Part 1
The Chief executive slams her hand onto her desk. "Alright, let's get started! Advertising team, report."
The Culture Festival Organising Committee members exchange nervous glances. A silent consensus is made, and a male student speaks up. "Um. There's no advertising team anymore, Sagami-san."
"What, slacking off already? Man, I don't attend a few meetings and this sort of thing happens..."
"Um, no. I meant there's no more advertising to be done, so the members of the team got split up and reassigned." Upon saying this, the brave soul looks around at his peers nervously, just in case he missed out something that the Chief Executive didn't. Said peers stare quizzically at Sagami, trying to figure out what they're doing wrong.
Sagami, on the other hand, has quickly inferred that the fault is hers and desperately tries to mask the fact. "Already? Man, good work guys! I can't believe you got all that work done on such short notice! Well, we've still got quite some time, so let's take it easy today!"
Rapidly thickening silence befalls the meeting room. Then like a lamb to the slaughter, the male student speaks up. "Um, Sagami-san?"
"What is it?"
"...the festival starts in two weeks."
Our first meeting without Yukinoshita, thinks Hachikuji, and you can't even call it a meeting anymore. Welp, time for some damage control.
"All this talk about slacking off, but it looks like you're the most laid-back one in this degenerate committee, Chief," Hachikuji drawls, putting extra effort into making her voice sound annoying. "Maybe if you'd just attended a few more meetings-"
"-Hikigaya," snaps Hiratsuka-sensei, though the look of evident irritation of her face says she'd love Hachikuji to continue. "That's enough."
The ruse works, well enough. The Chief Executive's major error now forgotten cleanly, the Committee members turn to fix death glares at Hachikuji, a sight she's gotten used to over the last few meetings. Determined to prove her wrong, the members get back to their respective jobs with renewed vigour, leaving a stunned and humiliated Sagami in their wake.
...
The Committee is behind schedule by a large margin. Even Yukinoshita's buffer time of two weeks is being eaten into at a considerable rate. As such, Hiratsuka-sensei has greatly emphasized the need for all members to work overtime. As expected, that doesn't stop them from leaving once the teacher exits the meeting room in the late evening for a toilet break.
To her credit, Sagami patiently waits for the last student to exit the room before marching over to Hachikuji's desk and exploding.
"What the hell was that? You're supposed to be helping me here!"
"I was," Hachikuji replies without looking up from her sizeable stack of documents. "Your request was for us to aid you in your role of Chief Executive, right? This includes pressing you to accept the responsibilities involved."
"Oh, you wanna get smart with me?" Sagami snarls, slamming both hands onto the desk in a pathetic attempt to look intimidating. "You're just an idiot. At least your precious club president did his job properly."
This time Hachikuji does look up, giving Sagami a long hard look at her dead fish eyes. Eyes of bitterness and skepticism; eyes that reflect a weariness towards living after seventeen years of experience; eyes that blame and scorn. "Yukinoshita did not do his job. Instead of helping you take on the leading role, he chose to coddle you and overwork himself. And all you did was sit around and watch... no, you didn't even bother to do that. I simply refuse to make the same mistake."
"Shut up, already. You're not in a position to refuse me after accepting my request." And here a detestable, complacent smile forms on her face. "Honestly, you couldn't afford to refuse my request either, could you? You're literally the lowest of the low!"
"So you say, but we're exactly the same." Funny how I'm not getting mad at her insults. Am I really that angry for Yukinoshita's sake?
"Wha... there's no way I'm the same as-"
"Ah, what a refreshing dump that was!" Hiratsuka-sensei exclaims loudly, literally yanking the sliding door open. "Oh, Sagami, you're still here? I'll clean up after you, so go home already."
Too shocked and confused to object, Sagami grabs her bag and scuttles off.
"Great! Now that she's out of the way..." Hiratsuka-sensei marches over to Hachikuji's seat and flicks her on the forehead. "That's for giving me so much trouble."
…
Sure, it was a flick, but damn, it felt more like a punch. Hachikuji nearly squeaks, leaning back and gripping her forehead, her chair toppling over from the inertia.
"That hurt, dammit!" Hachikuji hisses after a while from her fetal position on the floor. "And what I did was necessary for progress to be made, you of all people should understand!"
"Never said it wasn't," Hiratsuka-sensei drawls, completely unrepentant. "But there are other ways to do it."
"Like relying on the teacher to handle the situation? Lot of good that did- oof!"
"Like bringing the students together with conventional qualities such as charisma and tact, was what I was about to say," Sensei hisses while Hachikuji rolls on the floor, clutching her stomach in agony. Like the patient and caring teacher she is, she waits for Hachikuji to recover.
"No can do. You know I can't do that sort of stuff, so this is the optimal method for me," Hachikuji grunts, dragging her mostly unresponsive body off the floor. "The conventional methods you mentioned would eventually lead Sagami to get ostracized by the Committee anyway. This is the only method where nobody gets hurt."
"Nobody? What a rebellious brat." Hiratsuka-sensei's hand lands on Hachikuji's head, and for a brief terrifying moment Hachikuji decides to say her last prayers. But to her surprise, all Sensei does is ruffle her hair. Hachikuji looks up into eyes of bitterness and skepticism; eyes that reflect a weariness towards living after twenty-eight years of experience; eyes that, despite being hard as diamonds, are unreasonably warm and fond.
"Do what you think you must, alright? Just don't overdo it. You have no obligation to."
"I-I know that," Hachikuji mumbles, slipping out of Hiratsuka-sensei's grip. She instinctively casts her eyes toward the ground. "You're basically asking me to shirk my duties and let the Committee go under, aren't you. Is that what a teacher should be telling her student?"
Hiratsuka-sensei releases a bark of laughter. "I'd love to encