under her breath.

"Oh! Shizuka-chan!" Haruno exclaims and skips towards us. Hina and Yui look at the newcomer and unconsciously took a step back, with the latter letting go of my arm and leaving Sensei and me to face her alone. She stops right in front of Sense and gives her a hug, where the older woman just lightly pats her back. "Haruno, are you here to pick up your little sister?"

She pulls away with a grin. "No, I'm not here for Yukino-chan." She says in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear and looks to the side, locking eyes with her little sister and scanning the girls who were around her. Yukinoshita had a look of confusion on her face at her older sister's words. She looks satisfied, then her grin widens and turns to me as she takes my arm and forcefully pulls me to her. I didn't resist when she rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm just here for Hachiman~..."

All eyes were on the two of us, and I deliberately unfocused my vision so I couldn't see the expressions on their faces. I sigh and turn to Haruno who looks like she's having the time of her life. "Haruno -nee-san..."

Even though I couldn't see her properly, I saw the vague shape of Yukinoshita flinch, as well as the others who were staring at us.

She looks at me, then frowns when she takes a closer look at my lip. "Haa-chan, what happened to your lip...?" She says and holds my cheek with some force when I instinctively leaned away. "Did you fall or something...?" She deliberately stood on her tiptoes to see better, giving our spectators a rather intimate display in the process. I must have gotten taller since she's a bit shorter compared to the last time I saw her. The material on her sundress looked quite thin and airy, and she showed off much of her shoulders which caused me to mentally get a hold of myself. Unfortunately, I took a peek at the pretty shiny emerald pendant that dangled a few centimetres below the base of her neck, just below her collarbones. When she caught me taking a peek, she grinned wider. With how close we are...if I look down...

"Something like that," I say and lean my head away from her, yet still making eye contact. If I do, then it would make me look weak.

"You weren't in a fight, were you...? Auntie would really be upset..."

I shake my head. "No. I just slipped and bit my lip." I reply and she slowly and reluctantly let go of me. Of course, she would be surprised to see me in this state. I didn't tell her that this happened. Haruno pretended that she just noticed the others and proceeded to properly introduce herself when Sensei cleared her throat.

"Hello everyone! I'm Yukinoshita Haruno, elder sister of Yukino-chan and alumni from Sobu High school! So I'm like your Senpai I guess!" She says in a cheery tone and everyone else starts introducing themselves.

After they were finished, she pats my shoulder several times. "As for what I am to Haa-chan here..." She sported a thoughtful look and put a finger to her lips. She's really enjoying herself and putting on quite a show huh... "I'm closer to him than being just called friends, but not close enough to be called a best friend. Oh! What about his girlfriend then~! That sounds rather nice~!"

There was a collective and audible intake of air.

Quite a few of them had looks of surprise, especially a certain someone's little sister. Komachi looked like she wanted to go to Haruno, but stopped when I gave her the slightest shake of my head. She has a teasing tone in her voice, not to mention her body language itself but I think some of them are taking her words too seriously. I can feel their gazes go up and down her figure, as well as thinking about how true her words are. I roll my eyes and sigh. "Nee-san..."

When I said her name again, she stopped herself before she could do it, but I saw Yukinoshita's lips almost purse on their own. She must be feeling irritated or slightly annoyed. I can't really blame her. If some guy that suddenly appeared starts acting the same way Haruno is doing to Komachi, I'd get pissed off too.

Haruno giggles when we lock eyes and then turns to the others. "Just kidding~! I'm like his older sister figure! So if any girl wants to get him, she has gone to through me first! Just kidding~! Hehehehehehe!" She declares which causes some brows to raise here and there.

She smiles happily and goes to Yukinoshita, who puts her arm around her waist which caused her to almost jump out of her skin. "It's good to see that Yukino-chan has friends! Please be patient with her, she's rather awkward and shy and sometimes doesn't quite mean things that she says, or something! Ahaha~!" Haruno laughs and Yukinoshita blushes profusely. The others didn't quite know how to react, and just gave out forced chuckles.

"Komachi, something came up and I have to go with Haruno." I say with an undertone that spoke no room for argument when our eyes made contact. All she could do was nod after looking at me with surprise. Saki gave me a worried look while she eyed Haruno warily, who was making Yukinoshita more uncomfortable by the second.

While Haruno was having fun poking reactions and making Yukinoshita flustered, Sensei pokes my rib with her elbow. "Hikigaya, I didn't know that you knew Haruno..."

"She knows my parents and tutored me several times before," I say in an even and dull tone.

"She's really pretty, isn't she?"

"Hmm, yup." Yui and Hina say from behind us. The younger looked like she's about to lose her patience and slowly unhooked her older sister's hands from her waist. "N-nee-san... Please stop... You are embarrassing me in front of my-" She caught herself and stopped before she could finish her words. Haruno grinned and was about to tease her again until I called out to her.

"Haruno, didn't you say that we're in a hurry?"

She turns to me and gives me a knowing look, we stare at each other for several tense moments before she shrugged and stepped away from her little sister. Yukinoshita watches her calmly return back to my side and puts her hand around mine, clearly sending an unspoken message and completely shrugging off the confused and slightly appalled stares on her without a care in the world. As if it weren't worth giving her time and attention to. "Mou, Hachiman is such a killjoy..." It's honestly amazing in a way. It was like I was seeing myself walking in the hallways at school.

"N-Nee-san? What about m-" Yukinoshita was about to follow her, but stopped at what Haruno said next.

"Sorry Yukino-chan, you can't come with us. Our family driver will be the one taking you home. I already have permission from Uncle and Auntie." She says firmly without even turning to her, and only does so when she's right next to me. Sensei, Hina and Yui had taken steps back to give us some space. I can't blame them, and I would do the same if I were in their shoes. With the way Haruno acted, she's sending a clear message to everyone here. Yukinoshita looks quite hurt at being left out, her facial expression says exactly that. I don't know if these two sisters have had a conflict before, or if they never got along in the first place, but I don't really care since it's honestly none of my business. Aside from the occasional remark being lightly thrown by Haruno, she barely mentions nor asks about her little sister. It's the same with Yukinoshita, her answers are vague and short when asked about her family, especially about the topic of her older sister. Also, she doesn't know that I'm this acquainted with her older sister since I honestly had no reason to tell her. Haruno never directly spoke of it, but that is what she wanted.

From the edge of my peripheral vision, she turns to me to defend or support her. She was pleading with me with her eyes. To say or do something, to at least offer a helpful word or two.

I keep my mouth sealed and pretend to type something on my phone that I secretly took out earlier. I could practically feel the ends of Haruno's lips turn upward. If no one else was around, she would have definitely gave out a sadistic laugh.

"So that's that!" She claps her hands together once and then intertwines her arm with mine. "We'll be taking our leave then!"

"I'm sorry that it's so sudden, but I didn't really know how to explain things," I say, and after I give a short farewell, she leads me to the seat beside her, and I open the door and enter her car with my bag in my hand.

"Shizuka-chan! Let's hang out sometime!" Haruno says while giving Sensei a wave, before opening the door and entering the vehicle. She turned on the engine, and the car drove forward and went back to the path that would lead us to the main road. I watched everyone that I left behind at the side mirror, they were still standing there, not quite sure how to react to how fast things just happened. Sensei turned to the others and said something that snapped them out of the daze-like condition that they were in. After sending us one final look, she ushers the others away so they can start preparing for their departure as well.

"Haruno... That was too sudden."

She grins and turns to me. "Hehehe, I know right? Shizuka-chan's expression was priceless~!" I didn't share her mirth and tell her to keep her eyes forward. The last thing that I want to do is to have both of us involved in a car accident. Since the path was clear, it didn't take long for us to reach the main road and go along with the other cars headed in the direction of Chiba. I kept an eye out for Rumi's bus just in case we pass by her.

"Wasn't that a bit too much...?" I ask after several minutes of silence.

"Hmm, not really. If I wanted to, I could have done more though."

"A-Ah, I see... Well, thank you for picking me up Haruno." I say and give her a slight bow that looked silly because of the seatbelt that I had on me.

"Don't mention it! I like driving in the mornings anyway, lesser people on the road and all that. So about what happened...care to tell Onee-san what you were doing these past two days?"

I gave her a brief summary of all that happened, of course, I didn't mention that Yumiko and Yukinoshita had a small fight, my meet-ups with Hina and the finer details when we helped Rumi. She was strangely quiet, which is rare for her to do since she would always add in a word or two. But this time, she just listened.

"Sounds like you had fun Haa-chan~!" She grins when I shake my head at her words. Seriously, she's copying my Mother too much. I wonder how many times those two meet behind my back. Not to mention how much she knows about me through my Mother.

"On the other hand, you have a surprising number of female friends. I didn't get to see this Yumiko fellow but it sounds like you two get along well. You're on a first-name basis with all of them too. Well, except for..."

"..."

I knew who she was talking about of course. They do share the same surname after all.

"Wouldn't Yukino-chan feel left out and isolated when she's the only one that's being treated differently among all of them? I can't imagine how she must be feeling... You are her friend after all, am I right?" She says.

It's something that's been on my mind for some time, but I ignored it since she didn't seem to mind it. But now that I think about it, I have noticed a bitter smile and slight looks of disdain when she thinks that no one sees it in the rare moments that I watch her. When she was with me last night, it was randomly decided on a coin toss as to who should be with who and where. And by pure coincidence, she got stuck with me in a place where I could watch everything unfold without being seen. She tried to hide it, but I think she was glad to get paired up with me.

"..."

Haruno ignored my silence and continued. "She must feel kind of bad. I mean if I were in her place, I'd definitely feel a bit alienated. Tell me, why aren't you calling her by her first name anyway?"

"It's unfair that you're trying to make me feel guilty. Haruno, she and I aren't as close as you would think." I say calmly as I watch the trail exhaust of a plane high in the sky. In a few days, I'll be riding in one to take me someplace very far away. My Father already has the ticket, and he even bought a new travel bag for me.

"Hmm? Is that how it is?" She asks and I nod. "I thought you were close friends already. Didn't she see you as some kind of rival or something last year?" She already had an idea of what I was to Yukinoshita when we met at Angel Ladder a month or two ago so her words didn't come as surprising. That was before she and I had the argument that strained the thing that we had for some time.

"Is it really rivalry when one side doesn't even acknowledge the other?" I reply, which caused a smirk from her. "I honestly can't see myself being beaten by anyone at school. I mean, I do have so many tricks up my sleeve. That flash drive that you gave me, my dependable Senpais at the StuCo, the people who owe me favours and not to mention, my most trusty asset: You."

She starts giggling, but I saw no blush on her cheeks. "Awwww, that's so sweet of you. But being called an asset feels weird. It's like I'm a tool or just a chess piece or something. You shouldn't compliment girls that way, Hachiman. One day they might spite you for it." She says with a slight warning undertone.

I shrug and ignore her. "Hmph, be that as it may, you are still very important to me."

"Was that a confession~...?" She cooed in a sweet voice. If I was not accustomed to her teases, I would have gone pink on the spot.

"Interpret it as you like," I say rather coldly.

Instead of replying immediately, she got quiet and studied me from the corner of her eye. I asked her if something was wrong when her gaze was starting to make me feel anxious because her eyes weren't on the road. When she spoke, there's no hint of mischievousness. Instead, she sounds concerned. "Hachiman, did something happen? You sound a bit annoyed for some reason..."

Her words immediately made me reflect on how I spoke to her, and I apologized. "Ah, sorry. I lost something when we were there. Still must be on my mind and all." She shakes her head to tell me that it's fine.

"Is that so... Well cheer up! Onee-san is here! Even though it's only for a few days, we're going to have lots of fun, you and I! You're mine." She says cheerfully, which reminded me of how Yui tried to cheer me up earlier. Uwaah, I wonder if Yui's offer is still on the table...I hope that she doesn't think any less of me. I just ignored how much Haruno emphasized the last part.

I roll my eyes and rest my chin on my hand, absentmindedly looking at the scenery to my right. I saw Chiba in the distance, the tall buildings that towered over the city like giants. If I force my eyes a bit, I can see the thin blanket of air pollution that unfortunately hangs over it.

"By the way, Nee-san." I say while not facing her.

"Hmm...?"

"If you're going to post pictures of us in your social media accounts, can you not include me, or just blur my face at most...?"

She made a small sound of confusion at my strange request. "Hmm? Why?"

"Other than the fact that I don't have an official social media account since I only use dummies and throwaways, I... I just don't want to show my face too much." I say while trying to keep my voice calm and hiding my right hand from her, which had started to twitch by itself again. If this keeps up, I'll have to hide my left one too.

Haruno started giggling, probably thinking that I wasn't serious.

But I am.

I am dead serious.

"Heeeeh, what's this Haa-chan~? Are you embarrassed to see me with you? Hehehe~! Well, if you say so, I guess Onee-san can compromise~. I'll just need to show it to him as proof, hopefully, he doesn't force me to post them though~!" I have an idea as to who she means, but I'll set that aside for the time being.

"I see, well thank you for that."

It wasn't the answer that I wanted to hear, but it's the best one available so accepted it for now. I'm not the one making the shots.

These next few days are going to be exhausting now that I am snared by Haruno... I swear, I never to catch a break, do I?

Hello everyone! Ivanov117 here!

It's exactly one week after my previous update, this chap literally squeezed all of my brain juice and I think I'm going to take a little break idk lol.

The Chad Tsurumi Rumi vs the Virgin literally every other girl in the fic. Rumi was such a chad in the previous chapter, as well as this one! I made her extra cheeky since I loved her interactions with 8MAN and I thought that they were adorably innocent and fitting for someone of her age. We'll see her again, not to worry! I think we all know who her first love is!

Hint: He is also known as "Lolicon Pedophile NEET"!

As for Haruno, she really pulled a sneaky move huh. Taunting the other girls like that, getting touchy-feely with 8MAN while they were watching, in front of her little sister even! I think it riled up quite a few heads, maybe it'll even cause them to take action and stake their claim...? Jealously, betrayal, questioning their relationships and possessiveness and all that. Who knows what's going on in Yukinoshita Haruno's mind?

Okay, enough of me poking your heads to turn your gears for fun!

To the guy who asked if a Hachi x Iroha or Hachi x Komachi smut is on the way... Well, who knows?

As always, favourite, follow, leave a review or PM me your thoughts if you want!

I'll see you lot next time!

52

He's still not replying...

I quietly sigh while putting away my phone. It didn't come unnoticed by the white-haired boy beside me.

"Hina?" He asks in a concerned manner as we walk together. We had said goodbye to Yui and Yukinoshita-san earlier after Sensei dropped us off. Now we'll take the train and separate at the next stop since he still had tennis practice later.

"Oh, it's nothing." I give him a reassuring smile, which did little to ease his worry. He kind of reminds me of Yumiko. He's always looking out for me, Hachi-kun and Yoshi-kun. Especially at gym class where he keeps an eye on Hachi-kun since he might overexert himself and faint again. I can't exactly act too close to him without questions being asked, so Saika does it in my stead.

"You've been spacing out since earlier... Hachiman still hasn't replied...?" I shake my head at his question and he makes a difficult expression.

We stick to the shadows of the buildings as we walk. There were only a few people around in the street, but that will change the closer we reach the train station.

"That girl... Yukinoshita-san's older sister, I mean. Have you met her before?" Saika asks the question that both of us have been holding back since riding with Sensei and the others earlier.

The ride back to Chiba was terribly awkward and silent. And I don't want to sound nasty or mean or anything like that really, but it was because of Yukinoshita-san's mood. Yui and Sensei tried to talk to her, but her replies were short and came out too stiff as if just uttering a single word uses a tremendous amount of energy.

I spoke with her a bit, but she didn't even make eye contact with me once. It's the same with Saika.

"No. It's the first time that I've seen her..."

He nods and puts his arms on the back of his head while we walk. He looks up to the sky, silently in thought before speaking again several moments later.

"Hachiman has never mentioned her to me too, even in the group chat. But, why would he mention her anyway? She's just a friend from the looks of things." Saika says as if he were talking with himself and not to me.

With how she acted around Hachi-kun earlier, it doesn't look like that at all.

From an outsider's perspective, she looked like his older and flirty girlfriend.

And it really annoyed me.

It...honestly irked me how she kept an observant and teasing eye on us. Watching our every move, and taking in our reactions. Between Yui and I, the one that may have visibly showed surprise was me. But thankfully, most of her attention was on her little sister. It must have been because I was the most plain-looking of the bunch that she only spared me with a quick glance and that was it...

It was painfully clear that she was trying to provoke Yukinoshita-san. For what purpose, I could only guess.

"Yeah. Well, they're no strangers to each other at least, and he tolerates her... closeness." I say while trying to sound like it didn't bother me.

I shouldn't be jealous...

Of course, I'm happy that he has friends aside from us at school. I could never begrudge him that. I love him as a friend after all. I am in no position and nor do I have the right and privilege to complain nor dictate to him on who he should associate himself and be friends with. And if she is someone that he trusts, then I guess that is fine.

No matter how tough and cold he acts, even someone of his position would feel loneliness and yearn for companionship. A friendship that doesn't require him to put on airs, act according to his status, and most of all, a friendship that doesn't demand him to put on masks to hide his true self. That's why he reached out to Saika, Yoshi-kun and me for this exact purpose, even if he hasn't outwardly said it himself, I know that this is the reason.

It must be mentally and emotionally exhausting for him to do... I can't imagine how he can keep it up every day at school. Always keeping the reins on himself stable and in control. How he has to act according to how the public perceives him, as well as his sense of pride that comes with it. Not to mention that his name carries some weight with it.

Still, to say that I'm not at all bothered by how she acted around him would be a lie. And yet, I had no choice but to watch her do all those kinds of acts of provocation.

I didn't like that feeling. I felt like salt was being rubbed over my open and bleeding wounds.

Even though I'll feel like a hypocrite for having these kinds of thoughts with our "relationship" that only our small group of friends know about... I have to be honest with myself, at least with this.

I really didn't like that feeling.

Saika and I took the train and I bade him farewell when we separated at the next station. I arrived home, immediately took a bath and went straight to bed.

No matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking about this morning's events. Just thinking about it drained me. I checked my phone again, I lost count on how many times I did it since this morning. I decided not to call him but sent him a message, and then waited for who knows how long with my face in my pillow.

I waited and waited until my eyes started feeling heavy, and before I completely surrendered to the feeling, I take one last glance at my phone's screen with heavy eyes.

...

...

Still no reply...

...

" ..."

Nee-san is still not answering her phone...

I sigh and put down my phone on the table and sit on the edge of the sofa.

It has been two hours since I arrived here at my apartment. After I took a bath and changed into my indoor clothes, I have been trying to contact her ever since yet to no avail. It has made me feel restless and anxious, which caused me to walk around impatiently while waiting for her to answer. I have so many things to ask her.

What was the reason for her being there?

Why was I not allowed go with them?

What did she mean when she said that she already has his Parent's permission?

Why did he go with her, without even telling us prior to her arrival?

And most of all...

Since when had they gotten so close without my knowledge? They are even on a first-name basis, not to mention giving each other nicknames that would only be possible if they are very close...

He even called her "Nee-san"...

I let out an even deeper sigh and lean back until I was lying on the sofa. It did not alleviate the discomfort that I was already feeling, since I had just eaten several minutes ago. The food was bland and tasteless on my palate.

I smile fondly at the new memories that I made during the summer camp, as well as feeling some guilt and shame over what happened between Miura-san and me.

She is a good person, and I regret provoking her too much back then. I have made my peace with her, and have gotten a bit closer to Komachi-chan as well as Ebina-san, but I think Kawasaki-san still feels wary of me. I cannot blame her for feeling that way. She seems close with Hikigaya-kun and his family, so hearing that I have said those bad things about him must have upset her...no, it surely has. If I find out that someone has been doing that to someone I hold dear, then I would feel the same way as well.

Just remembering their faces while they looked at me upon hearing of it...is enough to make me want to run away and hide.

Now that I recall some of the things that had happened over those past two days, I have just realized something. I have only thought of it now because I am alone and without the company of others that may distract me. It may be tiny and insignificant, perhaps I am just overthinking things but...

I think Hikigaya-kun has been avoiding me...

We barely spoke except for when the situation demanded it, and I had no time to privately speak to him since he was always with his other friends. It reminded me that aside from myself, he has his own social circle as well, of which Yuigahama-san is already a part. I could not actively seek him out since there were others in our presence, and also because I had to be with Miura-san at all times so that rules out the possibility of us having some privacy.

Aside from that, I felt slightly alienated at being the only one not being called by their first name by him.

Well...aside from him , at least.

I would feel awkward and out-of-place when I think of it at random times of the day, especially when I was with the others. The pleasant smiles and laughs that he would make were completely different when I am with him, and I felt like he was treating me differently than the others. Even with Yuigahama-san's presence in the Service Club, there is something different about it. Ebina-san, Yuigahama-san and Miura-san make him happier than I could ever hope to do. He smiles wider, laughs louder with them, and because of that, I cursed how socially inexperienced I was.

It was painful when I realized it. I did my best to ignore how some of them can be so freely touchy with him, without him complaining nor moving away. Even so, I could not help but feel envious of them. How Miura-san held his hand in hers, how Ebina-san casually took him with her to the changing area, and how he freely puts his hand over Yuigahama-san's shoulder and fondly pats her head.

Even that little girl, Tsurumi Rumi. She was the one who kissed him three times. To think that I would feel envy because of an elementary schoolgirl...

If it was me, he would undoubtedly put some space between us.

There was a towering wall that I had yet to overcome, and I could not move when I stand before it. I want to be closer to him, to narrow the distance between us but at the same time, I am afraid.

I am afraid that he may still hate me for what I did.

I don't know how long I waited, but I immediately bolted upright when I heard my phone make the notification sound. I took it and unlocked it, and unfortunately, it was just an advert from the telecommunications company.

To keep my mind distracted while I wait for Nee-san's reply, I decided to go to my room and open my school materials. I may as well do the summer homework and finish everything while I am at it. After I take some small snacks from my refrigerator and cabinet in the kitchen, I go inside and neatly place everything on my study table.

Minutes turned into hours, and before long, I had already eaten dinner, took a bath and brushed my teeth and was preparing to finally tuck in for the night. I am halfway done with the homework, I could do an all-nighter if I wanted but my body needed its rest for now. I get my phone and unlock it to see if I have received any word from Nee-san.

...

...

Still nothing.

But I took comfort at the image that I saved as my phone's wallpaper.

It was the photo that we took when we were at the park. He had a rare handsome smile on his face, an expression that I have only seen him make several times before. His hair was styled neatly and tidy, as well as the clothes that he wore that time. His eyes were the same cold and sharp ones, but within them held some light.

When I first met him, I thought of them as disgusting, horrid and creepy. But over time, I learned to see past them and know more about the boy called Hikigaya Hachiman. His likes and dislikes, his siscon tendencies, his fascination for those animated shows and manga, as well the surprising intelligence that he held which managed to best me in our Year. Even until now, I have not yet won against him in Academics. At first, I disliked him because of it, but I realized that he was a worthy rival, even with those eyes that I mocked him for having.

I daresay that I find his cold and dark eyes very charming, in their own special way. I feel like if I stare too long at them, I'll -

Ah. Never mind, it is far too embarrassing to say...

With a dejected sigh after putting down my phone on the desk, I turn off the lights and lie down on the bed. After blankly staring at the ceiling for several seconds, I turn to my right.

Just some time ago, he was here sleeping with me on this bed. He slept so soundly and peacefully, even as I had put my arm and leg over him. I remember how warm he was when I rubbed my cheek on his chest, and how excited I felt to have him so close to me in this secluded room. My sense of touch becoming hypersensitive just from the brief contact of our shoulders. I almost did something to his sleeping form back then, and I managed to stop myself just in time. No other souls aside from ourselves would have known what transpired here...

No one.

My heart begins to beat faster as I feel sudden overwhelming hotness go over my body. I start thinking about inappropriate things. Something could have happened here if both of us got carried away... The mere thought of it makes my body heat up and my mind start spinning.

I toss and turn on the bed, trying to shake off those thoughts from my mind. When my breathing was starting to get heavier, I bite my lip, trying to remind myself not to do anything strange and vulgar, as well as keeping my hands under my pillows.

Seeing that I cannot sleep in such a state, I get up and go to the kitchen to make a cup of warm milk. I may as well watch something on the TV.

Hopefully, I will drift off into sleep with this.

...

...

...

I wonder what the both of them did today...

Hi guys, Ivanov117 here!

I decided to make a short special monologue chapter from Hina and Yukino's perspective because it's been a while since I last made one.

Also because today is my 23rd birthday XD!

Well, on the 5th of December actually but I couldn't post it yesterday because of all the preparations that my family made.

So belated happy birthday to me! :)

Anyway, I hope you lot are doing fine and stay safe always! (Oh yeah I updated my other alt ending fic. You know, the smut one! So check it out if you want!)

See you next week!

53

I have never been to a Community Centre this large before. The sheer number of people is amazing. If I need to compare it with something, it's probably one of those venues where the Comiket is held. I've heard Hina and Hikki talk about it from time to time, the former really wants to go but Hikki feels reluctant because places with huge crowds make him uncomfortable. Kinda like Yukinon I guess.

The entrance was a bit too crowded earlier, with lots of people of all ages. To prevent us from getting separated, I had hesitantly put my arm around his. He was surprised by the sudden contact but didn't shake me off, much to my relief. We stayed like that, walking around with my arm around him until we reached the area assigned to his class.

I untangled myself from him when we met the rest of his class. From my earlier observations, he's treated the same way our classmates treat him at school. After I excused myself and started walking to where I am right now, he was immediately hounded by the boys and some of the girls... I bet I know what they're talking about...

It's also a good thing that the air conditioning works. I'm wearing a red knife-pleated skirt today that ended below my knees, and a thin white long-sleeved blouse that showed a bit of my shoulders. Nothing too showy, I really wanted to look pretty for him today so I went with this. I thought that we would be doing some walking so I opted to wear sneakers too. Hikki usually walks really fast, and I sometimes have a hard time in keeping up with him. When that happens, he turns and patiently waits for me to catch up and I remind him to not hurry with a pout. He'll just give out a light chuckle and pat my head.

When we were walking to this venue earlier, he stayed close to me and put himself nearest to the edge. It was his way of keeping me safe from harm.

It might not seem much, but it's a really cute gesture that makes my heart skip a beat just by thinking about it.

He was a huge flirt this morning too... He greeted me by saying that I look as pretty as ever, which instantly caused me to blush from the sudden compliment. He'd even throw in sweet-nothings like "I love how you did your hair." or "Your perfume is really nice." or "You look really cute in this skirt." and other things that turned me into a steaming mess. When we were at the train, I stood up and decided to sit across from him because he kept teasing me.

Instead of stopping, he crossed his legs and rested his elbow that supported his chin and just stared at me with a smirk.

That was so embarrassing, so many people were silently eyeing us with odd gazes...

What's gotten into him today? I know that I asked him out and this is a date and all, but still... He's having too much fun... Or maybe I'm the weird one looking too deeply into things. He's just a bit of a tease more than usual.

I was startled and brought back from my internal monologue when I heard the loud bass effects from one of the stalls and booths nearby. I'm seated at the area where the companions of the contestants and individuals associated with the booth stay. Most of the people here were family and friends. Some children walk past me, dragging their parents and their older sibling and pointing to one of the large Martial Arts booths that were stationed in this part of the community Centre. I could barely hear their voices of the sounds of music, computer-generated special effects, games, booming voices being amplified by megaphones and not to mention the sounds of something being hit and the occasional grunts being let out.

Hikki was there at the elevated pedestal together with some of his classmates, they were exhibiting their speciality for the onlookers to see. Even with that baggy and somewhat heavy white uniform, he is still moving quite fast and precise. In a way, he looks really elegant with his unchanging facial expression of calmness. He was just finished sparring with his partner, using his forearms and hands to block and counter.

His instructor raises one of those black leather things that they hit. Hikki lightly raises his hands, as well as his leg until it reached his chest. He was perfectly balanced and didn't waver. At the signal, he jumps upward with one foot, spins once in the air while stretching out his foot that was retracted earlier, and then hit his target with a resounding impact.

*BAM!*

It was one of those amazing high kicks that you see in action films. I saw him do it once when he brought me along for a personal request from one of the Club Presidents. Isshiki Iroha tagged along, she's a really cute and nice girl. Just a bit clingy to Hikki, and he was really fond of her too.

He lands with one foot once more, his body automatically going into his stance before doing the demo. Then, he pulls his hands close to his body and bows in front of the small crowd, causing sounds of amazement from the children. Hikki speaks to his instructor, a tall and pretty woman named Yuuka Tatsumi, and then excuses himself after switching with another classmate. He scans the sidelines, looking for me, and I raise my hand.

Once he sees me, he begins jogging only to be stopped by a girl and boy duo wearing the same uniform as him. They talk for a bit, and he gestures towards me. The boy playfully nudges his arm with his elbow, and the girl laughs and stands on her tiptoes to whisper something into his ear, to which he just rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

He smiles when he comes nearer, and I stand up with his towel and water on-hand.

"Good work Hikki! You looked really cool!" I say while wiping the sweat that had formed on his brow, as well as handing him his water bottle. He leans down a bit when I start patting the sides of his face and his chin as well. He suddenly realizes that my chest was right before his face, so he closes his eyes and turns in the other direction.

Jeez, he's always so prim and proper when it comes to stuff like this. It's one of the things that I find charming about him, in all honesty. I don't really mind if he sneaks a peek, that just means that he likes my outfit.

"Sorry about this Yui..." He says in an apologetic way and gives me a slight bow when patted him dry. I tilt my head to the side from mild confusion at his words.

"Huh? What do you mean, Hikki?"

He scratches his head and gestures around. "I bet you're feeling disappointed... You know, that you're just sitting around here while I'm doing my rounds. You can check out the different booths you know?" Hikki puts his hand on my shoulder and starts pointing in different directions. His Gi isn't really wet so it's fine if your shoulders or arms are touched.

"The Akido and Kendo section is over there if you're interested. I saw a Kimono and Yukata booth that displays some cool designs submitted by different schools, they even have a ceremonial armour that you can put on. That part over there has a reptile exhibit, and I want to go there later. There's even a booth where you can try out the latest Virtual Reality games with a headset." He says helpfully and let's go.

I smile and wave my hand. "No, it's alright! I'll just wait for you so we can go together! That's why I'm here, after all. It would be pointless if I start checking things out without you!" I say.

Hikki pouts, unsatisfied at my answer and says some more things to try and change my mind.

I know that he's being considerate as always, but sometimes he takes it too far and doesn't think about himself. When I called him a few days ago to say that I wanted to hang out, he suggested that I go with him to this event. This is apparently a big deal since lots of different organizations are here too.

I pull at his arm so we can sit together on the seat that I saved for him and move his sports bag to the ground. We met at the train station nearest to our houses before coming here together this morning. Mama asked where I was going and I told her that I was meeting up with Hikki. She laughed and asked if this was a date, to which I just hurried out of the house without replying to her.

And now that I think about it, I guess this qualifies as a date, I guess? Hmm, and I was the one who asked him out too... But we're just hanging out... But I do think that this is a date though... This is really confusing.

Hikki touches my hand when I was spacing out for too long. "Yui...?"

"I-It's fine. I'm having fun watching you and your class do your cool tricks!" I say too fast, which causes him to arch a brow at me.

He stays quiet, then furrows his brows and narrows his eyes at me. "Are you feeling hungry? Did you have breakfast before coming here? Didn't I ask you to eat first?" He asks and leans in while scanning my eyes and body language. His gaze was too intense and I had to look away.

"Y-Yes I did! Stop being such a worrywart! Hikki, you sound like a grandma!" I say and playfully slap his arm.

He gives me an amused smile while shaking his head. It looks like he's decided to drop the subject for now. "That' just me I guess. And about your previous statement, you make us sound like a bunch of magicians in-training or something."

We share a laugh before I continue the conversation. "Oh yeah, those two earlier. Who were they?" I ask, recalling the duo that spoke to him for a bit before coming to me.

"Ah," He says and turns to the direction where he came from. The two of them were sparring while some children watched excitedly. The girl strikes at his head with her leg, but he blocks with his forearm and locks her into a hold, causing them to tumble to the ground. After some squirming and writhing, she manages to reverse and outmanoeuvre him.

"Those are my classmates. The baldy is Isshin Kuro. The scary-looking girl with the short hime cut hair is Shinna Kuro, they're cousins."

"Oooohhhh... What did they ask you?" He must have misheard me a bit from the background noise since he asks again and scoots closer to me.

He lets go of the water bottle that he just drank from and puts it beside him. "Nothing much. They thought that you were my girlfriend." He says calmly while taking the towel from my hand and wiping his neck with it.

I blink once.

Then twice and thrice.

" Eh?!" I accidentally let out an embarrassing squeak from his words as I feel my cheeks get warm. I was suddenly aware of how close we were, our shoulders and legs were touching, and I unconsciously scoot away from him.

Hikki looks at me as if I had done something weird. "Yui...?" Then, he sighs and shakes his head.

"Oh come on, you're embarrassed because of such a tiny thing? Any onlookers would assume as such, it's perfectly natural and understandable. I mean," He grins mischievously and scoots closer as I felt him puts his arm around my shoulder, lightly pulling me to him and furthering the blush on my face.

" Look around you, Yui... Most of the benches here are occupied by the significant others of my classmates..." He whispers and I gulp while looking to my left and right.

What he said is true. Most of them were girls.

I see girls sometimes wave at, what I assume to be, their boyfriends from afar. The girls kept an eye on their belongings while their boyfriends did their rounds and roles in the exhibit. One of the boys came back, and his girlfriend went stood up and wiped his face from the sweat. They smiled at each other and shared a laugh.

J-Just like what I did with Hikki...

" Yui, over there..." He says and gestures with a nod to our right. "That girl in the black skirt, she's watching us with a blush on her face." I see the girl that he was talking about several meters away. She was pretending to read a small pocketbook while sneaking glances at us.

" She must think that we're a couple right now and that I'm a touchy-type as well..." He chuckles when he made eye contact with the girl. Her blush deepens and looks away from us.

" H-Hikki... Stop teasing me... You bully..." I shyly mumble out and fidget at how close he was. He lets go with a grin, much to my relief. If that went on for a second longer then I'm sure that I would have fainted on the spot.

He affectionately ruffles my hair, getting it slightly messy in the process. "Well, my point is that you shouldn't get easily embarrassed by stuff like this. Learn to take it in stride like Yumiko and Hina for example. And the people around us are just strangers anyway, it wouldn't make much difference even if we tell them right?" He shakes his head while closing his eyes.

"I mean, if they think of us like that then it's no harm going with the flow. I hold hands with Komachi whenever we go out together. We even pretended to be a couple once so we can get a discount! Ah! If I could take Komachi for myself-! Komachi's body only belongs to me!" He says the last parts proudly and starts holding his sides, squirming and twitching with delight at whatever lewd things he was thinking about.

He's always so casual with things like these, he doesn't realize that I'm a girl too...

Siscon! That's because she's your Sister that you can casually do stuff like that. Not to mention that you're a huge Siscon! Are all older brothers like this to their younger sisters?!

I pout and think on his words a bit. "Well, I guess..." I look to the side, as well as around us and see the occasional couple walking together holding hands. Hikki notices it immediately when my gaze lingers on them for too long.

"You know them?"

"A-Ah, no. I was just thinking about what you said..."

He eyes me curiously, and then he looks like he came to a conclusion in his head. "Oh, is that it? You want to hold hands?" He asks from out of the blue after snapping his finger while I was busy thinking.

Without waiting for my reaction, nor for my answer, he takes my hand in his.

I feel the rosiness on my cheeks intensify from his touch. "Hikki...?"

"Yui, how does my hand feel?" He asks. His voice is calm and composed as ever, his expression similarly so. It makes me gulp and unconsciously follow his current demeanour. I hesitantly caress his palm with my fingers and softly poke his digits as well. He stays silent while patiently waiting.

I slowly put my palm on his. It's honestly a bit embarrassing, given how we look like. My hands feel so small now that I see them like this. Papa's hand is big too, but there's something about Hikki's that makes it really nice for some reason... Maybe that's what he means?

I touch and hold him for a little while longer before finally deciding that it was time to tell him my answer. "Your hand...it's really soft," I say and look up to him. He gives me a satisfied smile and pats my head with his other hand.

"Good girl, I knew that you'd notice." I smile shyly when I feel some people eyeing us as he gently takes back his hand and holds it out.

I hope we're not too touchy and affectionate from everyone else's viewpoint... I mean, some of my habits must have rubbed off on him since he doesn't shy away from nor get startled by my touch as easily as before. He freely puts his hands on my shoulders, and it made me happy at how he was being so warm to me. Tobe, Yumiko and I are the only ones that he does it. He treats Hina and Yumiko differently and I only realized recently that he's extra special with me. Yumiko yelps every time he jokingly puts his arm around her waist when we go out as a group, particularly because Hina and he love teasing her for her cute reactions. As for Hina, he's not really as touchy but she likes teasing him too from time to time.

With me, he's really doting and always watches out for me and...careful, I guess? That's the closest thing that I could describe how he treats me.

But now, he's being extra caring, and even a bit l-loving and tender... N-Not that I dislike it, of course... It does feel nice that I have all of his attention, though...

"These hands of mine are strange. We always use our hands, feet and legs in Taekwondo. I've been a student for more than a year now, but no matter how much we train and practice, my hands are always soft. Unlike the calloused hands of my classmates." Hikki says in a curious tone while looking at his hand.

I take it again and was surprised at how I didn't realize it sooner. "Woah! You're right! It's like that of a girl's! Your nails are well-maintained too!"

He laughs awkwardly and blushes. "A-Ahahaha... Komachi and Mother do this for me from time to time..."

I smile and giggle at his words as he puts his hands back on his lap. "Hehehehehe, you're really close with them, huh. Do you want to come over to my house and apply some nail polisher on them? I could even put some makeup on your face if you want, hehehehe~!"

A wry grin forms on his face as he reaches up and pulls on my cheek. Now that I realize it, his fingers really do feel soft and gentle. "If you cook me up a nice dinner or lunch, then I guess it's worth the humiliation on my part."

My eyes light up, and I tap on his leg excitedly which causes him to smile in turn. We're always together at school, even and the Club but we rarely get to spend time with just the two of us. "Oh! Let's go then! I'll show you how much I've improved! I think that I can even beat yo-"

I stop when the warm smile on his face falters a bit. "I'd love to Yui, but maybe some other time." Before I could show my obvious disappointment, I feel him start ruffling my hair again. J-Jeez, what's with him and ruffling girl's hairs? He's treating me like a little kid or sister or something...

"Plus, if I go with you when we're hanging out for the rest of the day after this, it would really tire me out. Just an hour or two before my duty period ends and then we'd do some exploring after we eat lunch."

He starts patting my head after I give him a silent nod. "Wonderful, I'll treat you to some yakisoba, meat buns, desserts and whatever you like okay?"

He's treating me like a kid?! Why is he treating me like a kid?!

I blushed profusely when some people who walked past us gave us looks of curiosity. Hikki eyes them from the corner of his eyes and lets go when my pink cheeks had grown in colour enough. He raises his hands and starts apologizing.

"Ah, did I make you uncomfortable, Yui?"

Now it was my turn to frantically wave my hands. "No! I-I mean, a was just caught off guard that's all. I'm fine with whatever you do... Anyway!" I exclaim, which lightly startles him as I take out the guide for the venue from my bag. It was only a few pages worth, but the text and details were small to fit everything inside.

"I got this earlier when you weren't looking. Instead of just walking around later, we can read through this so we don't have to waste too much time!" I say.

"Oh, that's a good idea. Okay, let's see..." He scoots closer to me as we start reading together. We spent several silent moments reading through the pages and then talking when we're finished to exchange ideas. To our surprise, there are really a lot of places to go here. Aside from the reptile exhibit, they are also showcasing a bird one which showcases Owls. There are even small stalls and booths outside too that sold merchandise and souvenirs, the money that they acquired today would be donated to charitable institutions.

"This reminds me of something Hina mentioned before..." I say while scrunching up my face as I try to recall the memory.

"About what?"

"Hm... You know those maid cafes, right?" I ask and he nods.

"Yup but I've never been to one. It's embarrassing to go when you're by yourself." He says awkwardly and scratches his cheek. I give him a knowing look, and he blushes and looks away. In truth, I caught him reading one of those Light Novel things with lewd cover art of a maid. I had made a fuss at the club when it was just the two of us since I was convinced that it was a lewd book. It was just cover art.

"Okay, but the one that Hina said was a cafe that had Owls in it. It was really popular too! I've watched some videos online where foreigners would come here just to visit one! Aside from the Owls, the food is great too!"

Because we were so close together, I lean away a bit when he turns to me with a questioning look. "Owls...? R-Really...?"

"Umu, Owls! Those birds that have big eyes!"

He thinks for a bit before suddenly having a horrified expression on his face. His eyes went wide as if he had just come to a terrifying revelation. Hikki clutches my hand, startling me and causing a small noise of surprise from me.

"THEY EAT OWLS?!" He cries out, which causes some passerby to look in our direction.

I put my hand over my mouth as I start giggling. Hikki's look of horror turns into confusion when he sees my unexpected reaction.

"Hehehehehehe! H-Hikki! You idiot!" I continue laughing as he silently looks on at me as if I had gone crazy. I honestly didn't know that he wasn't aware of these kinds of cafes. He's not really outgoing so it isn't surprising that he doesn't know stuff like these.

I take out my phone while I was laughing, searching it up for him to read and understand it for himself. Once I found a satisfying result, I hand it to him and he reluctantly receives it.

His frown soon subsided, and then he had a look of understanding on his face while nodding and putting his hand under his chin. "Oooohh... So this is what you mean..." He mutters to himself as he continues reading and scrolling down. Since he suddenly got curious about the subject, I put my cheek against his shoulder as I resumed reading the pamphlet while waiting for him to finish.

"Oh Hikki! There's a bunch of foreign food stands here!"

"Hmm..."

"Hikki, this 'burrito', 'shawarma', 'halo-halo' and 'chebureki' sounds good! I have no idea what they are though, hehehehehe..."

"Hmm..."

"They have a special bonsai exhibit and display area too! Hikki, let's check it out later!"

"Hmm..."

"Oh here it is! The Kimono and Yukata booth that you mentioned earlier! It's a lot closer than I thought!"

"Hmm..."

I suddenly realize that I was more or less talking with myself since Hikki was just giving out small responses. He seemed to be preoccupied with something on my phone and I raise my head a bit to see what has his attention. He was at the map app and checking out the locations of Owl Cafes here in Chiba and in Tokyo. He finally notices me and angles the screen towards me.

"I looked up some places. I just got curious that's all." He says and hands the phone back to me. I start piecing things together in my mind, and I look up at him.

"You want to try going to one...?"

He makes a funny expression and scratches. "Well, I am very fond of all kinds of pets, including birds. I have bird friends at school too. This is the first time that I've heard of this sort of thing so I guess I'm curious..."

I smile and giggle at how he was being bashful about his desires and playfully touch his arm. "Sure! We can have dinner thereafter we check out all the interesting things here in the Community Centre!"

He gives out a sigh of relief and smiles. "Thank you, Yui. I'm glad you're here with me." He says in a very soft tone while his warm eyes looked deep into mine. I gulp as I start to feel a blush coming.

"N-No problem! I always wanted to try going to one myself as well!"

We soon go back to reading the pamphlet, while talking and planning our route later. Occasionally laughing and giggling when he makes a lighthearted joke or comment. Unfortunately, break time was over, and it was time for him to go back and switch places with one of his classmates. Only an hour left and we can have lunch. He stands up and excuses himself, but I hold his sleeve when I thought of something strange that he said earlier.

He arches a brow at me. "Yui?"

"Hikki, what did you mean when you said that you had 'bird friends', at school? Like, is that a secret club or organization or something...? It really sounds shady..." I ask.

With his right hand, he clutches the side of his Gi which exposed his inner shirt and did a funny pose. "No, but I, Hikigaya Hachiman, have a dream. I wish to become a G ang-STAR ."

I have no idea what he means, but I still giggle anyway. "Hehehehehe, that's funny Hikki. But seriously, what are those 'bird friends'?"

He starts chuckling and then patted my head with his other hand. I smile and raise my head to feel his warm touch. His hand is really soft, at this point, I'm not even feeling embarrassed anymore. It just makes me happy from how he is treating me heartily, as well as how he's acting freely without being constrained at school. We smile at each other at the same time, and I blush at how he was being so nice and warm to me.

I wish I can see this part of him more often.

"I mean exactly that. When school resumes, I'll introduce you to them."

Hikki was finally done for the day, and after changing into more comfortable clothes, we go to his Sensei so we can excuse ourselves. She's tall, half a head taller than Hikki...and really pretty too. Her black hair was cut short because it might get in the way. She's probably lean and toned under the Gi that she wore. I've seen Hikki without a shirt once or twice, he's really lean. And her eyes were like that of a snake's, no offence. That said, her cold and sharp eyes remind of Hikki's, and that girl earlier that he spoke with too...

Wait, maybe this Sensei only accepts students with sharp eyes? Yukinon, Kawasaki-san and Yumiko would definitely be accepted here!

"That's all for today, Hikigaya. Your shift is over and you're free to go home or check the other booths and stalls out." She puts her hands on her hips and nods, then eyes me from top to bottom. I fidget under her gaze and absentmindedly rub my arm with my other hand.

She looks to Hikki beside me, who stiffened and straightened up like a soldier. "You never mentioned that you had such a cute friend with you, Hikigaya. If you told me, then I could have exempted you from today's activities so you could spend more time with her." She says with a warm smile. Her words made me want to hide my face from the embarrassment.

Hikki starts talking just as I feel a blush creep up my cheeks before I could stutter out a reply.

"Ahahaha. Well, you're right about the cute part Sensei." He laughs and then bows. I am probably red and steaming right now, so I opted to look to and hide my face. I'm not sure what sort of expression she has on her face right now. All I know is that I hear a lighthearted laugh from her. "We're going on ahead, Sensei. Goodbye."

She nods and smiles at both of us. "See you Hikigaya. Keep your anaemia in mind! Don't overwork and stress out your body too much! Have fun with your date!" I give out a hasty bow as well, and we turn around and start walking away. When we were far enough and entered the main walkway bordered by the food stands and the like, I hold his arm close to me and pinch his side. He must have expected it since he just laughs when I did it.

" H-Hikki-! What was that about?!" I whisper hotly at him, but he continues laughing. "Y-You should have cleared it up! I-I'm not your... girlfriend..." The last of my words trailed off on their own. The misunderstanding is really embarrassing, but for some reason, I had a strange feeling within me when I said the last part. Something that I haven't felt before.

He turns to me with an annoying smirk and shakes his head. "You're wrong Yui, there is nothing for me to clear up. Tatsumi-sensei is right."

I stop and feel my face start to heat up once more.

"..."

"..."

"HUH-?!" I couldn't help but exclaim loudly since my mind is still a mess from still trying to process and understand his words. I mean, I do think that I was standing too close to him, as well as our initial meeting this morning... We did get a bit too affectionate with each other at the benches earlier, I-I think... Damnit! Hikki is right! I shouldn't get easily worked up and flustered like this!

He did say that he did it once with Komachi-chan...

A-And I think that he wouldn't mind it if we pretended to be a c-couple for today. Maybe that's what he meant to say earlier... I m-mean, there's no harm in it since we're just pretending...

The smirk on his face turns into a cheeky grin as he watches me squirm and stutter under his gaze.

"Yui..." Hikki says in a low tone that was somehow clear to my ears as if the noisy background noise didn't exist at all.

"YES?!"

"Think about what Tatsumi-sensei said..."

I look to the side so he wouldn't see the redness on my face. "S-She said that I was your..." I mumble out loud enough for him to hear. J-Jeez, making me say it out loud...

"You're wrong, Yui." He says and I turn to face him as we started to walk slower and slower until we reached the rightmost side where people who aren't in a hurry to walk to their destination. "Tatsumi-sensei said that you were my cute friend. Are you cute?"

I pull and pinch his arm to get back at him while pouting. "H-Hikki, asking me that kind of question is a bit..."

The corners of his lips curve upwards until it became a full-blown grin that showed off his pearly whites. "To me, you're super cute, and that's all that matters." He says in an upbeat tone suddenly pinches the soft skin on my tummy which instantly makes me yelp and cringe away from him.

"Kyah!"

UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO HIM?! IS HE HITTING ON ME?! WHY IS HIKKI ACTING SO WEIRD TODAY?! DID HE EAT A SUSHI THAT HAD GONE BAD LAST NIGHT?! WHY IS HE SAYING STUFF LIKE THIS?! IS HE HITTING ON ME?! DID HE WATCH A CHEESY MOVIE AND IT GOT TO HIS HEAD?! IS HE HITTING ON ME?! IS HE HITTING ON ME?! DID HE HIT HIS HEAD ON A STREETLAMP BEFORE MEETING UP WITH ME THIS MORNING?!

"..." With a shaky and sweaty hand, I slowly take my pink cotton bucket hat from my bag and cover my face with it while looking down. The white heavy steam is probably going out of my ears and from the small holes in my hat. I already feel like crying, not to mention the hotness all over my body and the funny feeling within me. He moves his hands a bit, causing me to feel even more self-conscious. The noise around gets a bit loud, and he pulls me closer to him for me to hear his words.

"Tatsumi-sensei said that you were my cute friend. You are cute and you are my friend. I don't really need to correct anything else, do I?" Hikki adds, and even though I can't see what kind of expression he's making, I'm sure that he's grinning right now.

Which is the same with me, although I feel very giddy. A-And really happy too...

He gently untangles his arm from me and puts it on my waist, sending a shiver go through my body as I suddenly feel sensitive from his touch. To get my attention, he pokes me on my rib, causing me to yelp from his touch. The fabric of my blouse is kind of thin and airy, so I literally felt every single movement from his soft and gentle fingers.

"We're on a date Yui... You should lighten up. Isn't that what you always tell me at school?"

"Mouu...H-Hikki you bully..." I mumble and bump my head against his shoulder several times. "Using my own words against me..." He guides me as we continue walking. I could always uncover my face, but I'm still too embarrassed to do it. I squirm and shiver when he squeezes my sides with his fingers.

He suddenly stops as if noticing something, then slowly squeezes my skin once more.

O-OOOH NOOOOOOOO! HE MUST HAVE NOTICED THE FLAB ON MY SIDES! I SHOULD REALLY STOP ASKING FOR HIS FOOD DURING LUNCH AND HOME ECONOMICS CLASS!

Wait, it's partly his fault since he sometimes buys us food on a whim...

I've never seen Hikki act like this before, but then again, it's the first time that we went out with just the two of us. I mean, he was always so warm and kind to me...and treats me more affectionately than Yumiko or Hina. He doesn't mind it when I partner up with him at Home Economics Class, it was thanks to him that I learned how to cook after all. He always patiently waits for me at the door so we can go to Club together on the times when he doesn't have to go to the StuCo. He'd tell me about what he did and would sometimes ask me for my input from my perspective with his arm over my shoulder. He only does it when we're alone though... When that happens, I do my best to give him a satisfying answer

He's always such a sweetheart to me... He's so kind and warm to me to the point where even I get embarrassed...

So it doesn't come as surprising that...

...

...

W-Well...

If h-he's really hitting on me... Then that means that's he wants me, r-r-right...?

He mentioned earlier that he jokingly pretended to be Komachi-chan's boyfriend once. Whether or not it was a joke isn't really the point. And since we're here anyway, it would be difficult to hold me back. I'd just ruin our date and make him feel awkward...

Then...what I'm about to do, should be fine...

I scoot closer to him and slowly lower my hat to see him. He lets go of my waist and grins when I do so, almost making me want to cover my face again. After breathing deeply several times to prepare myself, I must all the courage that I could have and reach out to his right hand.

His hand was soft and warm, unlike my own sweaty and jittery ones because of the nervousness. My heart was beating so fast that I thought it would burst from my chest. I had only planned to just hold them, but I had unconsciously interlocked our fingers together. He lightly blushes as a small smile forms on his pale and handsome face. He doesn't try to untangle nor separate our hands, instead, he laughs and rubs his thumb on my hand.

"Yui, you don't mind, right? If we're seen like this, I mean."

I slowly shake my head as I face forward, trying my best to somehow tone down the redness on my cheeks. "I-If it's you, then I don't mind..."

From the corner of my eyes, I see him smile and give my smaller hand a gentle squeeze. "Me too."

Those were the most heartfelt and sincere words that I have ever heard in my life.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" I shriek with terror as I see a mutilated corpse suddenly move and leap at me. I instinctively raise my arms to protect myself, and before it could kill me, my vision went black then I feel something being taken from my head.

I was back at the community centre with some people around, looking at me with amused expressions while a large monitor was behind me. Hikki is to my left, and I immediately latch onto his arm tightly. My hands were still shaking and my heart beating so fast. On his left hand was the virtual reality headset that he made me try out.

The staff lady has an apologetic expression when Hikki returns the headset, apologizing on my behalf as well.

"I'm sorry. She easily gets scared." He says. The staff lady asks if he wants to try playing again, to which he politely turns her down. He guides me to one of the available benches nearby after making sure that my seat was clean.

He starts softly patting my head, his touch immediately calms me down.

"Y-Yui...are you okay? I warned you that it was scary...you didn't have to do it." He comforts me as we both watch another pair try out the headset, and were led to the racing corner where they had those seated platform things like in arcades, but with Virtual Reality headsets on.

Once my heartbeat had gone at its normal speed, I sit up and loosen my hold on his arm. "Y-Yeah, thanks Hikki. Just startled that's all..."

The Virtual Reality attraction is the first one on our list. Since I don't know these kinds of things, I let Hikki try it first. He played a racing game, and then a horror game. He really had fun during the first but laughed really loudly at the horror one. So I thought that it must be really fun, even though it looked terrifying at the monitor that makes us see what the player sees.

But I was wrong.

It was scary!

TOO SCARY!

He starts chuckling, which causes me to pout. "Hikki you're such a weirdo. I thought that the horror game would be fun since you were laughing..." I say, and his lips turn into an amused grin.

"Yeah, it was fun. As an avid fan of the genre, it entertains me when I see a very predictable about to happen. When I am genuinely startled, I can't help but laugh at myself." Hikki starts going on about the game, giving his opinion about the user interface, field of view, sound effects, environment design and a bunch of other things that I have no clue about. Just seeing him talk about something with so much enthusiasm is fun in its own way.

"-and the models too. It looks too clunky for me. Oh! And the sound is too loud when there's a jumpscare!" He says and snaps his fingers.

"Hehehehe! The racing game was good too! I even titled my body and almost fell off my seat when I tried it!" I say and giggle at how funny I must have looked.

"Hmm, that goes the same for me. I screamed when there was a sharp turn. I was never good at racing games... Oh, but I liked how-!"

Before he could go another hour of talking, our tummies grumble at the same time, and we both laugh at the coincidence.

I nod when he asks me if I'm hungry, and I take out the pamphlet that I had in my bag.

"What do you want Yui?"

"I'm fine with whatever you pick Hikki. Pick one of those foreign foods that I mentioned earlier. Leave me your bag, I'll stay here so our seat won't be taken. I'm fine with any drink too! Hurry before the line gets too long!" After telling me that he'll be back as soon as he can, he stands up and briskly starts walking to get us some lunch.

To pass the time, I check my phone, going through the photos that I had saved quite recently. I smile when saw the ones that we took at the Summer Camp. I already miss Rumi-chan, I hope I can meet her again one day! When Hikki is in the frame, her eyes are always on him. And since Hikki is fond of children, he didn't mind her at all. I'm pretty sure she has a crush on him, hehehehe~! She even sneaked a kiss from him too~! They look so cute together~!

Then I went through the ones that I took earlier, most of them were taken when Hikki wasn't aware of it while he was sparring and displaying himself at their promotional program. He looked really cool, there's one image of him looking to the side with his bangs heavy with sweat. I secretly took it when he was spacing out. He was fanning himself and slightly opened his Gi to let the air in. The phone had automatically focused on him and blurred out his surroundings. The result was a very charming and good-looking accidental photo.

I bet that if he'll make this as his profile photo, he'd get a lot of likes for sure!

Oh but wait, Hikki doesn't have a single social media account. We only communicate with him through LINE and cellphone numbers. Still, it's weird that he doesn't have one. I would have expected him to at least have a private account or something like that.

I asked him about it once, and all he said was "I don't want to expose myself too much."

When the day comes that he finally makes an account, I'll send him this one so he can make it as his profile picture!

Until then...I'll just use this as my secondary phone wallpaper...hehehehehehehehe

*growl*

Uwaah, I hope Hikki is already on his way...

Merry Christmas to everyone around the world! A few hours late but it can't be helped!

I decided to give Yui some screentime(?) with since she really deserves it. Yui is an important person to Hachiman too! He owes her many things that helped him grow as a person ever since starting his 2nd Year in Sobu! Still, why was he extra doting and affectionate to Yui on their date together?

And where is the older of the Yukinoshita Sisters? Is she watching from the shadows? Is she provoking her little sister to finally act on her own?

Who knows?

That's enough of me teasing you lot for now hehehehehehehe...

As always, follow, favourite or leave a review! I'd love to read what your feelings on this chapter are!

I'll be posting the sequel in a few days so please look forward to it! I've also recently updated my other fics, check them out if you want!

See you next time and have a Merry Christmas!

54

"...Hikki... Is this wrap thing edible?" I ask as I hold the big shawarma with both of my hands. It had a bunch of shredded cabbages, sliced cucumbers, sauces, onions, chopped garlic and lots and lots of meat inside.

"Yeah... I think so..." He looks at it curiously and takes a whiff of it. Hikki leans down and bites when I raise my hand for him. I look at him while he scrunches up his face while chewing, tasting it before he tells me his thoughts. He didn't look satisfied and takes another mouthful again.

He closes his eyes and crosses his arms across his chest. "Hmm... Yeah, it's good. The meat is soft and tender, and the sauce is just right."

I take a bite from it and start eating as well. Hikki is right, it's really good! The meat is soft and juicy too, but it tastes strange. It's the first time that I've eaten something like this. I've seen some food stands sell this stuff in the mall before but I never bothered to buy one before since Yumiko and Hina aren't fond of foods like these. I honestly wouldn't be able to finish this in one sitting too.

I have another one, a bigger portion this time. "Hikki... What kind of meat is this?" I ask while chewing.

His cheeks were puffed out like me, making him look like those cute little masters that I see in pet stores. "I think it's Goat and Beef." He says before I raise it for him to eat again. This shawarma is big, nearly as big as my two fists on top of each other. I doubt even Hikki could finish this alone. But Hikki is a guy so I think he can do it if he forces himself.

"Oh, so that's why it's unfamiliar. Did they roast it here?"

"Yup. The meat was stuck to those machine things, I don't what they're called. And then they'd use a knife to take strips from it and heat the wrap on the side where it's hot. It looked cool, to be honest." He says and gestures to a specific direction, one of the more crowded ones. A few children walk out with the snack in their small hands, making them look even bigger.

"Really? I'd like to take a look too."

He nods after leaning down to take a mouthful again. He likes it huh...a few more chomps and we're going to finish the whole thing. "I'm going to buy Komachi and my Mother this stuff too, it's really good." I take one last bite from the shawarma before I decide to give the rest to him.

Hikki and I aren't embarrassed about this sort of stuff anymore. When he was still teaching me how to cook at the Home Economics room with just the two of us, he doesn't mind tasting my food from the same spoon that I used. I had accidentally made him use mine, and we just went with it I guess. It goes the same for food. Yukinon is always visibly bothered when we do it in her presence. We can't help it since we buy snacks before going to the club. At this point, it's sort of like a ritual or something. Sometimes, Yukinon makes a snide comment directed at Hikki. But he just shrugs off her words like always.

"Hmm? What about your Father?" I ask before taking a sip from my water bottle. Hikki shakes his head, and I start wiping the corner of his mouth with a tissue that had a small smudge from the sauce. He doesn't cringe away from me and obediently sits still to wait for me to finish.

He got his eyes from his Father, and the rest of his facial features were a mix from both of his parents. His smile reminds me of Komachi-chan and his Mother, even though I've only met the two of them once.

"He's always busy and doesn't come home often."

"Oh? Where does he sleep...?"

"He sleeps in his office with a futon that he hides in his file cabinet."

My eyes widen from surprise. I waited for him to follow up, but he just turns to me with a questioning look. "He's a bit of a workaholic... Even though he can ease up a bit, he works as though he's still your humble salaryman."

"Hmm... I can see where you got your workaholic habit from! You should follow what your Sensei tells you, Hikki. You shouldn't overwork yourself too much!"

He rolls his eyes after I give him the rest of the shawarma. "You sound like Shiromeguri-senpai. She and I work in a bookstore for her cousin, Boss Yuuka. You should see the both of them right next to each other, they look so similar." He says and takes a bite from his food.

"By the way Yui," He points to the paper bag that's resting on my lap that stored some of the other food that he bought. "we should hurry up and finish the rest of this."

Uwaaaaaahhh... Just looking at it makes me feel so full...

"Hikki..." I rub my head against his shoulder, "Why'd you buy so much...? We can't finish all of this! What are these things that you brought me anyway?"

To answer my question, he reaches into the bag and starting feeling something with his hands. I blush a bit when I feel his fingers brush several times against the bottom of the bag. H-He better not be touching my thighs on purpose...

He starts taking out things and naming them before putting them back and getting a new one.

"This is a 'burrito'."

"It looks just like a shawarma thing... Just a bit messier, and it smells spicy."

"These are 'fish and chips'."

"Huh? That's a fish? Is it covered in breading? It smells nice though. And looks greasy..."

"This one is a 'chebureki'."

"Oh, it's small and cute!"

He takes out another chechbjureki, but it looks different and paunchy. It's half the size of my hand, Hikki quickly puts it on a tissue since it's still hot and gives it to me. "This one is an 'empanada'."

I look at it curiously, lightly touching and smelling it. "Empanada huh... Hmm... It looks similar to the cherurekee..." I take a bite from it and look at its contents. "It's good Hikki... It has beans, ground pork, boiled eggs, some onions, red pepper and corn inside... The dough is crunchy too."

I turn to him when he pokes my shoulder. "Yui, it's called 'chebureki'."

"Chezbjerki"

"Chebureki."

"Chejurjerki!"

"Che-bu-re-ki."

After drinking some from his bottled tea, I wipe my mouth and try to say it again. This is harder than I thought. Hikki should just shut up and let me eat in peace!

"C-Chebureki..."

"That's right." He says and slightly opens his mouth and I give the rest to him. We nod and smile in satisfaction at each other after several moments. After chewing and swallowing it, he returns to present the other snacks. I could never imagine myself doing something like this at school with him, so this is a first for the both of us.

"I got this for free." He says proudly and puffs out his chest. It was in a small Styrofoam container with a plastic lid on. "Some exchange students were passing these around. They call them 'Salade Russe'. I have no idea what this is, but the little kids seem to enjoy it. Tch, I should have taken some more since it's free... Food tastes even better when you don't have to pay for it!" He exclaims before drinking from the bottled tea.

"Prepare yourself Yui. Once we get up from here, I'm gonna buy some more!" Hikki points at the remaining food stand where lots of people were waiting in their lines.

"H-Hey! I get it that we're on a date but it's not just about eating snacks!" I say and pull on his sleeve. What a weirdo, where'd he get the idea that a date is all about eating? Is this something guys do? I can't compare since it's the first time that I've gone on a date with a boy, and I can't just ask my friends from the other classes since it's embarrassing.

It's...a bit difficult to ask Yumiko and Hina about it. I feel like it'll put me in a tough spot if I do. From my observations, they don't seem to be interested in Hikki at all. Though I could be wrong and that they're just hiding it. It's the same with Yukinon... I could have always asked Komachi-chan but I decided against it.

He smirks and then turns to me. "There's a reason why I'm buying quite a lot. A lottery later after the event is going to take place. The 'tickets' are taken from stuff that you buy here at the event... Oh and I already registered your name earlier."

I smile widely once I understand what he's getting at. "So that's why-!" I thought it was weird for someone like Hikki to spend so much, he is always so frugal at school!

"Exactly! The more stuff we buy, the higher the chances of getting the prizes!" He exclaims and takes his phone and shows me a photo with the list of prizes that could be won.

"Five prizes huh... Twenty winners for a 20000 worth of gift certificate and some appliances... Also, what's with you getting hyped over appliances? You sound like a housewife!"

Instead of making a snarky retort, Hikki laughs while having a smug look on his face. "Fufufufufu! Of course!"

"Uwaaah..."

The fifth and fourth prizes didn't catch my attention. What I had my eyes on were the remaining three. Ten winners for flat screen TV's, Five winners for the latest models of washing machines, as well as a forty-kilogram sack of rice. The 'jackpot' prize was only for two lucky winners: the most advanced smartwatch that's in the market right now. The model that could be one is really expensive too, it only came out last week I think and already has really good reviews online.

Aside from that, the two winners get to spin a wheel, and if they win it as well, they can win a trip to Kyoto and stay at one of the prestigious hotels for four nights. All necessary expenses are already paid for, and they even have the Summer Festival on schedule too.

"Oh! I've always wanted to go to Kyoto! I hear it's pretty there during the Summer! What do you want to win Hikki?"

"Just the rice honestly, oh and the watch is good too." He stops and shows me the model's specifications before continuing. "The rice is a necessity since there is an increase in the price of rice in the next few months. As for the watch, I've always wanted to try getting a digital watch, or a smart one now that the chance has presented itself."

"You're not interested in the trip...?" I ask. He suddenly sports a blank expression, before checking the date of the trip and taking back his phone. After several moments, he slowly nods and starts muttering something under his breath. He starts counting with his fingers and checking something on his phone too.

"Sorry, I was just checking some things. I guess it's fine if I win it too I guess." He says before downing the rest of the food and crumpling the small paper wrap and throwing it at the nearby garbage bin. He comes back and silently eyes me with interest.

"What is it, Hikki? Do I look strange to you in normal clothes~?" I giggle teasingly.

He shakes his head and his eyes go over me once more. "No, of course not. You look cute and charming. It's just that..." I blush as his hands go under his chin and he examines me again, looking at my neck and hands. I don't mind the attention, I like it. But I can't say that it's not embarrassing with how close he is and that we're in a public place.

He snaps his fingers and crosses his legs. "Ah, I got it. Yui, you don't mind if I suggest something, do you?" I was surprised at his words, more so on what he is implying.

"Go ahead! Don't I ask your opinion about lots of stuff at school anyway? Fire away Hikki!" He smiles at my words and nods.

He motions at the bottom of his neck with his hands. "That blouse is lovely and I think that a necklace would accent your skin very well. I'm even wearing mine too." He holds his collar and lightly pulls on it, revealing the said necklace that glinted. "Also, a silver bracelet would look wonderful on you, no? A ring would be fine too, but I think the former would be best."

I look down on myself and try imagining what he thinks. "Hmm, I-I didn't know that you think about this kind of stuff Hikki. Normally, I wouldn't expect a boy to have such a sharp and observant eye when it comes to stuff like these..."

He chuckles to himself once I was done. "I am the first person that my Mother and Sister go to when they want to ask about their clothes... So I can say that I have some experience in this stuff I guess?" A light blush dusts his cheeks, and he clears his throat. "Yui, you know that I used to be chunni, right...?"

"Yep, what about it?"

"Reservedness aside, I'm pretty good at drawing. And I used to draw lots of characters in different outfits. Sometimes I'd base them on the magazines at home or stuff that I find online. I was mostly good at Men's clothes, but Women's were more complicated so I devoted much of my time to master them. So I guess I developed an eye for this sort of stuff." He says while having a distant expression on his face and turns to see my reaction.

"Oh, so that's why your notebooks sometimes have sketches on them. I always see you absentmindedly drawing stuff in class. Don't you pay attention Hikki?" In the mornings, he always keeps one eye open while closing the other, and during break time, he naps when he chooses to stay behind in the classroom. Even at the Club, he sleeps when we don't have a request but answers properly when I talk to him.

He's been like that for a few weeks now. He suddenly did it one day and went on just like that. I thought that he may be lacking sleep at home or that he's overworking himself again. If he's at the library, it's a guarantee that he's taking a nap there. I once caught him sleeping on his desk at the StuCo after I decided to look for him. When I asked him about it, he just waves me off and says that he's fine. Aside from that, he's always drinking energy drinks in school to keep himself awake too.

"Yes but I do some advance reading so I can laze around at class more often, and I sometimes ask around my Senpai in the StuCo for their advice." He says and puts his hand in the bag and takes out the fish and chips inside the small box that contained it. We continue talking for a while about the things we saw earlier that caught our interest. It's still early so we don't need to hurry. The convention closes at 8:30 pm anyway.

"Aaaahh~..." I open my mouth to receive the potato fries that he has on his fingers. "Hikki, why are they called 'chips' and not 'fries'? They're fries...look at its shape." I point out the thing that's been bothering me.

He takes a small chunk from the fish before eating it. "I don't know. Language differences I guess. Like how we use 'flashlight' and 'pharmacy'. Some foreigners asked me once where they can find a 'chemist' and I was really confused." He says get a small paper sachet filled with salt and turns to me. "Yui, do you want to put some salt on the frie- I mean, chips?"

"Just a bit, thanks."

We continue eating it together until a comfortable silence comes over us as we watch the different kinds of people walk past the bench that we occupied. I'd open my mouth when I want more and he'd put some food near it for me to lean and take it. My lips and tongue brushed his fingers a few times. I want to get back at him for teasing me earlier, but if I do this too much he may think that I'm a dirty girl...

When we were finally done, he was about to excuse himself first by going to the restroom to wash his hands when we noticed a pair of foreigners talking loudly at one of the food stands. Two women looked out of place because of the low-cut shorts and revealing top that they wore. Most of the people that walked past them secretly had disapproving glances. Walking out dressed like that isn't the norm here...modesty is always practised. You'd see the occasional tourist walking around in the places worth seeing here in Chiba, most of them Westerners.

From their tone, they didn't sound angry, more like confused as they glanced at their phones while speaking to the vendor. Hikki and I watch them for some time until I decide to pull on his sleeve.

He leans down when I gesture at him. "Hikki, do you hear what they're saying?"

"Only bits."

"What language is that?"

"Dutch. It's Dutch." He says not a moment too soon. I see him tap his thigh with his finger and he speaks again. He looks restless and I can pretty much tell what he's about to do. "Do you think I should go help them out? They look like they're in a tough spot." He turns and asks for my permission.

I nod and smile. "Go ahead. I'll just stay here."

That's Hikki for you! Always so helpful and eager to lend a hand! If he'll run for StuCo President next year, I'm voting for him!

He gets up and walks, and when he was close enough, says something which catches their attention. The two women exchange looks of surprise before laughing and smiling. They were maybe four years his senior, and I couldn't hear them anymore over the background noise. I also couldn't see what kind of expression that he had since he was facing away from me. Hikki shakes his head, and he gestures in my direction before the three of them turn to me.

I gave them a slight bow, to which they smiled and returned one of their own. They talk for a few minutes before exchanging goodbyes. Instead of coming back to me, he makes a washing gesture with his hands and points in the other direction.

"Well? How'd it go?" I ask when he finally arrives.

Hikki grins and pulls on my cheek, much to my embarrassment. H-He's being very a-affectionate today huh... I wonder what's gotten into him...

"They said that you were a beauty. Of course, I agreed and added a word or two as well hehehehehehehe..." He teases and scoots closer to me.

I make a face and pull myself away from him. "E-Enough with the compliments!" Narrowing my eyes at him in a threatening way had no effect, it only made him chuckle and tease me even more.

"Ahahahaha. Well, they were lost and asked where they could find the information and help desk." Hikki says as his eyes linger on their retreating forms for several moments. He has a deep look on his face as if he was reading a book that had some hard and confusing Kanji on them. L-Look at them walk around in those clothes... There are kids here you know!

To get his attention, I wave my hand in front of his eyes and ask him what he's thinking about. "Oh, well they were surprised that I had some grasp over their language and wanted me to show them around..." I say and laughs awkwardly.

I pout and narrow my eyes again at him, before taking his right arm and pulling it closer to my body. The warm feeling within me comes back when I intertwine our fingers with each other. He didn't mind. I was going to tease him a bit and hold him tighter until I feel his elbow touch the side of my breast. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make the both of us stop.

"..."

"..."

"Yui, loosen up a bit..." He says in a low voice.

I gulp and muster my courage to at least make a proper reply. I-I already did it anyway, it'll be useless if I get something like this mess my head! You can do it Yui! B-Be like Yumiko! She's assertive! Hikki is super weak to assertive girls!

"You shouldn't get flustered by small stuff like this, Hikki... I'm just holding onto your arm..."

He looks down and starts dusting away at nonexistent dirt on his pants. "Well, if you say so..." He clears his throat and I feel him relax a little bit, though I kept my hold on him just in case.

"A-And while you're at it, stop looking at other girls... I want you all to myself for today..." I whisper to his ear, and he shivers from how close my lips were. Hikki blushes but manages to keep a straight face. It looks even funnier since his cheeks are pink despite how calm and collected he looks. I feel his thumb gently rub my hand, and I return the gesture by giving him a light squeeze.

"Okay... Sorry, Yui." He says and gives me an apologetic bow. "I was just thinking about what we were talking about."

To ease the awkward tension in the air, I playfully give his thigh a light slap. "Hehehehe. It's fine Hikki. Stop being so formal... Anyway, where were they from? Did they speak English?" I ask.

He shakes his head and turns to me with an amused smile. "No, my dear Yui. I didn't use English while speaking to them. I spoke Dutch."

"Dutch...?" I tilt my head and ask while trying to remember what country it comes from. "Dutch, Dutch, Dutch... Ah! I give up! Where is that, Hikki?"

His grin widens as he continues to have fun at my expense. "Clue: It's from where The Hachiman was constructed."

"That ship? The one during the company visit?" I ask and he nods. I start recalling the things that we learned. I remember most of it except for the tiny technical stuff like that.

"Um... Was it from The UK?"

"No, but you're close."

"Okay... France?"

"Close."

"Dutch Dutch Dutch... S-Spain?"

"You've gotten colder."

I bite my thumb as I continue to think about it. Geography isn't my strong suit...

"R-Russia...?" I ask unsurely, and he immediately erupts into laughter. The last time Hikki laughed like this was back in the Summer Camp. He puts his hand over his mouth as he continues trying to hold back his laughter. I pout and pinch his side, but it didn't have any effect.

His laugh is nice to hear. I wish he can show this side of himself at school more often, but I guess that's just too much to ask from him.

I just watch Hikki with a warm smile until he finally calms down.

"Yui why don't you touch her? Her scales are so smooth..."

On Hikki's lap was a large yellow snake, its body as thick as my forearm. It calmly flicked the air with its forked tongue while Hikki petted its head. The rest of it was coiled around the floor, the Keeper that was standing beside Hikki, said that this snake is four meters long. That's long...

If Hikki had a sinister look on his face right now, he would look like a villain!

Reluctantly, I sat beside him and lightly touched the snake's body. Hikki is right, her scales are smooth and clean too. It's docile, I never expected a snake this large to be like this. I guess I should stop watching those movies where the snake is a gigantic monster.

I take a few pictures of him, as well as ones where we're together when he requested the Keeper. I couldn't do a solo with myself since I was too scared.

"Uwaah, I wanted to touch it more... Too bad that there's a line to wait at..." Hikki sighs as we walk through the reptile exhibit.

We were done with the Kimono and Yukata display, Bonsai and Bird exhibits. We took lots and lots of pictures in different Kimono and Yukata together, as well as the other two and played those shooting games together in the arcade. It was a bit embarrassing when he went behind me and held my hands to teach me how to play. He smelled so nice too... After that, I dragged him to a Purikura- a Japanese photo booth. It was my way of teasing him since he's been teasing me since this morning. I made him do a lot of cute poses and filters that he almost walked out of the booth from the embarrassment and cringe.

There was even a shop that sold used books that were still in great condition. We spent quite a while there and Hikki bought a few for himself, his Father, Hiratsuka-sensei and for the StuCo President, Shiromeguri-senpai. I was content to just follow him around, and sit on the nearby bench while waiting for him. In his left hand were the Bonsai trees that he bought for us. I didn't know that he bought those until we were done looking around. They're in fancy boxes too, and he is careful not to move them around too much.

"Hikki, how much are those? I have to pay you back. You've been buying everything for us today and it's making me feel guilty."

He turns to me as if I had said something strange. "Isn't it customary for the guy to pay though?" His answer caught me off guard and I didn't know how to respond. "I have my sense of pride as a guy too."

"I'm not sure if it applies to here though..." Hikki looks up in wonder at my words, then shrugs and turns to me.

"Well, I don't mind."

To our right side were a bunch of tanks, terrariums and cages that hold different kinds of pets. We already held different kinds of lizards earlier. I couldn't name all of them except for the Chameleons and Skinks. As we were looking at the different species in their living spaces, something catches Hikki's eye under the table. He quickly takes my hand as I follow him, sometimes he peeks under before moving on again.

He lets go of my hand and reaches underneath, and after fixing my skirt, I lower myself to see what's caused him to get jumpy.

It was a chubby lizard, I think it's called a Bearded Dragon. Its scales were bright red as Hikki finally took it gently into his hands and sat up. It wasn't an adult yet like the others that we held and saw earlier. A Keeper jogs towards us and thanks Hikki for catching it. He pets its head a few times, and the lizard wiggles from his grasp and hops on his arm. It looked at him dead in the eye, and they both tilted their heads at each other at the same time. It was really cute, a good thing that I snapped a photo of them!

"Oh, she seems to like you..." The Keeper says as he watches the lizard lick Hikki's arm. "Would you like to get her? Bearded Dragons are very easy to take care of and don't require much maintenance." He says helpfully.

Hikki stays quiet, and then after having a thoughtful look on his face, turns to me. "What do you think Yui? Should I get her?" He says.

I was about to touch the lizard's scaly horny back when it hisses at me, almost causing me to jump out of my skin. Hikki, the Keeper, and some kids nearby laugh when I made a yelp of surprise. It opened its mouth several times as if laughing at me too. I try again, and this time she lets me touch her and starts bobbing her head up and down.

"I don't know Hikki, you should decide for yourself..." I say.

He nods and stares at it for several seconds with an amused look on his face. I thought he was going to say yes but he gently picks it up and gives it back to the Keeper. "Thank you, but I think her real home lies elsewhere."

"Oh, you have a good intuition kid. Some enthusiasts are looking for a specimen like her." He says and gestures to some people speaking to the other Keepers. Hikki and I decide to wash our hands since we've been touching different kinds of animals for some time. As we were walking, he looks at his hand and flexes it a few times. A fond smile was on his face while he did it.

"Hikki? Do you want to get her? We can still go back, you know?" I say, but Hikki shakes his head and resumes looking forward.

"No, it's fine. I don't know why, but I felt some sort of connection with her. I'm sure that I'm gonna see her again in the future." He says in a mysterious, yet hopeful tone.

"Really? Well if you're gonna have one in the future, then you should think of a name then!" Hikki smiles and starts chuckling. I saw the hands-on his watch when he swung them forward, only a little time left until the lottery...an hour at most. We've been walking around and explored much of the area, it's a good thing that I chose to wear sneakers instead of heels earlier this morning!

"I've already thought of one."

"Oh, what did you pick?" I ask.

He grins and nods to himself. "Liz."

I have to admit that it sounds cute!

After we washed our hands in the restrooms, we go out and decide to just wait out the rest of the time before the lottery starts. While Hikki was going through the things that he bought, I took small bites from the snacks that we still had. There's still quite a lot since Hikki is bent on getting lots of tickets to get the prizes.

Hikki suddenly stops rummaging, as if he senses something. He quickly takes my pink hat that I had made him wear and puts it over his face, before adjusting his seating position and putting his head on my shoulder. The act itself was surprising, but I didn't cringe away nor stop him. Hikki only uses light perfume since he told me that strong ones give him a headache and make him sneeze a lot. I always consider that. The cologne that he has on him right now is fragrant.

I quietly tap on his thigh, and he makes an 'okay' hand gesture. I decided to just shrug off his strange behaviour. His wanting to take a nap is the first thing that comes to mind. He did say that he was feeling drained earlier, I guess showing off for the kids tired him out. I ask him if he wants to eat something, to which he just carefully shakes his head since the hat may fall off. I rest my head on him while I browse my phone to pass the time.

We stayed like that for around an hour until it was time for the lottery to begin drawing. The 'tickets' were entered electronically with specific items that we purchased, so we don't have to wait in lines to submit ours. Hikki already gave me my designated number earlier when he came back. A crowd had already assembled at the designated area, and it's going to begin in a few minutes.

"Hikki? It's time..." I say in a soft voice. He holds the bottom part of the hat and slowly pulls it down. When his eyes were revealed, he starts looking around and then gives out a sigh of relief. "What's wrong? Did you see someone that you know?"

He nods and forces a smile. "Yeah, something like that..." His tone is strange. It's something that I've heard him make a few times before when he's hiding something.

"Was that person from Sobu?"

Something flashes across his face, it was too fast for me to see. I must have made a concerned face since he puts his hand over mine. "Thankfully not... Come on, let's go see if we'll win anything." He gives my hand a gentle squeeze as we start walking to the designated area.

A large crowd had already formed right before the stage. The announcer was still thanking the event's sponsors. I already know that Hikki isn't comfortable with crowds, so I lead him to the very edge, some distance away from the mass of people. Both of our ears perked up when we heard the announcer go on the list.

"Hikigaya Logistics and Accounting Services Corporation."

Hikki's hands go cold and sweaty when I turn to him. "Hikki! That's your Father's firm, right? Look, they're even showing the logo with the ship, plane and delivery van on it!" I can never forget that logo since it was everywhere at his Father's headquarters at the company visit. The logo was painted at the side of the ship, and also in the miniature model that we received after it. I put it in the living room since it looks cool.

He winces and nods shortly after. "I-I didn't know that he was a sponsor... Things are sure to get awkward if I win anything..." Hikki bites his thumb while thinking deeply.

"Yeah but the chances are really low you know? There's a lot of people here, more than a hundred from the looks of things..."

Hikki starts chuckling with amusement, and I raise a questioning brow at him. "Fufufufufu... My dear Yui, if there's one thing that I learned after playing shitty gacha games, it's that no matter how small the chances are, the possibility of getting the SSR character that you want is NEVER zero. As long as a chance exists, I'll gladly take it." He said, with conviction and confidence emanating from his eyes.

He sounded cool, and I think I get an idea as to what he's talking about. "Oh, if you look at it that way, then you're right!" Hikki smiles and pats my head several times before I see a glint in his eyes.

"Still, the chances are very low... And in all honestly, it's extremely unlikely that I win anything..." He glances at the prizes at the stage and then turns to me. "Do you want to make a bet with me Yui? To make things interesting?"

"Hmm? What kind of bet?"

"If one of us wins anything, the loser has to follow the winner's commands for an indefinite amount of time or until the winner says that the deal is done. What do you say?" He says and waits for my reply.

I put my hand under my chin while thinking about it.

So it's like a Master and Servant thing...? If I win, I can request anything from Hikki? Hmm, that sounds nice! I can have him help me out in my studies to raise my grades! Or I can tell him to stop teasing me too much! With this, maybe I can make him not act too uptight at school and be friendlier with Yukinon! He's been a bit distant to her lately... I can also use this to make him take me out on more dates in the future, hehehehe~...

Wait... It goes both ways.

I wonder what'll he make me do? Maybe he'll ask for my help in the StuCo or cook him up a bento or something... Hikki may be a shameless cheapskate, but I doubt that he'll go that far. On the other hand, it's things like these that Hina would come in and suggest lewd and dirty things... Like in those types of books that she reads...

Hikki isn't that type of guy, r-right?

I shake my head to forcefully rid myself of those kinds of thoughts before I start blushing again. "Hmm... Well, it's kind of like the deal we have at the Club, only that it's just the two of us." I close my eyes and think for a bit after I cross my arms around my chest.

"You're in the lead anyway Hikki, we completed all Club requests so far using your methods and suggestions. Even Rumi-chan's... So this will be the time that I make my super epic comeback!" I exclaim through the loud music in the background as I put my hands on my hips and face him.

"So I'll take that as a yes then?"

"Yup! I accept! Hehehehe~, get ready to kneel and lick my foot! I'm gonna make you my slave!"

Hikki smiles and then nods. "Okay, then. You have my word that I'll hold up my end of the deal. Anyway, it's starting so let's pay attention to the announcer." I would have liked to sit down on a bench, but there isn't one available nearby. The ones around were occupied by the elderly and children. There were a lot of people arriving to see if they would be lucky enough to win one of the prizes...

I want that watch, and that trip to Kyoto even more... I wonder what will happen if Hikki and I win that jackpot prize, and then that trip too... Hikki is given a lot of freedom and is responsible to boot, I think he'll get his parent's permission without much hassle. Well, that's what he says anyway and I also got that feeling from his Father back at the company visit. He may look a bit scary but he's laid back and loved by his employees.

Since I'm a girl, I don't think I could go so easily, much less if I went there with Hikki...

But it would be nice if I get to go. Four days with just the two of us, doing some sightseeing, paying our respects to the local shrines and temples and not to mention the Summer Festival there. I've never been to Kyoto, the ancient capital. I hear that it's pretty fast if you go there via the Shinkansen bullet train, but the fee is pretty expensive. Spending time with him for a few hours on a train doesn't sound so bad. I'd also get to wear a pretty Kimono, I know that Hikki will wear one if I ask him nicely too.

I guess my only option, for now, is to hope and pray that we win it together then!

"Hooooh, looks like there are some cameramen around..." Hikki says and points to the corner. "Must be for the local newspaper or something..."

I stand on my toes while holding him for balance to see over the mass of people. Unfortunately, I can't see much. "Hmm, this event is bigger than we thought huh..."

"You're telling me. I thought this venue was tiny from the outside. Maya-sensei didn't mention that this was such a big deal. I wonder if she and the others are still here... Shinna and that badly Isshin too..."

It didn't take long for the lucky ones to start walking up the stage once their numbers flashed on the large projector screen above. One by one, they went up and waited for the others to arrive. A few people whose numbers were called but didn't show up, so the announcer continued off and resumed. Hikki's eyes were closed the whole time, but I know he's just listening intently. Or maybe he's feeling sleepy.

When our names weren't called at the 2nd set of prizes, I hear Hikki click his tongue in annoyance. "Tch! I wanted that washing machine and rice too... Lucky bastards." He narrows his eyes with envy at the people who won.

I pinch his side for his use of profanities. "Hikki! Don't use bad words!"

Before the announcer declares the two winners of the jackpot, a short video clip was played, and it showed that much of the profits gained here would be donated to a nonprofit humanitarian organization that helps in the rebuilding and rehabilitation of those affected by natural disasters in the country. The firm that Hikki's Father owned was one of the major partners in it, as well as some Chiba-based companies as well. Once it was over, it was finally time to announce the two remaining winners.

Hikki gives my left hand a gentle squeeze. "Yui."

"Hmm?" I turn and look up at him.

Whatever he was about to say was interrupted when the winning numbers flashed on the screen. I frown at it and then look at the small piece of paper that I held in my other hand. I checked it several times while comparing it to the one displayed on the screen. There's no doubt about it

"Yui...? Isn't that...?" He says when he realized it.

It was my number.

It took a few seconds for me to understand what just happened, but when I did so, I couldn't contain my joy.

"HIKKIIIIIII! HIKKI! HIKKI! I WON! I WON! I WOOON!" I exclaim, jumping up and down while holding his hand excitedly. He grins and laughs with me, not minding the amused looks from several people around us.

"Wow, who would have thought..." He says out loud and gestures to the stage. "But you better go Yui. Climb up there and claim your prize, I'll just wait here for you."

"Hikki, you better fulfil your end of the bargain~!" I say and wink at him, before turning and quickly going to the stage. After I verified my number, I climb up and the announcer, as well as the people assembled here, started clapping. My happiness overcame what nervousness I had in me, and I smiled widely when a cameraman nearby took my picture. The lights that were on me were bright, and I can't see the back of the crowd where Hikki is staying.

The next set of numbers were announced, and everyone eagerly awaited the arrival of the lucky winner. They were given three minutes to come and was announced at the speakers. It's a bit awkward, with nothing to do except fidget my hands uncomfortably. I see some of Hikki's classmates in the crowd, the duo earlier who briefly spoke to him. When the lights moved their focus to another place, Hikki wasn't there anymore. After the time was up, the screen started jumbling out random numbers until it stopped. Three times the numbers were drawn, and still, no one came forward. It's the same for the next five attempts.

All of us were surprised that none of those drawn was present. They must have immediately gone home or ignored the lottery entirely.

At the 8th attempt, we waited for the next few moments, until I saw a figure walking towards the stage. The figure raised its hand, waving something and the lights immediately came down on it.

The ahoge on top of his head is the first thing that I see, and he makes a small smile when we make eye contact. Without even turning to him, the crowd parts as he walks through. He starts taking his first steps to the stage after verifying his number with the staff. He calmly walks and stands next to me while the crowd claps and some assistants bring in the spinning wheel for the secondary prize.

"Yo, Yui. You look happy." Even with all the background noise, lights and the cameras focused on us, his voice was as clear as day.

"Hey, Hikki. Hehehehehehehe~! Looks like we won huh?" My reply causes a chuckle from him, and I giggle in turn.

The wheel is like those that you see in game shows, only slightly smaller. It had the pointer at the top with lots of different colours that stood for the extra prizes that we could win. All colours had prizes except for the black one, and the jackpot was gold and was the biggest.

I take Hikki's arm and lead him to it, something that I realize I had done when the announcer and his attendant grin and wink at us. I take our things and let Hikki go first, putting his hand on the wheel and pulling down on it. He must have used too much force since it spun fast and the colours were a blur.

When our eyes met, he makes an awkward laugh. "A-Ahahaha... I thought that it wasn't loose..." The wheel finally started slowing down until we can make out the individual colours and the prizes.

Everyone held their breath as we watched it slow down until finally, the pointer stopped within the border of the jackpot prize.

In an instant, confetti and cheers erupted from everywhere, even Hikki was startled by the loud sounds from the speakers that came with it. I giggle as he awkwardly stands around while he holds his prizes, as well as the certificate as proof that he won. A few photos of him were taken, and he makes a stiff smile at the camera after I give him a reassuring nod.

He whispers something to the announcer, his eyes widen with surprise and nod vigorously. He stands up even straighter after Hikki shows him something, then he whispers to the attendant and ushers them to the technical team. Once everything had calmed down, he steps aside and I hand him our things. Before I nervously put my hand on the wheel, Hikki calls my attention from behind.

"Yui."

"Hmm?"

He grins, his eyes glinting teasingly as he raises his hand to give me a thumbs-up. "Good luck."

I return him a smile of my own and pull down the wheel. It wasn't as fast as Hikki's and didn't take long for it to slow down. Strangely, I feel calm now that it's my turn. I expected that I'd feel anxious, jittery or something like that, but I wasn't. It must be because Hikki's here with me. I always feel like when he's here, everything's going to be alright and nothing can go wrong.

The wheel starts going on its last few spins, and then...

The neighbourhood is quiet, only a few cars are running up and down the road, and barely any people on the sidewalk. It's gotten a bit late since Hikki and I missed the train and had to wait for another one. I look up to see clouds that were illuminated because of the light pollution coming from the city.

It would have been nice to see stars. I guess people who live in the city can't have that luxury.

Hikki squeezes my hand, and I turn to him giving me a concerned look. "Yui? Something on your mind?"

I nod and give him a reassuring smile. "Yeah."

He continues walking while having his eyes trained on me. A smile graces his face. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah. I had lots of fun today Hikki." I reply warmly.

"I see. That's good." Hikki unconsciously flexes his left arm, and it makes me aware of the things that he's carrying.

We're wearing a matching cap that advertised the event, as well as the logo of Chiba on the back. As a proud citizen of Chiba, Hikki was more than happy to receive this when we both won the jackpot prize earlier. He even requested three more for his family, and two for my own.

I still can't believe it... What are the odds that we'd both win the jackpot prize AND the trip too?

I guess Hikki is right about the chance thing that he mentioned before.

Hikki was right earlier too, some local newspapers took our photos after the event. Hikki looked nervous earlier when their lights started flashing, but he calmed down when I held his hand. His hands were shaking and cold, it was the first time that I saw him like that. I guess even someone calm and composed like Hikki can be nervous and skittish huh...

I'm glad I was there for him.

I'll come running from the other side of the world when he needs me. Because I know that he'll do the same for me too.

If I had my way, I'd want to be always by his side.

I must have been staring at him for too long since he gulps before turning to me with a funny face. "Y-Yui... Is there something on my face? You've been looking at me for some time now..." I can't see it clearly because of the dimly lit area we just entered, but there's no doubt that Hikki has a blush on his face.

I shake my head while giggling, before resting my head on his shoulder as we walk. "No, there's nothing. I just wanted to look at your face that's all."

Unsurprisingly, Hikki scoffs, before laughing sarcastically at himself. "Haaaaaaaaaah? Why would you want to look at my ugly face? Staring at my eyes for too long will turn you to stone."

Typical Hikki, always with the self-deprecating jokes...

He seethes in pain when I pinch his side. "Hikki... How many times do I have to tell you to stop it with the self-deprecating jokes?" We have a short staredown before he sighs and nods.

"Okay okay jeez... And stop it with the pinching, what are you, my Mother? You're going to leave my sides all red. AH!" He yelps again as I catch him off guard. A nerve ticks at his forehead, and he lets go of my hand and pinches my side as revenge.

I tried to avoid it, but he was too fast. It made me even more sensitive since my blouse is thin and airy.

"Kyaaaaaahh, Hachi-pervert-kun~! Help~! There's a perv here~! Hehehehehehe~!" I giggled and quivered from his touch as I had unconsciously let out an unladylike cry. To get away from him, I deliberately pressed my chest against his arm, causing him to immediately flinch and recoil back.

"O-OI! Don't do stuff like that! You're a girl!" He grimaces. With the small window of opportunity that I have, I stick out my tongue at him before skipping away. He grits his teeth and comes after me. Luckily, no one is in our surroundings right now, and we can fool and play around to our heart's content. His pace is slower since he's carrying our things. I keep on throwing teases his way to goad him even further.

He catches up to me since I had stopped, and just before he could get some payback, he looks around the place where I've led him to. "Oh, it's the playground..."

I take his hand and we resume walking. "My feet are starting to hurt. Let me rest first yeah?" He nods quietly and starts chuckling.

I point at the swings nearby, and he nods after putting our things on the vacant bench. It's nearly 10:00 pm so no one is around. If anything, it's a bit eerie here.

Hikki takes our hats and puts them in the bags, and then cleans my seat in the swing before I sit down. After making myself comfortable, I turn and give him a nod.

"Let's start slowly, okay Hikki?"

"Alright."

He starts pushing me forward as my feet leave the ground.

It feels like it's been years since I last played on a swing, it probably has. The night air is cool on my face, and being here with Hikki makes the experience even better.

This playground must be well-kept since we don't hear any squeaking sounds from any part of it. I walk past this place every morning but I only glance at it at most. Children from the neighbourhood play here during the weekends, accompanied by their parents, siblings or other friends.

"Yui, remember when we first jogged together with Sable? You know, when you baked me those cookies?" Hikki says after we've been silent for several minutes, just enjoying the moment.

"Oh, what about it?"

He looks up, reminiscing at the memory as I watch and wait for him to continue. "You always lagged behind me while Sable and I were ways ahead. Your cookies that time were acceptable, if it weren't then I wouldn't be here right now."

"Hikki, that was before... I'm WAAAAY better now!" I say, and he chuckles at my words.

"Yeah, I guess you are."

"And wait, you're making it sound like you would have died if my cookies came out wrong!"

"I did say that, yes. We both know that I'm not wrong. Also, it's a shame that we couldn't go to the Owl Café... We took too long... Maybe next time."

"Yeah!"

We continue like that for some time, just chatting until I decide to stop. We head back to the bench since Hikki says that he'll pass on using the swing for now. There isn't much to see here, and I rest my head on his shoulder after adjusting several times. Hikki smells nice, his scent and presence make me feel at ease.

"Thanks for today Hikki. I had fun." I say in an earnest tone.

He moves a bit, then I feel him softly pat my head. "Me too. It would've been a bit boring and awkward if I was there alone. So it's an amazing coincidence that you wanted to hang out today. Komachi was going out with her friends so she can't come."

I scooted myself closer to him. Even though it isn't really cold, the warmth that he exudes is an elating feeling that never fails to make warm and fuzzy inside.

"Hikki there's something I want to ask you."

"Alright."

I fidget a bit and face down since what I'm about to say next might make me feel flustered if I see his face.

"About today... You were acting...different. Why?"

I mean, aside from being such a tease, Hikki was affectionate and warm to me today... He's a bit like that when it's just the two of us, but his actions today felt different somehow. His smile, the way his eyes look at me, how he gently holds me, all of it. He was buying me lots of stuff too and would have bought more if I didn't tell him to stop. He was deliberately spoiling and making sure that everything was to my liking.

Hikki takes in my question calmly. He stops patting my head and rests his hand back on his lap. He isn't tense, nor did his heart rate increase since I can hear its faint sound on his arm.

"Because I wanted to." He said it so matter-of-factly as if the answer to the question that I just asked was so obvious.

I slowly sit up straight, our gazes were locked and unwavering. He blinks several times and tilts his head to the side. "Yui?"

"O-Oh I was just taken aback, that's all. Can you explain it more?"

He shrugs. "Well, if you say so. It's the first time that we hung out together so I wanted you to have fun. It's also my way of thanking you for everything that you've done for me Yui." He has a small smile on his face at the end.

"For what? I don't understand Hikki..."

I return a shy smile when his one widens. "For helping me be comfortable around the others. Before we were classmates, they were just acquaintances to me. And if you weren't there to smooth things out, I doubt I'd get close to them as I am right now. So..."

Hikki stops and blushes momentarily before continuing. "Y-You know how I am... I have trust issues, I'm socially awkward, I make terrible and cringy jokes. My eyes are scary, I look serious all the time and that's why people act too rigidly around me. Sometimes, I don't know how to express in words what I want to say, and it comes out wrong. And then misunderstandings happen. I'm inexperienced when it comes to that kind of stuff, you of all people know this. I have Shiromeguri-senpai who teaches me and points out all those things...but she isn't there for me always... Aside from her, you're the only one who points it out and tries correcting me. It's a bit expected since most people are reluctant to bring up that kind of stuff since they're afraid of me, but you're different."

His blush deepens, but he maintains eye contact with me. "Those little words of encouragement while you put a gentle hand on my arm does wonders. It might not sound much to you but it helped me out. It really did, and I want you to know that. I have to admit that there were some times when you were a little too pushy and annoying, but I realized that it was your way of looking out for me. And, I soon came to realize that I do need some help. So..."

Hikki proceeds to stand up and face me.

He bows low, something that I didn't expect him to do.

"Yuigahama Yui, I am truly grateful for all that you have done for me."

I...

I'm at a complete loss. I have no idea what to do nor say in the face of such sincere words. All I could do was stare at him with my mouth slightly agape.

It was only for several tense and silent seconds, but to me who received those words, it felt like an eternity as I contemplated what to say.

I stand up and put my hands on his shoulders. "H-Hikki! This is embarrassing! Please raise your head!" He does so and slowly straightens up. His cheeks are bright red, the thin line that were his lips quivered. Hikki looks into my eyes for a moment before looking down to avoid them. "..."

Seeing him look like this is contagious, and I tuck away some strands of hair behind my ear while sneaking him glances. "..."

Our eyes meet, and we quickly look away.

He absentmindedly touches his arm, and he does so until he built enough courage to speak again. "...Sorry... This was the best thing that I could come up with, I'm not good with stuff like this... A-Ahahaha..." He says and scratches his hair while laughing awkwardly.

I pout and give his arm a light slap. "Stupid Hikki! You sounded so formal and made me nervous! I-I thought you were going to ask for my hand in MARRIAGE or something! IDIOT!" I hit him several times as his eyes begin to widen. He puts a hand over his mouth and frowns at himself.

"A-Ah... Did I sound like that...? Wait, I did, didn't it..."

For someone as smart as him, there are times when his wording comes out having a completely different meaning to what he originally thought of...

"YES! D-DUMMY!" I exclaim in a slightly frustrated tone and stomp my foot. He gives me a slight apologetic bow and I continue glaring at him with a flustered expression and he shrinks from my gaze and avoids my eyes. I decide to take a deep breath to calm myself down.

I already feel faint and my heart is beating so fast from his words alone... Stupid Hikki, making me feel this way without meaning it! The way his 'speech' went, I was half-expecting him to confess at the end! If he stopped just to fill up the suspense, I would have passed out on the spot!

"J-JEEZ!" I huff out and slumped myself back on the bench, crossing my legs and facing away with a pout as I put my arms around my chest. Hikki follows soon after, sitting close and turning to me.

"Yui..."

"H-Hmph!"

"Yui, come on don't be like that..."

I feel him put a cautious hand on my shoulder, but I shrug him off. "Hmph!"

He sighs and scratches his head. "I guess I messed that up huh... W-Well, this is awkward..."

"And whose fault do you think that is..." I say after briefly narrowing my eyes at him and looking away.

A beeping sound startled both of us, and I felt the smartwatch that I had on my left wrist vibrate. We both glance down at it, and it said that my heart rate is going faster than normal. Hikki is quiet before looking up at me, our faces are really close. Close enough that I could almost...

"That's...a really interesting feature..." He says quietly, and I nod while a blush creeps up my face. We give each other some space. It's also a good thing that he didn't point it out bluntly. Stupid watch! Now he knows that my heart is racing!

Hikki clears his throat when he realizes that I won't continue the conversation. "I'm thankful for everything that you've done for me Yui. That's all that I honestly want to say. So..."

I wordlessly scoot closer to him and take his arm, not caring if he felt my chest in the slightest. He doesn't lean nor moves away from my touch, even as I pinch him. "Stupid Hikki... A simple 'Thank you' would have been enough..." I'm sure that he can feel my heartbeat, and I cling to him until I calm down. We stay like that until he looks up in thought and speaks shortly after.

"Just like that? Is it really that simple? I don't need to make grandiose, big and complicated words...?" He turns to me in honest confusion.

His expression softens when I give him a warm smile. "Yes, it's that easy Hikki."

"..."

"..."

Hikki huffs out, having a small smile on his face. His eyes look at me fondly and cause my heart to skip a beat.

"Thank you, Yui."

"You're welcome," I say with a warm smile, to which he returns one of his own. "Everything that you've said is really sweet, Hikki. Of course, I'd do all of that for you. You're my friend after all."

"Thank you. And I hope you don't mind looking out for this socially awkward idiot in the future." He grins, and I giggle at his words.

He really is an idiot, but a lovable one. He may act strongly on the outside, but I know that he needs help.

"I don't mind at all. You can keep having your faith in trust in me Hikki."

He raises his head as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, which reminds me..." He shows me his left wrist, the one that held the smartwatch identical to my own. "If there are any lotteries in the future, I'm going to bring you with me."

I tilt my head to the side. "What do you mean Hikki?"

He puts his hand on my cheek, before playfully pulling on it and chuckling. I blush profusely, but still manage to hold his gaze without looking away. "Seeing how we won right off that bat, and I know that I'm not a very lucky person. I think you are the reason why we won." He says and grins.

"You're like a lucky charm."

I quickly hide my face on his shoulder. I don't know how to react to being compared to a 'lucky charm'. It sounds silly, but cute at the same time. Okay, it sounds cute.

He chuckles and pats my head. "Hehehehehe, that's a really cute reaction... Saying something so cheesy was worth it hehehehe..."

"S-Shut up Hikki... You're being such a bully today..." I mumble against his arm. He continues chuckling until I yelp and let go of him when he pokes my side. I sit up and give him a light slap.

"You're my airheaded lucky and sweet cinnamon bun, Yui. Hehehehehe~..." He says, and I feel him start to lightly ruffle my hair.

I pout and glare at him. "I-If you're going to give me nicknames, try and make it sound cute at least! It's like you're going to eat me out or something!"

"Ahahaha, okay okay, I'll think of a better one." He briefly glances at our watches. "But seriously, it's crazy how we won these. AND the trip too." He says in a tone of disbelief. "I mean, the chances are so low..."

I laugh, and smugly put my hands on my hips. "Fufufufufufu, that's because I was with you! You wouldn't have won it without me!" Hikki nods in agreement and motions to put things behind him.

"Don't forget these too."

"Oh right!" I exclaim. I was about to take out my wallet when Hikki shakes his head. "Don't worry about it Yui. Think of these as a token of my gratitude." I stay still for several seconds until I decide to let the matter go.

If he says it like that, then it'll be rude of me to refuse...

"Well... Okay then. Thank you." I say and give him a slight bow. I was about to say that it's time for us to go when I realize something that he said earlier.

"Hikki? Remember when you spoke to those foreign girls earlier?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Where were they from?" I ask. I haven't had the chance to look up my phone where 'Dutch' is used as a language since I was too busy having fun with him.

Hikki's mouth turns into an 'O' as he slowly nods, before having a difficult expression on his face. He looks to the side and puts a hand under his chin, tapping his finger while in thought. I wait for him to reply until he sighs and faces me once more.

"Before I answer that, let me tell you something Yui." I scoot myself closer to him and straighten up my back from the tone of his voice. "I'll be leaving Japan with my Father. I'll be staying in The Netherlands."

This is a...surprise. I didn't think that he'd start with this.

"O-Oh... Why did you have to say this now?" I tried to hide my obvious disappointment, but the news was too sudden. Hikki notices it immediately and his expression quickly changes into an apologetic one.

"I'm sorry..."

"H-Hikki... This is all so sudden. We talked about so many plans together...visiting the pool and beach, a sleepover, movie marathons, shrine visits and sightseeing..." I'm already looking down at this point. We spoke of a lot of possible stuff to do during the Summer Break, by ourselves or with the others. We even talked about it during our free time during the summer camp a few days ago.

I feel so...dejected.

"I know. I couldn't bring myself to just say that I'm going away to everyone else, so I decided to tell you..."

I stay quiet, still thinking about his words. So many missed opportunities... I wanted to spend some time with him throughout the Summer Break. Not just the two of us, but the others and Yukinon too... I wanted us to hang out like normal friends since I haven't had the chance to do so because of his busy schedule. He had politely declined my invitations before, as well as that of others for lots of reasons. Today is the first time that we have had each other, and I want more days like this in the future. I just wanted to spend some time with him like today, as well as get closer...

"I... I couldn't bring myself to ruin everyone's fun." His hand goes to the back of my head as he slowly guides me towards him. "Sorry, Yui. I really am. You have every right to get mad at me." I feel and hear the sound of his heartbeat on his chest as he slowly pats my back in an attempt to make me feel better.

I close my eyes and focus on my breathing for now, before quietly speaking once again. "So The Netherlands, huh... When will you be leaving...?"

"Two days."

Two days... He had to say it with the day so close...which makes it all the more disappointing. What was he thinking, dropping this on me like this...

I lean on him as he continued to console and attempt to lift my mood. His embrace is warm, and his arms made me feel protected. "How long will you be gone?"

"Three weeks, maybe four."

That's such a long time. I could have spent so much time with him if he didn't go. I know that I'm sounding selfish and that I'm acting too clingy, but...

"Does... Does anyone else know...?"

"I asked Shiromeguri-senpai for her advice, and I accidentally let it slip when I talked to Hina some time ago."

Him telling Shiromeguri-senpai first isn't really a surprise, given how he trusts and looks up to her. And it's pretty understandable for Hina to stay quiet since Hikki might get upset.

"Cheer up Yui." His tone suddenly changes, and I look up at him from his chest. "We won the trip, remember?"

I feel hope rise within me and I slowly separate myself from him. His hands went down to my waist as I had moved. "Oh, but you said..."

He makes a small grin and pulls on my cheek. "We'll be coming back here three days before the scheduled departure to Kyoto. So that means I still get to go with you there."

"Oh yeah!" I exclaim as my hands turn into fists. "I forgot about that! I thought you wouldn't be able to come because you didn't tell me the date and all!" Hikki starts chuckling after seeing my delighted face. "It's a shame that you can't come with us... Hayato won't come if you're not, same with Tobe... So it's just us girls then..."

Hikki snaps his fingers as if suddenly having an idea. "Oh, do you mind bringing along Komachi and Saki too?"

I nod and smile at his suggestion. It's good to see Hikki looking out for Kawasaki-san too. I want to get closer to her. She reminds me a lot of Hikki: She's quiet and fond of little kids, she has scary eyes and may come off as too strong or rude, but on the inside, she's a kind person.

"Yeah, you can count on me to add in Komachi-chan or Kawasaki-san in some of our plans!" I was about to continue, but I stop when I remember what happened the other day. It's something that I've been thinking about, and it's been bothering me for the past few days.

"Hikki, if you don't mind me asking... Who is Yukinon's older sister to you?" I say carefully.

After she picked him up, the ride back to Chiba was really quiet and awkward. Hina, Saika and Hiratsuka-sensei and I tried to lighten up the atmosphere with some conversation, but all of it soon died because Yukinon was still taken aback by all that happened. She's close to him, they're even calling each other by their first names. Not to mention that she's touchy and has a different air around her too.

He nods and starts. "Oh. Haruno? Oh, she's a friend and knows my parents. Sometimes she drops by at my Mother's place to tutor me. She's also an alumnus from Sobu and is Shiromeguri-senpai's Senpai." He slowly nods again when I stay quiet, sending him an unspoken question that I'd rather not say.

"Well, I asked a favour from her, and I owed her. That's why I had to go. We went to some places yesterday and the day before that. That's it. Oh and we're not a couple. She just loves teasing me like a little brother. It's kind of annoying sometimes, to be honest. But I guess that's what older sister figures do huh? Shiromeguri-senpai loves teasing me... As well as the other Senpai that I have in the StuCo..." He starts blabbering on and on, to the point where he's talking to himself out loud.

His obvious love and adoration for her are really cute. He's like an adoring fan, or a little boy looking up to his super cool older sister.

I watch him fondly for a little while, until I giggle, which causes him to snap out of it.

"A-Ahahaha... Sorry, Yui. I got carried away." He says, and I raise my hands to tell him that it's fine.

He glances down at my watch and turns to me. "It's getting late. Are your feet still sore? Do you want me to carry you?" He teases, and I giggle in response.

"Hehehehe~. I doubt that you could carry me to my home."

Hikki sports a thinking expression as he turns his attention to something on my lap. "Hmm, I really spoiled you with lots of food today, so you're right that I may not be able to carry- OW!" My hand goes up and twists his ear before he could finish what he was about to say. Despite it, he still goes on to get back at me, much to my embarrassment.

"Especially... HERE! " He exclaims loudly, and I yelp when his hand pokes my rib and twists the skin of my tummy, before pulling on it.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH-!" I was so startled by his unexpected touch, that my hands moved by themselves and-

*SLAP!*

"..."

"..."

Uwaaahh, it's so awkward...! Hikki's walking so stiffly like a robot, and his hand feels so limp, cold and lifeless in mine! He hasn't said a word ever since we resumed walking back to my home... And aside from that, well...

The redness on his face makes it look like he's blushing. The thing is, it's only on his right side.

And it's caused by me.

"Hi-Hikki!" I say and lightly shake him as we walk, "I said I was sorry! It was an accident I swear! I don't hate you or anything! My hands moved by themselves!"

His eyes darken, and his face becomes sullen as he looks down and mumbles. I feel him about to let go of my hand, but I hold him tighter. "This is so shameful. What I did to you was unforgivable... I am going to perform harakiri later using the ceremonial sword of my family... Takemizukashi Hachishiki... I am going to Kermit suicide..."

I don't know if he's kidding, but I sure don't like the sound of him doing a HARAKIRI of ALL things!

AND WHAT THE HECK IS A KERMIT?!

"Shut it with the harakiri talk! I know that you're just overreacting! You didn't even touch anything that you shouldn't." Hikki makes a face as I yank him forward.

"Well, I'm surprised that you saw through my act. I'm practising for an actor since I was invited by the Drama Club for a play this winter." He says calmly and matter-of-factly. I turn to him, obviously surprised. I didn't know that he was invited. Just how many things does Hikki keep to himself?

"Wow? What's the play about?"

Hikki puts a hand under his chin in thought. "Hmm, it's about a girl who can't tell the difference between sarcasm and seriousness." He stares at me, waiting for my reaction. I blink once, then twice as we just blankly stared at each other.

"Hikki."

"Yes?"

I give him a blank expression that I copied from him with dead and empty eyes. "That was a terrible joke." He grins and pulls me closer to him. I immediately break character and giggle as I let go of his hand to take his entire arm instead. He doesn't mind the contact, and he even chuckles when I look up to him and our eyes meet. He chuckled even louder when I almost tripped and fell, but a strong and quick arm managed to prevent that from happening.

"You know Hikki," I playfully poke his cheek and give his hand a gentle squeeze. His warmth is a nice feeling, I haven't stayed so close to him like this before. "I like this side of you. You should be more open, instead of just showing this when you're alone with me or the others. Like, not just in a one-time thing I mean."

He slowly looks up, musing at my words for a few moments. "That's really hard. I mean, me suddenly getting chummy-chummy with everyone would be weird. They'd ask things like: 'Woah, what happened to Hikigaya-san?', 'Is he making fun of us?', 'I think he ate something bad this morning...', 'Are we in a prank video?' or maybe even 'Is he hitting on me? What's with his sudden personality change?'." He says, and I giggle at him.

"Yeah, I think I can see that happening..." I go quiet, and let go of his hand, and take his arm instead. From the corner of my eye, I see him purse his lips when he felt the side of my chest. I don't mind, and I lean my head on him.

"Hikki, you've changed since the first time I met you."

"I know, that's what Sensei said..." When a sudden cold breeze came by, I instinctively rubbed my cheek on his arm. "Yui... Tell me honestly, am I better right now, than back then?"

I slowly raise my head to see him looking down at me with searching, yet warm eyes. I give him a smile and nod. "Yes. Yes, you are."

"I see... That's good then."

We continue talking about lighthearted stuff until we arrived at the foot of my building. Like before, nobody's around. He gives me my stuff that he's been carrying the whole day for me as we face each other silently.

Well, time to say goodbye...

"Thanks for today Hikki. I really had fun with our date. I hope we can spend more time like this in the future. We should bring Yukinon next time!" I say with a warm smile, and he returns one to me as well.

"Yeah." He says and looks deeply into my eyes with a soft look before continuing, "Me too. Careful with that box though, remember that there's a Bonsai Tree in it. And the food, don't forget the food."

I just look at him, before I start to squirm and fidget. I bet my face is getting red too. Hikki just watches me with a curious expression and tilts his head to the side.

"?"

After mustering all of my courage and throwing my shame out of my thoughts, I stiffly spread both of my arms and look at him expectantly. I couldn't help but lightly bite my lower lip at my embarrassing position.

"Hng..." I give out a light whimper after several awkward seconds as he arches a brow at me.

Hikki's eyes widen slightly before he starts chuckling. "Oooohhh... This is unfair Yui. You know that I'm weak to stuff like this, 'Onii-chan instincts' and all that..."

I nod.

I feel my face start to get even warmer. Uwaaah... If this keeps up, steam is sure to go out of my ears! Worst case scenario is that I'll faint!

He takes a step forward, "With a cute face like that, I can't say no." And slowly puts his arms around my smaller form. I put mine around his waist, as the distance finally closes between us. He feels so warm, and he smells so nice too. The rhythm of his heartbeat has a calming effect on me. I've never hugged him like this before. I saw him hug Komachi-chan at the Summer Camp, and I would be lying if I say that I haven't thought about it a bit.

"Hikki..." I mumble against his chest.

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind doing me a favour?"

He gently pats the back of my head. "And what would that be?"

I clutch his shirt tighter and lean away from him, just enough for me to look into his eyes. We are still close enough, and I can see my reflection in them.

"Promise me that you'll have fun, alright?" I let go and caress the side of his face, and a blush starts to form on his pale cheeks. Hikki was surprised at my act but doesn't move away.

"Stop overthinking and stressing yourself out with thoughts that cause that. You should relax, I know that you need it badly. Clear your head when you're there, and then when you come back, sort it out so it won't bother you anymore... I know that it's hard, but I know that you can do it. I'm sure of it. Stay strong Hikki, you can always depend on me. The others and I are here for you. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help..."

"Yui..."

I pat his sides and pinch his cheek, which causes a groan of annoyance from him. "And most of all, don't forget to have lots of fun!" I end with a smile.

He returns my smile, and I giggle and squirm when he pokes my sides. "That's the plan."

"Good..." Slowly, I start to separate myself from him. My hands were reluctant to leave him so soon, even he lingered at my waist a bit until letting go.

"Thanks again for the date, Hikki. I had lots of fun. And for walking me home too. Stay safe on your way." I say and give him a slight bow.

He nods and eyes the bags that I left on the ground behind me. "Careful with your things, remember that there's a Bonsai Tree there. I had lots of fun too Yui. I'm glad that you were with me."

I expected Hikki to say his goodbyes, but instead, he slowly starts scratching his head. The blush on his face hasn't gone away yet, instead, it starts to intensify.

"A-Ah, Yui, about today... Was I acting too much of a tease and flirt...?" He laughs awkwardly as he seems to have difficulty meeting my eyes. I've never seen Hikki look so uncomfortable while absentmindedly fidgeting with his hands.

"I wanted you to have fun and enjoy yourself on our date, so I decided to change some of my behavioural patterns, so to speak. I thought that if I went with you normally, you'd get bored to death of me... I read that girls like sweet and affectionate guys, so I did just that..."

"Hehehehehe, so that's why you were so different today..." I giggle and take a step, leaning my upper body towards him while my hands were behind my back. "Hikki today was different, that's true. You were really affectionate, always whispering me compliments and sweet-nothings, not to mention touchy at a tolerable level. But I don't mind seeing this side of you Hikki..." He lightly gives himself a facepalm, and even from the spaces between his fingers, the redness on his face is still quite visible.

"You were fine, I would have loved your company just the same. In a way, it was amusing being treated like that by you." I say, and he breathes out a sigh of relief upon my words. "To be honest, you did get out of line a bit... But it's okay! We both had fun, all's well end's well!"

"I see... I see..." He mumbles out, before straightening up and composing himself more formally. "Well, it's time for me to go. Give your parents my warm regards. And tell your Mother that I'm sorry for not going inside for some tea. Next time to be sure." He says and nods.

"Yup, I'll be sure to tell Mama. So... Goodbye Hikki."

The corners of his lips go up, forming a small smile. "

"Yeah. Goodnight, and Goodbye Yui." He says in a soft and kindly tone.

None of us moves for the next few seconds. We watch each other, waiting for the other to make a move. I clutch my skirt tightly, as I stand still as a statue.

In the end, I give him a small smile, and he gives one last nod before turning around and walking away. I continue watching him, he turns at the corner and gives me a wave. I return it, as I unconsciously follow him down the path. Hikki continues walking, looks at his watch, and then looks behind him where I gave him another wave.

He is right under the streetlamps, and I see his smile from afar as he slowed his pace. I wave my hands frantically and give him my best smile until he gives me one last bow and disappears from my view.

With that, I go back to where I left my things on the ground so I can finally go home.

"Mama, Papa I'm home!" I call out as I start changing my shoes. I hear their welcoming voices inside and greets me by running around in circles around my feet. Mama arrives next and looks at the things that I brought with me.

"Oh my, Yui... That's quite a lot..." She says and takes them, and peers into it. "Snacks, a fancy-looking box for a smartwatch, and an even fancier box for a Bonsai Tree...? Oh my goodness, it's glass too..." Mama whistles as she sets them aside and patiently waits for me to finish changing my footwear.

"Yeah! Hikki and I were at a convention! We won some stuff and hats too!"

"You did? Hikki-kun must be really lucky then, and you sound like you've had lots of fun."

Sable starts smelling my arm and then gets even more excited. He goes to the door and runs in circles again, sometimes going on his hind legs to bark at it. He must have known that I was with Hikki. It's amazing how he still remembers him...

When I stand up, she blushes and starts giggling at my face. "Hmm? What's wrong Mama?"

She touches my arm and smiles. "Yui, you've been smiling the whole time. Your cheeks are pretty pink too~! Hehehehehe~!"

I raise my hands to my face, and true to her words, I've been smiling without me realizing it. "Eh?! O-Oh! U-Umm...!" This is so embarrassing! Why didn't I realize this sooner? Was I smiling like this the whole time as I went up here? It's a good thing that no one was around since if they saw me, they might think that I've finally lost it!

"Yui dear, no need to be so nervous," Mama says, and her voice immediately brings me back to my senses as I start to calm down. "I just pointed it out. You look like you really enjoyed yourself a great deal. So? How was your first date with Hikki-kun?"

So many things happened, not just at the convention, but our conversations as we walked here. I could take Mama's hand and talk all about it until the sun comes up, but that's out of the question. I'm pretty sure that I won't stop talking, nor thinking about it for the next few days. I can already see myself writing lots of entries in my diary about the stuff I did and talked about today with Hikki.

"It was lots of fun. I'd love to go again with him!" I say with a wide smile, which causes Mama to giggle happily at my reply.

She takes my arm, giggling all the while as we slowly make our way towards the living room, with Sable still trying his best in going out the door. "In any case, Hikki sure is a shy type, isn't he? I've been wanting to meet him for some time now because you can't stop talking about him..."

I blush, and Mama winks at me before continuing. "He's got the looks, even with his eyes being too sharp from the photos that you've shown me during your Summer Camp..."

"Y-Yeah... I like that part about him ahahaha..." I mumble out since this conversation is getting more and more embarrassing by the second.

"I'd love to meet him, you know? Who knows, he might be my future son-in-law..." Mama lets go of my arm and then skips away after sending me a cheeky wink.

"MAMAAAAAAAA!"

Heeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyy...

Ahahahah...

Happy New Year... Five days late...

This was supposed to be just 5k chapters, but I got carried away and had too much fun writing this chapter. Good grief, what a lousy way to start the year.

Well, this chapter is dedicated to Yui and her fans. (I included of course) She needs some love too and word time(?) with Hachiman! So if you got fired up by this chapter, go write an Oregiaru fanfic right now! I don't care who's paired with Hachiman! We need to keep the community alive folks!

Anyway, you'll be seeing a lot more from Yui in the next few chapters. Also, I'm thinking of making Hachiman's vacation only a few flashbacks since it might get too long and slow down the progression of the story as a whole. As a portion of a chapter is his current perspective or flashback, and the other is on what the girls are doing while he's away. I mean, three weeks of vacation in a foreign country, most of the time you're at the hotel vibin or going solo and exploring the surrounding areas. Believe me, it's exhausting and I just stay put most of the time tbh. I'm thinking of adding another OC too, but I'm still thinking about it. Sumiya Yuuko is going to get a reappearance in Sagami's arc, just to let you lot know.

While Hachiman and HachiPapa are in The Netherlands, and everyone else in Japan doing their stuff, I'm going to go and update my Isekai fic!

As always, favourite, follow or write a review to let me know your thoughts!

Belated Happy New Year everyone! And thanks to those who greeted me during my birthday on the 5th of December last year too!

55

90 km/h

There are barely any cars. It's cold and there's some fog on the side of the road. I can feel it from the window to my left. Good thing that the streetlights are on. Driving in these conditions is dangerous. Just like last year in Hokkaido. The road was slippery and we had to drive very slowly to avoid bumping into other cars during turns. Even as simple as parking your car is a challenge. The specially installed tires didn't make much of a difference, or maybe it's just because I wasn't used to it that time.

That's probably it.

The amount of snow there is unreal, and the cold goes into your bones unless you turn up the thermostat. Chiba and Tokyo can't compare to that, seriously. I'm one to prefer Winter over Summer any day, but I have my level of tolerance too. Hachiman is just like myself, but I think that experiencing the snow in Hokkaido will change his perspective on Winter.

I look at the time in my car's hood.

4:02 am

I fight back a yawn from escaping my lips.

Feeling drowsy right now is unavoidable. Hitomi prepared a cup of coffee for me before we went out, so I'll be fine. I feel really bad that I'm going to miss my dear Wife's birthday, but it couldn't be helped. This trip has already been planned months before and was the only time when all of the attending parties are available. She was even the one who suggested that I bring Hachiman with me. It's a business opportunity that is too good to pass on, and I'm grateful that my Wife understands how important this is to me.

I wonder what I should get her... Hitomi is a simple woman. Last year, I only bought cake while she and Hachiman cooked dinner at home. She was already happy with a humble celebration like that. Material possessions like expensive jewellery, clothes, bags, and whatnot don't appeal to her. She only has the bare minimum to look decent enough during important events and occasions. Which is practically the same with me. Attending stuff like that is fine every once in a while, but when it's a few times a month, it gets physically and mentally draining.

Sometimes, I bring Hachiman with me. His Taekwondo Sensei and work Supervisor are very accommodating from what he tells me and lets him off without much of a problem. I should give them something as a token of gratitude for taking very good care of my Son too...

It wasn't long until I saw the familiar road which led to my small hometown beyond the border of Chiba. I also managed to arrive faster since the lack of cars on the road allowed me to go past the speed limit. The town itself wasn't that big, as you'd expect from one a distance away from the larger cities. It may be small, but we had our commercial center or something like that. Although we were a bit behind on the trends and such when I was growing up here.

I pass by my Highschool and Middle-schools, the local agriculture and meats district, our small hospital, and the town hall too. I would be lying if I say that I don't have small attachments to them.

After a short while of driving on the empty road, I enter the neighborhood that housed one of the more affluent and old families in the area. I recall some of my neighbors that I grew up with, nearly all of them have moved to the larger cities, leaving behind their aged parents. The car goes up a concrete and maintained path that slightly overlooks a portion of the town. Beside the path were tall lamp posts that gave the area much-needed light. I feel my ears adjust themselves to the change in altitude as we go up higher and higher.

Finally, we arrive at another section of the neighborhood and drive past old traditional Japanese-style houses. Like the path earlier, it's also well illuminated. I park outside a residence with walls around three and a half meters high. It's well-kept, I don't see any moss or such kinds of plants clinging on or around it. The main entrance was a red steel gate, locked with heavy-duty chains. From the inside of my car, I look around the other houses to see if we have awoken my neighbors. All of their lights are shut.

I yawn again and stretch my back, before touching the window with my palm.

"Ooohh... It's colder than I expected..." I whisper to myself and fix the buttons on my jacket.

I take off my seat belt and lightly turn to the passenger seat behind me. Hachiman is there, sleeping with his seat bent backwards to make himself more comfortable. I chuckle to myself a bit when I see his arms across his chest like an old man's.

"Son..." I quietly whisper to him, "Hachiman, we're here..." When he doesn't respond after several attempts, I touch his leg to give him a little shake. Finally, he moves a bit as he takes in a deep breath and exhales tiredly. My Son frowns after taking off the sleeping mask over his eyes. He lightly rubs them tiredly, looking around with slight confusion. After muttering something under his breath about why we had to come here so early, he straightens up his seat and sits up while looking outside.

"Where are we?" He asks tiredly.

"Have you forgotten? We're at your Grandparent's house."

The cold morning air greets us after I unlock the gate and go inside the premises. The household is quite large in its overall area, and there are multiple 'wings' that are connected to the main home. Our footsteps on the gravel under our feet are all we hear in the quietness. Hachiman curiously looks around and eyes the large house further up ahead. On our left was the similarly large garden with all kinds of plants that can survive the climate without much maintenance. There was a clean pond in the middle, situated at the foot of a tall pine tree. The white gravel is especially beautiful, even with the little light that we had.

"This place is quite big... I've only seen places like these in magazines and TV." He says with slight awe.

Growing up in a city has its downsides. You can't own your piece of land like this without worrying about its astronomical costs. Our house in Chiba is fine, but I sometimes miss the openness of my childhood home. That's why I still like visiting this place every other week or so.

He should have seen this place back in the day.

As I've been told.

"Yes. Something that you wouldn't see in Chiba, I bet."

"..." He says nothing while pulling his black jacket closer to his body.

The large and wide house looms ahead as we draw nearer to it. There are some leaves on the wooden corridors that surround the edges of the house, kept from flying inside by the heavy wooden storm shutters. A few had broken down at the back, and I had to replace them with steel ones because of the Typhoons that regularly visit the country.

I unlock the old traditional wooden door and step on the genkan to turn on the house's electric panel. After feeling around a bit on the wall behind the shoe rack, I find it and I instinctively shield my eyes from the sudden bright lights above. I nod in satisfaction from the fact that the solar-powered electric system still works. My Son peeks through the door with his eyes narrowed, surprised at the light as well.

"Come on inside," I say as I take off my shoes and step onto the wooden floors. The main hallways which lead to the living and dining rooms further inside was lit quite well by the light bulbs overhead. On the portion of the walls without the shoji sliding panel, there were some small to medium-sized paintings. My late Father was an enthusiast and loved collecting paintings that can be found all around the house. Most of them are accurate replicas from the painters: Asai Chu, Sesshu Toyo, Katsushika Hokusai, and Kuroda Seiki. A collection of old and modern painting styles. There are even some that he commissioned from painters in his time.

My Son slowly follows behind me, taking in the house that he has first stepped into. He looks above and below him, observing the unfamiliar traditional architecture. Hachiman touches the wooden polished walls, as well as the shogi that separates us from the spare rooms that we pass by. I slide the large shogi before me and into the spacious living room, with a section of it that also serves as the kitchen behind the countertop.

It was honestly a strange combination of a Western concept inside this part of the house. And I slowly realized the peculiarness of it as I grew up.

"Oooh... Tatami mats..." He says.

It only had the necessities like appliances for cooking, no Television set as you'd expect that's being faced by the couches. The interior of it is very plain and almost lifeless since I had moved many of the decor and furniture to the large shed behind the house. Though I didn't touch the basement under it. My Mother and Father passed away only a month from each other, and since no one was here to take care of the house, I opted to put away many of the decors because of the earthquakes. I was already working in Chiba at that time, and I can't just drop it all and move back here.

"Hachiman, what do you want? Coffee or milk?"

"I'll have milk thank you."

I go to the kitchen, and from the corner of my eye, my Son stops and stands there. Not quite sure if he should go to the countertop or the short-legged table on the floor. After a moment or two, he goes to the former. He opens a wooden compartment nearby and gets two mats for us to sit on. Though still very much sleepy, he looks around while sitting down as I get a clean cloth and catch his attention.

"Wipe that table and the countertop too. It's gotten a bit dusty." I throw it, to which he catches it without much trouble. He does what I say and quietly stands up to do his task. There are a few cobwebs on the corners of the ceiling, I haven't had the chance to clean since my last visit here almost three weeks ago. The neighborhood volunteer caretakers do a great job at keeping the garden, outside corridors, and walls around the compound in good condition, but they refuse to clean the inside of the home.

There's still some fish in the pond in the garden. The volunteer neighborhood caretakers feed them regularly, and they take them inside their homes during Winter.

The electric kettle soon makes its whistle noise, and I turn it off and pour the hot water in two mugs. I also take some biscuits from the cabinet above to go with it. When I turn around after placing the hot coffee and milk in a tray, I see my Son on the far side of the room looking at some paintings and the few picture frames that I had left. Hachiman has a large antique picture frame in his hands as I go to him.

He tilts his head while looking at the black and white photo still in pristine condition. A serious boy with neat black hair looks back at us with a demeanor unfitting for his age. The boy wore a Kimono while a table that had materials fit for Calligraphy and painting was at his side. The background was simple woodwork, quite the same as those in old Japanese-style homes. Hachiman makes a thinking gesture, before looking up at me.

"I didn't know that you had a picture of me here."

I give out a chuckle and put my hand on his shoulder. "Ahahaha. That's not you."

His eyes slightly widen as he raises a brow at my words. "Huh? Is this you? No, this is me." He insists and frowns, pointing at the ahoge on top of the boy's head. "Look, he even has the same ahoge that I have. And don't forget about the lifeless eyes."

I shake my head.

"No, his ahoge is on the other side," I say, and reach out to lightly pull on the hair sticking on the top of his head. I don't have one, but he and Komachi got theirs from their Mother.

He doesn't look convinced and continues studying the photo as if his life depended on it. "And I thought you were smarter than this. The photograph is black and white. Why would I keep a black and white photo of you in my home? I'd at least make it colored." I reason.

Hachiman and Komachi inherited their Mother's ahoge which was on the left. He and my Father share the same shape of the face and eyes. But my Son got his cheekbones and smile from my Hitomi. Komachi on the other hand has the smile, as well as the cute and feminine nose of her Mother's. The shape of her eyes is different though, she inherited it from my deceased Mother-in-Law, Hitomi's Mother.

"Your Mother's maiden name is Hasegawa Hitomi. Her Father and Mother are Hasegawa Kojiro and Hasegawa Rieri respectively. Before she was married to her husband, my Mother-in-Law's maiden name was Nakari Rieri. She grew up in one of the cities on the other side of Chiba, the ones facing the Pacific. A beautiful place, though a bit cold during the Winter season." I say, to which he nods.

I point at the photo that he has in his hand.

"The boy in that photo is your Grandfather, Hikigaya Yamashiro."

His eyes go to one of the other picture frames.

A pale little girl wearing a white Kimono with waves and designs sewn into it. Her back was straight while looking directly at the camera with a small smile on her face. The photo itself, as well as the quality of the image, was still in amazing condition. Her immaculately neat hair was styled in a Hime-cut manner, which was popular during her time. She sat on the floor with her legs tucked under her while there was tea and traditional snacks on the table. She almost looked like a life-sized doll at a glance, with her physical features and facial expression. I take the picture frame and show it to him.

"This is Hikigaya Izumi, my Mother, and your Grandmother. Her maiden name was Hanamizu Izumi."

My Son goes quiet while looking at the two pictures. He speaks after a few moments of silence while studying the little girl in the photo.

"Hooh... She's very beautiful. And my Grandparents on both sides have cool names... They sound really old and noble... Wait..." He says and stops suddenly, before turning to me with a raised brow.

"Why don't I have a '-shiro' ending in my name as well? You and Grandfather have it. I feel left out."

I chuckle a bit while pointing at my Mother's photo. "If our firstborn was a girl, Hitomi and I agreed to name her after my Mother."

He nods after closing his eyes and making a face. "Hmm... 'Izumi' does sound cool too."

"Both of us inherited our noses from her. And you got her chin and smooth hair." I say while looking fondly at my Mother. "I also see a bit of her personality and preferences too, if something like that can be inherited." My Son looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue.

"She loved spicy food, and also can't stand hot foods and drinks. Says that her tongue burns easily or something. She was very patient and a woman of few words. Her intelligence and proficiency are something that many people remember when she was still a student, and then as a Professor at Chiba University.

My Mother's Grandparents nicknamed her 'Yukina' when she was still a child. She was born in a blizzard and rather pale and sickly while growing up. My Father said that she had much difficulty in bringing me into this world, it even became life-threatening. They never tried for another child again because of her already weak health. Despite that, she was a very hard worker and inspired many around her. I was honestly a bit worried when you inherited the paleness from her, and that you'd be sickly as well... That's why your Mother and I were very alarmed about your anemia last year. That was the first time that something like that happened to us as your Parents."

My Son takes in the new information silently and nods. After several seconds, he puts back the photograph in its place and looks at the other photos. A solo of my Father in front of the meat and vegetable shop that he used to own, my beautiful Mother in a Kimono while surrounded by her friends, a younger version of me in the backyard carrying a long broom twice my size... I saw myself in my Elementary graduation, with my parents holding both of my hands.

It was then that Hachiman noticed something about my Mother when she stood next to my Father.

"Oh... She's rather tall isn't she." He says with astonishment.

"Yup, she stood at around 1.88 meters tall, which is very uncommon for a Japanese woman. My Father was...1.75 I think? She's even taller than I am right now, and I'm 1.80."

I ruffle his hair, which causes a sound of displeasure from him, yet he doesn't move away from me. "Oh, but who knows? Maybe you'll be like her when you get older."

I shrug and motion towards our hot beverages on the countertop. "I'll just have my coffee. You can look around the house if you want." He nods while taking a closer look at the other photos. I lightly sipped and blew on mine, and my Son continues looking through, occasionally taking two in his hands and compares them. Sometimes he pulls open boards under the cabinet to look for more photos, only to find them empty.

"I put away most of the stuff here. It's in the shed behind the house." I call out to him.

I hear him make a disappointed sound and look around once more, before going to the main hallway to start exploring on his own.

My Son gives me his signature displeased and disappointed expression. Now that I think and study him more, he is the perfect mix of my parents. He had walked around the house for half an hour by himself while waiting for the hot milk to cool down. He says that he went inside many rooms behind sliding panels, with some of the square-shaped paper covering had fallen off. As I was alone in here, I would occasionally hear sneezes from deep within the house.

"So we're just here to do some last-minute cleaning...?" He asks with disbelief.

"Yes, well a part of it," I said while shrugging. Hachiman rolls his eyes and sighs. A spider walks from his head behind his ear. Without even batting an eye, he reaches up with his finger for it to walk on, and puts it back on the table where it runs away with its eight legs.

I gesture my hand around the room. "I already wiped the dust off of this place while you were exploring. By the way, have you noticed any holes in the roof or on the floor?" I ask.

He makes a thinking gesture and taps his finger on the countertop. "None. At least to the places where I went to. I was just opening random rooms that I come across, to find them empty and barren of anything."

"You haven't fully surveyed the entire house yet? What about the second floor? There are balconies up there."

"No. This place is bigger than I expected. I had to feel around the walls to turn the switches on so yeah." He says and waves his hand. "Like I know that we can't see clearly because it's still dark out, but I didn't expect this place to be this big. Do you have a Dojo here too...?"

"Yes. It's on a separate building but still connected to the main house via a small roofed path outside the corridor."

He stops, sports a confused expression, and then turns to me.

"...What...?"

"I said that it does. It's behind the house and spacious inside too." I say coolly while sipping my coffee.

Hachiman makes a face and scratches his head, still not believing my words. I can't blame him. "Oi oi oi... Stop it with the jokes."

"I'm not joking. I used to do Kendo back in Middle-School and Highschool you know? I practiced right there after school."

He looks even more taken aback by my words. "Wait wait wait...! I thought that you were kidding about that? You never showed me proof or anything! Even Mother just nods and nods at what you're saying so I thought that you were joking!" He lightly exclaims with surprise.

"Hitomi knows of course. I didn't have time to do any of that because of work. I didn't bring any of my old stuff to Chiba since I didn't need them anymore." I give out a light chuckle before continuing, "Like what am I going to do with my old shinai, bonk my employees on the head with it when they slack off?"

Hachiman ignores my joke turns his attention to his milk after composing himself more calmly.

"Ugh, what else are you hiding from me? Do I have another sibling out there? Am I already in an arranged marriage with a daughter from a couple that you know? Did you make a secret deal with the Gods and sold my soul in exchange for power and wealth...?" He looks like he suddenly has a headache and touches his temples with his fingers.

I chuckle at his words while he continues. "Goodness, I thought we were going straight to the airport and wait there in the meantime. I didn't expect you to surprise me with all of... THIS ...right before our flight..."

"What are you? A protagonist to a cheesy drama series that Housewives love to watch? That stuff is so predictable. Hitomi used to watch that at home when she was still taking care of you." I laugh and pat him on the shoulder.

"Come on. At least you now know more a little more about our family right? Your Grandparents on both sides have already passed away before you were born, and Hitomi is quick to get teary-eyed when talking about this subject."

Hachiman gives my words some thought before nodding.

"So I thought that I might as well bring you here to my childhood home. This place is the ancestral home of our family for many generations. Our forebears have kept this place in pristine condition, they even wrote a long line of the family tree stretching back to the Meiwa Era."

" 'Meiwa' ...?" He says and starts counting with his fingers.

I fight back a yawn and give Hachiman a small grin.

"It's still several hours before our connecting flight to Amsterdam, and the flight itself lasts roughly an entire day give or take... We still have SO MANY THINGS to talk about, so sit tight!" My grin goes wider as he groans and slumps his head to the countertop. When I first told him about the travel time some time ago, he went even paler than he already was and thought about backing out.

"Don't remind me of the travel time..." He mumbles out.

I chuckle after lightly taking a sip from my coffee.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."

Greetings! Ivanov117 here!

Sorry for the late update, I only just recently recovered from a fever and I couldn't force myself to write.

I wonder what other things HachiPapa is going to tell his firstborn...

I think it's high time for me to expand a bit on Hachiman's family background since there is zero mention of it in Canon. I had quite a hard time coming up with his Grandparent's names since I had to look up different Kanji meanings as well, but I managed to learn a lot of stuff! It was fun in its way!

Oh and as I said in the A.N. in my other Isekai fanfic, I might release another AU, but in a very interesting setting. I don't believe that I've seen a story published like what I'm planning to make in the community yet.

As always, feel free to favorite, follow or review if you want!

I'll see you a lot next time! Stay indoor and healthy!

56

Ufff...

What the...

There's something on my chest...

I groggily open my eyes and see my room consumed by darkness. Very little light passes through the curtains that cover my windows, and even less in the tiny space between the door. I don't bother raising my head and instead, just look from the corner of my eyes. I don't have the energy to do that right now. My attention turns to the most pressing current concern. The blanket on my chest has a strange lump, and ends on my legs. Even though I'm half-awake, I already know who this person sleeping is.

With a small sigh, I take the covers off to reveal my little sister resting her head on my chest. Her breathing is perfectly in sync with my own, as her arms wrapped themselves on my torso. Further below, her legs were also tangled with my own, making any movement from me quite difficult.

In other words, she is using me as a human pillow. And, as what she has been usually doing recently, she took a shirt from my closet and just wore it over herself.

I can feel her bare and soft thighs on my own... I bet she's just wearing undergarments under this oversized shirt (which is mine by the way) ... She should seriously tone her clinginess down a notch. I hope this goes away when she grows older. If not, then that would be a hassle to deal with.

I don't want to be a protagonist of an H doujin or Eroge damnit! At least pair me up with a girl I'm NOT related by blood with! Damn you incest fans!

I wonder what time she sneaked into my room. I did sleep rather earlier than usual. To counter my insomnia, I had biked and worked out to deliberately tire myself to be able to sleep more soundly. Some people might say that it is a bad habit, but it is one of the few ways that work for me. My legs and arms are even still a bit sore.

From the digital clock sitting on the table, it's thirty minutes before the alarm sounds. Seeing that I am already awake and I had sufficient sleep, I may as well get up and prepare my things.

Just as I was about to start figuring out how to get out from my little sister's hold, she cutely mumbles something in her sleep and rubs her cheek against my chest. She also unconsciously moves her left leg over mine, effectively trapping me in place. Unfortunately, because I was wearing a simple sleeveless shirt and shorts, I felt everything whenever one of us moves.

I freeze whenever I feel a certain something (clue: It's really soft) against my upper right arm.

I gulp.

The contact makes me instinctively cringe away from her, but she makes a small sound and holds my arm tighter towards it. It's not just THAT, my hand is also in a very dangerous area. A place where, with one wrong move, and all the more worsened because of my sister's habit of being in her underwear and putting my shirts over herself, I will find myself in an even more precarious position.

Seriously.

If there is a Deity out there who created this ridiculous scenario, I hope you stub your foot on your cosmic table in your private dimensional space of reality where you continue to scheme and sow other similar events. One day, I'll acquire a robot that's the size of the observable universe just like in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and beat the shit out of you...!

Slowly but surely, I squirm my legs from her hold and move the rest of my body a few centimeters away from her. Although I was still immobilized because Komachi is hugging my arm, at least I have some breathing room and a small space to move in. My sister huffs out, frowns, and cuddles closer to me. And I close my eyes and try to ignore the softness of her chest.

They're not as developed and large as some other women that I know. Like Saki's for instance, from when she and I had a...private...moment right here in my room. We did end up getting touchy with each other. It was consensual of course, that much was clear. She permitted me, and I responded positively, albeit reluctantly. We almost crossed the line back the-

No.

We already crossed the line.

I was just not making myself too obvious in avoiding her back in the Summer Camp. And I can tell that she was also patiently waiting for me to say something to her about what happened here... Komachi was there, and Saki took it upon herself to keep her eyes on her, while Hayama and I were busy with all the stuff that happened. She acted normally with me as if nothing ever happened between us, at least she has herself under control.

That was proven when Yumiko hit me back then, and also when she revealed how Yukinoshita was treating me. It was honestly a dirty blow, even I had to admit. Now everyone knows the truth. I doubt that the others will see her in the same light as before. They might have been faking and putting on a nice after the shitstorm that occurred. I was also afraid that Saki might join in, but she just hardened her fists and stared hard at the two girls. If she did so, then I think even I would be at a loss on what to do. I am not perfect, and I still don't know the limits of my ability.

Unlike a certain someone who acted without thinking when I was in her apartment... Thank goodness that nothing extreme happened at that time. Sleeping on her bed made me feel nervous because of obvious reasons. It was a miracle that I managed to look calm and collected to not make things awkward than it already was. But if she were a bit more aggressive, I doubt that I would have the rational thinking to act accordingly and avoid things from escalating even further. And perhaps I may have even surrendered myself to her and accepted the reality.

"Perhaps"

After all... I am not immune to such thoughts. Thinking about "What ifs?" and all that.

Intense emotions can make you act without thinking. Especially strong actions driven by the heat of the moment. Acts that, can ultimately lead to something more passionate and intimate. For better or for worse, it's something that you can never reverse nor ignore that happened for the rest of your life. It goes both ways; the one doing the act, and the one receiving it. And back then, I was the latter.

Ah... If I can just go back in time...

...

...

I should shut up. I've already said more than I should have...

I ignore the soft feeling and just untangle her arms from my own. Thankfully, Komachi didn't wake up, and after slowly getting up from my bed and putting the blanket over my sister, I proceed to go out my door.

"Haa-chan, go ahead and check your things while your Father is taking a bath. I'll wash these dishes." My Mother says just as I was about to stand up and help her out. I hesitantly sit back down as she takes the used plates away, except for my glass of warm milk.

"Okay then..." Shrugging to myself after her command, I decided to take the hairdryer beside me and start to blow it at my hair. Doing it while at the dinner table is very rude, but since I'm the only one here left, my Mother allowed me to use it. I unconsciously shake my head to get the droplets of water from my hair.

It's also when I realize once more that my bangs are rather short since my Mother accompanied me to her Parlor yesterday. Saying something that I have to look nice and tidy since I am meeting my Father's overseas acquaintances. I had to agree though, having long and messy hair is a headache when paired with the Summer heat. It feels really heavy, and I understand why girls would do the same.

She was the one that did my hair, my face, and my nails too. Komachi and her would do it for me here at home, but it was the first time that I got it there. As Yukinoshita once said when I was at her apartment some time ago, it does sound strange for a male such as myself to engage in such activities. But Shiromeguri-senpai and the others in the StuCo say that I look nice. As well as the usual girls in my circle, though Hina is convinced that I'm gay, causing Yaoi ripples to spread around the school... I've already received some curious glances from some girls when I'm talking to Tobe, Hayama, and literally any other male. Isshiki on the other hand wants to come along and do it with me some time.

Of course, as I am very much weak to younger girls, I just nod at her as if I were under some kind of spell. I am quite aware that I am a pushover when it comes to these sorts of things. Yoshiteru once called me a "Simp", and I don't blame him. I must really look like one from another's perspective.

I stopped spoiling Isshiki too much since it might get the wrong impression from her, after Shiromeguri-senpai telling me herself. There are already some rumors among the First Years, specifically in her class...

Good grief, I swear, the speed at which gossip flows in our school never ceases to amaze me.

Ahem*

Anyway, I'm helping my Mother and little sister improve their skills too. You know, with the Parlor and stuff. I don't see any downside to partaking in it.

But, it was rather a bit embarrassing, being smothered and spoiled by my Mother while also being witnessed by other mature and pretty ladies in her employ... And she looked like she was having fun seeing my flustered expression too...

If I was a Shota in a doujin, my life would have been in danger... No, even at my current age, the possibility of being Ara Ara'd still exists... My A.T. (Absolute Terror) Field must always be at full power to prevent such a thing from happening!

I lightly touch my glass of milk, lightly wincing and taking my hand away when I find out that it's too hot. I can't drink super-hot liquids because of my sensitive tongue.

"Nyaa..." A meow comes from behind me, and I see Kamakura on the sofa. I rub my sleepy eyes and meow back at him after holding out my arm. The feline tilts his head to the side and then readies his hind legs. He gracefully jumps and lands on top of my shoulder, rubbing his head against my right cheek.

"Nyaa...~~"

"Yeah, nyaa nyaa nyaa right back at you." He starts smelling me and then proceeds to lick the side of my hair. I was about to shake him off, but I was too exhausted and sleepy to do so. Good grief, now I'm being groomed by my Cat. Well, a cat licking its master is a sign of affection and trust.

I close my eyes and put my arms around my chest with a smug look on my face.

Fuahahahahaha! Of course, this is to be expected! I have been training Kamakura for several months after all! After watching those funny cat videos online, it would only be expected that I'd try and do the same!

When I form a circle with my arms, he hops through it! When I make a gun with my finger and "shoot" him, he falls on the floor, playing dead with his tongue out! When I give him a specific gesture, he jumps on my shoulder! When I circular motion with my finger, he turns several times before lying and exposing his belly!

Truly, I am the animal whisperer!

Sable already adores me. And even the birds at school have grown to trust me after I conditioned them for nearly a year and a half! I even showed it off to Isshiki on the afternoon when we first met. I hope that she still feeds them when her presence is required at the StuCo... Ah, but they are still afraid of her and only approach me when in my company.

"Nyaa... Nyaa..." With my other hand, I reach up and scratch under his chin. He starts purring at the contact and licks my finger too. "Nyaa..."

I look at his cat eyes from the corner of my own. "Kamakura, keep the house safe from rats okay? And from evil entities too, since ancient Egyptians believed that cats ward off evil spirits and such."

The cat tilts its head to the side in wonder.

"Nyaa...?"

I was about to smile, but then I realize that it'll expose the mark on my lip.

The one that Yumiko gave me a few days ago.

I subconsciously touch the wound with my tongue, lightly narrowing my eyes since there's still some lingering pain that still hasn't subsided. It was bigger than I thought since I had lost a lot of blood at the Summer Camp.

Truth be told, I saw that slap coming. I don't know why my body refused to move at that crucial moment. Perhaps I thought that taking it is better than avoiding it...? I don't know.

The wound closed and reopened several times over the past few days, refusing to heal properly and knit the soft torn flesh back together. Another side-effect of anemia I guess. I can still taste the metallic flavor of it. My blood is very precious because of my anemia and all that. The swelling has subsided a bit, but it's still quite obvious that something happened to my lip if you take a close look at it. Since that day, all that I've been eating are foods that aren't salty nor sour since the pain that it causes makes me seethe and my legs cramp.

I was just enduring all of it when I went on a date with Yui, I didn't want her to worry about me since I was trying to make her enjoy herself as much as possible. I even applied special ointment on it to reduce the swelling, and it worked. Yui didn't even mention it once on the entire duration, which I'm really glad.

Even drinking something like water stings like a cunt. I heard from my Father that the kind of food that Airlines serve on board is salty, which already makes my lip throb in pain just by thinking about it. Until the pain goes away, I am currently forced to drink all liquids, and sometimes solids, through a straw so it won't contact the wound. What I ate just now was rice porridge that my dear Mother cooked for me.

When Haruno picked me up that morning, we had to stop at a nearby Lawson's where she bought me a face mask to cover my swollen lip. It was only after that when we went out to do some obligations that I owed her.

And I have to admit, Yumiko knows how to slap. It wasn't a slap anymore, more of an open-hand palm thrust with a lot of force behind it. I don't hate her though, she spoke the truth and I understand why she would be upset at me so much. It was easy to interpret that I was taking Yukinoshita's side when, in fact, I was strictly neutral. I didn't favour anyone over the other, even though I am secretly partial to Yumiko.

If I did take a side, then it would cause another misunderstanding. And that's something I don't need right now.

But...

If forced to choose between the two of them...

Ah, well, I don't have to say anything else, do I? The answer is already a given.

I move my jaw and tongue a bit. From another's perspective, I must look like I'm chewing. The pain is still there. This won't go away for around another week and a half I wager. Well, that's just words coated with false optimism anyway.

My actions didn't come unnoticed by my Mother when she turned in my direction. The frown she sends me comes is out of place on her youthful face since she rarely does so.

"Haa-chan! I said stop doing that or you'll reopen it again! If you keep that up, you'll develop a weird mannerism!" She chides while doing the dishes. Kamakura hops on my lap and stays there, still purring while I scratch his head.

"Yeah, sorry..." I say while yawning.

"You should be careful next time and watch your step, Haa-chan. It's a good thing that your teeth weren't hit or something..." She says with the frown still on her face.

I look down to Kamakura, an act to avoid my Mother's gaze. "Yeah. That would have been bad."

My parents don't know the truth. I made a white lie and just told them that I slipped on the path and fell, accidentally biting and piercing my lip in the process. Komachi already swore to an oath of secrecy, so that ties up some loose ends.

My Mother doesn't make a follow-up remark. The only thing that we hear is Kamakura's silent purrs, dishes being washed, and the faint sounds from the bathroom which is occupied by my Father. I touch my mug again, glad that it's at a tolerable temperature, and raise it high enough for me to reach the straw. Its warm and rich milky flavour is rather pleasant, and I am once again thankful that I am not lactose intolerant, unlike other poor sods out there. After sipping some more, I put the mug down back on the table.

I hope Dutch food isn't naturally sour or salty. My trip there will be VERY shitty if I can't at least enjoy their cuisine. Hmm, come to think of it, I don't know much about their food...

What are they even famous for anyway? Was it cheese or milk...? Cows...?

No, that must be either Switzerland or New Zealand... I'd love to pet a Cow, they seem to be rather docile animals.

Eh, guess I'll find out for myself when we arrive there. As Tobe once said: "You'll see the view once you reach the top! Telling you beforehand will spoil the fun and surprise!"

I bet he got that quote from some anime or manga or other weebish outlets online.

All I've been learning for the past month is the Dutch language. If I'm going around with my Father, I might as well try and impress his partners with my mastery over their Mother tongue. When I talked to those two Dutch women in the convention, and looking back at our short conversation, my accent was understandably funny-sounding, but at least my grammar was correct. They were hitting on me, or at least wanted me to show them around...

If I was Riajuu-mode Hachiman that time, the persona that I copied and perfected from Hayama, Tobe, and Yumiko, I could have tried it out on those girls. I have never gone full Riajuu-mode when I'm by myself, I only do it when I'm with the others to play along with their antics.

I yawn once more and stretch my sleepy joints, with some of them making popping sounds. Doing this in front of the dinner table is extremely rude, but Mother is looking away and can't chew me out. My watch lights up from the movement since it is been on power-saving mode. It shows the date and time, as well as my heart rate and beats per minute, blood oxygen level, time of sunrise, and other technical stuff that you'd expect from a watch of this caliber.

Huh, I'm still not used to this. It's very light compared to the Rolex watch that my parents bought me. I even had a mini heart attack when I thought that it was missing back in the Summer Camp

Uwaah... My sunglasses... They were a nice pair too...

I give out a heavy sigh. Which didn't come unnoticed to Kamakura who is still licking my hair. "Nyaa..." As if sensing my inner feelings, my cat gently puts his paw on my cheek, before rubbing his face against it. I rub the area under his chin.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just sunglasses. I can just buy another one to replace it."

I wonder if Yui figured out all of its features, the watch I mean. I bet she only swiped here and there. I won't mind helping her out, we did win the same model after all.

As for the trip to Kyoto...

I honestly wasn't expecting to win anything... I mean the chances were really low. I haven't even told my parents yet, but I have a feeling that they already know somehow and are waiting for me to open up the subject. I did see some photos of the convention in the local newspapers. And my Father's firm being one of the sponsors, no doubt they might have asked him about me since we share the same surname and look alike too. They asked me about my watch and I told them that I won it in the lottery, which is the truth.

I don't know how to go about it though. Telling them that Yui and I will be in Kyoto alone for several days by ourselves, booked at a prestigious hotel just in time for the Summer festival there... The most pressing matter to address is that we're male and female. It would have been fine if I went there with a group of boys or at least with a fellow male.

Some things go through a parent's mind if their child were in the same position as myself... More so when they're of the opposite sex with the person that they're going with... Even with the large amount of freedom that my parents grant me, I doubt that they'd immediately agree to something as extravagant as this. I can even see my Mother coming along just so there's an adult around to keep us in line.

And as a (somewhat) healthy young male, certain kinds of thoughts do linger in the back of my mind, no matter how much I deny it. I'm not some idiot that stammers and gets flustered at the thought.

Doing so will just make me look like a fool. And making myself appear as one isn't exactly an appealing thought.

I'm sure the thought has crossed Yui's mind as well. In her case, I can imagine her blushing madly at whatever she's thinking about. It's perfectly natural since we're at our current ages after all. Well, I'd like to avoid bringing up that topic with her if possible. Things are sure to get extremely awkward, with the air becoming heavy. Especially because it's something you can't just talk about with the opposite sex...

I can get embarrassed too you know.

I guess if we do get to go, I'll just have to be extra careful with how I act.

If Yui were my girlfriend, it would either help or hinder us in getting approval from our parents. But she wanted to go and looked so happy when we won. I even made a playful bet at the start, which resulted in us both winning and losing. Her joy was contagious as she went on about it on the train, albeit we had to whisper to each other's ear as to not disturb the other passengers. The least I could do is argue on her behalf and hope that all goes well on her side.

I always give back debts that I have to other people. And in her case, I am very indebted to her.

It's my way of repaying her for all that she's done for me. I don't mind going with her there, not using my prize is a complete and utter waste.

And I always wanted to go to Kyoto and visit the Old Imperial Capital, being alone or with someone is fine either way. Yui is a nice and great companion, almost like an older version and more outgoing version of Komachi. There's never a boring moment when she's around.

I have grown rather fond of her over the past few months. The others aren't an exemption. She was a bit annoying when we first met, but I decided that meeting different kinds of people will help me grow as a person.

She has yet to meet my parents properly yet anyway. That's a big blow to our chances. Perhaps if I instead went with Haruno or Saki, I can get a solid permission from them. Those two already know my parents personally to the point where they trust them. Shiromeguri-senpai has already met and is friends with Mother. She says that she sometimes goes to my Mother's place with her friends or the other members of the StuCo. I can't say for sure that approval from my Parents is secured, but it's something I guess.

Or, if I play my cards right and stepped up my persuasion game, I can instead bring Haruno's little sister with me. Ah, but the idea itself is quite laughable. I have no desire to be with her anyway.

Slowly, I space out and stare blankly in front of me. The background sounds filter out, and the weight on my shoulder from Kamakura's body disappears.

I didn't mind the people that watched Yui and me go up the stage. A small part of me reveled and basked at the attention, even.

But when the cameras started flashing and capturing our images...

I was terrified and frozen in place.

I was so taken aback as the memories from back then came rushing back like a flood. Memories that I'd rather forget from my Middle-School. All of them were unpleasant and humiliating my dignity. I don't want them to find and do the same thing they did to me back then. I felt sick in my stomach, it's a miracle that I managed to look normal on the outside from sheer willpower alone.

It was only thanks to Yui's gentle and comforting hand on my own that I didn't do it. She did not comment when she took my shaky and uneasy hands. Her fingers felt small and delicate, and it calmed me down. Even as we went from the venue and onto the train where I walked her home. From just holding my hand, she gradually made it so our fingers were interlocked in the end.

She never asked about it, which I am very thankful for.

She didn't let go, and only did so when she skipped ahead to the nearby playground where we had a short talk.

My watch makes beeping sounds, startling me and Kamakura as well who jumped and landed on the floor. I look at the thing, and it warned me that my heart rate was escalating to dangerous levels.

True, in only a matter of seconds, cold sweat had started to form on my forehead and all over my body. I suddenly feel cold as my hands start to perspire on their own. I subconsciously gulp and touch the base of my neck and chest, as if I have trouble breathing. I know that it's just a reflex and the feeling is nonexistent, yet I couldn't help doing it anyway. My breathing becomes shallow and labored as each intake of air takes tremendous effort.

Mother still has her back to me.

I can't let her see me like this.

I must NEVER let anyone see me in this state. It would be the pinnacle of humiliation and disgrace.

I finish my milk in one go, and then stand up.

"I-I'm going upstairs to check my...stuff..."

"Okay Haa-chan, double-check everything just in case you might leave something that you wanted to bring along with you~!" My Mother replies without turning to me.

Kamakura is at my heels, occasionally going ahead and looking up at me. "Nyaa... Nyaa..." He makes low purrs as we go up the stairs together. I don't bother turning on the lights since I can see quite fine in the dark.

I suddenly feel lightheaded just as I enter the shadowed stairway and instinctively hold the wall to my side for support. Slowly, without making a sound, I sit down on the stairs to catch my breath and get a hold of myself while Kamakura follows me and tilts his head to the side, confused at my strange behavior. My hands start going cold and numb as the slight jitters start coming back. The corners of my vision start to blur and my watch beeps again in response to the rapid beating of my heart.

I purse my lips and bite the inside of my cheek in self-frustration, which causes the familiar metallic taste of my blood from my wound to flow by a small amount.

Ah... I should find a way to stop these kinds of things from happening to me... Just thinking about it is enough to turn me into this pitiful and shaky mess.

Tch...

Honestly...

How ugly.

I finally calmed down when I went back to my room where I lied down on the floor, emptying my mind and doing breathing exercises. Once I had my wits back to me, I did what Mother told me and checked all my stuff. Shortly after that, my Father was done in the bathroom and quickly went to get dressed. I'm already good to go since I had taken my luggage downstairs, only coming back here to my room to take one last look at it.

My eyes wander around my room, sometimes stopping at my bookshelves which held things from books, video game tapes to my special corner that proudly displayed my prized Gunpla collection. Right under them in a paper bag were the 2nd-hand books that I bought for Shiromeguri-senpai and Hiratsuka-sensei when I went to the convention with Yui. I forgot to mention that Kamakura is right beside my head, the way he followed my gaze is amusing.

I walk and sit down on my bed, with Kamakura becoming a ball of fur at my feet since he knows that he's not allowed to go on it. I take out my old wallet, its leather was cracked with some torn parts here and there. It is really old since this was my Father's before he gave it to me some years back. No matter how much you take good care of something, it will always yield to the passing of time.

I open the wallet, immediately seeing a photo of myself with a white background. An exact copy of the one that I submitted to the Student Council last year when Shiromeguri-senpai offered the position to me. My hair was longer, and I looked rather skinny and weak with a thin line that replaced my lips. The background made my pale skin more prominent, making me look ghastly, unhealthy, and slightly creepy.

Or maybe I'm just overreacting and my self-deprecating tendencies have resurfaced once more.

Yeah, that's it.

My family said that I look fine here, same as what Hiratsuka-sensei and Shiromeguri-senpai said. Well, Yukinoshita instantly roasted me when she first laid her eyes on the photo a year ago, but that's just to be expected from someone like her.

I only take the necessary things from my wallet like Identification, Debit, and Credit Cards and leave the rest inside the drawer of my study table. My wallet is without any paper money since everything is through electronic transactions these days. I only bring a single copy of my portrait photo with me. Next, I take out my old phone, it lags for a split second before unlocking. I press the gallery icon.

Since I don't have an official social media account, I have very few photos that are not taken using the phone's camera. The occasional funny cat picture and cool wallpapers here and there are all that occupy it. I swipe the other options away and to the phone's actual photos.

The first ones that I saw were those from when Yui and I went on a date a few days ago. I have some interesting photos. The different exhibits that she and I went to; I especially enjoyed the Kimono and Yukata, International Food, and Bonsai Exhibits. It was a lot of fun going there with someone instead of being alone. To Yui's insistence, I have a lot of photos of us trying out different Yukata and Kimono. I even secretly reserved several outfits since I liked the quality and embroidery that they had. She was very beautiful and pretty, everything that she wore outshone the previous one. It's hard to pick out which one suits her best when they all look nice on her. Then some closeup photos of the snacks that we tried and Bonsai plants, as well as the animals that we held together in the Reptile section.

A few minutes later, I arrive at the photos from the Summer Camp. Just the scenery of the clear blue sky, the stream, some trees, and the large rock that Hina and I sat on that night. Then, solo and group photos of the others when they wanted me to take their picture. But they were few and far in-between since their phones were better and newer than mine. I shake my head and smile when I come across an image of Tobe and me with his arm over my neck sporting his usual Tobe-like grin. Then, I see a little girl with black hair, her small hands formed into the V-gesture. She sported an awkward yet cute smile on her face as she sat on my lap while I did a similar pose. The next photo is the same, except I was hugging her from behind, my chin resting on her shoulder with her face bright red and blushing profusely from the contact.

If I zoom on the photo, her pupils were mere scribbles as steam went out comically from her ears.

...

Damnit Yumiko and Hina... Why'd they have to force Rumi-chan and me to make this embarrassing pose... Together with Rumi-chan's flustered expression and the gesture itself, it looks too suggestive if cropped out and taken out of context! Not to mention Hina whispering to me her lewd comments and doujin-like ideas! I had a cringing expression because of the awkwardness of it! More so because her body was so small, soft, and warm compared to my own.

Ugh, just looking at this photo is enough to make me squirm and writhe from the cringe...!

Thanks to this, Hina bestowed upon me an extremely shameful nickname in the group chat!

Ugh! Shit, someone end me already! With my family's ceremonial sword, Takemizukashi Hachishiki, please! Make it a clean slice if you will! Make a mess, and I'll crawl from the afterlife and return as a vengeful divine spirit and rule all of Chiba!

I blush a bit and shake my head, forcing unnecessary and Chunni-like thoughts away.

The next few photos were mostly taken at random times when I got dragged along with the others at the mall. I swipe past a bunch of photos until I arrive at that time when Yukinoshita and I took a walk in the park together. There are only five on my phone, the rest were in hers. She was very...expressive, that time too. Her demeanor slightly disturbed me, to be honest. It was a stark and complete contrast to how she treated me before.

I shrug, not giving the memory much thought, and then move on to the next one.

Yui's birthday was quite a new thing for me, going to karaoke and all that. It was the first time in my life where I was invited to such a thing. Back in my Middle-School days, whenever the entire class was busy planning something like that, or one of my classmates was giving out invitations, I was always taken out of the equation. It's an unspoken rule and I didn't exist. I quickly learned not to expect something like that ever again. Putting the illusion of unrealistic expectations over your eyes is just plain idiocy.

The notion itself is absolute and complete idiocy.

You are hurting no one but yourself.

The Service Club was there as a separate celebration, as well as Saika and Yoshiteru since they would sometimes drop by the club. I again went with Hayama and the usual clique to Yui's insistence, since me not being there would feel "lacking", in her actual words.

I reached that time when I bumped into Haruno at the mall when I was buying Yui's birthday gift. Which turned into an unexpected and unplanned date with the older girl. Surprisingly, I have more photos with her than I remember. Most of the first ones were me being awkward since she was holding my arm and all that, but the later ones were I finally became more relaxed and genuinely enjoying our time together. I couldn't fight back against her whims since she snatched my phone and kept it in her pocket.

Though a bit exhausting, I don't regret all that happened since we both enjoyed it. Especially when we were at the arcade where I used my VIP card. Only she and Shiromeguri-senpai know of my special pass and unlimited point currency.

Plus, it was a rather stressful time for me. And I needed a breather and a day to just relax and enjoy whatever I was doing like a regular teenager. Haruno's presence was a blessing, and I found myself opening up and learning more about her as a person. I discovered that she is more or less feeling the same way as I: Shouldering many burdens on your own is mentally and emotionally exhausting. Sometimes, I just want to stay at home and not leave my bed. Being tutored by her at my Mother's place every other weekend isn't a day off for us.

Not to mention that my overly endearing Mother always has her eyes on her Son and her Son's female friend at the corner or behind the counter...

The only difference between her and me is that I am given much more freedom than her in her life choices. We talked about it once: Saying that perhaps one day, I'll end up the same as her. I honestly hope it doesn't come to that. Though I do accept the fact that anything can happen in the future. All I can do is prepare and quickly adapt to it.

A few weeks past that, and I see some photos of Shiromeguri-senpai when she and I first tried out the VIP arcade cards that I received from my Father. Looking back at it, she's the first person that I hung out with outside of school ever since I enrolled in Sobu a year ago. At the StuCo Room, during the weekends and School Break between my First and Second year, as well as the Summer and Winter Breaks whenever I had to go to school because of my duties, she's no doubt the person that I've spent the most time with so far. We'd have lunch in the staff room with the Boss and our other coworkers, and we'd go out together and walk around a bit before separating at the train station.

She was the first friend that I made in Sobu after all, and I would sometimes follow her around at school in my free time since I had no one else to talk to. And also, because I wanted to help out in the StuCo as much as I can. I didn't want to act like an upstart just because I immediately joined the StuCo, I genuinely desired to pull my weight as well. I was sort of like what Isshiki is doing right now. Call me a bit clingy if you like, but I'll never be ashamed of it!

Why would I be ashamed of spending a lot of time with Shiromeguri-senpai?!

Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai is truly the greatest Senpai in Za Warudo...! Nothing is more grand and powerful than her fluffy and bubbly aura...! Just being in her AOE (Area of Effect) is enough to energize and fill my morale meter to the max!

Okay, maybe not that much. I do still sip on the occasional energy drink from time to time...Yui, Yumiko, Hina, and even Shiromeguri-senpai themselves have noticed my constant drinking. I do my best to allay their worries since I don't want them to get a headache because of me.

It didn't take long for me to arrive at the school event that was held at another campsite here in Chiba. It was the school competition where my group won, and I see several images of me holding Tania-chan. She's so fat, plump, and chubby, like a warm and heavy marshmallow. I remember how she squeals and giggles whenever I would blow on her tummy to make funny farting sounds. There was one photo where she was pulling on my hair while I winced from the pain and another where it looked like she was attempting to eat my cheek. Not to mention random videos where I would baby-talk with her while poking her cheek and tummy, and then tickling her.

This cuteness is insane...! I feel like I'm about to go into a coma from a sugar overdose! Uwaaaaaah, I want to carry her again. She's so soft and warm, like a heavy marshmallow...

Wait, I've said that twice already.

I wish I have a baby sister or brother. I wouldn't mind having another Hikigaya around so I can spoil them rotten. Or maybe twins, or even triplets... My Parents are still rather young. Perhaps if I drop some hints here and there, that'll be enough for them to at least think about it. I hope all my monologues about the subject will somehow trigger a flag!

Aside from the photos of Ino and Hiro-sensei's infant daughter, I didn't have much during the entire duration of the event. I can always ask the Photography and Documentation Committee to give me some copies. It's within my powers and authority as Head of the Events Committee anyway. I did take the reins after Chisako Mai-senpai stepped down and officially named me as her successor after all. Though I feel like I got outsmarted and got the short end of the stick hmm...

The months after that and ultimately leading to my first day in Sobu were more or less calm since the StuCo started acting out the planned events at the 2nd half of the school year. Random pictures of birds at the benches near the trees where I would stay often, Tania-chan when she's in school after getting picked up by her Mother, the occasional stray cat, my Bento, and other nonsensical photos that I took on a whim.

I sigh and lie on the bed, and after several moments, Kamakura meows and rubs his head against my feet on the floor.

"Nyaa... Nyaa..." My cat cries out. I feel him poke my feet with his small and furry paws as if telling me to get up and go back downstairs. With me being reminded that my Father is waiting for me downstairs, I get up with my phone still in my hand.

I look at it for a second more, turning it off and opening my drawer. And then placing it under my old notebooks and school materials together with my old wallet.

I sigh, not knowing that I've been holding back my breath for some time now. Kamakura walks past me and out to the door. Even though my room was dark, my eyes had already adjusted themselves to the darkness earlier. I open my cabinet and reach inside, feeling for the thing that was delivered this morning. My hands soon find it, and I take the new phone that I ordered online.

I couldn't go with Hina to buy this because of the lack of time, so I opted to order and have it shipped here, courtesy to my Father's company of course.

This was upon Yoshiteru, Hina, and Saika's suggestion. And if I'm being completely honest, it's pretty good, if a little bit expensive. But money isn't a problem. Modesty and humility aside, I have more funds than I know what to do with.

If I'm going on a vacation, I don't want to bring along something that reminds me of anything stressful.

Especially things that I'd rather not think about. That would ultimately destroy the reason why I accepted my Father's request in the first place. What I'm doing might look petty, or even very trivial, but I just have to do it.

I want to get away from everything, if only for a few weeks.

I arrive at our doorway where my Mother was reminding my Father about our things. She removed her apron and wore a robe over her sleepwear. Beside them were our bags, ready to be taken to the car waiting outside. On the sofa was my little sister wearing my shirt several sizes larger than her. This time, she finally had the decency to wear some shorts. Komachi went down earlier sometime after me and then proceeded to sleep on the sofa. She was nodding every few seconds with her eyes barely able to keep themselves open for more than a moment.

"Onii-chaa- *yaaaawn*" Komachi sleepily raises her hand to return my greeting as I walk towards my parents.

"Hachiman, ready to go?" My Father asks as he looks at me with his eyes, an exact copy of my own.

I nod in reply. "Yes, I just took one last look in my room. That's all." A small and warm feeling presses against my foot, and I see Kamakura looking up at me expectantly. I kneel and pat his head, as well as scratch behind his ear. Kamakura makes a low purring sound and licks my hand in response.

"I'm going to miss you too buddy."

"Oooh... Kamakura is going to miss Onii-chan too huh..." Komachi says as I straighten back up. Instead of moving away, Kamakura prefers to go around and around my legs, and coiling his tail upwards.

"Haa-chan, you haven't forgotten anything, have you? Your wallet, phone, and handkerchief... I've already given your medication to your Father. Dear?" Mother adds as she gestures at my Father for emphasis. He nods and pats his bag. My sister stands beside me and rests her head on my shoulder tiredly while holding my arm for support.

"Thanks. By the way, I've decided to leave my old wallet. I'll buy something nice when we arrive in Amsterdam." I say and slightly open my jacket to reveal the inner pockets inside. "My cards are secure here, no need to worry."

My Mother was about to say something, but my Father manages to speak first. "I see. Well if that's what you want then I won't stop you."

"Well Dear, we're going on ahead." He says and looks to my Mother, before receiving a hug and kiss on the cheek from her. It might be hard to believe, but Hikigaya Joshirou gets embarrassed quite easily. Especially from the slightest gesture of affection from my Mother.

I can't blame him. It's only very recently that Hikigaya Hitomi started getting affectionate with us. She, along with my Father, barely had any time to spend with Komachi and me less than a year and a half ago. We used to arrive home with our parents still at work. They'll arrive sometime in the middle of the night and then be gone by the next morning. Sometimes, weeks go by before we can even see them in our own homes. With the only evidence of their existence being money that they leave on the table and the occasional breakfast.

My Mother had quit her job and started her own business. The new time that she has on her hands, she uses to stay at home and be like a Mother to us for once: Cooking our favorite meals, spending time with us, and doing the usual house chores.

I'm sure that my Mother's sudden change in demeanor is her way of making up all the time she lost when she was at work for years, instead of taking care of her two children. I don't mind the fact that she's a bit touchy and endearing now if it makes her feel better. After I was old enough to do the bare minimum to feed and cook for myself, she immediately went back to work. And when Komachi was born, I was mostly the one who took care of her as she got older. Our parents never had time to spoil and shower us with love and affection when we were younger after all.

Better late than never, I say.

Komachi hugs my Father and asks for lots of presents and souvenirs upon our return. In response to that, he nods and reassures her that he will pick the best and nicest stuff for her. When it came to my turn, she wraps her arms around my waist and with her face against my jacket. Rubbing herself on it like a cat seeking attention from its Master.

"Hehehehe~!" She giggles as I sigh and pat her head. After several moments, Komachi lets go and looks up at me with her bright eyes and a grin. Even though her eyes were trying their best in keeping her wide awake, the drowsiness is still there.

"Have fun, Onii-chan! Stick to Dad and don't wander off on your own!" She says, which earns an amused smile from our parents.

"Good grief, what am I, a child? Cheeky little brat..." I pull on her cheeks with both of my hands while she just stays still with a smug look. I feel a soft hand on my head and turn to see my Mother pouting at me.

"Ara ara~. Haa-chan," She says, "as long as you're still living with us, you will always be a child in our eyes. Stop trying to look manly or too grown up. Acting too mature for your age is silly, it's okay to be young and free. Hehehehe~!" My Mother starts giggling and Komachi vigorously nods at her words. Her hand goes down and starts pinching and pulling at both of my cheeks. I bet the three of us look very comical, that's for sure.

I shrug. "I see, well I'll keep that in mind." My reply fails to satisfy Komachi and my Mother. And they both sigh in exasperation with their hands on their hips.

"Uwaah, Onii-chan is super lame..."

"Uwaah, my firstborn son is too serious for his good..." The older of the two says before her eyes light up and she snaps her finger. "Ah! That reminds me...!" The three of us look at the Woman of the House in bewilderment as she starts getting giddy all of a sudden.

"Haa-chan~! If you ever meet a nice girl in The Netherlands, don't be shy to bring her back home and introduce her to me~! I bet your Father's acquaintances have daughters of their ~!" My Mother starts blushing and squirming in delight at her thoughts. She will occasionally make a high-pitched "Ehehehe~!" or "Kyaaaaaah~!" and then get even redder with steam going out from her ears.

I don't even want to know what she's thinking about... It's either super wholesome or something R18...

Ah... My Mother should think about her age instead of acting like a giddy high school girl... Well, she's still young and looks very youthful anyway so I guess it's fine. The younger Yukinoshita DID mistake my Mother as my older sister back at the summer camp.

Komachi on the other hand closes her eyes with a hand under her chin, her facial expression frowning and full of concentration. "Hmm... Onii-chan with a Western girl? I don't know... I don't approve! What if she'll take advantage and sink her filthy talons in him and fly away to the other side of the world where we can't reach her!?" She exclaims and suddenly hugs me tightly with my arms stuck to the rest of my body.

The thought is so unrealistic that I just had to interrupt her delusions. What am I, the main character of a series with many possible heroines that I can end up with? That's a shitty and oversaturated plot line, not gonna lie.

"Dear sister, don't be ridiculo-" Before I could finish, I got interrupted by our Mother.

"Now now Komachi-chan. Don't be so hasty. Being overprotective is nice and all, but your Brocon tendencies are showing~! Hehehehe~!" She teases, which instantly makes the other girl let go of me in surprise. She steps back and points an accusing hand at our Mother, red-faced with quivering lips.

"Wha-?!" She stutters out, leaving our Mother even more amused as she starts giggling at her reaction. "H-Hey Mama-! S-Stop laughing!" Komachi holds both of our Mother's arms, lightly shaking her with a pouting face while the older woman continues teasing her with the right words.

"Eeeeeeehhh~! Komachi-chan you're so cute~! I remember like it was just yesterday when you said that you'll grow up and marry Haa-chan~!" She teases in a sing-a-song tone, giggling at Komachi's embarrassed and flustered face. My Father and I laugh awkwardly at her words since we know what she's talking about. She was talking about an old video when Komachi was still small, saying that she wants to become my bride.

Seriously, why are all little siblings like that? I've heard from my other female Senpai that their little brothers used to say something similar when they were younger. Is it embedded in the psyche of all human beings...? I wonder...?

Before I could go on into another of my philosophical monologues, a shrill embarrassed scream comes from my little sister. With how close she is right now, I can't help but wince from the volume of her voice. Ah, I hope we haven't disturbed the neighbors...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! MAMA STOP IT!" Komachi tries to reach up and cover our Mother's mouth to prevent her from speaking any further, but she unfortunately misses. My Mother sticks out her tongue at Komachi and hides behind me, using me as a shield between her and her flustered daughter. I don't mind, being the center of it all. My Mother would say something to goad and tease Komachi, while the one on the receiving end flails her arms around in frustration. It's honestly amusing since we rarely get to see this kind of exchange between parent and child in our household.

From the corner of my eye, my Father starts fidgeting and sends me a knowing look. I know that expression all too well. I frequently saw him make that face during the school break some months ago when I accompanied him at work. With my Mother resting her chin on my left shoulder, I give my Father a nod and gently step away from the two.

"Well, we need to go now, even though it's still dark out. It doesn't hurt to go to the airport early." They make a disappointed pout at my words, but both nod in understanding.

As I predicted, my Mother leans in and gives me the usual hug and kiss on the cheek, to which I returned. She lingered a bit, softly patting the back of my head. Her touch has a calming effect on me. Even though I wasn't currently tense or on guard, I found myself closing my eyes in a relaxed manner.

"Hachiman, enjoy your time there, okay? It's perfectly fine, you don't need to be uptight all the time..." She whispers against my ear in a voice so low that only the two of us can hear. "You can just drop the strong act for once..."

I just nod, not quite understanding her words, and she shortly pulls away with a small smile. I saw some facial traits that I inherited from my Mother: namely, her smile and cheekbones. And the smoothness of her hair, which I am very proud of by the way.

But.

There was something in my Mother's eyes.

Specifically, something behind the light. I have never seen that before. My gut feeling says that it almost looks similar to...

...

I disregard my suspicions.

A flustered Komachi follows after our Mother, although the kiss and hug were quicker and the contact was extremely brief. Her cheek was also a tad bit warmer than usual as I returned the gesture. Not to mention it darkened by several shades when I separated from her.

I may have already grown used to my Mother's acts of affection: the kisses and hugs and all that. I don't mind it. In contrast, it feels kind of nice being spoiled like this. Komachi still gets embarrassed and flustered when I'm the one doing to her. It's understandable since this is around the 3rd time that this happened. I'm only doing it since I won't be seeing her for the next few weeks, and also because it's only fitting after our Mother doing the same act.

Komachi takes a deep breath to calm herself down. Although the pinkness on her face is still very prominent, at least it isn't as intense as earlier.

"Take care, Onii-chan!"

I return a small smile and ruffle her hair. She giggles, and I know that I'm going to miss hearing such a pleasant sound from her. This is going to be the first time that I leave home for such a long time. Heck, I'm flying beyond the borders of my home country to a place literally on the other side of the planet. My Mother beams at the sight and puts her hands together, before turning to my Father and giving him a nod.

I take my luggage, two traveling and a sling bag over my shoulders, and go to my Father's side.

"Well then, we're going on ahead. See you, Mama, Komachi." They both nod and give us one last smile.

My Father opens the door, and we step outside the house to a still-dark sky.

I watch the airport's workers run around and under the plane that we're in. Their helmets and reflective material on their chests sometimes capture the sunlight and reflect it right back at me. Far away in the distance, I see other planes that have just landed, as well as those that are being led to their respective passenger unloading areas by smaller and specialized four-wheeled transports. I hear a loud sound, a mixture of a shrill and a low rumbling announcing the arrival of yet another plane. It's loud here, even more so on the outside. I wonder if the workers here gain hearing damage or something.

I sigh and slightly get up, adjusting my seat and bag below me. My Father is to my left, casually reading a newspaper while occasionally texting on his phone. He is quick to notice my gaze and turns to me questioningly.

"Hachiman? What's wrong?" He asks and momentarily puts the newspaper down.

I shake my head. "Just adjusting my seat. I'm not quite comfortable yet." I say and cross my legs, and twist my body to face the window.

"Careful with the armrests, you might accidentally press a button."

"Yeah." Taking off my thin jacket and putting it back in my bag after neatly folding it, I sigh with relief at the weight gone from my shoulders. We were in the business class or first class I don't know. They both sound the same anyway. It's the class where you get larger and more comfortable seats, as well as fancier too. The area where it's situated is literally where you enter the plane, near its cockpit.

Hehehehe... Cock-pit... I'm sure Hina would be hollering with laughter at the mere mention of it.

My Father only brought with him two of his people from the firm, and that makes four of us in total. The rest of them were in the other class. They are good people, although they are quite too respectful to me... Seriously, they don't need to bow so low. I'm just the Son of the owner, no one special.

It's a bit embarrassing, but I can't just tell them to stop since they might get offended. Too much humility is pride, and too much pride is arrogance.

"Your house was nice," I say out loud, more to myself than to my Father right next to me. I've been thinking about that house ever since this morning. I never thought that we'd go there, to say that it surprised me was an understatement. Aside from that, I've also been reflecting on the many things that he told me in the confines of that large living room.

Before this morning, he had never mentioned his Parent's names. Maybe he had several years ago, but I must have forgotten since he never speaks of them. And I in turn lost interest. I can only wonder why he had to wait so many years before telling me.

I guess even my own Father hides something from us.

He hums a reply without turning and flips the newspaper that he's reading to the next page.

"It's our ancestral home you know. No need to act too bashful and meek about it. Someday, it'll be yours too. If you want, you can even move in there during college." He stops short, frowning at his own words before continuing, "Ah, it's too far from any nearby Colleges and Universities. The commute will take quite a while even by car."

"Is that so..."

He adjusts his glasses and fixes his hair which has partially obstructed his view. "Yup. It's one of the reasons why I had to move out and go to Chiba." After several moments of silence, I conclude that the conversation has ended and then proceed to take out my phone. I still haven't gotten used to it, as to be expected. It's bigger and heavier than my previous phone, and the protective glass covering the screen is still flawless and in perfect condition.

We hear a pinging sound, and the plane's speakers announce that the refueling has just finished. Slowly, we go in reverse as the pilots prepare to wait for further instructions. I see that I had missed a call from my Mother a few minutes ago. My phone lights up and vibrates, indicating an incoming call. I quickly press the answer button and put the phone to my left ear.

"Haa-chan~! Where are you and your Father right now?" She asks, and I hear the T.V in the background playing. She's most likely watching the morning news.

"We're already on the plane," I say and watch as our aircraft slowly moves forward through the front and back cameras on the monitor right in front of me.

"Oh? I thought that you're already on your way right now...?"

"There's a bit of air traffic in the airport. The pilot announced that we'll be half an hour behind schedule."

"Oh, I see~! Mama wanted to go too, but she has other obligations to take care of! Not to mention that your little sister would be alone by herself."

A stranger overhearing us would suggest that she let Komachi stay at our relative's house, but that isn't a choice in our family. As such, we have only each other to depend on. Although, it was only Komachi and me who did that, due to our parent's being nearly non-existent in our early lives from work...

Before dark and gloomy thoughts cloud my mind once more, I decided to lighten up the mood by teasing my Mother a bit.

"Haaaaa? Isn't that an excuse that you used because you're terrified of flying...?" I raise my brow questioningly at her words. From the corner of my eye, my Father sports a small smirk on his face. He has flown beyond our country's borders several times in the past, but he's never brought her with him. Aside from the fact that they used to work at different companies, it should also be considered that he must have raised the topic with her once or twice before.

I can already imagine my Mother's look of slight surprise, before sticking out her tongue and poking her cheek with her finger.

"Tehee~!"

"..."

I squirm uncomfortably from the cringe. And yet, my Mother goes on, quite unaware that I want to die right now. With the new free time that she has, I can only wonder what kinds of shows that she watches that made her adopt all of her recent mannerisms... I honestly think that she and Isshiki will get along if they ever meet. I had already introduced my super epic Shiromeguri-senpai to my Mother a few months ago, and they both quickly warmed up to each other.

Just comes to show that Shiromeguri-senpai is truly the greatest Senpai in the world...!

"Mou, Haa-chan~." She continues and makes a rather cute tone while at it. "I don't remember raising you to be such a bully~."

I roll my eyes at her words and absentmindedly tap my knee with my finger.

"The Head of The Disciplinary Committee doing the bullying would be very ironic, don't you think?" If that were to happen, then it would make for a rather interesting tale.

A story about the main character falling from grace after facing numerous challenges along the way, and becoming the very embodiment of the thing he swore to never become... In the end, he turns into someone completely unrecognizable and foreign to the person he once was before.

I would like to read a story with that premise in mind. You don't see those kinds of novels every day. Well, from the bookstores that I frequent anyway.

Or maybe I should write a book about that...

My Mother giggles at my reply on the other side of the line. "Oh come on, it was a joke. I was just referencing a show that I watched before!"

"Alright. Why the sudden call though? I mean, I don't mind you calling but- Wait. Did we leave anything behind...?" I ask and start recalling all of my things.

My new phone, necklace, passport, tickets, ID and my other watch are in my bag... I haven't bought a new wallet yet though. None of the shops here in Narita have caught my eye.

The rest of our luggage was already taken to the cargo bay, but we still had our hand-carry. My Father and I look at each other. He puts down the newspaper and starts lightly rummaging through his sling bag. I see him push aside his tablet, the same one that I gave him for Christmas, and some of his documents, looking for anything missing. He frowns and starts patting at the pockets on his black slacks. If we did leave anything behind, then it's too late to go back and get it. But at least we'll save some time knowing that fact here instead of wasting time looking for it several hours from now.

"No, you brought everything with you. I just wanted to tell you something..." The teasing tone in my Mother's voice disappears and is replaced by her usual casual one. I wait for her to continue, but decide to speak up after several seconds of silence.

"And that would be...?"

"..."

Whatever she is thinking about must be serious if she's taking her sweet time. Or maybe she forgot about it in the first place. She has a habit of this kind of stuff. Where my Father is direct and straight to the point, my Mother prefers to go around and around, with each cycle getting closer to the center. I don't mean to sound harsh but I can recall many instances where we wasted a lot of time because of her habit.

Finally, she clears her throat, and I unconsciously gulp and prepare myself for whatever she is going to say.

"Never mind, Haa-chan. You'll see for yourself in a few days~!" My Mother adopts a cheery and sly tone, which eerily reminds me of Haruno.

I release my breath which I didn't realize I was holding in.

"All that suspense in the air for nothing..." I shake my head while massaging my brows with my fingers.

My Mother and I do some small talk for some time, until the aircraft's speakers go on again, this time saying that it's time for us to fasten our seatbelts as the cabin crew goes to their designated takeoff positions. All around us, we hear the sounds of seatbelts being fastened and locked and the shuffling of seats. My Father nudges my shoulder and signals that it's time for me to end the call.

"Ah. So it's time huh..." She says with a hint of forlorn in her voice.

I make a small smile and look out the window. "Yeah. We're about to go now. The sky is so blue and clear, it's a perfect day for flying."

"I see. Well, I'll be praying for your safe journey, Haa-chan. Be good with your Father, okay? Don't stray too far from him. Keep your things secure and watch out for pickpockets! Your medication is with your Father, don't forget to take it every day! And eat properly and drink plenty of water or else you'll get dehydrated! Stay away from shady people, especially from WOMEN, who entice you with sweet-talk!" My Mother says and rushes things, to the point where she almost sounded like she is speaking gibberish. I chuckle, yet I understood everything that she said.

"Yeah. I won't forget."

Several heartbeats go by before my Mother speaks again. Even though it's my first time on a plane, I know that we're moments away from taking off from the runway.

"Take care Hachiman. Mama loves you very much. Always remember that."

My mind flashes back to Yui and our conversation that night. She said that I don't need to make an entire speech with big and complicated words to express how I feel.

I believe what she means is that, if two people trust and understand each other, they can convey their true feelings and emotions with minimal effort. A single moment where their eyes meet, a simple touch on their hand, the slightest facial gesture, or even just by their posture alone. Tiny things that almost look superficial at face value. But from the eyes of someone who knows you very well, they tell an entirely different story altogether. You don't have to worry about your image, your looks, your reputation, and how other people perceive you to be. You can drop all formalities and just be...you.

Words carry weight, regardless of who it is from. A single spoken word can express so much emotion and feeling.

Especially when that person is someone you love...

Or something like that, I think.

With that, I reply to what any child would say back to their parent.

"Thanks. I love you too Mom."

Yeah, I know this took quite a while to finish with exams and trainings going one after another. My laptop also broke down, and it was almost three whole weeks before I got it fixed. And I couldn't force myself to write if I don't feel like it. The result is always shitty, lacks quality, feels lacking, and isn't just the same compared to when my writing switch is turned on. I mentioned this several chapters back, I'm sure the old fans already know about it.

This chapter was supposed to give light on the relationship between Hachiman and his parents, HachiPapa and HachiMama. But since we haven't seen things from his POV for a while, I decided to hold off that idea for now. The Father and Son duo will have plenty of time to catch up to each other while in Amsterdam. HachiMama will have to wait her turn until they come back.

As for what the REAL Hachiman is thinking about and his true feeling on some things, I dropped some hints here and there but not enough to spoil the fun.

Does he hate xxxxxxxx, or maybe he just can't bring himself to forget everything after all that's been happening lately? Did he mean to manipulate xxxxxxxx's feelings like that, just to test her? Is he just being a good boy for xxxxxxxx's sake and to keep up appearances? Will xxxxxxxx be able to decide what she wants, and confront the nagging feeling in her heart? Between being friends and possibly taking a step with him, is it worth taking the risk on xxxxxxxx's part? With so many threats and rivals around, will xxxxxxxx finally take the initiative and take him for herself?

Will Hachiman say "Fuck this!" and take Rumi-chan as his fiancée to fully go for the lolicon route?

Will I be able to finally finish building my four Mobile Suits?

In other news, I am honestly surprised how this Fic still has an average of 300 readers per day. I mean, it's been three whole months since my last update. 0_0 I thought that it'd drop to like...ten readers a day or something. Not gonna lie I feel a bit embarrassed for blue-balling you lot for so long xdd

It's also good to see that our community is still alive, with different Authors posting their stories with different premises here and there. If you have a solid idea for a FanFic, you should try and post one yourself! Don't be afraid, we all start somewhere! I remember when this FanFic still had like 15 Favourites!

Anyway, I think this has gone too long, and it's time for me to end AN's. If you have any questions write them down on the review or just PM me and I'll reply to them in the next chapter!

I'll see you lot next time!

57

It feels strange, flying on a plane, I mean.

An aerial vehicle weighing around several tonnes carrying you across the sky to your destination. In our case, on the other side of the planet. Truly, there are no limits to the ingenuity of Man. One day, Humankind will leave our home planet and conquer the innumerable stars themselves. I will be long gone by then, most likely in an urn while my descendants go on and walk towards the future. Unless something happens that causes my body to stop ageing and become immune to sickness and disease. Perhaps even get bitten by a Vampire and become deathless and practically immortal. Ah, but that's in the realm of fiction.

Regardless, jet lag is a bitch. And as a first-timer, I can feel it more so than my Father beside me who has already flown numerous times before. He glances at me now and then while I just stared out out the window looking at the different cars and trucks that go by. We have already driven past many dikes which are a common sight in The Netherlands. They control and mitigate the effects of flooding since this country is under sea level. I yawn, and suddenly see the all too familiar logo of a car from my country.

Oh, a Toyota and a Nissan too... I didn't expect to see them here.

"Hachiman, are you alright?" My Father asks worriedly. He looks rather stressed from the flight, which goes the same for me and his other associates. I want to close my eyes and sleep, but that will just make my internal body clock even more confused than it already is. Even though I was sleeping 60% of the entire flight time, I still feel very exhausted and drained. The monitor right in front of my seat which hosted movies, games and music also failed to rid me of my boredom after the first two hours. And I went to and fro from it as the flight went on. After that ordeal, I now have a newfound respect for flight attendants as well as the cabin crew for enduring all of that while remaining awake.

"More or less," I reply curtly.

"It'll go away tomorrow. Our meetings won't start until two days from now. Even I'm not exempt from feeling a bit dizzy and out of it." He says before sighing and covering his mouth. "I can't wait to take a shower and go back to sleep..."

His two colleagues nod at his words. Kousaro Gin and Taname Seya were with us. They were around my Father's age from the looks of things. The former was head of the finance department while the latter was my Father's legal adviser.

"True, Mr Director. Scheduling it while taking into account our state upon arrival was a very wise move. Even I didn't think about that."

Taname-san nods in agreement with Kousaro-san, and the three of them start talking about boring stuff. Our Dutch driver, a lanky man called Marko Kristoff, drives silently along the highway. He will be my Father's driver during official travels. And from his itinerary that I saw at his desk at home, my Father will be going around Amsterdam and the nearby cities meeting with potential business partners.

When we arrived at the waiting area earlier, I immediately called my Mother to inform her of our safe arrival. But because of the difference in our time zones, she wasn't able to answer me. Must be midnight at Chiba right now or something. I doubt even Komachi is still awake, much less our Mother who comes home from work exhausted. I wanted to call either Hina, Yui or Shiromeguri-senpai, or even Saika and Yoshiteru. But I decided that calling my dear Mother first should be the best choice. I'm sure that they'd say the same too. I can already imagine Yumiko nagging at me to hurry up and call my Mother if I call the blondie first.

I'm not keen on going with my Father on all of his travels. I'll just become a nuisance and get in the way of his work. Not to mention that that's all just boring stuff. I'm not old enough to replace my Father yet, so hearing about that stuff is quite a headache. Nor am I'm interested in it in the first place. I already have a lot of things to worry about and think about, I'm not looking for something to add to it with. If anything, the only thing I want to see that's related to his company is the current progress in the construction of the sister ship of the "Hachiman". I heard that it took the Dutch shipbuilding company some time to complete it, so I'm quite curious about their port of operations. My Father did keep this little project of his a secret for years, which is an amazing feat in itself.

Who knows, I might even work here in Amsterdam someday.

We soon enter the city proper as the streets become more narrow with more people and cars in our sight. Their buildings are colourful, not to mention unique and look exactly as I expected them to be from my past research on the country. Very European I say, even though it sounds rather redundant and pointless to say.

It's a stark contrast to Tokyo, which is a jungle of tall buildings reaching for the heavens themselves. Back at home, you can only see an unobstructed view of the sky if you're at the roof of one of those buildings, at the coast or riverside or just beyond the city and into the countryside itself. Because of the terrain, the city planning there is more to upwards and efficient construction and architectural designs. We go over many bridges and drive beside the rivers big and small which hosts all kinds of boats from those used for pleasure, to those gargantuan giants similar to the ship that was named after me. Many people were lounging outside under large umbrellas, particularly in areas where either the river or the sea is visible.

My Father turns to me but stays silent when I make the car's windows go down. It's quite tinted a bit, so any colour hat I see from the inside is filtered by it. A breeze enters the car, and with it the familiar salty scent of the sea.

Hmm... Now I feel homesick. I wonder what Mother is doing...

Instead of going with him or being left at the hotel, I'll be staying with the family of a close friend of his. I did become acquainted with some of his associate's children when they went to Japan some months ago so after all. It was during an event at another Summer Camp location in Chiba where our team won during the overall competition. At that time, Yukinoshita and Hayama were a huge help in managing our team. As well as Tania-chan who kept my spirits up with her smiles and squeals. And right after the event ended while I waited for my Mother to come, I met a group of foreigners who were having trouble translating their words. I befriended them since they were an interesting bunch and also because out of curiosity. Japan is a very homogenous country, seeing foreigners is sometimes a surprise even to me. Who could have guessed that they were the children of my Father's overseas business partners when I met them again at a party organized by his company.

Truly, these sorts of coincidences are almost ridiculous. It's almost as if my life is being written by an Author as we speak.

I wonder how Lukas and his sister is doing. I'd be lying if I say that I didn't miss them by a tiny bit. I can't wait to see them again and catch up. It's always a good feeling to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar land.

"ONII-CHAN GOOD MORNING~~!"

"Good Evening, Komachi. Why aren't you asleep yet? Isn't it like in the middle of the night in China right now?"

"It's okay~! I'm still getting 8 hours of sleep! And I take afternoon naps too!"

"Oi don't slack off too much. Don't forget to help out with the chores and cook breakfast for Mom. With me gone, you're the only one who can help her out."

"Haaaaaai~! Don't worry, I'm taking care of everything!"

I yawn and stretch my legs and back while lying on the bed. To my right, the morning rays of the Sun enters through the windows and into the room. I share this room with Lukas, who's at the corner sprawled on the other bed with his covers on the floor. He's quite the heavy sleeper, and only by roughly shaking his shoulders can I wake him up so we can go downstairs for breakfast in the mornings.

I turn back my attention to the phone in my hand. Aside from Komachi and my Mother, the others also text me now and then. Though not as much as you'd expect since it's literally my fourth day here in The Netherlands. Today my Father would most likely get back to work since the effects of the jet lag would have gone away by now. As for me, I still feel some lingering discomfort but not too much for me to stay in bed all day. Lukas and Maria gave me some medicine to help me out, and it really did the trick.

"Oh yeah! Onii-chan! Saki-nee, Sai-chan and Taishi-kun dripped by earlier! We played some video games and Ice Cream!"

Saki, huh... I hope she's doing well. Now that I'm away, I hope she has taken time to think some things through. That goes for me as well. Right now, I can't really face her as I am. I have to think of a way to smoothen and clear things up without hurting or flat out rejecting her.

*sigh*

I shake my head to clear my thoughts.

"I see, I'm sure you had fun with them around. Did Saki ask about me?"

Surprisingly, Komachi took almost five minutes to reply. That might not sound much, but this is Komachi that we're talking about here. Not to mention that girls her age usually reply to texts super fast.

"Yeah, she was really surprised that you were gone so suddenly. :( I'm so disappointed in you Onii-chan! You're so close with Saki-nee and yet you didn't even tell her! Imagine how awkward it was for me to explain everything, she even thought that I was playing a prank on her! I had to ask Mama for help too!"

I wince at her words. "Ah, sorry about that. What about Kei-chan?"

"She said that she's sad that you're away and wants you to come back quickly so you can play with her again!" Komachi says while giggling. I can imagine Kei-chan saying something along those lines. The innocence and cluelessness of a child will always be amusing.

"Tell her not to be sad. When I come back, I'm gonna bring lots of sweets for her and you too."

"Ooooh! I can't wait!" She says gleefully as we continue the conversation. We ask each other about our day and what we've been doing. I send her some photos when she asks me to, right after I mention that I took some recently. She says that Mother already misses me, sometimes randomly asking her at certain times of the day as to what I'm possibly up to. Things like if I'm still taking my medicine, getting enough sleep and food, or if I'm feeling ill.

"Onii-chan, you really did Saki-nee dirty! When you come back, you better treat her like a princess and take her out for a date!" She says, trying to sound commanding and intimidating. But all it did was make her sound silly.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say..."

We continue talking for some time until I sense movement from the corner of my eye to the edge of the doorway. I pause for a moment, taking my ear from the phone and turn towards it.

"Eeehhh..." I hear small sounds and my initial presumption became true. After telling my sister that I'll be back shortly, I get up, wearing the indoor slippers that were provided for me and start walking towards the door.

"Aaaaaai!" A high pitched cry, like coming from a squeaky toy.

I take a step out, and to my right, crawling on all fours on the floor dressed in panda pyjamas, was a baby. The infant senses my presence and turns around. I squat on the carpeted floor right in front of him just as our eyes meet. Wide and bright blue eyes stare back at me, and then an equally wide smile appears on the baby's extremely cute face.

"Abababababa!" He says in baby language, and excitedly starts crawling towards me. I smile back at him and put my hands under his armpit before lifting him to my chest.

"Good Morning Anton, did you sleep well~?" I ask in Dutch. The baby responds positively at his name being called, wiggling around and causing his panda hood to fall to the side. He was mostly bald, but I see some traces of his blond hair on his head. He starts biting on his tiny fists as I adjusted him in my arms.

"You're a heavy baby aren't you. You look about two or three months younger than Tania-chan at home, yet you're almost as heavy as her..." I say while rocking him from side to side as he makes small and happy sounds. Anton must have gone out from his playroom right beside ours. It's quite safe for him to crawl around since there are small gates on the stairs that lead below to the living and dining rooms. The infant starts teething, lightly biting his tiny hands while looking up at me. It's quite harmless since this little bundle of joy hasn't grown any teeth yet.

"It's strange for a baby to wake up so early. Did Maria play with you~?" Even though he can't understand me, it is still a nice feeling to talk to a baby like this. His Older Sister's room is right beside him, and their parents are right across from theirs in the hallway. The de Mer patriarch is currently with my Father in Rotterdam meeting with some important Dutch businessmen and investors. The Britts from across the sea is also going there for a similar reason, as with several folks from Eastern Europe.

"You chubby little cheeky brat, an escapee~!" I say before I tickle his soft little sides. He jerks his small legs, giggling and squealing with delight.

I look behind me, Lukas is still fast asleep and unconsciously scratches his exposed abdomen. Quite expected since he plays on his computer into the dead of night, and also because he works out just before bed. We did some jogging outside last night, just for the heck of it. The game that he plays is some WW2 game that involves tanks, ships and planes. To be honest, that kind of genre isn't my style. I'm more of a fantasy MMORPG guy that either supports my teammates from the front or rear.

I shrug and then walk towards the infant's room where Anton most likely came from. The door was ajar with sunlight coming from the windows inside his playroom, and I soon see Maria sitting on the floor with her back to us. All kinds of toys littered the floor, to the side was his crib which had a miniature version of the solar system above it. It's really just your average baby room you'd see in Western movies, not that I watch them anyway.

Maria too wore a pyjama set with panda prints. Her light brown hair was a mess, made more so because hers is naturally more voluminous. Unlike the typical thin and long hair, you see in Japanese women. Even though she is only four years my senior, she looks way older than me. I guess it must be a cultural perception on my part. I can't help but look at people like her to be older than they really are. And it also doesn't help that we haven't seen each other in half a year. We lost contact for some time before I reconnected with the Dutch teens that I got acquainted with.

Anton makes a sound, which causes his sister to turn around.

"Oh, Hachiman! G-Good Morning!" Maria makes a broken and shaky smile and appears to be hiding something in her lap, which she covers from our view.

"Good Morning 'Ria." I return her greeting and then lightly sway the baby in my arms. "This little one escaped, so I took the liberty of carrying and bringing him back here. Should I put him back in his crib? Or just right here beside you?" A strange expression settles on her freckled face, and the smile becomes a thin line. With her hand, she gestures at me to allow her to whisper to my ear. I shrug, yet follow her strange request as I kneel with one leg beside her.

"Can you bring Anton with you outside under the Sun? It's almost time for his morning thingy."

"Uhh, sure. But what's with all the whispering?" I ask while tilting my head to the side

Maria winces and tilts her head to the thing that she's hiding. "I accidentally broke Anton's favourite toy Dinosaur. If we say the word, he'll want it back and he might cry because it's decapitated..."

I give a dry smile at her words right after she shows it to me, and I lightly press Anton against my chest just in case he might see it. The Sauropod's head is missing from its neck, no wait it's on the floor right beside her feet. Put some ketchup and then you can say that this Sauropod was a French noble that was beheaded during the French revolution!

"That looks...gruesome," I say with a grimace.

"Tell me about it..." She gently nudges me to make me stand up. "I owe you one for this. My little sister is already outside riding her bike."

"Well, okay then." I walk to the crib and then slowly put Anton in a lying position. Since we're already in his room and he was crawling around earlier, I also clean his hands with some wet disinfectant tissue that Maria gave me when I asked for it. Surprisingly, he doesn't move as much as I thought he would. And just looks up at the planets above his crib or stares at me with wide blue eyes and drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Maria wordlessly hands me a dry and soft tissue just as I was reaching for it.

"Hey, you're really good at this stuff Hachiman." She says from my side.

"My Mother is head of the neighbourhood community and asks me to help out and volunteer at the local daycare several times," I say and carefully lift Anton into my arms, trying not to sound too cheeky about my experience. The baby rests his head on my shoulder, and I feel him start to chew on my shirt. "I haven't been there in a while because I was busy with school stuff, but I learned a lot."

"Oh yeah. You did mention that, now that I think about it," Maria furrows her brows and gives me a questioning look as if I said something strange. "Huh? You have daycare for babies?"

Now, it was my turn to give her the same expression. She is a little too close for comfort, I can see her hazel iris in her eyes as well as the light freckles on her cheeks. "Yeah? You mean you've never heard of one?" I say while stepping back, taking a random toy from Anton's crib as an excuse.

"I thought toddlers were the minimum for stuff like that." She says, sounding very much surprised at the revelation.

"That's what I thought too when I first heard about it. A lot of households in our neighbourhood have both parents that work full-time jobs and have little to no time in taking care of their children. Kids with parents like those at usually the ones who number the most in our daycare." I say.

The brunette interest in the topic seems to have piqued, but before she could ask further, Anton starts grumbling baby gibberish while wiggling his body. "Shhhhhpffffff... Ahng! Eih!"

His sister and I decide that he must be feeling impatient, and I part ways with her. "Bye-bye, we'll see you later," I say while making the baby wave at her. Maria giggles at the sight and waves back then goes back to covering up her murder victim. We go out the door back to the room that I'm staying in. Lukas is still asleep as I seat myself back on the bed. With the baby panda on my lap, I take my phone to see if Komachi is still on the other end.

"Komachi? You still there?" I call out, but all I received was silence. I wait for several moments until Anton starts biting and chewing on my finger again while making random baby sounds.

Hmm, she's probably already asleep. Can't really blame her since I took a short while to come back and it's in the middle of the night in Japan. The only person that I can think of, who's still possibly awake right now is Yoshiteru. Not only does he play games on his PC but he also spends much of his time on his phone playing shitty gotcha games during breaks at school. One time I caught him playing while classes were going on and I had to give him a slight warning.

Since Lukas is still asleep I go straight downstairs while opening the gates that barred Anton from it. The house was slightly bigger than ours and felt very much airy and spacious compared to your typical Japanese home. With one hand I held him to my chest while the other was on the rails to my right to keep me balanced. The scent of food being cooked at this time in the morning reminds me of back home. Eggs, sausage, bread, milk and coffee are the norm in this household. In our home, we usually have fish, rice, vegetables, miso soup and some leftover heated food from the previous night as our breakfast.

I can't stand their food in the mornings here. Not that it's bad or anything, it's really good and a welcome change of pace. It's just that, as your average East Asian, and I know our neighbours in Southeast Asia can relate as well, some pieces of bread and pancakes aren't nearly enough to sate my appetite! It goes through my gut quickly, and I get hungry again just as fast! Like at least two hours after eating! And the sausages and eggs, it feels weird just eating it alone without any rice! Maria can eat an entire bowl of oatmeal alone, and that's just for breakfast! Just hot water added, and without any MILK or SUGAR! That's crazy! Ah, but maybe she's just built differently! Oatmeal gives me indigestion and makes my stomach sting like a bitch!

Give me rice, or give me death I say!

Jokes aside and with all that said, I choose to eat as much as I can, even until I feel like bursting. I feel like the de Mer Matriarch notices it, and happily puts more food on my plate when we eat. Much to my dismay and surprise, Lukas even lightly chided his Mother for it at the dinner table, and she quickly apologized. I waved off her concerns and Lukas' since it would be too rude for me. She didn't change much to my relief, and we continue as if nothing happened.

Though if this keeps up for the next few weeks, I'm sure to gain a few kilos... Well, Shiromeguri-senpai always says that I'm too scrawny, and I might as well change that while I'm here.

I see a woman with her back to me, just like Maria she had light brown voluminous hair and was just a bit taller than her. Mrs Cathy is a nice lady, she is very kind welcoming and is close with all of her children. She is a housewife and spends much of her time taking care of Anton and her other young daughter. Once again the baby in my arms squeaks and makes cute noises, Mrs Cathy with an apron around herself turns around to us.

"Good morning Mrs Cathy," I say in Dutch and give her a bow. She returns one of her own with a pleasant smile on her face. That smile of hers bears resemblance to Maria, her daughter. The scant few age lines on her face do little to diminish her beauty.

"Good morning to you too Hachiman. Are Lukas and Maria up yet?" Her eyes light up when she sees Anton in my arms, and the little one squeals upon recognizing his Mother.

"Aaaaaaaahhh!" He cries out excitedly when his Mother gives him a flying kiss.

Mrs Cathy's English isn't as good as her children's, so we communicate through her native tongue. Even I speak to them in Dutch since they're so amazed and amused at my progress. And if I'm being completely honest, even I am too! I guess putting in two hours every day for the last month and a half to practice the language wasn't for nothing after all! It was a fun reunion at the airport when I first spoke to them. Lukas is still taller and bigger than me given that he's in his early 20's, and he gave me a warm hug upon our meeting. His sister Maria, on the other hand, gave me the usual three-kiss greeting, and then quickly expresses her surprise at how much I've grown in the almost half a year that we haven't seen each other. When we met in Japan, she was a few centimetres taller, but now, we're around eye level.

I guess drinking milk twice a day really works huh...

"Lukas is still asleep but Maria asked me to take Anton out in her place." The baby in my arms perks up at his name being called and pulls at my shirt from its collars. I expertly adjust him until he's lying down with his head on my right forearm.

"Oh? I thought that she had already woken up? Did she go back to sleep?"

I shake my head. "No, she's currently fixing something in Anton's room." The scent of food being cooked makes my stomach growl. Fortunately, Mrs Cathy is on the other side of the room. Anton on the other hand turns towards my chest and starts patting at it in wonder.

"Hmm, I see. I bet Lukas is still asleep as well. He came downstairs in the early hours of the morning..."

"Yeah, you're right about that." My eyes go to the empty dining table, and my househusband instincts are activated on their own. As the one who mostly handles this kind of stuff at home, it's unavoidable not to feel it again just because I'm staying in another household. I even offer to wash the dishes or help out with setting the table when I had dinner at the Kawasaki residence once. But as expected, Saki and her parents made a fuss about my statement and just told me to sit down and enjoy myself.

"Should I start setting the tableware?" I ask and take a step towards it. As is to remind me that he's still here, Anton wiggles and pulls at my shirt again. And then I realize that going about my task while carrying him is too dangerous.

Mrs Cathy smiles and shakes her head at my words. "Thank you Hachiman, that's very kind of you. But I'll handle it. You should go outside with Anton while it's still not hot enough." I automatically bow at her, to which she courteously returns one as well, and then excuse myself from the room. Anton and I pass by their living room, a bit more spacious than our house. The sofas and couch with a small table in the middle faced their TV mounted on the wall with customized cabinets and bookshelves surrounding it. We were about to walk out of the door when I hear his Mother's voice again.

"Hachiman~! Can you fetch Adriana and tell her that breakfast is almost done?" I tell her that I'll do just that and then step outside the house.

Their front porch was under the shade and the garage to my right only had Mrs. Cathy's SUV. Their family has a lot of spare and unused land in their lot, their nearest neighbour was around a five-minute walk away. I see a little girl riding on a small pink bicycle not far from the foot of the porch. She wore a helmet, shoulder and knee pads to keep her safe and secure while she rides. Her blonde hair flies behind her, just like her little brother's which I'm carrying in my arms. The morning sun feels nice against my face, I can tell that Anton likes it too.

"Good morning, Adrianne. You're up early." I call out to her when I get close enough. Instead of greeting me back, she just goes on biking on the grass with her training wheels, completely ignoring me as if I don't exist. I just stand still, completely taken aback and at a loss.

Uwaah, and she barely spoke a word to me after I arrived. It's understandable to feel a little distrust, but a 'Good morning' doesn't hurt to say, no? I also didn't help that Lukas, Maria, Anton and I were mostly with each other while she holed up in her room. She's around Kei-chan's age, and yet they are so different.

I watch her ride on until she goes back to the house. I carefully raise Anton until as I supported his bottom with my left forearm and his back with my right one.

"Anton, was it something I said? Did Onii-chan come out too strong or was it my menacing eyes again?" I ask him.

The baby tilts his head to the side at my words, blinking and staring back at me with his big and bright eyes. Several moments pass and his blank expression turns into a wide smile as he starts laughing.

"Hehehehehehe! Ahaha!" He starts wiggling his arms and legs around again excitedly. I eventually break into a smile and lightly pinch and pull at his soft cheeks.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure that I can be friends with her too. With you, Lukas' and Maria's help of course!" The baby's smile widens and his giggles become louder when he sees me do the same.

Anton and I spend the time remaining outside until Maria calls us to come back for breakfast.

Lukas on the other hand was still asleep and only woke up after around two more hours.

Hey everyone! Ivanov117 here!

So exactly one week ago, August 8th, was Hachiman's birthday!

I was supposed to post this chapter on that date, but the words just couldn't come outright. And also because I've been feeling rather down and depressed lately because of burnout. Every day feels monotonous and the same, like I'm the cog of a machine forever cursed to do the same thing for all eternity. Nothing I do makes me feel happy anymore, and the things that I used to love to feel empty, void and meaningless. I daresay that I'm losing my passion for what I do.

If you follow my other stories, you might have noticed an extreme sudden drop in updates. Or if I had updated them, you might have seen some grammatical errors or typos here and there. I'm truly ashamed of it, but my current mental state just doesn't allow me to be the Author that I was some time ago.

I'm sorry you lot had to read this, but I think I also need to let you know how I am right now. I'm not feeling myself for the past few months, and I don't know how to go about it. Nor do I see myself getting better any time soon.

And no, I am NOT DROPPING this Fic or my other works.

Well, that's all that I have to say for now.

Goodbye

58

05:42 PM

NORMIES BEGOOOONE REEEEEEEEEE!1!1111!1! Group Chat! No normies and riajuus allowed! :)

(HinaHina desu~! is online) ADMIN

(Prince of Tennis is online)

(BLADEMATERGENERAL is online)

(8MAN is offline)

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Hello comrades! How are your recent days of summer break?"

Prince of Tennis: "I'm almost done with our homework! And I'm going to visit my grandparents and stay with them for a while! Hina, what about you?"

HinaHina desu~!: "I'm still trying to finish all the series that I've saved on my laptop. I haven't had the chance to watch them cuz of school and other stuff. Once I'm done with them, I'll get straight back into our homework!"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "As for myself, I have yet to so much as glance at them. There are still many weeks ahead before classes resume. And even many more quests and achievements to accomplish with my online friends on our games! I am on the same boat, my sister-in-arms. The shows this season seem to be worth watching! Oh, my to-read list of manga and light novels have been piling up recently. Not to mention my manuscript that has added at least a hundred pages worth of words too! I cannot wait for you guys and the rest of the Service Club to read it and tell me what you think!"

Prince of Tennis: "Wow, you already made that much progress? Keep it up, Yoshi-kun!"

HinaHina desu~!: "Uwaah, I'm already getting a headache just by thinking about it. You better buy us some lunch or something as compensation..."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Of course! I am nothing if not generous! W-Well, as long as it's not too expensive... Ehehehehe..."

HinaHina desu~!: "I'm just kidding."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Really? Phew, I thought I had to bring out and use my gacha money for this... I'm saving for this game-breaking OP character that's coming in two months see. I already have 10000 Yen saved up! I WILL get him if it's the last thing I do!"

HinaHina desu~!: "If only you showed the same amount of tenacity and seriousness in your studies..."

Prince of Tennis: "That's a lot of money Yoshi-kun. You should be more careful and responsible in your spending. Your parents might get mad."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Worry not, my very beautiful and effeminate-looking brother-in-arms! For I had been secretly working in a respectable establishment near the Zaimokuza household for the past two months! Fufufufufu!

HinaHina desu~!: "Oi really? You aren't kidding, right? I certainly didn't expect this."

Prince of Tennis: "Oh that's great! What do you do?"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "I clean, maintain and make sure that the public bathhouse is spotless and immaculate! I scrub and wipe the floors, make sure that everything is in order and help out when it's the closing time!

Prince of Tennis: "Sounds like a lot of work Yoshi-kun."

HinaHina desu~!: "So that's why he suddenly stopped hanging out with us outside school. It's always been me, Sai-chan and Hachi-kun recently."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Nonsense! As a certain NPC from Sk*rim, one of the Eld*r Sc*rolls game once said, 'Honest pay for honest work is the best kind of work there is.'. I keep those insightful words of wisdom always within my heart!"

*Prince of Tennis and HinaHina desu~! sent wow emojis*

HinaHina desu~!: "Well, that's your own money so it's your call on how you spend it I guess."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Exactly! I was inspired by Hachiman you see. I know how he spends his money very wisely and saves as much as possible even with his status. He has a lot of spare money than he knows what to spend with because of his part-time job! Hachiman was the one who helped me out and found a nice job for me! He looked up some job vacancies online in my general area and presented me with a nice and detailed list the very next day!"

Prince of Tennis: "That's nice of him to do. Also, we know how much of a cheapskate he is so we can't really blame you for thinking like that hahaha."

HinaHina desu~!: "Well, at least you have something to look forward to on the weekends instead of just playing around all day in front of your computer. Just don't treat it like those drafts of yours. Don't tell us that you've quit after the 2nd day or something."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Ouch, that was uncalled for."

HinaHina desu~!: "Hey, I'm just saying that if you're gonna get into that kind of stuff, might as well do it properly and half-assed."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "That's the plan!"

Prince of Tennis: "A part-time job huh... Maybe I should find one too. Something that doesn't require previous experience, like a cashier or shop assistant or something. Perhaps I can save up and buy that tennis racquet that I always wanted!"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "I'm sure that Hachiman would love to help!"

HinaHina desu~!: "Yeah."

Prince of Tennis: "What about you Hina?"

HinaHina desu~!: "I dunno. I think I'll miss hanging out with Yui and Yumiko on the weekends."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Ah, the life of a normie Riajuu sounds difficult."

HinaHina desu~!: "Shut up or else I'll kick you out of the group chat again."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "That was a jest! A jest!"

HinaHina desu~!: "Keep on jesting like that and one day you'll wake up with clown make-up on!"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "To arise being the embodiment of Society's fears. To give light to the masses and lead the oppressed against the greedy oligarchs of Society... Truly, to put on the guise of a clown and do such a thing and lead a revolt against the discriminatory and unjust norms of society would be the ultimate form of comedy, no?"

Prince of Tennis: "Um... What are you talking about?"

HinaHina desu~!: "Best to just ignore him Sai-chan. I have no clue what he's talking about too."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "See! This is exactly what I mean! Society! Society! This is a society moment! xDD"

BLADEMATERGENERAL sent an image

Prince of Tennis: "Who's this? A Western actor in a Joker outfit?"

HinaHina desu~!: "I don't get it either..."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Normies..."

HinaHina desu~!: "By the way..."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Hmm?"

HinaHina desu~!: "You should take another look at your nickname. You've got something wrong."

Prince of Tennis: "XD"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Why? What's wrong with it?"

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "..."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Oh"

BLADEMATERGENERAL changed his nickname to BLADEMATERGENERAL

Prince of Tennis: "Yoshi-kun, maybe you need new glasses."

BLADEMATERGENERAL: "Perhaps I do, my very beautiful friend. Perhaps I do..."

*SEVERAL HOURS LATER

It feels like it's been a while since I went to the mall all by myself. Most of the time, I go with the others as a group. The one that I'm heading to is the nearest to my home, only two trains and a few minutes of walking away. Not very far, I could have walked all the way here if I wanted to. But I felt like wearing my sandals instead of my sneakers so that's that.

Instead of my usual long skirt, I'm wearing a white airy one that ends a few centimetres just below my knee and a light brown jacket over my white blouse. It's a wonderful day too; A nice cloudy sky and the breeze from the coast is cool on the skin. I think it could even make a certain SOMEONE drop the umbrella and just enjoy the day and my company as well.

There's a lot of people around just as I entered the large building. I also adjusted my glasses since they got a bit uncomfortable while wearing my usual face mask. Even though the chance that I'd see someone I know today is low, I'd rather play safe and take my chances.

Oh, this is definitely something Hachi-kun would do, now that I realize it. Thinking ahead and planning possible scenarios and outcomes and all that. He is quite the schemer, I don't know what goes on in that head of his. It's like his mind never rests, he's always thinking about something and that in turn stresses him out quite a lot. Even with how close we are already, compared to, let's say, Yui or Yumiko, I still can't state with absolute certainty that I know a lot about him. It's quite alright if he prefers to keep some things to himself, it's not surprising given what he's like as a person. I'm more or less the same way anyway, we both respect each other's privacy and don't ask touchy questions about our past.

I once skipped around that topic, hoping that he'll get my clues. It's either he just ignored me or he was completely oblivious to them. Even so, I remind him not to push himself too hard or tire himself too much. It's kind of like my obligation now. Not just me, Yui and Hayato add in a word or two when they think the time is appropriate as well. I'm really happy that lots of people are looking out for him.

I look around, seeing different kinds of people walk past. I see a few couples and groups of friends enjoying their time together. I wouldn't have minded it if any of the girls wanted to come along, but I wanted to do this alone. If Hachi-kun were here, then maybe I'd let him tag along too so it'll turn into a date. It's been a while since we had some alone time, except that time in the Summer Camp of course. It hasn't been that long yet anyway, just a few days ago in fact. Even though I can message him privately, I still want to meet him face to face and talk about some things. There's a lot of questions lingering in my mind that I would rather ask with him in front of me and where I can see his face.

With how much of a pushover he is, I doubt that he'll resist any kind of invitation, regardless of who it's from. I'm not sure if that's a good thing. If he weren't intimidating nor socially aloof, I think some people out there would have already taken advantage of him.

I honestly don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing... I know how easily tired he gets, no matter how hard he tries to hide it. Sometimes playing football with Hayato-kun and Tobe and the rest of their club has its toll. I feel like he can't force himself to say no with so many expectant and hopeful eyes on him. Hayato-kun should know better than to take advantage of that and invite him that way. And Hachi-kun should also learn that saying "no" is an option. Even Yumiko and her competitiveness isn't an exemption. She has loudly proclaimed him as her rival at the sport. Unfortunately, their current score has her on the losing end, but that doesn't stop her from challenging him again and again.

It's honestly impressive seeing them go at it. Yumiko is extremely aggressive and would frequently give out loud grunts and yells during the match. Hachi-kun on the other hand, is quiet, calculating, calm and collected. His facial expression remains the same for the entire duration, and would only change when their match has concluded. If it's a loss, he gives her a bow. But if it's a win, he'll give her the smuggest grin possible to which she goes up to him and pinches his side.

I'm thankful that his slightly clingy Kouhai from the Council personally goes and brings him water when he plays football or tennis after classes and when she has free time, I can't do that since some eyebrows might be raised. I know that he'll drop some hints for me to stop if I do it anyway. But if it's her, then people will see it as an understandable and endearing act on her part. It must be nice being part of the StuCo, people don't usually ask questions and just immediately assume that you're on some official errand or something. Well, that's from Hachi-kun's perspective anyway. He says that some of our fellow students are still a bit intimidated by him.

Seeing the Senpai and Kouhai duo together after classes, and sometimes during breaks isn't uncommon. He doesn't mind her eating with him at the cafeteria at times when he's there. They look so cute together, even more so when he pats her head and pulls and fondles her cheeks, much to her embarrassment. She might look frustrated when he does it since he's treating her like a child, but no one can deny that she secretly likes it. She's like a cute little cub that's following her Mother everywhere.

Err, Father, in this case...

...

Nah, let's just go with Big Bro then. He's a siscon anyway and treats her as such. From what Yumiko and Yui said before, he spoiled her rotten. Which is honestly kind of creepy... But I guess that's what siscons do I guess, hehehehehehehe~!

Also, interacting with Rumi-chan during the summer camp further revealed his siscon tendencies! I never expected that he would go out of his way and actually help her. And since I was the other one who witnessed everything firsthand when we snuck out together in the middle of the night, of course, I'd join in and help out however I can!

Though I was honestly slightly disappointed that our sweet alone time together got interrupted... I would have liked our secret conversation to continue since he really looked like he needed someone to talk to after what happened that afternoon between Yumiko and Yukinoshita-san. That was a pretty tough day, I had trouble sleeping when I went under the covers. He was so cute when I teased him with my feminine charms in the changing rooms too~... Although it was extremely bold and embarrassing to do on my part, seeing his flustered and blushing face was worth it in the end~! And since he rarely ever does that kind of expression, I have to savour each moment of it~!

Uwaah... What would have happened if one of us got into the heat of the moment... Just thinking about it is enough to make my head spin...

Well, he reprimanded and chewed me out after it... but it's still worth it!

Wait, that sounds super leeeeeewd~! Eh, it's Hachi-kun so I don't really mind~! A-Ah...I think I've said enough...

More importantly...

I know that he secretly delighted in having his first time being stolen by a loli! Out in the open while, we were behind them nonetheless!

And by the first time I mean the first kiss of course!

This is exactly why I renamed Hachi-kun's nickname in our group chat to...

LOLICON PEDOPHILE NEET 8MAN

GAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~!

I quickly look down, thanking the fact that I wore my face mask and cap today. If some random people were to see me smiling and giggling to myself, then they'll think that I finally lost it or something. Public opinion on mental health here in Japan is all but non-existent. Worse, they might even call the police and inform them that I escaped from a mental institution. Though I don't really know if Chiba has one... Hachi-kun is sure to know since he loves random trivia from Chiba. He is a true and loyal citizen of Chiba, if he were to run for Mayor in the future, I'd vote for him for sure!

Several minutes of walking, and after going up a flight of escalators later, I finally arrived at the store that was my primary objective for today. It's one of the nicer boutiques in the area, and though it's more on the expensive side, the clothes that they sold and put on for display are really nice.

A pretty sales lady welcomes me as I step inside and then goes back to diligently doing the inventory. Some might see it as improper, but I like shops where they let the customers walk around unimpeded, unlike somewhere the employees follow them around.

Hachi-kun and I went to other boutiques before. Saika-chan and Yoshi-kun wanted to go but they had other plans. But after several minutes when we went inside, he let go of my hand and excused himself, saying that he preferred to just wait outside. He might not admit it explicitly, but I knew that he got super annoyed at being tailed by the employees. They must have thought that he's a shady character or something, I swear people are too judgemental nowadays. I notice the little signs and signals when he's annoyed, angry or frustrated. I've only seen him get mad only once, it was that time when those random guys were hitting on me. Hachi-kun must have felt possessive and protective towards me because of the air he had around him. His anger isn't like Yumiko's where you can see it plain as day right on her face. A fiery kind that immediately lets the other party know that she's fuming. Hachi-kun is more subtle and right under the surface. On the outside, he might look calm and collected as ever, but in reality, he's literally a breath away from snapping. Of the two, the latter is definitely scarier if I'm being completely honest.

When it comes to things like that, he will preferably retreat with barely a word before his patience runs out. Like what he always does, he will never be honest with himself and reveal what he truly wants.

Well, I can't really say that I'm not like that. Even though I don't know what I really want...

In any case, we have similar feelings on the subject and avoided going into such stores after it.

For the next hour or so, I tried out different dresses for the occasion that I'll be attending next weekend, until I finally decided on three ones that really caught my eye. I'm still coming here tomorrow with the others, I might as well make the most of it now since I still have time to myself. Even though I'm sure that Hachi-kun will say otherwise, and I can already hear him saying flowery words to cheer me up, I'm not really confident in my figure. Nor am I comfortable with showing too much skin. Unlike Yumiko, or even Yui to a lesser extent. Not that I feel inferior or anything, it's just that I don't really think about this sort of thing.

The thing at the Summer Camp was just an exemption. I wanted to show off to him and tease him a little bit. It might have been extremely bold and embarrassing for me to do all of those things to him while we were hiding inside the women's changing rooms, but at least I got to see his blushing and flustered face!

...But it was honestly kind of exciting...doing all those things while the danger of being caught looms over us.

Ehehehehehehe... Kyaaahhh~~~~! It was straight out of a lewd doujin~...! Ehehehehehe~!

I feel so silly, squirming and giggling at my own thoughts in front of the mirror here in the changing room. If he were still here in Japan and not WAY over there, literally on the other side of the planet, maybe we could have done something similar again right here, ehehehehe~~...

Ah, we might really get in serious trouble if that happens...

I look at the dresses that I tried out, feeling a bit lacking since I always have Yui or Yumiko with me to tell me how I look. It's always good to ask for another opinion when it comes to things like these, whoever you're asking might even have a more astute eye or better suggestion than what you picked out. I sigh and hang the ones that I picked out right in front, taking each and comparing them in the mirror before me.

"Hmm... I love the scarlet tone of this dress, but I also like the purple and bright green ones..." I whisper to myself while deeply contemplating my choices. All of them end right above my ankles, they are all sleeveless save for the purple one which has a floral semi-transparent sleeve that's a part of the dress. They only showed a modest part of my chest, and I already know which necklace to wear from the ones I already have at home. Same with my heels, they're still in great condition since I put them in their box right inside my closet. I've only worn them once or twice anyway, it's a complete waste of money to buy another pair. All that's left is for me to choose.

Just as I'm about to make my final verdict, my phone rings, startling and causing me to drop the dresses on the floor. I hastily pick them up before rummaging through my bag to get them. A small smile graces my lips when I see who it is that called me.

I clear my voice and check my own reflection before answering his call.

"Halo Halo, Hachi-kun~!"

"Ugh, what's with the tone? You're creeping me out, woman..."

I stomp my bare feet on the floor and pout. "H-Hey?! What gives?! You haven't even sent me so much as a message in a week and that's the first thing you tell me?!"

"I don't have that kind of obligation to you." He says with his voice dripping with sarcasm. I can literally feel the shit-eating grin he has on his face right now.

Tch! T-This bastard...! Toying at me like this! He knew exactly what I was going to say when I picked up the phone!

"Ack!" I cry out dramatically, wobbling from side to side before sitting down on the small chair where my bag also is. "Uwaah, that was a cruel strike Hachi-kun... You're gonna make me cry. Huhuhuhuhuhu..." I weep crocodile tears as I hear a small chuckle coming from the other end of the phone.

"Ahahaha, I'm just messing with you Hina." Hachi-kun laughs a bit. When I heard it, I realized just how much I've missed him ever since he went away. I couldn't help but giggle and go along with him too.

I won't say that I've been thinking about him every day, I'll just come off as a clingy girl to him. And he's not exactly my boyfriend (yet~!) either. But I also can't say that I don't do it from time to time, especially when I'm browsing through my phone's gallery and see a few photos that I have of him. It's a mix of him looking directly at the camera with various expressions on and photos that I secretly took with him as my subject. Almost all of them were taken when we're with Hayato and the others or with our secret clique with Sai-chan and Yoshi-kun. There's several when it's just the two of us, but I especially like the ones that we were on our "Sorties", as I'd like to call them. It's basically just the two of us just hanging out on the weekends when Sai-chan and Yoshi-kun are preoccupied with their own stuff; Sai-chan with his Tennis practice; and Yoshi-kun when he's busy with his games, writing his manuscripts or busy honing his skills in his road to become a mangaka. Seriously he's doing so much stuff at the same time, he should pick one and be done with it!

When it's just Hachi-kun and me, it's not really a "Date" since there are no romantic feelings in the air. At least, as far as we're aware... We don't exactly know when we started fooling around and jokingly pretending to be a couple, it just happened I guess.

*ahem

A-Anyway, back to the photos about him~! Hachi-kun isn't the most photogenic person, I don't push my luck since he might get uncomfortable. He seems to have a slight dislike to having his photos taken, but he just puts up with it for our sake. Still, he really does look nice when he puts his heart into it!

"Hehehehehe~. I know you are." I smile while absentmindedly swaying my feet while looking at my reflection. "Wait, what time is it over there anyway? Isn't it like...early in the morning or something?"

Hachi-kun yawns. "Yeah, roughly 3 am."

"Oi, get back to sleep."

"I can't. I accidentally took a nap yesterday which lasted for a few hours and it messed up my sleeping schedule. If I force myself to sleep right now, I'll only get a headache."

"Ooooohhh, I see. What're you doing right now?"

"Calling you obviously."

I shake my head and sigh in exasperation. "Haha very funny. You're a funny guy Hachiman."

"Hey, I mean it! I forgot the password of my dummy account, that's why I can't receive any messages from you guys! I only have my Father, Mothe and Sister's numbers saved in my new phone!"

"Are you serious? Or are you just making up excuses so you won't be bothered by us..." I narrow my eyes and smirk half-joking and half-serious.

I hear him sigh and then groan at my words. "Oi, that kinda hurts you know..."

"Hehehehehe~! Just a little payback~!" I giggle and then stop when I realize something, "Wait, how come you remembered my number then?

"I have a backup email address that's linked to my dummy one. Although I can't access it, I can at least see the call logs to some extent. I realized it just now after spacing out and then it suddenly came back to me."

I whistle, very much impressed at his resourcefulness and his habit of thinking ahead of time. "Wow, I didn't know that you can do that... What are you, a hacker?"

"It's literally written in the terms and conditions and at the FAQ portion of the service provider's official webpage. Anyway, enough of that technical stuff. What are you doing right now?"

"Right now? Oh, I'm-"

I look at the dresses hanging on the wall.

I look at my own self at the changing room wearing nothing but my underwear.

An imaginary lightbulb appears right above my head and lights up with the brightness of a thousand suns.

I can't help but grin and start giggling at what I'm about to suggest.

"Hehehehehe~... Hey, Hachi-kun~..."

"Hmm? What is it Hina?"

The anticipation is killing me, and I lightly bite my lower lip while trying to restrain my laughter.

"Would you mind helping me pick out a... dress ?"

THIRD-PERSON POV

A group of high school girls walking in a mall is a very common sight in this day and age. Especially during after school hours and the weekends where many of them have free time if they are not studying or do not have any official duties to attend to at school. Window Shopping, eating together and going to the theatres to see the latest movies are just one of the few things that they partake in. Some spend the allowance that they have been saving for such an occasion. Others use the money that they worked for in part-time jobs that they are employed in stores and establishments that are willing to accept them. Many of them use the money for their personal use and buy things that they desire. Of course, there are others of their like on the less fortunate and struggling parts of society who spend it on more noble reasons such as tuition for themselves or other family members, rent and other important expenses.

Still, they are here to enjoy themselves since it is only the second time that they have met each other like this. The first was during their Summer Camp not more than seven days ago at the forested part of Chiba. A place where many other sites exist and are frequented by those who are tired and drained by the busy highly urbanized city lifestyle that seeks to escape to nature as a form of therapy and relaxation. Their first meeting initially started well, and then suddenly turned awkward then sour in a single afternoon. Though it ended more or less on shaky spirits, they all agreed to meet again and spend time with each other, however awkward and out of place, their meetup would seem.

The girls walked in twos and threes and had a sixth member: Tsurumi Rumi is with them, her small delicate left hand being held by none other than Ebina Hina. The person that she spent the most time with at the Summer Camp aside from Hikigaya Hachiman. To the child's delight and excitement, the older girl had extended an invitation to her to spend time with them. At first, she was hesitant to accept upon knowing that a certain boy would not be with them. The said boy also happened to occupy her thoughts for the past few days after their Summer Camp, and she would shyly message him once in a while about random things just so she could talk to him. But after realizing that this is her chance to maybe gain new friends, she accepted the invitation which brings us to her current events.

Tsurumi Rumi looks to her right; Ebina Hina is holding her hand and to her left is the silvery-blue haired girl who is very nice to her. In front of them and starting to the left was the black-haired girl who has been very quiet so far. The peach head was currently talking with the blonde one. Back at the Summer Camp, she noticed that Hachiman was quite fond of the two of them. The boy would love to tease Yui, while goading and taunting the blonde with sarcasm and witty jokes. Tsurumi Rumi thought that Kawasaki Saki and Miura Yumiko were scary because of their eyes, but they were in fact very nice and sweet girls under their exterior. It reminds her of a certain someone as she starts to think more deeply about the matter.

"Just like Hachiman." The little girl says in her mind, smiling at the thought as a small blush dusts her cheeks. She quickly looks down just as the girl beside her turns to her. "Good thing Mama gave me this hat. Hina-nee would definitely tease me if she found out." She sighs with relief in her mind.

Ebina Hina thought it was cute and was very glad that the girl accepted her invitation to join them today. Their first order of business as a group was to find a nice place to eat since it is still quite early, exactly 10:00 am in fact. And after that, the group would maybe watch a movie together or shop for some clothes, whatever they thought worthy to invest their limited time in.

"Where do you want to go after eating, SakiSaki?" She asks the silvery-blue haired teen to her left.

The girl in question shrugs, eyes forward while occasionally glancing at the shops around them, "I don't know. I'll go along with what you guys have in mind. I'm not used to these kinds of things." she says in all honesty. She would have rather gone to work, or at least brought Komachi along with her. But the younger Hikigaya was helping at her Mother's cafe and could not go with them. Just like Tsurumi Rumi, she accepted the invitation as a chance to get to know the girls who are friends with Hachiman. As a loner, he is her only true friend within and outside of school. He was just like her once, lonesome and always preserving his quiet solitude. But as the months went on, and they turned into Second Years, she noticed that there were a few who gravitated towards him. Most of them of the opposite sex, to her slight annoyance. They did not immediately gain his friendship and trust, just like herself, but the thought was there. Presently, he has some people who he deemed worthy of his friendship. Kawasaki Saki knows this of course since she is one of them. From his words alone, he named her as the second friend that he made at school right after his beloved Senpai and older sister figure, Shiromeguri Meguri. Knowing that silly and sweet title he gave her, she cannot help but smile whenever the thought crosses her mind.

Even so, she feels rather disappointed, and a bit betrayed. When his younger sister Komachi and her Mother Hitomi told them that he went overseas with his Father. To say that she was shocked is an understatement, more so when she saw the expressions of the two Hikigayas upon admitting that he did not inform her of his departure. In her mind, she always thought that she was the closest one to him aside from the Senpai that he adores and looks up to so much. It made the slight pain in her chest all the more prominent. Before she left her household this morning, she promised to rid herself of such thoughts that might sour and dampen her mood. So far, she is enjoying having small talk with Ebina Hina and also the little girl. She has no problems talking with Yuigahama Yui, they have exchanged some words before. Extroverted people like her know how to read the mood and what proper things to say. And while they did not talk as much during the Summer Camp, she remains in amicable relations with her.

Miura Yumiko and Yukinoshita Yukino on the other hand, were a different story.

She won't forget how the blonde hit Hachiman, leaving his lips bleeding and dripping with blood and swollen. It was a spur of the moment due to how heated the argument was going between her and the black-haired girl. Anyone can see that Miura Yumiko is a passionate and fiery girl, perhaps too fiery when you fan her embers until the flames rise and swallow you. It was the emotional stress that caused her to lash out unknowingly, something that she apologised profusely with tears in her eyes.

The girl did not mean it, and Kawasaki Saki knows this very well. She won't put it against the blonde since she genuinely regretted her actions. Hachiman himself said that he bears her no ill will whatsoever. So with that in mind, hating and inflicting some sort of payback on the blond serve no purpose.

Now as for Yukinoshita Yukino...

Kawasaki Saki was shocked upon hearing that her friend Hachiman had been suffering verbal abuse from the girl. He never made any mention of it. If there was any clue about it, the only thing that comes to mind is that he never calls her by her name, only the " Ice Queen". She thought that it was just a playful and harmless nickname and did not dwell on it as much. An inside joke between him and his Club President of sorts. She never imagined that the truth was actually much worse. It was simply beyond her thoughts, that someone as prim and proper on the outside, well-known, idolized and praised by many of their teachers and fellow students for her beauty and exceptional intelligence, would do something so heartless and cold. Completely unprovoked and without just reason. And the fact that Hachiman had been all but silent on it, enduring it all and not showing any reaction to it only infuriated her even more. He chose to become passive on her verbal provocations, doing very little to defend himself.

In a sense, Hachiman was right. Yukinoshita Yukino is truly an Ice Queen, in every sense of the word.

The Ice Queen has been very quiet so far and only spoke very little ever since the group came together. She was the first one to arrive on their rendezvous, followed by Yui and Yumiko, and then Saki accompanied by Hina and Rumi. She was surprised to see the little girl and greeted her good morning. Still very shy, she chose to stick with Yui, while Hina and Saki who were walking right behind them. Just like everyone else in the group, she was very much surprised when she was told that the boy she was very much hoping to meet was in fact thousands of kilometres away. She deduced that Yui and Hina were entrusted by him with the information since they were the ones who explained it to the rest of them after they sat down to catch up and to plan their day. Though still a hastily made assumption, something that has little to no basis, she felt envious of the two and their closeness to the boy. Once again, she cursed whatever the circumstances that separated them into other classes. It was enough to make someone like her grasp at the handle of her bag more tightly at the thought. To her right, Yui and Yumiko were busy talking about which places to go first, something that she paid very little mind to. Now that her reason for being here in the first place is missing, she is merely going along with them out of courtesy and proper social norms.

And also to scout out her possible rivals for his affections of course. She cannot let an opportunity like his slip through her fingers, not with all of the girls that he is on friendly terms with in the same place.

"Hmm, his beloved Shiromeguri-senpai is missing as well as that clingy Kouhai that he has an obvious soft spot for. Tsurumi is too young to be considered a threat, even with the fact that she stole his first kiss, followed by two more kisses. And thank goodness Nee-san is not here. No doubt she would hoard all of his attention for herself if she and he were here." She sighs out with relief while musing to herself in her mind.

"Yui, I need to check out that boutique. They have some nice clothes on display." Miura Yumiko says, sounding bossy and even a bit commanding to the ears of the others. But to Hina and Yui, this is just her normal tone which can come off as too strong to those who are not used to her. She walks with confidence but not the way Yukinoshita Yukino, nor Hikigaya Hachiman carry themselves. Hers was much more on the feminine confidence type, the striking kind that bolsters its effect because of her beauty, stride and commanding presence, not to mention her sense of fashion and style. It comes to no surprise that even with five other girls who are no less beautiful in their own way, Miura Yumiko is immediately the first one that the eyes of onlookers are automatically drawn to. Miura Yumiko knows this very well and takes full advantage of it without looking too much of a bigoted Queen Bee in her class. It takes special skills to achieve that kind of status and fame that she possesses. She has this kind of aura around her, something that Hikigaya Hachiman is undeniably affected by, no matter how stoic and calm he looks on the surface. He is completely open about it, and even jokes and teases the blonde to her slight embarrassment.

If Hikigaya Hachiman named Yukinoshita Yukino as the "Ice Queen of Sobu", then it only is fitting for another to bear a similar title but the opposite element. Miura Yumiko, the "Fire Queen of Sobu", sounds rather lovely and oddly perfect for someone like her, Hachiman often thinks to himself with amusement.

"Oh, I was just about to say that too!" Yuigahama Yui says with a laugh and then turns to the others. "Hey guys, why don't we check that place out? We still have a lot of time to spare."

She was given words of affirmation by the rest of the girls, except for Yukino who merely gave her a nod. The group then goes to their intended destination together, being led by Yui and Yumiko. It was your average boutique, the kind that almost feels identical with the other similar establishments that are housed by the mall itself. The girls went off in twos and threes and occasionally went off on their own when something catches their eyes. Rumi never left Hina and Saki, switching between both of them when one of them goes to the changing room and then goes back to ask what the other two think of their outfit. The store does not offer apparel in her size, but she still enjoys spending time like this with her companions. Things would have ended quite differently if she had not met these nice people. Especially if she had not borne witness to the evening conversation between Hina and Hachiman beside the steam that night, the very meeting that started everything. It was at that moment that her outlook on life changed. They gave her hope, that perhaps she does not need to be alone, she can rely on others as well as trust and make friends with them. Hachiman himself taught her that forming bonds with people, especially at her current age, is important to the social development of a person.

The little girl decides to excuse herself, and then goes to Yui and Yumiko who are trying out different shoes. She is greeted warmly by the two and sits beside Yui while the blonde looks for something nice.

Yui turns to her, softly patting her head. "Rumi-chan, are you having fun with us? Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No, I'm fine. It's kind of fun doing something like this, I mean. This is actually the first time...that I've gone out with people." She says quietly while fiddling with her shirt. Hearing her small voice, and the tone that it carried pulled at the heartstrings of the older girl. Yui could not resist pulling Rumi closer to her chest in a tight hug. "This must be the feeling to protect and care for children that Hikki always says..."

"Don't worry Rumi-chan, we're here for you! We can hang out as much as you want, just say the word!"

The little girl blushes profusely at the contact, more so since her face is buried in the older girl's much larger chest. Tsurumi Rumi has no siblings and this kind of skinship is unlikely to be reciprocated by her Mother. So it would not come off as a surprise to say that she feels awkward and unsure of what to do in her current predicament. Unable to utter say nor do anything, she endures it all until the older girl loosens her hug until finally releasing her.

"Y-Yui-nee is a dangerous girl... I have to escape before she hugs me again! I think I won't survive the next time that she does it to me...!" Tsurumi Rumi says in her mind. Her thoughts are very much silly and exaggerated, as what you would expect from a child. Yuigahama Yui looks down on the girl and smiles, patting her head and playfully pulling on her cheeks.

"Hehehehe. Rumi-chan you're so cute! I wish a had a little sister like you!"

Alarms ring within the mind of the smaller girl, anticipating another incoming hug and imminent danger from Yuigahama Yui's chest. Her eyes dart to and fro, looking for something to use as an excuse to get away as soon as possible. She spots a girl with long black hair in the corner, standing by herself and inspecting a dark blue scarf. It was Yukinoshita Yukino, who has been by herself all this time. Seeing the opportunity, she raises her hand and points in her direction.

Yuigahama Yui blinks several times and then turns to what she is pointing at. "Ah, Yukinon. She's told me that she prefers to be left alone today, I can't really force her if she says no..." She says with a hint of sadness at seeing her friend in her lonesome, something that Tsurumi Rumi barely heard because of her immediate desire to get away from her.

"Yukinoshita-san huh, I'll go to her. She looks a little lonely." Without waiting for a reply, Tsurumi Rumi stands up and quickly makes her way towards the raven-haired girl, leaving Yuigahama Yui confused and a little bothered at how quickly she fled.

"Oh, was it something I said...?"

Hello everyone! Ivanov117 here! Do you know what day it is?

It's the 4th anniversary of this Fanfic! Wohoo!

Damn, I can't believe that it's already been that long! I never would have thought that this all started with those "What If?" scenarios, but then again most Fanfics usually start with that question huh. Hmm, now what I just said really sounds redundant... As you may already know, I was inspired after watching "Masamune-kun's Revenge!", so you might see some slight similarities between the Protagonist of that story and Hachiman. I made sure not to make it a copy-paste and to clearly differentiate between the two of them. But hey I literally forgot the more refined plotlines of that show like maybe two or three years ago but that was the plan anyway.

I'm not going to lie, the first few chapters of this FanFic are SHITTE! ABSOLUTE SHITTE! UTTER SHITTE! I cringe at myself for writing so horribly!

The pacing, the awkward and unnecessary dialogue, the inconsistent monologues, the paragraphs that are just WAY too much, the grammatical errors and tiny typos..!

I literally CANNOT comprehend how you lot managed to read past that and continue! If you wiped my memories of me writing this and presented it to me, I would have dropped this story at chapter 3!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

*dies from cringe*

I wonder if other authors cringe at their early works because I definitely do...

Jokes aside, thank you all for being with me and helping me grow and improve my writing skills as an Author! I sincerely believe that all of your criticisms have assisted me in reaching this far! I don't mind reading negative reviews tho, it gives me an idea of how your mind works and your point of view as a reader alone.

Also, I'm just realizing that writing more than 20k words is physically and mentally exhausting. I can feel the strain it does more readily as time goes on. So from this point on, I think I will go back to my usual standard of around 8k-10k words per chapter, just enough for it not to feel too short with whatever is going on with each one. You may have noticed that the last part is in a Third Person POV. It's my first time writing one so I'm a bit nervous about how it went out. I've always been used to reading and writing in First Person since YOU ARE the character, and the method itself feels more intimate and relatable.

A random idea suddenly came up in my head the other day. Now now, I know what you're gonna say:

"B-But Ivanov! You still haven't updated, nor changed the title of the harem ending with the long-ass title! And we want more Komachi lewds and smuts! Sister Incest Route for Komachi please! Lolicon Route for Rumi-chan please! Yaoi route for Hachi x Haya please! MILF Incest Route for HachiMama please!"

THE ONLY LEWDS YOU LOT ARE GETTING ARE FULL UNCENSORED PUBLIC VANILLA CONSENSUAL LOVING HANDHOLDING!

All in due time, my friends. Also, stop being horny. The incest lovers have already invaded my other Fic with my OC. At this rate, Sumiya Yuuko is gonna end up as a secondary character!

Anyway, back to what I was saying. Hear me out: Elements from I Am Legend, Dying Light, World War Z and The Walking Dead, fused into one clusterfuck of a FanFic with Hachiman as its protagonist, struggling to survive in what remains of a devastated Chiba with Kamakura as his animal companion. Sounds crazy? This one sounds sane if you put it next to my Isekai fic! XD

So, yeah. I think that's all for today. Here's to me having enough willpower to continue writing, for the flame that burns within me to never run out! Once again, thank you all for staying and reading my FanFic! I hope you all have a wonderful day ahead!

May the souls of those who passed away from COVID-19 rest in peace.

59

(Events in this part of the story happen between chapters 27-28)

"Hachiman."

I look up from my phone and then loosen up the tight suit around my neck that's choking my neck like a boa constrictor. "Hmm?"

My Father takes a sip from his glass of water before motioning to the other table to where his Dutch associates were seated. The opening of the program was already finished around an hour ago. He was the one who hosted it at the stage and presented all the recent achievements of his firm as well as his plans. The venue is big, there are around three hundred people here. I know since I was the one of the several who was stationed at the entrance to welcome them. It's not the first time that I've been to events like these, so I know my way around as well as how to act and what to say. Naturally, people would be curious of my Father's wife and children to see his side as a Father and not as a company president of Hikigaya Logistics and Accounting Services Corporation. It is one thing to know the person you work for, to see them at work and being a respectable professional and it's another to see him drop the act in the presence of his family.

I do get some attention being his firstborn son but not to the point where it becomes a hassle to deal with. The occasional bow when I pass by some guests, the small smiles that I send their way and keeping up with the casual conversation are the things that I usually do. I have to act and look the part as well: I have to carefully ponder on my words before speaking, I have to check my appearance in the mirror, I have to be consistent with my posture without making it look too obvious that I'm tired, I have to always remind myself that staring too hard into someone's eyes will make them uncomfortable and make me come off as rude. It's not as different when I keep up my mentally exhausting facade at school, to a certain extent. At least the people that I call friends at school already know how I act normally so I don't hide much from them.

It's one of the few things that I learned from Haruno, my so-called "Onee-san".

When I'm within the confines of the StuCo room, I can finally relax and place my head on Shiromeguri-senpai's soft chest.

Metaphorically speaking of course. But I can't deny that being in her presence has a calming and "recharging" effect on me. This is very similar to the nice feeling when Komachi and my Mother hug or kiss me.

"You should go to them."

"Why?"

"Be friends with them, they've been looking at our direction for some time now. Look," I roll my eyes and turn my head, discreetly seeing what they're doing. "I bet they're still surprised that the boy who helped them at that camping site is the son of the man who's also the reason why they're here in the first place. I invited their Fathers here and told them to bring them along if they wanted to."

He's right. Lukas and Maria, I think those were their names, as well as Tess and Lars, were all talking with each other. Whatever they were talking about made them hesitant and jumpy.

My beautiful mother, dressed in her pure white Kimono with sakura petal designs, calls my Father's attention after putting her glass of water down. My Mother, Hikigaya Hitomi, is seated to my right here at our circular table and Komachi is between her and my Father. She only wore very little makeup, which she has always done for as long as I can remember. I rarely see my dear Mother dress up since she is very casual with her clothes, even when managing her businesses she only opts to wear jeans and a simple shirt.

Looking at her like this is rather refreshing and bit amusing.

"Dear, please don't force Haa-chan. He's already exhausted at standing around at the entrance and greeting the guests." My Father rolls his eyes and my Mother puts her hand on my arm. "Do your legs and feet still hurt Haa-chan?"

I instinctively reach down and rub my heels which are still a bit sore. "A bit."

I take a large chunk of chicken cordon bleu with a chopstick while putting my other hand under it just in case it might fall and ruin my suit. My Father chides me for it since I had to open my mouth as wide as possible making me look like a snake dislocating my jaw to swallow my prey whole. My dear Mother on the other hand merely giggles at the sight and tells him off for such a trivial thing before pouring a glass of water for me. Everyone else at their tables is busy eating, I doubt they saw me since my back is to them.

In hindsight, I would have done it anyway for appearance's sake even if I had to go against the wishes of my Mother. It would portray a bad image if I acted like a rebellious and disobedient son. Komachi is out of the question since she'd most likely complain and ask to switch with me as well and I would give in when she gives me a teary-eyed expression.

*Sigh

It's hard when you're a hardcore siscon. Being a siscon is a full-time job that requires my attention twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

"Why did you even make him do that anyway?" She asks and turns to my Father. "You easily could have made any of your people do it instead of him..."

"He needs to experience this sort of thing now and then, he needs to get accustomed to it quickly."

My Mother sighs and lets go of the matter. It is quite clear that she disagreed with his decision but couldn't say anything earlier since I was okay with it.

A waiter comes to our table and offers us dessert, my parents politely decline but I give my share to Komachi who was still busy stuffing her mouth with food as discreetly as possible. I would have chastised her if she didn't look so goofy doing it. After a few minutes of small talk with them, I decide that it's time to get up and follow my Father's request. The live band that my Father hired was playing songs from the early 90's and '80s, songs that would undoubtedly invoke feelings of joyful nostalgia from memories in the past. Some of the Firm's employees were at the corner dancing to the sound of the music while their spouses looked on with amusement. A few guests would turn their heads to me when I get closer to their table, and I would give them a polite nod and bow. I grin to myself in satisfaction when I see pleased expressions on their faces.

The guests from The Netherlands were on the other side of the large hall where they mostly kept to themselves. They only occupied three tables with seven people each which are quite small when compared to the rest of the people here. However, the ones that I got acquainted with had their table to themselves. From how I see it, they seem to be talking amongst themselves while frequently glancing at their phones. They were dressed quite nicely too, the two girls, in particular, were very pretty and elegant in their dresses. Though I have to say that they stand out a bit because they're fully exposing their shoulders and some of their chest... I'm surprised that these girls' Fathers allow them to wear dresses like that.

They dress differently huh... I can't say that I see that every day here in Chiba, or even in Tokyo for that matter.

I bet girls blessed by genetics like Yuigahama and Kawasaki would look beautiful in a dress like that. The Ice Queen on the other hand...not so much.

Lars was the first to notice and raises his hand to call out to me, which was followed by the other four.

"Oh! Good Evening Hikigaya-sa" He exclaims with a wide smile before he gets elbowed by Maria and Lukas who were at his sides. The two start berating and hotly whispering something in Dutch at his ears. The girl with the boyish hairstyle, Tess, smiles awkwardly and gives me a much-exaggerated bow. I ignore their strange behaviour.

"Sorry about that," She says in English with a heavy Dutch accent. "He forgot about your customs and all that, ahahaha..." She bows again while scratching her head, this time lower than the last.

Oh God, she should stop bowing like that! Fuck! I'm cringing at how exaggerated and unnecessary her bows are! Aside from that, she's so nervous and jumpy that she's forgetting to cover her chest when she bows!

I grimace with slight confusion from how strangely they were acting. "Um... I don't exactly see anything wrong with what he said..."

Before I could say anything else, Lukas and Maria put their hands behind Lars' head and forces him to bow.

"We are TERRIBLY sorry about our friend, Hikigaya-sama... We'll be more careful next time..."

"Yes, we promise not to make any blunders like this in the future..." The pair say at the same time and bows as well.

Wait... Did they...

Did they address me as "–sama?"

I quickly wave my hands in front of me and shake my head. "No please don't call me that. Just call me 'Hachiman' in English... It's fine so don't worry about it." I say in a heavily accented voice. The four of them look taken aback and confused. They turn to each other and speak in hushed voices in their native language before shortly facing me again.

"Oh no please let us call you that! Isn't it how you address someone who has a higher social status than you?" They ask me with honest bafflement, they sincerely believe that they're right.

Then by that logic, I should address my parents, teachers and Boss Tatsumi as "-sama"...

I stop myself from sighing and see things from their perspective. Being foreigners, they have mixed up the proper use of honorifics and used them incorrectly. An honest and common mistake. Nothing to get too worked up about.

I pull a seat beside Tess after asking them if I can sit with them for a while. They appear to be done eating, and from the small leftovers on their plates, most of what they ate was Japanese food. "No, that's not how it works. Although if you're being super formal and I explicitly told you so, then it would be acceptable. I'm not from a Noble family, nor is that thing practised in our household." I say and explain to them slowly while thinking if I used the right words properly. They slowly nod with expressions of confusion still on their faces.

"It's not like in those shows where the use of such things are oftentimes dramatized and greatly exaggerated to a certain degree. There is still a hierarchy of sorts but you don't have to go that far. We're not living in the 1500s or something like that. The English equivalent of your speech is talking to me in Shakespearian or something like that. Or maybe even in Old English style. And again, I'm not a Nobility. So...please just address me by my first name." I say slowly with difficulty, even I'm not a master in speaking this foreign language.

Once I was done, the four of them turn pink with embarrassment, the one having the most intense shade was Tess who was cringing so hard and turning to the side while covering her face with both of her hands.

"Oh mijn God! Ik heb het verpeeeeeeest! Het is zo gênant! Het is zo gênant! Aaaaahhh!" A muffled shriek escapes from her hands while her other friends are in a similar state.

"Verdomme, ik wist het!"

"We hadden die gids moeten volgen die we op internet lazen...!"

"Ik wist dat er iets vreemds was als mensen ons raar aankeken."

They all start speaking in a language that I can't understand, though I do recognize some similarities with English. It sounds a bit aggressive when compared to it, and especially so against the more soft-spoken Japanese. Tess stomps her feet on the floor and appears to be the most embarrassed of all of them. I think she might be the one who convinced the other about it. The way that she's stomping her feet is similar to when my Mother gets giddy or laughs too much and also starts hitting the closest thing to her. The only difference is that she's suffering from shame and embarrassment.

Once everyone had calmed down, we start talking to each other normally. Though I can see that they still feel uncomfortable addressing me by my first name. They must know how much of a big deal it is here in Japan and it is not to be taken lightly. It's a bit amusing since we all had phones in our hands to look up a proper word to use. English isn't our first language after all.

A waiter walks by carrying glasses of dark red liquid, and Lukas asks for each one of us. I accept it graciously and tilt my head with slight confusion when they all put their glasses together and do a "kanpai", one that I reluctantly joined in. I realize that this is, in fact, red wine when I get a small whiff from it. They all take small sips from it and make comments in Dutch.

Tess notices that I didn't touch my glass. "Hiki- Sorry. Hachiman, you're not drinking?" She grins and lightly elbows my arm. "Come on it tastes great! This will pair nicely with some steak!" Maria whispers something hotly at her but got ignored.

I shake my head with an awkward smile. "N-No, I'm still underage."

I see Maria's eyes widen and she pinches her friend's side, causing a yelp of surprise. She starts berating her in Dutch, even though I don't understand what they're saying, I get the gist of their conversation just from the tone in her voice.

Lukas who is to my left turns to me. "Really? What is the minimum age here?"

"Twenty."

He blinks several times from my reply, processing them as the gears and cogs in his head clank and spin. "Huh? We passed by lots of outdoor food stalls and people still in work clothes were the main customers. All of them were drinking too, we even sat next to a drunk woman being assisted by her friend at the train... So with that, we thought that the minimum age is around eighteen or seventeen and didn't bother to look it up."

Ah yes, this is quite understandable. With how much of it is seen in pop culture and media, I don't blame them for thinking of it that way.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a problem here, not a big one but it's still mostly ignored by much of the populace," I say as they start to get interested in the topic. "Because of social customs related to work, you need to go drink with your colleagues after work if they invite you. Especially when you're still new at the workplace. It might sound harmless, but over time health problems will arise. My Father is aware of this and always tells his employees not to consume it too much. You know how it starts, it gradually becomes a habit and then you can't feel like you can live without it."

"Oooh, is that so? I had my first beer when I was sixteen." Tess says nonchalantly, but to say I was surprised is an understatement. I don't think anyone at school has ever tasted it.

"Really?" I ask and the others start stating theirs.

"Hmm, I think I was seventeen when I had my first taste of alcohol..." Lars says while looking up and a hand under his chin.

"I'm not so sure about mine. Hey, wasn't it Aunt Hilde who gave me my first when I was seventeen?" Lukas asks his sister for affirmation.

"Yeah, I got mine from her as well. It was during cousin Georgi's birthday I think." Maria clears her throat and turns to me. "So how old are you right now?"

"I'm seventeen turning eighteen this 8th of August..."

The four make sounds of surprise and say things like I'm younger than I look despite my serious demeanour and personality. I just laugh their words off as I am quite unsure what to do or say. The topic of the conversation gradually goes back to what we were talking about earlier. They talked about the places they wanted to visit, the food that they wanted to eat and other aspects of Japanese culture that Foreigners usually do when they come here. It's a strange feeling, talking with these people who look different from me and from a faraway land enthusiastically hyped up about things that are commonplace here. But then again, that's the reason why they're here in the first place. I'm sure that I'd do the same if I were in their shoes in a place I've always wanted to go to, a place where I can only read and watch about from the convenience of my phone. Though if I am being completely honest, I cannot say which country I am particularly eager to visit. I have never been interested in it in the first place.

While we are having our conversations, I suddenly realize something. They've had their third glass of wine and yet they still look relatively the same. On the few instances that I've seen my parents drink, they usually go bright pink after half an hour. More so my Father, the one that I got my unnaturally pale complexion comes from. I curiously look at the glass of wine on my table and carefully take it. This small yet graceful act is the result of constant practice, as well as walking, table manners, proper posture and body language.

The wine smells sour, yet sweet at the same time. I mix around the red liquid until a small vortex inside it forms. I didn't come unnoticed by my other four companions who started grinning when they caught me in the act.

"It smells...weird. Like a medicine..." They laugh heartily and tell me that it's supposed to smell that way. I take a peek at my parent's table to see my Father missing, probably somewhere talking to an associate or something. My Mother on the other hand seems to be talking to a pretty woman with jet black hair who also wore a white Kimono like herself. It was Rika Kushino-san, a longtime friend of my Father and the current head of an Elementary School here in Chiba. I haven't seen her in a while, perhaps a year or two I believe. I'll have to remember to go and say hello later.

Today is a special occasion... The first ship from a fleet of cargo ships underway has successfully arrived in Japan after several weeks of voyage. I'm sure more are underway since my Father's ambitions are to expand outward beyond the borders of Chiba. It's also named after me, something that invokes a feeling of embarrassment and pride whenever I think about it.

So... I'm sure a small sip wouldn't hurt.

I raise the glass to my lips intending to take just enough for me to get an idea from it. It tasted strange, I tasted grapes and some sort of spiciness to it, I'm not even sure if I'm making any sense. It was also a bit bitter once the flavour settled, and a slight cold burning sensation was felt from my throat as it went down through my oesophagus. I put the glass down and made a face at the wine, my lips a thin straight line.

"Well, that was gross," I say as Tess and the others start laughing before I join them in their mirth. Some guests at the other tables turn to us with amused looks on their faces, they seem to be pleased that I'm getting along with these Foreigners and enjoying my time with them. Maria and Lukas reassure me that it's supposed to taste this way, which was repeated by the other two.

I take another sip from it and grimace as a result. I finish my cup of tea which had grown cold in one go, eager to wash the aftertaste of alcohol away. "It tastes gross... How could anyone like this stuff?"

Lars laughs when he sees the expression on my face. "It's not about the taste... It's about the experience and the celebration or occasion behind it. Where we're from, we don't have it as much as you think. Unlike the French and Italians for that matter. We only have it on birthdays, New Year, Christmas as stuff like that."

I lightly bite the insides of my cheeks as I ponder his words. "Well, if you take it that way..."

"Yeah what he said!" Tess exclaims enthusiastically. "It makes the celebration truly a Golden Experience!"

Heh... Golden Experience... I wonder if there's an arrow nearby so I can stab myself and turn it into Golden Experience Requiem. Maybe she's deliberately referencing it or it's just pure coincidence. The others don't seem to get the reference.

We talk for what felt like hours as I learned more and more about these people. Since I'm not the most chatty person anyway, it got to the point where my jaw started to hurt from all the talking. Yet I still added a word or two when I prefer to listen to what they're saying. It's also hard for them since English isn't their first language so they add Dutch words to fill in the gap. Despite the language differences, we talk and joke around as if we've known each other our whole lives. I was even taken aback when I suddenly realize that I was smiling more than usual, which is a very big deal.

Strangely, I feel rather relaxed around them instead of being guarded as I initially thought I would. Of course, I have to keep up appearances and maintain an image, but acting naturally just comes easily for some reason. It's ironic how I act this way towards them when compared to me being at school.

"Hachiman," Lukas says while putting his arm over his sister's shoulders, both of them grinning. These two look alike when they smile together like this. "If you ever have plans on going to Amsterdam, don't hesitate to call us! We'll show you around!"

"Yeah! We'd love to have you with us!" His sister says which was followed by Lars and Tess.

"I can show you around the museums and the countryside. But you'll...have to book at a hotel since my apartment is a bit small ahahahaha." He then takes his phone out and shows me the region in the Netherlands where he lives. Of course, I had no idea about the geography of that faraway country so I just nodded and hummed in acknowledgement. It's near the sea from what I see, at least that's what I think.

While Lars was telling me interesting places to visit, Tess says something to Maria and Lukas in a low voice. I see much of her bare shoulders and the uncovered part of her upper chest when she leans towards them. Now that I take a good look at her hairstyle, it has a tomboyish feel to it despite it being slightly longer than I thought. Her bangs were at the sides with a hairpin and its ends were curled and tinted with red highlights. If this venue wasn't well lit then I wouldn't see it. I rarely see Japanese girls have that kind of hairstyle so I can't help but glance at it now and then with childish curiosity. I can't hear the tone in their voices nor can I understand their words since they're speaking in Dutch. But whatever she tells them makes the duo jumpy, so much so that Maria must have pinched her since she makes a startled squeak.

"Ah!" She yelps before pouting and rubbing the area where the other girl had pinched her. Lukas adds in, shaking his head with a slight frown but Tess just rolls her eyes and waves him off. "Grapje! Grapje! Oké...misschien als hij ooit naar Amsterdam gaat..." Maria gets triggered again and makes a hissing sound but Tess just laughs and the two have a friendly little bicker just like when Komachi and I fight over the remote.

I get curious and decide to ask Lars what they were talking about. He smiles strangely while sharing a look with Lukas. "Umm... Tess is just talking about some stuff back home..." He clears his throat and puts back his phone on the table. "Well, in any event, if you ever go to Amsterdam one day, we'll gladly show you around."

"Yeah! We'll show you just how cool the Netherlands is that you might even decide to stay there... permanently!"

"I'll prepare a nice itinerary for you!" Tess and Maria say at the same time before they go at each other again. Lukas flashes me an apologetic smile on behalf of the two girls.

I was about to suppress a smile, but I decide not to because I might look too uptight and cold. So, I smile genuinely at them as I feel my cheeks get warm from the attention that I'm being given. "Thank you. I'll be...sure to take you up on your...offer one day."

These people are rather nice... They don't judge my entire character based on my appearance, specifically my eyes. Nor did they make me feel left out and ignored when they talk. They are a lot friendlier than my Elementary and Middle-School classmates back then... Even with the reputation that I built around myself at school.

I know that I might be thinking too optimistically, and this train of thought is something that rarely passes my mind...

But...

Maybe I can be friends with them...

And I'm already learning from them too. I think that using this short exchange can be of use in school. I already trust Shiromeguri-senpai and Hiratsuka-sensei, perhaps I should also start doing my part in actively being social with the people that I have grown acquainted with the past year. Those two always encourage me to make friends. My acquaintances like Yuigahama-san and Kawasaki-san are great examples. I think they're nice people and have always been cordial and friendly with me from the start.

Hmm... I'll have to learn how to speak Dutch. Given the nature of my Father's work, it's inevitable that I'll go there with him one day.

Heh.

Who knows, perhaps I'll even pursue higher education there.

(Present Day)

Amsterdam is very different from Tokyo or Chiba for that matter.

Here you can see their distinct architecture unique to this part of Western Europe. I can see it in how they design their commercial buildings, houses, bridges, churches and the statues in their plaza. Even the way they make their pavement is unique and all other tiny little details can easily be ignored by other people. Unlike back home where the very tall and looming skyscrapers in the heavily urbanized parts can almost feel like a cage, every single one looks the same as the one right next to it. It almost feels depressing to look at sometimes. It's one of the few reasons why I very seldom go to the big cities back at home. Every commercial building looks the same as the one before it.

But if there's one thing I miss, it's the occasional temple up the hill surrounded by Buddhist and Shinto features and the restaurants with big posters outside to attract customers. I might not be the most religious person but I still appreciate the ambience and the peace of mind that being in its presence has. I frequently think about nature more often after the Summer Camp, perhaps I should do something like it again but only by myself. The de Mer family are devout Roman Catholics and originally come from eastern France, hence their French surname. They also do the prayer thing every night and afternoon and hold those beads and crosses. They even invite me to join them, and since the roof over my head and the food that I eat is theirs, it would be rude to decline. I don't mind, I think it's fascinating. You can also consider this as a form of cultural exchange of sorts. I have always been open to the practices and traditions of other cultures, my fascination only grew as I delved deeper into world history.

I've also been teaching Lukas and Maria everyday phrases from my language and their Mother is very much amused by us. I'm also teaching Anton simple phrases like "Yes" and "No". Adrianne doesn't join us and prefers to play with their baby brother or just play outside...she's still very cold to me. She must be wary of strangers huh.

How ironic. The fat and plump little Anton is already comfortable with me carrying him around while his older sister doesn't even acknowledge my existence. Isn't it the other way around? But then again, the little kids and toddlers at the daycare that I used to volunteer for never showed fear or distrust towards me. Perhaps my Onii-chan instincts have levelled up and now have an AOE effect, similar to how when just being near Shiromeguri-senpai has a recharging effect on me.

Maybe I should buy her something nice as a peace offering of sorts. That seemed to work on Komachi when we had minor fights before.

I feel something poke my shoulder, and then a girl's voice calls my attention. "Hachiman, does the food taste strange? You seem out of it?" Tess asks, and my other three companions stop eating and turn to me. The tomboyish brunette leans to the side and eyes the food on my plate suspiciously.

"It does? I did notice something was off but ignored it... Maria what about you?" The tallest of the five of us, Lars, turns to Maria and Lukas who were seated beside each other.

"I dunno, tastes fine to me."

"Same here." The two of them shrug.

I raise my hands to wave their concerns off. "Ah, no it's alright. I just spaced out." I say and point to all manners of boats that pass through the canal between the buildings that were built along with it. "There's quite a lot today, is there something going on?"

"None as far as I'm aware of at least. Anyway, are you sure that the food is fine? We can just send it back if there's something wrong with it." The girls ask again just to make sure and I shake my head in reply.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just that..." I pause momentarily, making sure that my Dutch is right. "It tastes just like how Mrs Cathy makes it at home." The two siblings across me are surprised at the sudden realization.

"Woah you're right! I knew there was something in it."

"We should come back here with Mama, I'm sure she'd be astonished as well."

We continue eating while making some conversation here and there. Today is the third day that the five of us got together and came here to downtown Amsterdam. On the first day we went to the many scenic spots that tourists would frequent; yesterday we biked around the city stopping at parks, bridges and anywhere where there was a nice view. They took me to some churches and cathedrals where I took lots of photos because of the fascinating style of architecture. Today is more of exploring the different delicacies and food that the city has to offer, we decided on some Italian as a light snack, and then we'll eat at whatever restaurant that catches our eye later. We are seated outside the establishment itself with a nice view of the river and a large umbrella over us. I noticed that the patrons inside were drinking wine. I'm not of legal age yet so I can't partake, but it's a different story for the other four.

After we were done and had our fill, we pay for our food and walk around with no destination whatsoever. We can always take out our phones and look up any interesting places to visit but decide not to. There's a nice feeling of doing just this and only going to a place where our eyes can see instead of spoiling ourselves by opening the map application. I never had something like this happen to me, Yui and the others always have a mental checklist of sorts, even Haruno when I went out with her on an unexpected and surprise de facto date with her. My time date Yui doesn't count since I already knew which interesting places to go to so we can enjoy ourselves.

While Lukas was accompanying his sister to the ladies room, I speak with Lars to my left and Tess to my right talking about all sorts of topics with the river before us. They are the children of the higher-ranked employees in the firm that my Father is partners with. Their Fathers are also brothers, which makes them cousins to each other. Mr Federico de Mer, the Father of Maria and Lukas, is the Head Marine Engineer, it was he and his colleagues who drafted and laid out the initial blueprints of my Father's flagship. Now they're making the 2nd one of the fleet, he told me that construction had already begun three months ago and is completely identical to the first one. It's no question that our Fathers are somewhere out there in a conference hall talking about work. I'm really glad that I didn't go with him, I'd just get in the way.

Today is a bit cloudy but isn't enough for me to squint from the harshness of the Sun. I would have loved it if my sunglasses were still with me, but alas, I lost them when I was fooling around at the lady's changing area with Hina at the Summer Camp. I only hope that whoever found it brought it back to their home and treats it with care. Once I go back to Japan, I think I seriously need to get my eyes checked. They get dry too easily and it hurts when I look at bright things. It also doesn't help that I get slightly dizzy when focusing on faraway things. Maybe I should buy a new pair of sunglasses since I'm here anyway. It would be a nice memento of my stay here in The Netherlands.

One of the boats in the river carrying tourists catches my eye. It's not a big boat, it's one of those two-decker open ones with no roof with the tour guide standing at the front row with a microphone and talking about the historical significance of the place. The boat isn't far and is about thirty or so meters away from us. There are many children in it and they wave and smile at onlookers. Maria waved back first which we followed since it looked fun but I dropped my hand and opted to just send them smiles and nods. Many of the people on the boat just stayed in their seats. Once the boat went under the bridge and disappeared from our view, we lingered on for a little while making idle chatter before continuing to walk on the streets of Amsterdam.

"By the way, Hachiman," Lars asks as we continue walking. "How do you like it here in Amsterdam so far?"

"There are a lot fewer trains, that's for sure," I smirk as the three of us share a laugh. "But it's a nice change of pace."

"Oh! Speaking of trains, we got lost back in Tokyo when we were exploring around the station and boarded the wrong train. It took us north and we stopped three cities away!" Tess exclaims and a shadow goes over her eyes at the memory. She starts muttering lowly to herself, "God that was too scary... Thank goodness that the translator app exists... But we still had trouble getting back and loading our train cards with money. I asked a little boy for directions but he ran away when he looked at our faces and saw that we weren't Japanese..."

"All the people that we asked either looked at us strangely or pretended not to hear." Lars says, "I wonder if we approached them too aggressively... We were slightly panicking at that time."

"Yeah, I heard about that from my Father... Did you guys get in trouble when you got back to your hotel?" I ask and her eyes immediately became hollow and dark.

"My Father forbade me from going outside our door after it... He even took away my wallet..."

"I see..." I smile wryly and turn to Lars to my left. The de Mer siblings were in front of us since five of us can't exactly walk side by side. We'd bother the other pedestrians walking on the sidewalk. "What about you?"

The tall Dutchman laughs half-heartedly. "More or less the same. All of us got in trouble because of it, even Lukas and Maria. We had caused quite a stir in the delegation sent to Japan to meet with your Father's firm... Not to mention that we embarrassed our Fathers at such an important business trip. I doubt we can go back there without promising on behaving properly... I won't be surprised if they won't allow us to travel overseas again."

"I can see where they're coming from. I guess you guys got too adventurous and you can't blame them for doing it." I shrug. To my right, Tess' shoulders droop as her mood continues to plummet at the memory. I can already see the dark aura surrounding her figure as the memory invokes negative feelings from her. For a situation like this, it's up to a 500-year-old Loli Fox Spirit to cheer her up like a good wife or mother.

Uuuooooh... I wish Senko-san were real... I wish I had a 500-year-old Divine Fox Loli Baba Spirit as a wife who will pamper and spoil me rotten to the end of my days. Well, that's assuming that I won't ascend to the Heavens upon my death if she won't make me a Divine Spirit like herself.

Hmm... The Light Novels that I purchased on my phone are getting to my head...

"Damn I wanted to wear dress up and look pretty in a Kimono or Yukata..." She says as she looks like she is ageing with every word that she speaks. "I wanted to eat some Sushi... I wanted to go to a public bathhouse... I wanted to go see some fireworks... I wanted to go to Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree... I wanted to see Fuji-san without the clouds at the top... I wanted to visit interesting Shrines and Temples... I wanted to try karaoke... I wanted to go to a bar to drink and meet some cute Japanese girls... I wanted to go to Akihabara and buy some merch so I can flex them at my friend's faces... I wanted to ride on that super-fast bullet train thing... I wanted to go to a maid cafe... I wanted to see a Traditional Japanese Theatre... I wanted to go to that place where there are lots of cats and foxes..." Tess says out loud, her voice getting smaller with each word until we stop hearing her. The other people around give her strange looks since she is dragging her feet on the pavement with her arms swaying with each step as if she has lost control over them.

Lars gestures and leans down so he can whisper. "Please excuse her. Tess was looking forward to that trip. She gets like this whenever someone mentions 'Japan'. Even our classmates and my girlfriend haven't been able to cheer her up when she gets like this..." He says and gives me an apologetic bow.

I grimace and whisper back. "I-Is that so..."

Tess starts muttering depressing things under her breath as I catch a few words of what she's saying.

I can see her disappointment given how ecstatic she was at the formal party that we attended back in Chiba... Now that I think about it, I kind of feel bad for them now. While they were still there, they invited me to dinner but I was too busy with school. Nor was I able to hang out with them at the weekends because of my StuCo duties, a part-time job and Taekwondo practice. I could have gone with them if I made an effort, and now I regret not doing so.

Wait... If I were with them when they were lost, that wouldn't have happened in the first place which would prevent them from being barred from going out from their hotel rooms as a punishment...

Hmm... So it all comes back to me huh...

We may not have known each other for long at the party, but I thought these people from a faraway land were very interesting. And yet here I am standing on their Motherland.

Feeling slightly apprehensive because she is a girl, I put a hand on her shoulder to cheer her up. "Don't worry, I'm sure that you'll get to go back there someday..." She makes no response and continues walking like a soulless husk.

Lars reaches out and lightly pulls on her hair as if to make her come back to her senses. "Hey come on. Cheer up Tess, I'm sure you'll get off easy since you're such a 'Daddy's girl'. Maybe you can talk on behalf of me too." He grins cheekily. Tess springs back to life from his words, a blush dusting her cheeks and making her freckles more prominent.

"H-Hey! Shut up! I'm gonna tell him that you're being such a pain in the ass again!" She grits her teeth and slaps his hand away but she misses and he sticks out his tongue at her.

Woah... She's telling her "daddy"? That's big daddy's girl energy right there...

These two act just like Ise and Shina Kuro, my classmates in Taekwondo class. Those two are also cousins. I wonder what it's like to have cousins? My parents are both the sole child of my grandparents, but what about 2nd cousins? Now that I think about it, I don't know much about their families... Especially my Father's.

I shake those thoughts away and choose to think about the present. We enter a more densely populated part of the city after around half an hour of walking. Biking is a very popular mode of transport here, a vast number of Dutch people own bikes and use them for travel in the city as opposed to private automobiles and public transport. In the neighbourhood where the d e Mer household is located, Lukas, Maria and I biked around two days ago. I expected Adrianne to come with us since Lukas himself tried persuading her, but she declined and took baby Anton with her to her room.

The sidewalk starts getting narrower as flocks of tourists and Dutchmen are going in the same direction we are. Because of the increase in crowd density, sometimes I bump into other people no matter how hard I tried to prevent it. It doesn't help that there are vendors in the streets trying to sell their souvenirs to the crowd. Lars got pushed to the front which leaves Tess and me walking together. I feel my right pinky finger getting pulled and look down to see Tess is the one doing it. She pulls at it again, so I shrug and lend her my ear.

"Hachiman. Put your sling bag at the front and watch your pockets. There's a lot of pickpockets in this area." She says amid the different noises around us. I do what she says, even when my bag is secured with a locked 3 digit combination. Tess gives me a satisfied wink and resumes looking forward. I get a bit paranoid and jittery as I get suspicious of anyone that got too close to me while we moved with the crowd. After some time, we finally got some room to breathe as we followed Lukas and Maria to an open park. There aren't many people around to my relief and soon we were walking on the grass as a gentle and salty breeze from the sea cools our skin. My sensitive skin prevents me from spending too much time under the sun but I already applied sunscreen as a countermeasure. I take out my wide-brimmed hat to give some shade to my stinging eyes while Lukas and Lars unfold and put on their sunglasses which have been hanging on their collars.

We find a nice spot under a large tree that also had large rocks for us to sit on. The park is similar to those in my home country, although the buildings surrounding them were far taller and more imposing than those found here. Large trees with wide branches were placed in carefully chosen positions to provide shade for visitors. I see children playing tag, some boys playing football, a girl using her drone to fly around the place and a family having a picnic. There were a couple who were teaching their toddler how to ride his bike. A boy was playing with his dogs, a mother golden retriever with a pink ribbon around her neck being chased around by her litter. He rolls on the grass as the dogs try and imitate their master. I hear his laughter as well as the small barks from his dogs even from this distance. There was a small group of tourists being led by their tour guide, they all wore white t-shirts and their guide held a tall flag to easily see where he is. I also see some young men shirtless and lying on the grass, sunbathing perhaps. I don't know if that's allowed here, but it's unthinkable to do back in Japan.

"This is a nice place," I say while looking around. Lars says that the park is usually crowded on the weekends and we're lucky to come here on the weekday. We're going to hang out for an hour or two before moving on to our next place to visit later. I was quite comfortable with our earlier place at the restaurant, but we had to move on sooner or later because other patrons might arrive. But this is a nice place too. Lukas sits on the rock closest to the tree but gets playfully shoved to the ground by his sister who sits on it with a smug grin on her face. He grimaces before throwing a tiny stick to her hair in retaliation.

"Rude brute! I sat there first!"

"Shut up! Be a gentleman! You'd seriously let a lady sit on the ground? Or you want me to sit on your lap?"

"Lady?! Ha! Funniest joke I've heard today!"

Tess sits between Lars and me, the former bringing out a map and touristic brochures that she picked up earlier from a store. We ignore the two as we start reading through them. Lukas and Maria only have a year and a half gap and are usually well behaved at home. But when they are outside and not within sight of their Mother, they get like this without her to keep them in line. They're not bickering with malicious intent, in a way, it's quite entertaining and a bit funny to see them like this.

"Where do you want to go next, Hachiman?" Tess says and gives me a handful of them to read on. Unlike Maria who is wearing a skirt, Tess wore those outdoorsy shorts that ended a few centimetres above her knee. It accentuates her figure very well and shows off her long legs. For her top, she wore a pretty white chiffon blouse, a fashion that many stylish Japanese women wear. I am slightly shorter than her, barely noticeable. But the sneakers that she's wearing make me directly below her eye level. As for me, I'm wearing beige shorts and a printed tee while leaving my white long-sleeved polo open. It also doesn't help that I'm just wearing flat sandals.

"There are lots of interesting places to see around here. Do you want to eat some Spanish food? There's a French restaurant nearby too if you want. I'm sure there's a Japanese restaurant in the city but I can't remember where..."

"Thanks but I'm still quite full."

I give half of it to Lars who sighs at the amount. Seriously, she didn't have to get this much. Now I feel bad for the owner of the store that she got it from. He was kind enough to give them to us without any charge when he saw that I wasn't Dutch. It was also very amusing when I greeted him in his native language and the surprised expression on his face.

"Hey, isn't this too many? You've bankrupted the poor man..." Lars says with an arched brow and a small frown.

"Eh? It's free so I don't see any problem?" She rolls her eyes at him. Lars sighs again and gives up on the matter. I decide to let them pick for me since I honestly don't know much about the area. All while the de Mer duo were bickering with each other. I read through the pamphlets until I see a museum that was only around thirty minutes away by walking. I ask Tess about it and I instantly see stars appear within her eyes.

She starts telling me about the significance that it carries, as well as the works that it's famous for. She talks enthusiastically, makes hand gestures and frequently turns to me to see my reaction. The topic goes from its famous artworks, the painters, the current curator, yearly events and fundraisers, it's founding, to what happened to it during the Second World War. Tess says that the current curator of the museum is a friend of her Father and she volunteers when she has the time. She also proudly stated that she has touched and beheld the original paintings in the museum's vaults, something that I do find very impressive, to be honest. She's talking so fast that it's almost like she's rapping and about half of what she's saying goes through my ear. Tess mentions 'Catharina de Grote' and The Hermitage, and says that one day she wants to go there with her family during late Autumn or early Winter and spend at least two weeks in the city where it is located. She says it is in St. Petersburg, I know that city but I don't know where it is on the map. I take a peek at what Lars is doing and he doesn't seem to be interested since he's still flipping through the pamphlets, I think he has heard this from his cousin many times before. I'm quite familiar with The Hermitage; I believe that it's currently the world's largest museum and was the former residence of the Russian Tzars. Though not so much as the former, all I know is that she is a Tzaritsa.

At this point, it might be too obvious to state it, but I think she's really into history and works of art. It's nice to see someone who also has an interest in history. The only people that I know back at home who are also interested in it are Hiratsuka-sensei and Yukinoshita-san.

Although I am listening to every word that she says, what garners most of my attention are her electric blue eyes. They are darker and more intense than I initially thought which captures my interest even more. I couldn't help but stare at them like a child seeing a beautiful new flower that had sprung from his family's garden. Nor could I remove myself from their gaze, it feels like I'm being pulled in by an unknown power. I smile and nod, her enthusiasm slowly getting to me.

She had unknowingly started inching closer and closer to me until our arms and legs touched. My legs are still smooth and hairless so I felt every moment of contact with the enthusiastic older girl. At this distance, I can clearly see the tiny details of her irises, as well as the adorable blonde ahoge on her head which sways with the direction of the breeze. I thought her eyes were blue, but they seem to switch from blue to purple the longer I stare at them. The perfume that she has on her smells nice and sometimes my eyes are drawn to her exposed healthy and glowing skin on her neck and upper chest, no matter how hard I try to stop myself. I also realize that we are similarly dressed too.

Oh God... This stimulus is too much... It's getting to my head... I want to move away but I'm afraid that she'll just follow me...

"The museum has works of art by... As well as cool sculptures and statues that depict... Oh, and you have to see the...! You HAVE to go to the Van Gogh Museum and Het Rijksmuseum! If you want, we can go to Kasteel de Haar! It's a pretty cool castle that lots of tourists go to. Do you know Willem van Oranje? It's thanks to him that we got independence from the Spanish Habsburgs. Did you also know that Tzar Peter de Grote once came here centuries ago to learn lots of things like shipbuilding and architecture? There was also a point where the Dutch fleet was large and strong enough to rival the French, British and Spanish. You also must have noticed that there are a lot of dikes. Many years ago, there was a big flood that took the lives of many people so the government stepped up its flood control measures. Anyway, there's also a public library that has books over a hundred years old! I'd love to show them to you! There are also lots of loan words in our language from French as you may already know. I'm impressed that you're already so good at Dutch! Lukas and Maria's family were originally from France, and our great-grandfather was an immigrant from Italië! Lars and I have some relatives there but we're not really that close to them. You know, it's good that you came here in the Summer. Winter can get pretty annoying because of the slippery roads. Oh but it's a pretty cool experience to play on the canals when they've frozen over! Oh yeah! if you're a fan of modern art and contemporary design, then we should go to Stedelijk Museum! Though I do also recommend-"

Tess comes to a halt after a long while and slightly purses her lips as if holding back a smile and her brows get furrowed. She moves some strands of her blonde hair, which had grown over the few months after leaving Japan, behind her ear after a breeze comes and undoes it. And I also notice that she maintained the red highlights at the ends of them.

"Ehehehe. Sorry," The older girl says awkwardly and bows. "I was blabbering wasn't I? Sorry about that, I get excited when I'm talking to someone about the topic. I just can't help it, ehehehe..." A blush dusts her pretty cheeks and she unconsciously rubs her hand on her arm. Lars chuckles and sends me a knowing look, but she doesn't see him do it.

"Ah, please don't worry about it." I shake my head to reassure her. "Please...go on. That was very beautiful and I am amazed you know all of those things. You are so smart and I do not mind hearing more about it. I am very interested."

She looks surprised, and something flashes through her eyes when I said those words. "O-Oh... T-Thank you..." Tess says before slowly gulping and looking to the side after putting some strands of her hair behind her ear.

Tess clears her throat before turning to me again. Despite trying to hide it, the older girl's cheeks are slightly pink. And I start wondering if I said something strange, or used the wrong words to express myself. I am quite sure that Lars can hear me talking with his cousin but he does not have any reaction. In any event, she does look quite pleased and very much eager to satisfy my curiosity.

"Well then... How about renting a private boat for a cruise around the canals?"

Hmm... This took longer than I expected to finish. The initial plan was around 5k words but I got carried away and wrote another 4k... I even made a statement that I should lessen the word count per chapter too...

Ah, where are my manners?

Hello everyone and welcome back. How are you lot doing? Wonderful, I hope.

I've also been a bit busy with schoolwork lately, and I'm also writing three new fanfics. The first one, I'm still conflicted if I should make the MC Hachiman or a new character entirely since it's in a zombie apocalypse setting mixed with elements from The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, World War Z, Left 4 Dead, I Am Legend and Dying Light. It honestly won't be a story centred around Oregairu anymore that's for sure.

As for the other two, well, you'll know when I finally release it. And NO I won't write a Komachi route. Komachi fans are getting wild these days for real...

I recall Eiichiro Oda, creator of One Piece, saying that if he could eat a Devil Fruit and get its abilities, he would get Robin's Hana Hana-no Mi. And at this point, I can really relate to what he meant by it lol.

Oh and about the wrong document being uploaded, I'll fix it when I get my hard drive that's in my other house in a different state. I must have made a mistake when I was fixing some of the chapter's grammar and typos.

I'm still surprised that this story still has a lot of views after a two-month break. On average there are between 500-400 daily views from its last update and now. As of the 15th of November, there are 548 views.

I haven't posted the Visitor by country statistics in a while so here it is.

1. The United States

2. The Russian Federation

3. India

4. The Philippines

5. Canada

6. Colombia

7. Australia

8. Venezuela

9. Mexico

10. Brazil

I will see you lot next time!

60

From the corner of my eye, I see Tsurumi Rumi briskly walk away from Yuigahama-san who had just pulled the younger girl into her chest for a hug and then affectionately patted her head. I see her get embarrassed and take a step back before saying something and coming in my direction. I pretend to ignore her while going through the rack of clothes looking for something nice to add to my modest wardrobe. She stops beside me, unsure what to do or say.

"..."

"..."

I sigh and turn to the little black-haired girl who I first met back in the Summer Camp. "Tsurumi-san, is there something you want?"

Perhaps it was from the tone in my voice or the look in my eyes, but she preferred to look to the side instead of meeting my gaze. "Do you mind if I stick around with you for a little while? Yui-san is a bit..." Her words trail off and I look to the girl in question. Yuigahama-san was helping Kawasaki-san pick a blouse that would suit her while being assisted by Ebina-san. I don't see Miura-san around, perhaps she is in the ladies' room.

"Do as you please," I say with a softer tone and Tsurumi Rumi nods. She opts to stay beside me and observes the clothes that catch my eye. Her small hands reach out and touch them, testing the softness and quality of the fabric. She follows me around for a few minutes until she takes out her phone while looking anxious and slightly nervous. My curiosity finally reaches its limit so I decided to ask her about it.

My question catches her off guard and she mutters something about her mother. I don't pry further since she had already put her phone away. Neither do I ask about her Mother, I have reason to believe that the topic may be too sensitive.

"Hachiman was the one who encouraged me to come today." She says out of the blue after a little while. I raise my brow and ask her to expound on the subject.

"Well..." she starts, "Hina-nee was the one who extended the invitation to me to hang out today. I was happy, excited and nervous at the same time when she called me and I immediately started preparing in advance. But...when I heard that he wasn't coming, I had second thoughts."

"I see. He has always had a way with words. Let me guess, he skirted around the topic and made possible scenarios and outcomes in a bid to fully commit you to his reasoning, no?" I say while holding back a smile from forming on my lips.

Tsurumi Rumi makes a slightly surprised expression. "Yeah, he did something like that. How'd you know?"

"I was classmates with him when we were still First Years and I know many things about him. Our Fathers are acquainted but I have yet to properly meet his Mother." I recall when I first saw her and mistook her for his older sister. "He has a very unique way of doing things, as well as his outlook on life."

"Hmm... I didn't know that you were so friendly with him. You two didn't look as much back at the Summer camp."

"..." Something about her words makes me stop and think. Had it been under different circumstances, I think I would have stood still as a statue as I deeply ponder her words. She tilts her head and asks if she had said something strange and apologizes. I purse my lips and reassure her that she did not. She was about to say something but stopped instead. I steer the topic in another direction while absentmindedly going through the clothes rack and making half-hearted light conversation with her.

Nothing caught my interest in the boutique because of the thoughts that plagued my mind. But Yuigahama-san bought a wide-brimmed sun hat for Tsurumi Rumi while Kawasaki-san had a new blouse and dress shirt as we left the store. The latter has a very satisfied look on her face while she fondly glances at her new purchases.

"Uwaah! That was a cute skirt but they didn't have something my size! It was either too tight or too loose!" Miura-san says flustered while clicking her tongue as our little group moves on to our next destination.

I hear Ebina-san hum and put a thinking gesture on. "I saw some nice ones but I'm fine for now." I was about to add my voice as well Yuigahama-san touches my arm and whispered to my ear.

"Yukinon, are you and Rumi-chan doing fine?" I look to my side where Tsurumi Rumi was holding my hand. She was shy at first but gradually learned to get over the initial awkwardness. Her hand was smaller than mine, and I realized just how delicate, warm and soft she feels.

"Yes, she is a good girl," I reply in a small voice.

Yuigahama-san smiles and I return a smaller one. We exchange a few kind words before she goes to Miura-san and asks her where we are going next. I would have contested some of her decisions for the group but this is a social activity in which I lack experience. Also, I was merely invited by them and even I know my place and how I should act accordingly.

Ultimately, the "Fire Queen", as Hikigaya-kun fondly nicknamed her, decides that it is time for us to have lunch. And rightly so, I am slowly feeling the initial onset of slight hunger in my belly. After seeing the mall directory, she starts leading us to a restaurant three floors above.

The little girl has not uttered a word ever since we left the boutique. She had a blank expression on her face which reminded me of a certain someone that I know. Her straight lips get slightly crooked and she clears her throat.

Now that I take a good look at her, I feel as though I am looking at a younger version of myself. We had the same hairstyle and blank neutral expressions as well. And the circumstances surrounding our relationships with the people around us leave much to be desired. Being bullied and as a social outcast and all that. Back then, I had no one else to depend on and the person who I trusted did nothing and pretended not to notice.

At least Tsurumi Rumi now has a few people looking out for her. For how long: well, that remains to be seen.

She and Hikigaya-kun are more alike than I realize.

"Is there something on my face?" She asks without looking ae in the eye.

I shake my head. "No, I was just admiring how lovely you look." A small giggle escapes from my lips when I see a light and barely visible blush appear on her cheeks. The little girl starts smoothing out non-existent creases on her clothes as she gets more conscious of her looks. She mutters a small thank you and clutches the camera hanging from her neck closer to her chest.

Despite her somewhat anti-social personality, I think Tsurumi Rumi is a nice girl at heart who just need the right kind of people around her.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

Maybe I can befriend her, just like how Hikigaya-kun was willing to befriend someone like me.

"Abababababa! Hehe!" The baby wiggles around on my lap in response to the show that we're watching. He makes a high-pitched squeal when he sees the anthropomorphic vegetables sing and dance to nursery rhymes in Dutch. We were in the living room watching the evening television, and Maria, Lukas and I have just arrived from the city. The four of us also had dinner at a nice Spanish restaurant and I let them pick for me since I had little knowledge of the cuisine served. I don't know what it was called, but it had lots of tomatoes and rice with some fish in it. It was also rather spicy, which didn't reel nice to my lips since my wound is still healing.

The baby shrieks again when he sees what I believe to be his favourite character, Mr Tomato. Good for him I guess, I don't like tomatoes but I eat them regardless because of their nutritional value.

"No clue what you're talking about Anton, but I hope 'Ria finishes soon so I can take a bath..." I mutter with half-lidded and tired eyes while pinching and pulling on the cute baby's chubby little cheeks. His Mother had already retired to the bedroom when we arrived, same with Adrianne. I had bought a cake after asking Lukas and 'Ria what her favourite kind was, but she was already asleep. It was a peace offering of sorts since she's still rather cold to me. The reason as to why, however, still eludes me.

I pull my hand back when the infant starts teething on my fingers. "Oi oi, you spat out your pacifier just minutes ago, and now you want something to chew on?"

The baby ignores me while I wipe my wet fingers on his shirt. He tries to take my hand to his mouth again, but stops and starts teething on his fists instead.

"Mlemlemlemlemlem... Shffrrrrffpt!"

What an energetic baby, he should be asleep at this time but he immediately started making baby sounds when he heard us walk up the stairs. He started crying when we went past his room so 'Ria and I brought him downstairs since Lukas is busy doing something on his PC.

I give out an exhausted sigh and lie down halfway on the soft sofa, making him sit down with his back to my chest. I put my right arm around him lest he starts wiggling again and fall from the furniture.

Ugh, my legs and feet hurt from all the walking I did today... At least the sun wasn't too hot, if it was then I'd die from a heatstroke for sure.

Tess was very enthusiastic, taking my hand and dragging me all over the city, boasting her historical and cultural knowledge as we walked past museums, streets, statues and everything that we see. When she feels hyped up while talking about something, the adorable blonde ahoge on top of her head would wobble and dance excitedly in response to her emotions. Her ahoge is just like Komachi's, if a bit longer, and the way it moves looks cute and funny to watch. She took me to a special place in the city reserved for well-maintained gardens where beautiful flowers bloomed under the gentle Sun. We took a lot of photos there and I sent them to my Mother and Komachi, who immediately bombarded me with questions asking who the older Blondie is and I've yet to answer them.

Their questions were mostly like this:

"Woah she's taller than you! Onii-chan who's that pretty Onee-san? Is she your tour guide? Is she your friend? Or maybe your betrothed?!"

"Haa-chan, I don't like that Foreigner and the way that she dresses. Remember what I told you about them!"

As expected, they're a bit too overprotective of me.

There was also this area where there were floating houses on the river being dragged through the water by boats. It was the first time I'd seen such a thing and I couldn't help but take out my phone and snap a few photos.

Lukas and Maria went to buy groceries and we parted with them earlier so it was just me, Tess and Lars. However, that lanky jerk mumbled a lousy excuse, something about his part-time job and dashed across the street while we were waiting for his cousin in the Ladies' washroom. I almost had a heart attack when a car nearly hit him! That idiot, I knew he was lying and did it on the spot since he stuttered and his fingers were all jittery and twitching! My Rank EX Observation Skills aren't just for showing you know!

She and I spent the next few hours alone together and I learned a lot of things about her. I found out that she was an ice skater, practised ballet and is part of the choir in her College. She used to be part of the StuCo, but she resigned after a single semester in office since she can't balance all of her hobbies with her new responsibilities. I'll be honest, I don't know how she can do all of that stuff and I'd love to hear how she manages her time. I think I can learn a thing or two from her. I summarized that she was the type of girl who's on friendly terms with everyone in the class and can fit in with any clique, those nice and outgoing girls. Yui comes to mind but she doesn't have any similar hobbies to Tess.

During our last meeting with the Club Presidents, some of them said their members lack the enthusiasm and spirit of what their club truly represents. Maybe Yui and I should give them a visit, I think Hayama and the charismatic aura around him can be useful. With his charisma, Yui's passive morale boost AOE and my strategic planning, the three of us will get things done in no time!

Wait, I think I went off-topic there. Where was I again?

...Oh yeah. I was talking about Tess.

When I was asked, I told her that I can play the piano, do Taekwondo and can hold my own in Tennis and Football. The latter of which I only became decent because Tobe and Hayama would always pester me to play with them. I also boasted that I once swam two kilometres because I was bored back in Middle School and omitted the part where I did it because I had no friends and had nothing else to do. The older girl was very impressed and told me to teach her how to swim because she sinks like a rock in the water. Of course, I promised her my assistance should the moment arise.

But then again, I have no idea if she's serious or was just joking.

By 5 pm we had met up with the de Mer siblings and got in the family car. Her apartment was further inland and we said our goodbyes after a short drive to her place. She invited us inside and my ears were piqued when she said that she has some Japanese tea with her, but we had to politely decline since it was getting late. I legitimately wanted to go but I didn't want to be an inconvenience to my foster family.

We're going to meet again tomorrow, if Lars ditches us again and Lukas and Maria separate from us for some reason, that leaves the two of us by ourselves. Again.

Perhaps I should make an excuse to stay at home and watch Anton and Adrianne. Maybe I can finally befriend the cold little girl who eerily reminds me of Yukinoshita Yukino when I first met her a year ago.

But I honestly don't mind.

I think Vittoria Russmoni is a very interesting girl, I admit that much. 'Tess' became a nickname while she grew up here in The Netherlands and much of her family addresses her as such except for her grandparents who affectionately call her their little 'Vita'. It's also worth noting that 'Vita' means life in Italian, and I think it's a beautiful name and cool. Aside from still learning English, she's also teaching herself how to speak her grandparent's native language. She told me a lot of things about herself and I learned much. I also taught her the meaning of mine since she was very interested in the Kanji meaning of my name.

Little Anton starts clapping his hands and laughing at the T.V programme, so much so that he starts leaning backwards. The baby's back gently rests on me, his little body wobbling with each laugh. The characters on the show start singing and dancing a Dutch nursery rhyme, and he wiggles left to right, imitating the dance of a corn on the screen.

"Hehehehehe!" Anton laughs and giggles with glee, now he's leaning on my face while I'm lying on the sofa. He's fresh from the bath and I can smell the scent of the soap on him. I can always hear him laughing in the bathroom when he's being bathed by Mrs Cathy and 'Ria.

Seriously, this baby always has a big smile on his face whenever he's not laughing or giggling! He's unlike any of the babies I've taken care of when I volunteered at the neighbourhood daycare and nursery back at home! Even Tania-chan gets grumpy when I poke her chubby little cheeks too much, she even reaches up and pulls on my bangs as revenge. One time she pulled on my eyelid and bit my cheek, I have to say that the experience was not very pleasant.

"Hmm... Being a baby must be nice..." I say out loud and yawn tiredly while looking around the dimly lit living room. "All you do is drink milk, sleep, soil yourself and just laugh it off. No responsibilities whatsoever." Anton is too immersed in the show to give me attention, or maybe he couldn't hear me since I mumbled to myself. At least he's watching it instead of teething on my fingers or something. He does that to everyone whenever the one holding him isn't paying attention.

My eyes were already heavy when I heard the door to the bathroom open, 'Ria's humming becoming more audible as she got near.

"Aaaaaahng~! That felt goooood~..." She stretches her arms upwards before sitting down on the sofa beside my feet. A small towel was around her shoulders, and I can see that her hair was still a bit wet and glistened from the light coming from the T.V. "Oh, it's Anton's favourite show. I didn't know that they aired this late."

"Hmm, he seems to love it. Hasn't taken his eyes off it since it started." I mumble against the baby's soft back since I was too lazy and exhausted to move myself. 'Ria turns to me, a Iight giggle escaping her lips when she sees the funny position that I'm in. She asks me if she should take away the infant that's using my head as a backrest to which I say that it's quite alright. Anton's warm and soft body reminds me of Kamakura, minus the fur. I honestly miss my feline friend, I wonder what his reaction if I video call him. No doubt he would be confused as to how I ended up in such a small space on the phone's screen.

After I take a peek at my watch, I slowly get up and place the infant between 'Ria and myself. After poking the baby's cheek, I excuse myself and upstairs to get a change of clothes. Upon opening the room, I see Lukas on his PC typing away at a document.

"Oh, Hachiman. You done?" He asks without turning to me. Whatever he's working on seems to be important since he stopped playing his game.

"Just going in right now," I reply while opening the cabinet that he lent me.

"Mmm, who's with Anton?"

"'Ria is with him watching T.V, I think she's going to put him back in his crib soon."

"Okay, just take your time." He yawns and his joints pop as he stretches tiredly. Looks like I'm not the only one exhausted from our day. "I'm not sleeping anytime soon anyway."

"Mm, see you later." I give him a wave and go back downstairs carrying my new change of clothes and go straight to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the de Mer household doesn't have a bathtub where I can relax and space out to my leisure. My shower was rather quick since I didn't feel that icky, and I opted not to use the hairdryer since my ears ring whenever I use it, not to mention that using it too much can damage your hair and scalp.

That's a little something I learned at my Mother's salon.

When I got out, the T.V in the living room was already off, and I see 'Ria beside the kitchen counter struggling with a milk carton while carrying Anton on her left arm. She gives me a relieved expression and walks over to me.

"Great timing! I was having trouble opening the lid on this thing!" She says and gives me the infant, his small hands clutching onto my shirt. Without another word, she takes another glass and pours one for me as well. Good thing I didn't wash my teeth yet since I forgot them in my bag. We sit down on the stool together as she offers me a loaf of hot garlic bread.

"No thanks. I'm full."

"Okay, more for me then!" She takes a small bite from it and resumes speaking after swallowing it. I see some tiny crumbs fall and land on her pyjamas. "I sometimes get hungry at night, that's why I have some snacks in the drawers. What about you?"

"Ah, not really. I'm usually done after a glass of milk when dinner is finished."

"Mm, didn't you mention that you have trouble sleeping at night?"

"Yeah. Which is the reason why I sometimes do light exercises before going to sleep. Or go out at night for a walk around the neighbourhood. I don't do it all the time during winter, the sidewalk can get pretty slippery." I say while recalling last December when I slipped and did a split on the sidewalk. My split was so perfect that Tatsumi-sensei would be so proud of me. My groin hurt though, and I had to walk slowly back home with a funny gait.

Anton starts wiggling and I adjust him so that he's sitting comfortably on my left thigh. The baby makes cute squeaky sounds and 'Ria and I laugh which was soon followed by Anton as he observed and mimicked our actions. We start recounting our activities today starting with how we met up with Lars and Tess and ending with our arrival here back in their household. I start telling her what Tess and I did while we were on our own and she nods and smiles when she visualizes the places that we went to.

"Oof. Sounds like she went into 'Tour Guide' mode huh." 'Ria grimaces and takes a small bite from a cracker in her hand.

"I'm honestly impressed that she knows so much," I say and look down at the baby on my lap. I take his little hands and start playing with them. "I didn't know that she knew about our history. Imagine my surprise when she starts talking about the great painter Hokusai and our different literary works."

"Tess is always like that when something piques her interest. It reflects in her grades sometimes: if she's not interested in the subject or topic, she has average and barely passing grades. But when it comes to things that she likes, like history, culture and arts, for example, she'll ace everything with flying colours!"

I humm and nod at the new information. Something like that is unthinkable to me where I aim for perfection in everything regardless if I like it or not. I secretly get annoyed at people who claim that I achieve all of my accomplishments without any effort. It completely disregards the hard work that I put in and replaces it with something nonsensical. I've had many sleepless nights during exams and quizzes just so I can maintain my position at the top of our year level.

"I don't know if you know yet but she's very proficient in your country's history even before we went there!" Tess says and unconsciously holds my wrist and her hand brushing against my knee, a habit of hers when she's talking to someone. She reminds me of one of my Mother's friends who visited our home once and the Aunties at the neighbourhood daycare and nursery.

Little Anton starts laughing and squirming as I start tickling his soft and plump belly. "Yeah, imagine my surprise," I say with astonishment clear in my voice.

"I only know a few snippets or two. She even bought some Dutch to Japanese books and taught herself some phrases in preparation for our trip. And she's also a fan of lots of J-pop bands and goes to their concerts on the rare occasion that they drop by here in the Netherlands." 'Ria says and starts naming those that Tess has mentioned before. I could only nod at her since I never really got attracted to that kind of stuff.

She also adds that Tess is a cosplayer with an online following which surprised me very much. The Blondie never mentioned it to me earlier today nor did her interest and fascination for J-pop. As the Brunette and I talked, I soon start to realize something which I never considered before.

From what I learned so far from talking and observing Tess, as well as the new information that 'Ria provided for me... There could only be one conclusion-!

TESS MUST BE ONE OF THOSE GROSS FOREIGNERS OBSESSED WITH JAPANESE CULTURE! EXCEPT SHE'S NOT GROSS IN THE SLlGHTEST! AND VERY WELL-MANNERED!

AN OTAKU GAIJIN!

I hide my slight internal discomfort as much as I can and continue speaking with 'Ria like normal.

"You should've seen her when we arrived at Narita. She started screaming and hyperventilating before going on her knees and kissing the ground! The other passengers must have thought that she went insane!" 'Ria exclaims and starts laughing at the memory even until tears started forming at the corners of her eyes. I chuckle as well, the thought of a young woman like herself doing such a silly thing already looks funny just by thinking about it.

"Seriously? Wow, that would have looked strange for sure... I don't believe you..." I put on a doubtful face and put a hand under my chin despite actually thinking the opposite. If she IS an OTAKU GAIJIN, then I can see that happening. It would be strange if she didn't!

"She did! Ask Lars and Lukas! I think Lars' phone was recording when it happened! Don't ask Tess though, she'll just dismiss it and say that it never happened." 'Ria exclaims. I was about to make a reply when we hear footsteps from the stairs. We see Lukas slowly peering from above and looking for the source of the sound.

"You three are still up?" He says and jogs towards us. After poking his little brother's cheek, 'Ria hisses at him when he snatches the bag of chips in her hand. "Ha! Too slow!"

She clicks her tongue and lets the matter go for now. "Hmph! Hurry up and take a bath, you stink."

The Dutchman immediately sniffs at his armpit in a blink of an eye after taking some chips from the bag. "No, I don't... You're stupid." His words cause 'Ria to shake her head in exasperation. The two have a small sibling bicker before Lukas gets some spare clothes and a towel from his room before quickly disappearing behind the bathroom's door. 'Ria and I continue talking about Tess (who for some reason has become the topic of our conversation) until Lukas finally comes out from the shower with his hair still wet and dripping onto the same clothes as before.

"Hey what the heck are you doing? Stop walking around like that and dry your hair!" 'Ria chides at him like an old annoying wife. He merely rolls his eyes at her and takes a seat across us while drying himself with a towel.

Lukas decides to join in the meantime but mostly he was just listening while adding in a word or two now and then and also eating the chips that he stole from his sister. We talk about our day, as well as other things and I was secretly glad that we weren't talking about Tess anymore. It was getting a bit embarrassing and weird knowing so much about her from her friends alone.

We decided that it was time to retire to our rooms when Anton started cutely yawning and dozing off a few times. The infant fell asleep in my arms just as we arrived upstairs and I placed him in his crib with 'Ria's guidance but not before she gives him a warm kiss on the cheek.

"See you tomorrow morning you two." We exchange good nights with her and go to our respective rooms. Lukas immediately collapses on his bed and starts snoring which I find more amazing than annoying. I feel around for my phone to see that I have unopened messages. After unlocking it, it was from the girl that we were just talking about downstairs and was just sent a few minutes ago.

"Hey Hachiman! I had so much fun today! It's a shame that you couldn't come in for tea but oh well! I'm looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow and I still have more places to show you around! Sogni d'oro~! :)"

...

...

...

W-What... There's even a cute and funny emote of a blue bugcat going to bed...

Despite dismissing it, the warm and fuzzy feeling spreading all over my body doesn't go away and I feel a blush creep up my cheeks.

Deep breaths Hachiman! Deep breaths! This is nothing to get blushing about! It's just a normal message with no underlying meaning whatsoever! Don't start overthinking things! This is exactly the kind of train of thought that got you rejected by she-who-must-not-be-named!

After feeling giddy like a cringe normie high school girl I send Tess a similar message, thanking her for everything and wishing her a good night as well. Since I wasn't sleeping anytime soon, I go through my phone's new account since my old dummy one is unusable because I forgot the password. But I can still see the call logs so that's something. I received only a handful of calls on my phone so I think I can correctly guess who's the owner of the numbers even though I haven't named them yet.

Let's see, the day of my flight up to today... I received the most number of calls from my dear Mother followed by Komachi. Haruno and Shiromeguri-senpai also called me and asked me how I'm doing and then Saki, Sai-chan, Taishi, Yui, Hina and Tobe. Hayama, Saika, Yoshiteru, Yumiko and Isshiki preferred to exchange text messages with me. As for the younger Yukinoshita, I still haven't replied to her message yet. Rumi-chan even sent me a cute picture of herself and said that Hina asked her to go and hang out with the others. I encouraged her to go and she said that she'll try asking her Mother's permission first.

There are so many people in my contacts now. I wonder how my younger self would react to this. I think he'd be filled with disbelief and amazement for sure.

After carefully thinking and considering many things, I decide to call Hina and maybe troll and tease the fujoshi a bit, perhaps get a chuckle or two while I'm at it.

"Help pick out a dress for you?" I ask her on the other side of the line while sitting down on the sofa in the living room. I had gone here for some privacy and also because I might wake up Lukas in the room.

"Yep! I'll just send them to you and listen to what you think."

I shrug in response. Sounds easy enough.

"Okay then..."

I wait for a minute or two until I hear the notification sound from my phone. I see Hina with a cheeky grin wearing a light green dress that ended below her knees. It was sleeveless and the thin straps left most of her shoulders and upper chest bare. It was modest yet very fashionable for someone of her age.

"Oooohh... I like it. It looks shiny and comfortable to wear." I give my verdict after thinking for a short while.

She starts a video call and makes a small sound of satisfaction. "Umu! I thought as much! I like this one too!" She switches to the back camera and places it on what I believe to be a small chair or stool. Hina must be in the ladies' changing room since I see the white walls, mirror and a few other dresses hung on the wall. She gives me a side view of it as well as the back and makes a little twirl for effect.

"I've seen enough. On to the next one, if you please!"

She smiles and nods in response, "Roger!" and switches the camera to the other one while she changes. I expected her to turn off the video call but then...

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

*Rustle*

W-What the heck-! What a tease! She's deliberately letting me listen to the sounds of her taking off her clothes!?

As if reading my thoughts, she giggles and I can already visualize the coy smile on her lips. "Uwah... Hachi-kun, I hope you're not listening and imagining lewd images in your head~?" She calls out to me in a teasing voice. "Don't tell me that you want to look~? Hehehehe..."

My other hand clenches into a fist and my eye twitches by itself. Tch-! This damn girl!

"Oh? And what if I said that I wanted to? What're you gonna do about it?" I say smugly and half-jokingly. I'm not a perv, I'm just going along with her antics and she was the one who started it anyway. But then again, if she is serious, then I can't guarantee anything...

I guess there must always be a first in everything.

I couldn't exactly see her do it, but I hear the unmistakable sound of a "Tch!" from her end.

"T-Touchè... We'll see... Fufufufufu..."

Hina tried out two more dresses, a purple and a light pink one. They were all similar yet had distinct designs that made all of them stand out. In the end, she picked the green dress and the one that was liked among all of them. We talk for a little bit after she paid for the dress. I can tell that she wanted to talk more but decided to end our conversation for my sake. My phone vibrates mere moments after I put it down and close my eyes. With an annoyed groan, I unlock it again to see a couple of messages from Hina.

What does she want now?! Is this woman obsessed with me!?

I open the message bubble icon to see several columns' worth of images that almost made my eyes comically pop out from their sockets.

Hina's bare skin on her upper chest and shoulders... Her exposed and vulnerable-looking neck made me think of indecent thoughts... A small part of her tongue sticking out through a smile and a blush dusting her pretty cheeks while she covered her eyes with her palm exposed made for an extremely suggestive image... Woah...she made a V-shape with her pointer and middle fingers and used it to spread her smooth armpit while covering her breasts but still leaving much of it exposed for me to enjoy... Hmm...those are some nice legs, not as toned as Yumiko's but still pretty to look at... It's the same with her abdomen but she's erotically biting the ends of her blouse while winking...! Wow, she's not wearing a bra and I can see her underboobs...! Just a little bit more and I could have seen her pink buds! Omaygah she's erotically lifting up the skirt of her dress just enough for me to see her soft and supple thighs!

I wasn't able to go through all the images since my mind was still a mush, but I was able to read the message attached to it.

"Since you helped me pick out a dress, here's a little reward~. Better to see the real thing instead of imagining ~."

At this moment, I'm sure that Hina has forcefully awakened several fetishes within me. I'm VERY SURE that there are some photos where she is completely nude, and she had cropped out the parts she wanted to be covered, but even so...!

Even so...!

UUUUOOOOOHHHHH! EROTIC! HINA BELLY AND CHEST! EROTIC...!

The visual stimulus was too much and I instantly pass out with a goofy aahh grin and a small amount of blood dripping from my nose.

I never thought that I'd drive my first car in The Netherlands of all places. It's easier than it looks, and that's coming from someone terrible at racing games. But I think horseracing and motor racing are way more exciting to watch than cars. If I had to rank all the games that I'm good at, then it would be fantasy MMORPG, fighting, shooting and then racing games. Gacha games don't count since all you need to "get good" are the broken meta characters that are available in the summoning pool. If you aren't blessed by RNGsus then you need to bring out your wallet as a last resort.

"Stick to your lane. Don't go over the lines and watch your side mirrors." Tess says beside me. She's been quiet the whole time and only speaks when needed. She pointed out to me earlier on the basics and we had some smalltalk when she figured that I was starting to get the hang of it. Lukas and 'Ria were back at the house and the only person aside from the two of us was Anton who was sitting comfortably on her lap and playing with a toy dinosaur. It looks to me like a hadrosaurid but I don't know its exact name.

"Yes, Ma'am."

I turn the steering wheel to the right as we drive past houses and lawns in the neighbourhood. The de Mer family lived in a nice quiet place on the outskirts of the city. The road is mostly empty aside from the occasional person biking and the scant few who are driving to work. Adrianne's school was within walking distance but her two older siblings have to use public transport to go to college. The car is small and compact just like most cars in Japan so it's fairly easy to park. I've been driving for nearly two hours now and we avoid the highways since we could get in trouble with the law. This was Tess's car and she took it upon herself to teach me when I told her that I don't know how to drive yet.

Dutch people do a lot of things at an early age huh.

After a few more minutes, she tells me to go back to the house and I soon find myself parking perfectly in their garage. Tess cheers and gives me a high five and I give one to the infant too after he squealed in response and mimicked our actions. We both go out and see that both Lukas and 'Ria were waiting and sitting on the grass in their garden under the morning sun. Freckles were visible where the morning sun touched them. They greet us with amused smiles before we go back to the house. I see Adrianne peeking from one of the windows upstairs and pretend not to notice her.

"He's a natural, that's for sure." The Blondie says and sits down on the sofa after handing me, Anton. I adjust the baby and then bend down properly to pick up the toy dinosaur which had fallen from his grasp.

"I like your car. It's really cool." Despite its age, her customized and refurbished Volkswagen Beetle is great to drive. It felt as if I had gone back in time when I sat in the driver's seat. She said that this was the same car that her grandfather, Ferdinando Russmoni, bought as a young man in Verona, Italy just after a few years when the Second World War ended. He would bring along this car here in the Netherlands when he immigrated where he later met Tess's grandmother and the rest is history. The car has gone through many upgrades through the years and is in tip-top shape and was also passed on to her Father and then to her.

Now that I know about the car's history, I'm thankful that I didn't damage or bump it into something. I can't imagine what I would have done if I did. Perhaps commit seppuku on the spot with the sword of my clan... Not that we have one.

Well, to my knowledge at least. I haven't fully explored my family's ancestral house yet, who knows, perhaps there's a cursed and sealed off Katana somewhere.

While Anton was playing with the toy dinosaur on my lap, they discuss today's plans. I'm only half-listening to the others since helping him stand on his two feet is kind of fun. His legs aren't fully developed yet but that doesn't stop him from trying.

"What about the beach?" I haven't been there in a while." Lukas offers helpfully but was instantly countered by his sister.

"It's super crowded, we should try on some other day. The coming weekend should do it."

"I'll try looking at my schedule since I have weekend classes," Tess says and starts going through her phone. She later nods with a satisfied and victorious smile and then turns to me. "I'm free on that day! Looks like we're going to the beach Hachiman!" Her bluish-purple eyes shine with enthusiasm and her smile is dangerously contagious. I had to make sure not to go blank and stare at them too much. The de Mer siblings start discussing on possible places to go and weighing the pros and cons of each while Tess and I continued our conversation. Anton starts vocalizing and tries mimicking our words but ends up saying baby gibberish. He's such a vocal baby and makes noises when someone hear him is talking. I feel him start teething on my hand but I leave him alone since I just washed my hands anyway.

"The beach huh..." She is quick to take note of the tone of my voice and inquires about it. "I'm not an avid fan of beaches. I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating - and it gets everywhere. Pools are nice but can get crowded very quickly."

Her response was a hearty laugh while her gentle hand holds my arm. I discovered quite early on that this is a habit of hers that she does to everyone. I got embarrassed yesterday when she took my arm while we were walking around the city, but hey, my A.T. Field was no match against her. Maybe she's the 19th Angel! Anyway, I don't mind the physical contact very much. I'm now used to touchy people like Tobe, Yumiko and Haruno for example. And let's not forget about my sister and mother.

"But didn't you say that you once swam two kilometres in middle school because you were bored?" Tess had a strange expression on her pretty face and her smile was slightly crooked.

"Well yes but mainly because I had no friends and I wanted to test how far I can swim out to the open ocean," I say as a matter of factly. She stiffens from my words and a shadow goes over her eyes. Despite that, I continue on. "It's quite an experience when you go to the deeper waters and look down to see the dark emptiness of the ocean. It's so...void and empty. It's like...anything could be hiding there and you wouldn't see it coming until it's right in front of you."

I see cold sweat form on her forehead and a shiver go up to her spine. With an awkward laugh, she confesses that she's quite afraid of the sea and deep water in general. She says that she's fine with pools but prefers wading in the shallows since she can't swim. She starts feeling nervous and scared when the water is dark and murky, even in the many waterways and canals that crisscross Amsterdam. So hearing what I did must be extremely terrifying for her. I don't ask what made her scared of it since it may be a traumatic incident, it's not in my place to ask and we're not that close yet anyway.

"Shallow and clear water is fine...but when it starts getting deep and I can't see the bottom..." She says with a small voice before shaking her head at whatever unpleasant thoughts that she might be thinking about. I've never seen her look so distressed before so I decided to open a new topic since she might be feeling too uncomfortable.

"So...the beach huh. I think I'll need to buy some stuff." Thankfully she takes the bait and immediately responds.

"Me too! We should check out some stores later when we meet up with Lars! He has a part-time job at the weekends but I'm sure he can come."

I start thinking if I should buy goggles and a snorkel, I've never owned one before and might as well get one since I'm here. I didn't see any coral reefs back on the trip in middle school and I'm pretty sure that the Netherlands doesn't have one because of the climate. Hmm, now I'm envious of the tropical countries!

Mrs Cathy comes down from upstairs and Tess gets up to give her a greeting kiss. She asks us if we were going to stay for lunch to which we said no since we were going to meet up with Lars. Anton makes an annoyed gurgling sound when his mother attempted to lift him from me and his little hands curled around my shirt. Instead, he reaches out to 'Ria who picks him up with a smile, his small hand around the toy dinosaur's neck. We spend time in the house for half an hour and then decide to go on our way. We say goodbye to Mrs Cathy just after Adrianne briefly makes an appearance to take her baby brother and play with him in her room. Her Mother lightly chides her for not coming down sooner but she's gone before she could even finish her sentence.

"Lars, why are you laughing so much...?"

I finally ask the question that's been bugging me for a while now. We're eating in front of a food stall on the tables and chairs provided for us. We separated from the other three not long ago and we'll regroup with them when we've done eating. I was lucky to find some takoyaki being sold in the area while Lars bought some Indonesian stir-fried noodles with vegetables and chicken. The takoyaki has a strange aftertaste to it but at least it's close enough to the ones I've tasted back home.

Some tourists behind him were talking loudly. Strangely, Lars would hold back his laughter at random times in their conversation.

My God, at this rate he's going to choke on his food...!

He covers his mouth while trying his best but despite his efforts, some tears do form in the corners of his eyes. I watch him helplessly as whenever he tries to speak a fit of laughter would come from his chest. He finally calms down when the tourists behind him get up and leave the area. I hand Lars a tissue and he wipes the corners of his eyes with it.

"Phew, wow oh my God I felt I was gonna die." He says and drinks some water. "Their accent always has me rolling."

"What the heck has gotten into you, I thought you went mad or something... Anyway, we should hurry up and finish so we can rejoin the others."

Lars shakes his head and wipes his mouth with a tissue. "Not yet, I have to ask you something." He says and starts moving his eyebrows in a wave-like motion with a small grin on his lips. "How's it going with Tess? Are you okay with her? You know, about yesterday."

His question was strange but I answer anyway. "She's nice and knows her stuff, if a bit overbearing and hyped up at something that she wants to show off."

"I see. Sorry about that, she's just the type to get super excited at things that she likes." Lars makes an apologetic bow on behalf of his cousin. "I was worried that she might have come off as too strong and forcibly dragging you around. I know you value your personal space. I apologize if she might have done something to offend you in some way."

I shrug. "Eh, I don't mind much. She did bring me to a lot of places and bought me snacks so I have no right to complain." I pause to take a small piece of fish and chips from my plate. The one that I ordered is a lot better than the greasy and overcooked one that Yui and I ate together back at Chiba. " Plus, she taught me how to drive in her nice car and was patient with me too. Now I've got an interesting tale to tell my father when he comes back." I say with a small smirk.

"Yup, I heard that from herself this morning. She even sent me a picture and - Oh look, there she is." Lars motions his head to the right. I couldn't see her at first because of the people around that were obstacles to my vision, but the cute blonde ahoge on her head bounced and moved as if calling my attention.

She was walking with 'Ria to her right and Lukas was nowhere to be seen. Tess wore fitting denim shorts that ended just above her knee and the same shoes that she wore yesterday. A thin white sleeveless blouse was under the loose long-sleeved and checkered shirt and her medium-length pale blonde hair was free and untied. She also had some fashionable bracelets on and a silver necklace which rested just below the base of her neck. I squint my eyes as she gets closer and closer and I see freckles have formed on her fair face.

"..."

"..."

"Say, Hachiman..."

"Hm?"

"Do you have a girl waiting for you back home?"

"A girl? Well, there's my mother and sister." I give him an incredulous look from his question. "And a few friends. Why?"

Lars stays frozen still and blinks a few times before suddenly coming to a realization. He shakes his head and holds his temple while muttering something under his breath and composes himself once more.

"I'm sorry, let me rephrase that. Do you have a girlfriend?"

I pause and make sure I had heard him properly. He patiently waits for my answer while soundlessly tapping his fingers on the table.

"No, I don't."

A small mischievous smile forms on his thin lips as he leans back on his chair and crosses his legs. Very villain-like if I may add.

"Is that so? Vita is single, I'm just throwing that out with no hidden agenda by the way..."

I sigh and shake my head. I'm not dense enough to not know what he means and what he's implying. If anything, the thing that I'm most surprised about is that it first came from Lars. He and Tess are as close as siblings could be despite being cousins and I feel slight envy at not having a blood relative like that.

"Yeah yeah. And I'm the long-lost son of the Emperor." Lars throws his sarcastic joke and we both share a laugh.

"But in all seriousness..." He leans forward and glances to the side. "I honestly think she's taken a liking to you. You don't have much time left, only around four weeks until you leave for Japan, no?"

I roll my eyes as Lars grins at my expense. "What brought this on... Are you playing a prank on me?"

"Just tell me if you need help! I've already set up quite a few people who became a happy couple! Don't you think she's pretty cute? At least try to think about it! " He exclaims energetically and gestures with his hands to add emphasis. I just give him a lazy nod and wave to satisfy him.

"That's a strange thing to boast about... You have way too much free time. What are you, a middle-aged Auntie?" He laughs and 'Ria and Tess finally arrive with the latter seated beside me as per our seating arrangement earlier.

Despite my best efforts, I feel self-conscious because of the female to my right so I slightly move my chair away from her which didn't come unnoticed by Lars.

"The line to the ladies' room was super long!" 'Ria says and stretches her arms upwards before slumping and resting her head on the table in front of her.

"So, what were you two boys doing while we were gone?" Lars and I gesture to our remaining food and the two girls help themselves to it. As expected, 'Ria gets up and orders some more.

"Just talking about some stuff."

"Yeah, stuff..." I hold Lars' cheeky gaze and reach out to take a chip from my plate. I bump into something slender and see that Tess and I had the same idea. She grins and tells me to go first to which I do so without further comment. The topic of our earlier conversation comes to mind and I can't help but glance at her every so often. The cute ahoge on top of her head would made funny movements whenever she'd laugh and I start to wonder if mine does the same.

Hmm... I guess she IS pretty cute, I can say that much. Hehe, I wonder what kind of face my mother will make if I tell her I'm bringing home a girl like Tess so we can get her approval...

I think it would be hilarious.

61

"I'm home..."

I turn on the lights while changing my shoes, unconsciously waiting for a reply from my Onii-chan. All I get is silence until I hear a cat's sad cry. Kamakura shortly appears from behind the sofa, meowing while dragging Onni-chan's used shirt in his mouth. A handkerchief is also around his neck and he always runs away if I try to take it off of him. The feline greets me and rubs his furry cheek against my ankle.

I take a glance at his automated feeding box and sigh. It looks untouched and only a little bit of water has decreased since this morning. Kamakura isn't doing well these days: he barely touches his food and cries while carrying Onii-chan's shirt. He usually alternates between sleeping at the doorway or the foot of Onii-chan's bed.

I go and open the fridge to reheat whatever food is left or to just cook if there's none. There's still some grilled fish and curry left which means that Mama must have skipped breakfast this morning and she won't be back until 11 pm. Papa sleeps in his office in Tokyo since he's too exhausted to come back home after work.

Aside from Kamakura, I'm all alone. I'm never alone when he's here, he always comes home first so I won't have to enter a lonely and empty house. He might not have said it but I'm sure that's his reason.

He is a siscon after all. Hehehe...

I eat dinner while watching the evening news. It's something that I got from Onii-chan since he always makes sure that he's updated with the current relevant events. The doorbell rings just as I was done washing the plates and I open the door after confirming who it is.

Her silver-blue hair tied in a ponytail is the first thing that I see aside from the girl's Sobu uniform. "Hi, Komachi. I figured you'd want some dessert?" She says with a smile while carrying a paper bag.

"Saki-nee! Come in!" I happily usher her inside. I was half expecting Taishi-kun to be with her but looks like she's alone. Kamakura is already sleeping in Onii-chan's room so I don't have to worry about moving him because of Saki-nee's allergies.

I put the mochi ice cream on a plate and sit down on the sofa with her.

"It's a bit late, did you just come from your part-time job?" I say and take a small bite from a vanilla-flavoured ice cream sandwich.

"Yeah. I decided to drop by and check in on you." Saki-nee says and glances at the kitchen sink.

"Don't worry! I washed it all!" I exclaim but she raises a brow at my words.

"Really now? There better not be any tiny bits of rice on the utensils. I promised Hachiman and auntie that I'll check in on you. I was planning to invite you for dinner at my house but I got caught up with stuff to do."

I tell her not to worry too much. I'm really happy that she dropped by and I wouldn't have minded if Kei-chan or Taishi-kun tagged along. I'm not used to being in our house all alone and I'm very welcome to their company.

"How's your brother doing? I mean, is he eating properly? You know, because of his anaemia..." Saki-nee trails off with a curious glint in her eyes.

"You never asked him?" She smiles sheepishly and shakes her head at my question. I sigh dramatically at the older girl and shake my head too. "What are you so shy about? You're friends, have each other's contact information AND are on a first-name basis!"

Her pretty cheeks get slightly flushed while she lightly purses her lips. Onii-chan told me that Saki-nee has a different personality in school: cold, aloof and sometimes come out as too strong. Knowing that I'm surprised at how she can't even send a simple text message! I guess looks can be very deceiving.

"I...ask him a question or two but stopped when his replies turned into single words. So I stopped since I thought that I was annoying him..." She says in a slightly embarrassed and down tone while hugging the couch pillow. "He gave his number to me during the summer camp but I didn't dare to talk to him only until very recently."

"Saki-nee, that's just Onii-chan being Onii-chan! Even he is like that to me and I'm his sister!" I say and tell her all the similar replies that I get when I text him something even before his trip to the Netherlands. His replies are always very short and concise like he's writing a research paper or something.

She pauses and thinks about it for a moment. "Hm. I haven't thought about that. You're right, it would be pretty weird if he wasn't like that, won't it?"

"Right? I can't imagine him being all chatty and all that."

"Yeah. And using all those cringy emojis and emoticons." We both laugh while imagining the silliness of it. After a little while, she asks her original question again so I decide to take out my phone to show her some photos that he sent me. Saki-nee sits back beside me after disposing of our garbage.

I show her a wide array of photos Onii-chan had taken inside the plane and airport; including food, the sky, the landscape, the city skyline, cars and lots of other random stuff. It's his first time in a foreign country so it's to be expected of him to take a few more shots than usual.

"The place looks nice, not as hyper-urbanized as Chiba or Tokyo I guess," Saki-nee observes while we comment whenever we see something interesting. I would have liked to go with Onii-chan, but unlike him, I don't think I can catch up to all the things I missed in school. I'm sure he used his position in the StuCo or spoke to the teachers to have an arrangement about it.

"Is... Is this what they eat? Just bread, milk, cheese, cereal and these toppings to go with sandwiches? What's this white stuff? Is that yoghurt? Oh, he put some random things in the bowl with it."

"That's what they have for breakfast. Onii-chan usually makes a sandwich with lots of eggs, bacon, ham and cheese and pairs it with a glass of cold milk. Here, this is what he ate for today."

"No rice? Uwah, I feel like I won't survive a day there..."

I show her another group of photos of what he ate with some taken from restaurants that be visited. "Sometimes they eat Italian and Spanish food. He's taken a liking to dishes that have rice in them and says that they're so good! Especially the ones that have seafood! But the nice family that he's staying with is originally from France and he tells me that they don't eat them often."

"I hope he's still taking his medication and not overexerting himself. You know how he is..."

The next photo that we come across is one that I've seen many times.

Saki-it's reaction is instant.

"Oh look a baby!" She exclaims just as a video starts playing. The POV of the camera is on the ground while the infant is cooing and making baby noises on a carpeted floor and slowly crawling towards it. We hear Onii-chan's voice speak in another language and the baby squeals in response before being picked up. The next few photos and videos are centred around the baby and himself playing and making the infant laugh.

Although there was one where the baby was actively chewing at his phone when he left it with the infant.

"He's the youngest member of the family and Onii-chan always plays with him and sends me at least one photo a day. I forgot the baby's name though." We see the other family members along with Onii-chan in photos going about their day and when they were out hanging out with his Dutch friends.

Saki-nee chuckles a bit when she sees the five of them posing in front of a statue in a wide park. Then photos of Onii-chan and the pretty Onee-san at different places which hold cultural significance like museums, paintings, churches and more. She looks like the touchy type with her arm around his shoulder like they're "bros". Rude! Doesn't she know that we Japanese value our personal space?!

"Who's this? A friend of his?" Saki-nee asks. I'm sure she's thinking about a lot of things while looking at my phone but she keeps those thoughts to herself.

"Yeah, she's the cool Onee-san who taught him how to- wait, I'll show it to you instead!" I go to the video with the perspective from the front passenger seat. The video starts a bit wobbly and films the road. We see a small head briefly and cooing noises and the phone is raised slightly upwards.

"Oh, it's the baby from earlier." We hear a female voice say something which we can't understand and Onii-chan replies shortly after. The phone turns to the side to reveal him driving the car itself. He briefly glances at the phone and reaches out with his right hand and a baby's squeaky laugh is heard shortly after. The female says something and he obediently retracts his hand back on the steering wheel.

"Wow, he's driving. Wouldn't he get in trouble with the law if they get caught?" She says worriedly.

I shake my head. "It's fine since they're in the neighbourhood."

We see a wholesome photo of him with his host family. He's at the centre with the two eldest children at his sides while the mother and second youngest daughter are across the dinner table. The head of the family seems to be missing. Onii-chan says that he's travelling around the country and doing boring business stuff. The baby is on his lap, smiling with his mouth and hands covered in what appears to be chocolate. The funny part is Onii-chan's right cheek was covered in the same stuff while he had a goofy smile on him.

"Look at him smiling like that. It's a rare sight to be sure."

I giggle and agree with her. "I know right? It's like his personality switched or something be hehehehehe."

She breathes out sharply and makes an exaggerated wail after staring at the photo for a while. "Ah! Why'd he have to cut his hair?! His hair lost its volume! It's so weird seeing him like this! My brain can't process this drastic change!"

"For real! I was startled when he came home that night from Mama's salon looking like that!" I nod and continue ranting. "His hair is way shorter and thinner now. He looks so different that he might as well change his name or something!"

Onii-chan's hair is much shorter now and the bangs that covered his forehead and ears are completely gone. There's still some remaining on the top of his head which is a relief though it's super thin on the sides. He looks like he got conscripted by the army!

"Knowing him, I'm sure he has some big brain logical reasoning for this which will sound ridiculous no matter how much you turn it upside down," Saki-nee says with a slightly cringing expression. I sigh and shake my head at our exchange more than a week ago.

"His exact words were: 'Well, I looked up the weather in that side of Europe and considering that I may visit the neighbouring countries that border the Netherlands as well, I decided to get a haircut since it might get too hot. Also, since I'll be meeting some of our father's foreign colleagues, I thought that my former hair might look too messy to them and leave a bad impression.' Or something along those lines..." I say while deepening my voice and making my eyes look a bit dull in imitating him.

Saki-nee nods with an expectant face and grimaces. "Yup... That's Hachiman for you..."

Entry #1

The subject ignored my peace offering (chocolate cake) even when I offered her a slice. Instead, she took baby Anton and took him to her room for playtime. Drats! I still wanted to play with him!

Entry #2

Lukas and I were going to bike around the neighbourhood in the early morning when I thought of asking Adrianne to come with us. Turns out that she's not a morning person and gets very grumpy and irritable when woken up at 4 am.

Entry #3

I watched this fascinating documentary about speculative biology in the living room with Anton. I got so hooked on the program that I forgot that it was time for Adrianne's favourite cartoons (I felt her glare from behind my head). She ignored me when I offered her the remote and went straight upstairs.

Entry #4

I found out that she has a pet bunny and gecko but I have yet seen them since she always keeps her room closed. Hmm, maybe the white hair that's sometimes stuck on Anton is from the bunny? Further investigation is needed.

Entry #5

When Lukas, 'Ria and Adrianne are still in their classes, I'm at home with their mother and playing with Anton in the living room. Mrs Cathy brings me along to do some grocery shopping while I follow and push his stroller. We sometimes bump into people that she knows and I get mistaken as her long-lost son. The nice lady at the ice cream stall gave me an extra serving when she got pleasantly surprised that I can speak Dutch.

Entry #6

I like Spanish food and that black Squid ink pasta thing that I tasted out of curiosity.

Entry #7

I wonder what Komachi and my mother are doing right now, I should call them this evening. Oh, wait, the time zones are different. So is it daytime or night in Chiba? I forgot. I'll have to see my smartwatch if has a dual-timezone function. I wonder if Yui has already figured out her watch. Maybe she even knows more about our matching watches better than I do?

Entry #8

My foster mother is always cooking and baking lots of food and asks me to taste the dishes. Her food tastes great and at this point, I may end up even more fat and plump than Anton!

Entry #9

In our private four-member group chat, Yoshiteru tagged and told me that "It smells like updog in here." to which I replied, "Where are you and what's updog?". Instead of properly replying like a normal person, he spammed "XD" until my screen was covered with it and Hina told him to shut up or else she'll abuse her admin powers and kick him out. Yoshiteru immediately put a stop to his lollygagging.

Suffice it to say, I have no clue what updog means.

Entry #10

Tess is a pretty nice girl: she has the same aura as my super Shiromeguri-senpai and is easy to get along with. I'm sure they'd get along if they meet. She wants to bring me along this weekend during their ballet practice at school and I'm looking forward to it.

"Your Mother told me to come to fetch you from school," I say while being stared at by the little girl with bewilderment present in her eyes. Other children all around us are going about their business with most of them going to the playground to play with the remaining going to their parents and guardians patiently waiting for them.

Adrianne continues staring at me so I repeat just in case she hadn't heard me. She looks like a puppy that got taken from its mother and then placed in the arms of a stranger - not quite sure what to do or say.

I glance to my left where many children are running towards the school's playground. "Do you want to play with your friends? There's still a lot of time left."

The little girl slowly shakes her head and looks to the playground. I see her small hands lightly grip the handle of her bag.

"Home."

I take one more good look at her. "We can play if you want and it looks fun." Taking the initiative, I gently take her hand and walk to where the children are playing. We climb up the steps and go down the slide together. The other kids don't seem to mind me playing with them. I'm too tall to properly go on the climbing bars so I had to raise my legs so they won't touch the ground. I cheered on Adrianne as she slowly went up the climbing net and carefully watched her struggle on the "monkey bars".

I soon realize that most of the kids are following me around and going on the same set that I go to. My preschool followers ask me to push them on the swings and spin them faster on the roundabout even though some of them can barely form an understandable sentence. Adrianne didn't go on the latter, she looked like she got very dizzy just by watching them. Their laughter and joyous cheers amused their parents and guardians who watched us on the sidelines.

One of the children brought a football after asking their teacher for it. I decide to show them my skills which isn't much but the Football Club at school deem them to be within their minimum standards. I guess playing with Hayama and Tobe and the rest made me realize that I may have an aptitude for the sport. The kids get very impressed when I bounce the ball using only my knees, even little Adrianne's eyes go wide as she watches me do it. They start imitating me but their legs were still far too small and they end up falling on their bottom which they laugh off and try again to my amusement.

We say goodbye to them after hanging out for about half an hour. I guess I played with them too much because my back and forehead are slightly wet from sweat and Adrianne fared not much better as she held my left pinky finger. The two of us start our walk home beside the road with me right on the edge. It was a habit of mine from when Komachi and I were still kids which I later carried to the present day. Hina says that she and the girls appreciate the gesture which I shrugged off when she told me.

An eardrum-shattering shriek to my left nearly sends my soul straight to the Eye of Terror and I look to see that Adrianne already went behind me and clutching tightly at my shirt. I ask her what's wrong and with a shaky hand, she points down at something moving on the ground.

"N-No..." She mutters and pulls on my arm when I squat to get a closer look at the thing. It appears to be a bright green caterpillar slightly shorter than my ring finger. It's crawling right on the pavement where people walk which puts it in danger.

"So you're afraid of insects huh... I used to be just like you when I was small." Thankfully, there's a fallen twig nearby so I make it climb up and then raise it to the lowest branch that I can reach. The insect crawls to safety and hides under the tree's leaf.

Adrianne still looks terrified. She drags me forward away from the shade of the trees as if the caterpillar might come back and chase after her.

"Don't run. You might trip and fall." The little girl stops and gets exhausted and I realize that her hands feel slightly cold against mine. I crouch down after taking a small blue towel from the inside of her bag and start wiping her wet forehead with it. Her face wrinkles as she closes her eyes and waits for me to finish.

"Did you have fun in the playground?" I ask.

Adrianne makes a slight nod. "Yes..."

"What was your favourite one to go on?"

"I sit... You push me up." She reaches in front of her and grabs something invisible and makes squeaky noises.

I snap my fingers while grinning when I do a double take on her words. Her vocabulary, pronunciation and sentence formation are still quite lacking. How ironic that I'm the one who knows more about her language, well she's still a little kid anyway. And I have been studying Dutch for the past two months on my computer and phone and allocating at least three hours every day for it.

I can't help but chuckle a bit when I realize that the noises that she's imitating are from the metallic hinges of the swings when they're being used.

"Those are called swings." Once her face and neck were dry, I help her put the towel on her back. "My favourite is the climbing wall and nets," I ask her a few more questions but she goes quiet. Poor thing must be exhausted. She doesn't look like the kind of child who likes playing outside with other children. Not that I was any different. W-Well no one wanted to play with me anyway...

Adrianne wordlessly asks me to carry her so I kneel for her to hop on my back.

"A-Ack! Not there!" I choke out when she puts her arms around my neck like an assassin trying to kill me. I reach out and place them on my shoulders instead lest I seriously get choked to death by the child. I start walking home and it's only when I arrive at the front door and ask her to get down do I notice that she had went limp.

Mrs Cathy opens the door and understands after giving us a single glance. She takes Adrianne's bag from my hand and I go to the couch where I carefully lay the child down. She's fast asleep and instinctively holds the closest thing to her which happens to be my arm.

My foster mother giggles at the sight. "I'll go get her favourite pillow." She comes back from upstairs holding a stuffed toy in the shape and likeness of a carrot. I wiggle myself from her grasp and give her the carrot which she immediately hugs.

"You two look like you spent some time in the school playground," I tell her of what we did with a slightly hushed voice to not disturb Adrianne but she assures me that her daughter is a heavy sleeper and won't be easily woken up.

"Still, this is a surprise. Adrianne isn't the type of kid to spend time at the playground with other kids..." She says and puts her daughter's bag aside as well as taking off her shoes.

"Really?" I ask as I sit down on the couch.

Mrs Cathy leans down and brushes Adrianne's blond hair to the side. The expression on her face is familiar: I've seen my parents, Hiratsuka-sensei, Tatsumi-sensei at work and Tatsumi-sensei at Taekwondo make the same kind of expression. The reasons may vary but the result is still the same. An expression with a hint of sadness and disappointment.

"Adrianne has... a bit of a small communication problem."

""YOU DID WHAT NOW?!"" The two eldest de Mer siblings exclaim loudly at my face with their saliva splattering in all directions at Mach speed. A tiny droplet narrowly misses my eyeball and lands on my cheek.

"As I said, I picked up a stick and let the caterpillar-" I get cut off when 'Ria recoils just from my words as if she got punched in the gut. Lukas on the other hand has his arms jittering with their hair standing on its ends.

"Ew ew ew ew ew!"

"Just thinking about it makes me-!" A shiver goes up their spine and both of them take a minute or two to calm themselves down. We're currently at the centre of Lukas' room sitting on the carpet floor. A wooden table is surrounded by us all kinds of educational materials on top of it. Oh and baby Anton is with us too and is sitting on my lap. He looks to be ignoring his older siblings and myself included and is currently immersed in chewing on his tiny fist.

"I...didn't know that you two both have the same kind of fear..." I say while observing their over-the-top reactions with amusement. The baby on my lap clumsily leans to the left when he looks up at me. He coos and gives me a toothless smile with drool dripping from his mouth which I wipe off with his shirt.

"Maybe you won't be like your older siblings, won't you~?" Anton giggles when I poke and tickle his soft tummy and sides.

Lukas looks visibly pale and the hairs on his neck and arms are standing. "A-Anyway, let's please change the subject. If this goes on I'm kicking you two out of my room." 'Ria vigorously nods with agreement looking more or less the same as her brother.

"In any event, thanks for hanging out with Adrianne. Lukas and I barely have time to play with her because of college. Not to mention that we're too exhausted when we arrive home."

Is college that hard? Jeez, maybe I should start preparing too. Haruno seems very relaxed about it and my parents didn't struggle too much in their days. Or maybe their respective courses are much harder - Lukas has taken up marine engineering while 'Ria took agriculture sciences both of which sound very complex and advanced to my novice ears.

I'll no doubt have to follow in my father's footsteps. Come to think of it, I can't recall if it was my father or grandfather who failed medical school and switched courses. I guess that's something I'll stick at the back of my mind.

"She's...quite meek and soft-spoken. A bit apprehensive to me but that's understandable. She doesn't go outside much, doesn't she?" I say carefully and watch my words. I normally dislike talking about topics that are too personal and sensitive. Even I don't ask Haruno what's her deal with her little sister. I'll overstep my bounds and I don't care anyway since it's home of my business.

'Ria and Lukas both nod. They may not show it on their faces but I see the sadness in their eyes.

"She has very early signs of social anxiety. Even I can barely get a word or two from her."

"It also doesn't help that she has a hearing problem in her right ear. Both of her hearing aids are still at the technician's for maintenance." Lukas rests his head on the table and uses his arms as cushions. "I try to interact and talk with her as much as I can but her responses and reactions are always minimal."

'Ria puts her hand on her brother's shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "Hey, come on. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"I ask her teachers how she's doing in school every once in a while. They say that she's always distant and unfocused in class. The teachers are doing all they can to help her. Thankfully her classmates are nice kids who don't mind her silence and play and eat with her regardless." Lukas replies with a muffled voice.

That last part makes me feel a bit envious.

I nod solemnly. I already know about the second part but it's the first time I hear about their little sister having social anxiety. I guess I didn't think too much about the matter and just shrugged it off as shyness. I should have realized sooner since all the signs were right in front of my eyes.

An idea pops into my thoughts, the same thing that Lars and I were talking about some days ago.

"Hey, Lars mentioned something about a trade fair and carnival happening this week. Maybe we can bring Adrianne along with us?"

Not much to say here except that I'm healthy and still alive. Castlevania on Netflix is pretty good, FGO is getting boring and The Brothers Karamazov by Feodor Dostoyevsky is a good read which I highly recommend. Oh and I heard from my friends that The Rings of Power by Amazon is absolute rubbish. I already read Fire and Blood by George RR Martin so I don't plan on watching it. Not after they butchered the GOT series.

I might also move and stay in the USA some time in the future or take up and study Law. Whichever comes first.

Hmm, perhaps I do still have something to say after all.

I tried Genshin and the story is pretty good. You may even say that it inspired me to create and complete a side-project, if you will. If you're interested, check out my stories. It will probably get posted within a day or two.

62

Yukinoshita Yukino takes a seat around a table occupied by familiar faces. The Yukinoshita family was invited by Hikigaya Hitomi for her birthday. Hachiman's mother is currently welcoming guests while his sister is showing them their seats. The venue is at a hotel's function hall overlooking the city of Chiba.

The girls have arrived rather early and Saki is assisting Komachi. Meguri, Yui, Hina and Yumiko are engaged in conversation with each other. All of them are dressed beautifully and spared no expense, almost as if they are in an unspoken competition of sorts. They were invited by Hachiman's mother to get to know them better. Saki, Haruno and Meguri already know her and are connected to the Hikigaya family in some way.

Yukino quietly listens to them as she is not quite interested in joining but does not ignore them when called. Meguri is sharing her experiences with Hachiman as a coworker at the bookstore at which they both work.

"So, like, Hikio isn't that much different when he's in working mode?" Yumiko asks curiously as Hachiman barely talks about his job.

"Yup! He's still basically the same!"

"Maybe I should try getting a part-time job... What about you Hina?" Yui turns to her friend busy texting on her phone.

"I'm giving it some thought, hehehe." The Megane girl replies. Yoshiteru recently disclosed to their group chat that he has a part-time job which made Hina think. She has a lot of free time before school begins again so why not make the best out of it? Saika is always busy practising tennis for the day he can finally beat Hachiman, Yumiko and Yukino which he calls the "Big Three".

"Really?! Uwah, maybe I should look for one too..."

Haruno had decided not to sit with them and stayed with her parents. Her father does business with Hikigaya Jōshirou and her mother and nows each other from previous meetings. Yukino on the other hand was introduced to Hikigaya Jōshirou when her father met with him for a business proposal. Haruno wanted to sit with her sister and know the girls from her school better but opted not to. Their last meeting was not pleasant and the two had not spoken to each other since.

"Yuigahama-san, may I ask what gift you brought for Hitomi-san?" Yukino asks in a small voice.

"Since Hikki got me a cooking set for my birthday, I decided to return the favour!" The peach-haired teen replies cheerfully, "Mama really liked the stuff that he gave me and I feel a bit embarrassed when I looked them up and found out that they were pretty expensive..."

"Yes, we were in a Karaoke box...thing with that eccentric fellow and Totsuka-san." Yukino says and recalls that day.

Yui gets a large box from under the table and proudly shows it off to her friends who stare at it with surprised eyes. "Here it is!"

"I got her a lucky house plant. Isn't that what mothers like these days?"

"Mine is a tea set."

"I bought her a pair of indoor bunny slippers!" Yumiko, Hina and Meguri add and show their gifts which Yukino studies and regards with interest. She was about to show them what she brought but is interrupted when Saki returns and joins them after helping Komachi. She takes her seat beside Yukino and occupies the last available space on the table.

"It would have been nice if Hachiman and Uncle were here but it can't be helped I guess," Saki says and fixes her skirt. She secretly dislikes sitting beside Yukino but there is no other space left. So she slightly faces away from her and towards Hina to her left.

"Isn't it almost Hikki's birthday? Shiromeguri-senpai, you know Hikki very well." Yui says to the most senior girl at the table. She also knows that Hachiman thinks of her very highly and openly voices his adoration, love and faith to the Stuco President. Yui thinks nothing past his words and finds them adorable and wholesome - akin to a little brother looking up to his older sister.

"Yeah, he's turning seventeen this year and he won't be celebrating it here in Chiba unfortunately. But we in the StuCo are planning a small party with him so keep it a secret okay~?" Meguri finishes with a clap of her hands and tilts her head to the side in a cute manner. Her Kouhai all nod and promise to keep silent.

They resume talking with another topic in mind but Yumiko's attention was directed to Saki. The blond had made a mental ranking and evaluation of the appearance and beauty of the girls around her which are as follows:

Hina has the best dress which Yumiko finds gorgeous and stylish. Despite her showing the most skin among them, she admits that the bespectacled girl takes the spot for the best dress.

Yui has the best figure out of all of them no doubt. Her hands themselves as they roamed all over Yui's soft body in the girl's locker room can attest to that.

Yukino composes herself perfectly and her gait, etiquette and posture are to be expected from a high-class lady like her.

Meguri will definitely be the first person Hachiman moves to save if they were in some kind of danger. A strange metric to be classified under to be sure but Yumiko saw it in a women's magazine and decided that it is a legitimate category to consider. She doesn't know the order of who will be saved next but Yumiko is sure that a certain Ice Queen is undoubtedly at the bottom.

For the last part, Yumiko swallowed her pride for unbiased objective judgement and decided that Kawasaki Saki has the best hair among them. The Fire Queen had done her hair herself and while not a true professional, she takes pride in keeping and maintaining her smooth and silky locks. Despite that, she has a keen eye for quality and knows when to voice her compliments and praises.

"Say Saki, where did you have your hair done? It looks great." Yumiko compliments her and is followed by Hina who starts touching her hair. She blushes a bit as being complimented on her looks is a rare occurrence. Not that she is not pretty by any means but simply the fact that her social interactions with other people are quite low.

"A-Ahaha... At Auntie's salon. I came here with Komachi and her in their car." While they were talking about Saki's beautiful hair and the possibility of going to the salon together, Yukino secretly bristled at her words.

"Auntie, huh..." Yukino composes herself and calls Yui's attention to her right for small talk.

"Yuigahama-san, that is quite the watch. Where did you get it?"

"Hikki and I won them when we hung out together before his trip!" She replies with a smile.

Yukino pauses for a moment to make sure that she heard her right. "You...hung out together with Hikigaya-kun?"

"Yeah, it was some time after summer camp. I was bored and asked him if he was free and he let me come with him to a convention thingy in downtown Chiba." Curiosity rises within her and Yukino ask her more about what they did together.

"This is unexpected. I did not anticipate Yuigahama-san doing something like this behind my back."

While she listened intently to every word that Yui said, Yukino notes that the girl smiled happily and her eyes shone with joy while telling her what she did with Hachiman on their unofficial "date" or official if you consider that it counts. Her face gets slightly flushed which made her think that something more must have happened between Hachiman and her. Yui was truly happy telling her friend about it but left out the more embarrassing moments that still made her blush whenever she thinks about it. She still remembers the words that made her heart skip a beat and the warmth and feeling of being protected when she asked him for a hug.

In stark contrast, Yukino feels envy and a sliver of betrayal in her heart and clenched the tablecloth from under the furniture. She started hearing static in her ears which cancelled out all the sounds in the air, especially the words coming from Yui. Her face became unmoving like a statue lest it shatters into a thousand pieces.

Her mood had soured and the feeling did not go away for the rest of the night.

"A pity that Jōshirou-san and his son are away. I would have liked to take a closer look at his boy. From the photos that I've seen, they look very much alike."

Yukino's mother comments while watching her husband and Hitomi chat with their mutual friends. Her husband, Jōshirou and Hitomi were classmates in college and have kept in contact ever since. Beside her, her youngest daughter turns to her with surprise.

"Really? They never mentioned it to me..." Yukino replies. She had returned to her family's table after Haruno had made herself comfortable on her seat. The eldest daughter joined in the conversation with her juniors after reintroducing herself. Yukino was in no mood to argue with her sister over something so trivial and retreated to her family's table instead. From afar, she watches Haruno say something and the girls laughed and giggled in response.

"Oh, you didn't know? They're the type to forget mentioning that." Her mother makes a dismissive expression, seemingly expecting her answer.

"Were they always close?"

"They lost touch for a few years because of the busy nature of their work but reconnected. Quite understandable really. I hear Jōshirou-san's previous work was quite abusive and brutal."

She takes a small sip from her glass of water. "And Hitomi-san was in the same position."

Her eyes follow Yukino's gaze, "Are you not going to them?"

"No, Onee-sama is with them."

"I don't see how that is a problem." She turns to her daughter with a slight look of disapproval on her pleasant features, "Yukino, you should get along with your sister better. At this rate, Jōshirou-san's son will take your place as even he gets along better with Haruno than you."

Yukino is quite aware that her sister sometimes sees Hachiman during the weekends at his mother's place. Quite recently, they did so again when she picked him up unannounced at the summer camp and she has already thought of several reasons why. She knows this and envies their friendship.

But being reminded of it by her own mother makes it even more painful.

"Yes, mother..." She says meekly in a quiet voice.

Her mother sighs, seemingly exhausted by the topic of their conversation. "In any case, I'll introduce you to Hitomi-san later. You should at least try and be in good relations with her children."

Happy Birthday to me!

You may have noticed that this is a relatively short chapter. I'm trying out shorter ones and at third-person POV since it's quite easier and faster to progress the story for the Author. I wrote a Genshin Impact x Oregairu Crossover as an "experiment" and confirmed that I quite liked the flow of it.

I analyzed my writing style and realized that I add too much monologue. And this current arc is going at an excruciatingly slow pace! I'll also try writing my other fanfics in the third-person from now on.

Well, that's it for me today. I'll see you lot next time!

63

It's the first time I've been to a farm-based Fair and seen farm animals and equipment out in the open like this. The closest thing that comes to mind was the trade convention that Yui and I went to some time before my flight. Lars and Tess are with us, and, to my not-so-obvious surprise after spending some time here in Amsterdam, I'm the only Asian person walking around with an umbrella.

I don't understand how these Dutch people can stand this heat... I feel like I'm going to die and turn into dried fish to be showcased in a human zoo...

The girl beside me flashes a smile with her bluish-purple eyes, "You sure took your sweet time."

"Of course." I reply haughtily like an esteemed Ojou-sama like Luvia Edelfelt and raise my nose at her, "I have sensitive skin and get sunburned easily. Spending half an hour in the van reapplying sunscreen and moisturizer is a necessary sacrifice."

Tess laughs and so does Lars beside her. "Do you always do that?"

I nod, "Yeah whenever I go out or play tennis and football."

Ahead of us, Lukas and 'Ria with their little sister in tow start checking out the different booths and stands. With so many people around, her fear of strangers becomes all the more apparent. She looks anxious with her eyes darting to and fro and hops away when a bypasser gets too close to the trio. I can see her little hands clutch tighter to her brother every time she does so.

"So what's the plan today?" Tess asks Lars.

He shrugs, "There's no plan. Wait, why are you asking me anyway?"

"Dunno, I just assumed you had one. What about you Hachiman? Where do you want to go?"

"Why are you asking the foreigner... I have no idea about this place."

The older girl puts a band under her chin and closes her eyes in thought. "By process of elimination, that leaves me in charge! Follow me!" She exclaims and drags us by the arm to a booth selling dairy products with free samples being given out.

"We're not gonna tag along with those three?" Lars gestures to the de Mer siblings.

"No, we'll just get in the way. Let them have their sibling bonding time with their little sister." The blonde replies without looking. Lars and I share a glance - I'm surprised that she thought of this considerate act. On the other hand, I'm a bit disappointed that I can't hang out with them together.

The farmers greet us warmly as we go over their goods. Tess, to our embarrassment, slowly starts going goblin mode and greedily stuffs her mouth with the free samples but thankfully Lars is here to keep her in check. I notice that he barely tasted any of the dairy products and decide to ask him about them.

"I'm lactose intolerant," He replies to my astonishment. "I mean, small amounts are fine."

I taste a small cheese with a toothpick impaled to it. "Wow, really? What happens if you overdo it?"

Tess answers for him with a goofy ah grin on her face, "His stomach growls like a dog and he spends an hour in the toilet making noises like a cow."

"Sounds rough..." I say and drink from a paper cup filled with chocolate milk. I'll have to remind myself not to overdo it as well. God knows what'll happen... I'm scared just thinking about it. Thank God the de Mer household has a bidet...though the toilets in my motherland are still way better. My skin crawls at the thought of using toilet paper and nothing else...

The Dutch farmers are pleasantly surprised when they find out that I can speak their native tongue. They were so amused, that they gave me cartons of milk, a lot of cheese and half a box full of yoghurt. I thought that declining their generosity is rude and so accepted their goodwill graciously. I take some photos with them, as well as with Tess and Lars and we go back to the van with our haul.

"They sure gave you a lot of stuff. Those guys are generous with tourists. I hope they don't go out of business." Lars comments as we finish putting everything in the van.

"Hm... What if I pretend to be a tourist from Italy..." Tess says out loud and starts talking to herself in that foreign language. I can distinctly hear her heavy Dutch accent which completely messes up her act and reveals herself to be the imposter. Add that to the fact that she's still a beginner at it...

Lars rolls his eyes at her behaviour, "Stop that. You're not fooling anyone with that sussy acting."

She sighs dejectedly and tells me to do my best to get more free stuff from the vendors. That's a scummy way to say it but is a funny thought nonetheless.

Next, we go to the petting zoo where baby animals were being held. There are mostly children with their guardians here. We buy some animal food and feed the calves, foals, chicks and kids. Since it's allowed, we climb over the steel pen and Lars immediately pets a baby cow from a species with a lot of reddish furs. I can't blame him, the baby cow is super adorable.

"Kyah!"

Tess losses her balance as I'm helping her down and I instinctively lurch forward to catch her. She may be taller than me but I'm heavier built compared to her slim and lithe form as expected of a ballerina. I do catch her but the uneven grass causes me to fall with her over me. Time slows down as I see her face over me, and I twist at the last moment just as I feel the soft grass on my back.

Y-Yabai! That was too close for comfort! I nearly had my first kiss taken from me! And I DO NOT consider that time with Rumi since she's still a kid!

Tess sits up on my lap with her voice full of alarm, "Hachiman! I'm so sorry! My sandal slipped on the fence! Are you okay?!"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine..." I blush at our position since she's basically straddling me. Why is this series of events commonly seen in shitty ecchi light novels happening to me?! Is some eldritch God from the Outer Realm writing my fate and destiny for their amusement?! If there is, then please stop! It's not funny when you're on the receiving end!

"Moo..." A pair of calves walk up to me and sniff my hair before licking me affectionately as if to make me feel better. They must have seen me fall and thought that I hurt myself.

Tess gets up after Lars quickly comes over to us and helps me up as well. Thankfully, my shirt didn't get dirty since the grass is relatively clean and dry.

"I told you to be careful..." Lars sighs while she's apologizing and bowing to me profusely. He had bonked her on the head for her carelessness which almost got the both of us hurt. The place where he hit her is comically red and swollen like in those cartoons for children. Hmm, with her exaggeratedly bowing that low, I can clearly see the only thing on her that isn't slim and slender...make that two.

Dutch women dress really dress differently from Japanese women huh... Yumiko will certainly fit in here. Maybe I should bring her with me next time...

"It's fine." After easing their concerns, we go back to petting and feeding the baby animals. I buy juicy apples for the calves that came to my rescue and their tails wagged as they receive the sweet treat. We snap a few photos and then move on to the next area.

I've seen my fair share of horses from policemen on horseback to the odd carriage for tourists in Tokyo. But the one that Tess and I are riding on is a beautiful and powerful working mare. She is the pride of her owner and is nearly two and a half meters tall. Lars is riding on the mare's offspring around the track while being guided by the owner's son.

"She's beautiful isn't she, Hachiman?" Vittoria Russmoni turns her head to me and grins. We're wearing full safety gear with helmets and protective pads on. She's handling the reins since she has experience with this. Her pretty purple-blue eyes shine with adventurous excitement and a smile is gracing her lips. I can tell that she's enjoying this and I have to agree that I'm feeling the same.

"Yup, she's gorgeous." I nod and return a smile.

We go around the track as the majestic beast goes into a trot before slowly going faster. It feels amazing with the wind against my face as I feel every moment the horse's hooves hit the soil. With it, the fragrant perfume coming from Tess fills my nose. It's not strong since if it were I would already be sneezing with a massive headache. It's just right, just like my Mother's.

The horse goes faster and I'm forced to put my arms around her slim waist to balance myself. I'm still having fun but I'll admit that I'm feeling a tad bit scared. Another sensation is felt - pain. Every time I hop on the saddle and go back down, it hurts a certain part of me that only my fellow males can understand. Tess doesn't seem bothered, it looks like she's stepping on the leather foot straps to keep her butt from hitting the hard saddle. I imitate her stance but fail to do so since if I do, I'll have to let go of her and that might cause me to lose balance.

After what felt like an eternity, the mare's master sounds a whistle and we go back to him at a slow and comfortable pace. I manage not to collapse on the ground despite the pain in my loins. Tess is all smiles as she hops down the beautiful beast and rubs her neck and under her jaw. I sit down on a nearby bench after some photos were taken and am quite thankful that I'm still alive.

Lars sits beside me, his face and neck pink from the sunlight. My wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves prevented me from facing the same fate. I do feel sweaty though.

"Are you okay, Hachiman?"

"No. That mare made me go through cock and ball torture...fucking hell man..." I mutter to myself in Japanese before switching to Dutch.

"Yeah, it was amazing! I want to go again!" I say sarcastically but he doesn't seem to have understood my true meaning.

"I know right? Let's go again!"

"NO!" I exclaim too loudly, "No, no it's fine hahaha... I'm feeling hungry. We should go have some lunch." I say and hide my displeasure with a forced smile. After returning the equipment and taking a short break, we eat a nearby food stall. They have rice dishes on their menu which is a huge relief. Tess and I eat beef with stir-fried vegetables and curry while Lars had a lame vegan salad.

He looks at the both of us with a look of horror. "Are you two seriously eating beef...?" Tess and I share a glance with our mouths full and shrug.

"You want to taste?"

"It's pretty good tho." She and I agree and start talking about the surprisingly tasty dish. Lars calls our attention once more by clearing his throat.

"We were literally playing with baby cows not long ago. Isn't it too heartless to immediately eat that?" He says and points to our food.

"Sorry, I don't really think about this stuff," I admit with all honesty. Food is food and it's different when the animal is alive. I do treat them with respect when they're still breathing as one should, but at the end of the day, they'll end up on our plates one way or another.

"Me too." With Tess's ending remark, the matter is settled and Lars stopped talking with that topic in mind. Though the more I ponder his words, the more I realize that he's right in a way. This is something Hannibal Lector or Patrick Bateman would definitely do, psychopath-ish. Not gonna lie, what I did is a bit fucked up and I'm sure my friends at home will agree. Well, maybe except Yoshiteru.

The next part of the fair that we go to is the area where they showcase the large vehicles used as farming equipment. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to drive them so we go inside and take pictures instead. There's also a propeller plane on display and Lars yells in excitement upon recognizing the aircraft.

"Woah! An Antonov An-2!" He exclaims and hops inside. Tess and I read a large poster beside it. Apparently, it's a Soviet-built multipurpose utility aircraft that can be outfitted with numerous roles from military to civilian, more so on the latter. This one is used in crop dusting. since it's more efficient to do it by air. Now that I think about it, the Aviation Enthusiasts Club in school has a model kit similar to this. I'll have to ask them when I go back.

"Huh, and they made over twenty thousand of these and are widely used all over the world. I guess you learn something new every day."

"I guess so," Tess says beside me. We're currently waiting for Lars to finish taking photos of the plane from every angle. I didn't know that he was interested in planes.

"It even has the same name as Anton. Well, without the "-ov". A shame that we couldn't bring him along."

"He always wanted to be a pilot you know. Once he graduates from college this spring, he'll enrol in a flight school. Well, that's what he says anyway. It's hilariously ironic since when we were kids, he was very afraid of heights. Even looking down from small bridges over the waterways in the city made him feel weak and queasy." She says with a laugh.

"What's the course that he's pursuing? I never got the chance to ask him." I reply.

"Civil Engineering, just like our grandfather who immigrated here from Italy. While I'm studying Financial Management!" She says proudly and puffs out her chest. Lukas is taking Marine Engineering and 'Ria's is Agricultural Sciences if I'm not mistaken. They chose really important-sounding paths. I should learn from them and ask them for advice. In a year's time, I'll have to make the same choice.

She asks me what I want to be and I tell her that I'm still unsure myself. Tess asks me lots of questionnaire-like questions while Lars continues taking photos of the plane. They were mainly about my hobbies and interests a few of which she already knows since we talked about them before and through texts every night. She hums in thought after we were done as I wait for her to bestow me with arcane wisdom.

"I've got it!"

"So what have you decided for me?" I ask amusedly.

She turns to me with stars sparkling in her eyes. "You should be a paediatrician or a teacher!"

To my surprise, her answer is exactly the same as my friends back at home and she laughs smugly when I tell her about it. "As expected of my intuition and people-reading skills! They're always on point!"

We continue talking until Lars finally comes back. For a little snack, we go have some ice cream. Lars declines because of his lactose intolerance thing but Tess and I have vanilla-flavoured ones. It's amusing since the farmer shows us the cow that the milk came from whose name is Safie and it tries licking my hand when I pet it. We hang around the area for some time, just talking and watching the people pass by. Lars mentions something I couldn't quite hear and walks off after winking at me.

Tch... This guy...

Is he still trying to set me up with Tess...? I swear, he has way too much free time...

The girl of interest turns to me with an expectant look. At this distance, I can clearly see the freckles on her face which came out after spending too much time under the sun. "Hachiman, do you know what day tomorrow is?"

"Saturday?"

"Yeah, but do you know what we're doing?"

I pause for a moment when I realize that she's testing me. Her gaze reminds me of Haruno whenever she does her little mind games which she loves doing.

"We're...going to your University so I can watch you practice ballet..." I say slowly while choosing my words carefully. Tess claps her hands and is seemingly satisfied by my answer.

"Bravo! You remembered! And here I thought you forgot since you didn't mention it these past few days..." She muses and continues, "Do you mind sending me a photo of a valid ID like your passport? I'll need it to ask for your visitor clearance."

"Okay, it's in the van. I'll send it to you later."

We both go quiet since we expected the other to make a follow-up. What happened were several seconds of awkward silence of just staring and waiting. I was about to say something to break the silence when she thought the same.

"Hey-"

"You know-"

We pause and then the cycle repeats itself.

"You firs-"

"After yo-"

And again.

"I insis-"

"Ladies firs-"

And again...

"Okay, I was-"

"Are you free-"

I cover my face with my left hand. This is getting embarrassing and it's reaching my tolerance threshold. Tess laughs awkwardly also in the same position as me. She handles it better than me and pats my arm which helps me get a hold of myself.

"As I was saying... There's a nice teahouse near my place that I've always wanted to go to but never had the time. Do you... want to come with me...?" She says with a small hopeful smile.

"But it's perfectly fine if you don't! I'll understand if you're too tired to come! I know about your anaemia since you told me about it! It doesn't have to be tonight!" Tess quickly adds to not make herself too presumptuous and demanding.

I clutch my heart, "Hng-!" My weakness! That cutesy act is way too cute! That hopeful face followed by denial with a hint of paradoxical body language! She has no idea how cute that is. Komachi and Isshiki do this frequently and it's super effective against me! Younger girls are so good at this, but older Onee-sans still have a formidable charm to them too!

And that's why they're still the best...

"Y-Yeah... I'll come with you..." I reply, still catching my breath and calming down my excited heart (and appetite since I haven't had some tea ever since stepping foot here in the Netherlands).

Tess beams happily. The smile that she sends my way is brighter than a hundred stars exploding at the same time, it's so bright that I have to cover my eyes lest I go blind. The positive energy emanating from her hits me. It burns away my unnecessary edginess and cringy memories and fills in the void with Onee-san energy and vibes. For a moment, I achieved enlightenment equal to that of Buddha.

I feel so happy, accomplished and complete, that if my life were to end right now, I'd have no regrets.

"Great! It's a date then!"

Merry Christmas to everyone reading this! I hope everyone is staying warm, it's colder than usual where I'm at!

I don't really have much to say except that I'm still busy catching up on events in FGO, Genshin Impact, Azur Lane and Blue Archive. Oh and I recently made a crossover with Genshin Impact, check it out if you're interested!

Anyway, I'll try updating before the New Year, so citizens of the universe, send me your energy!

Goodbye and stay safe!

Z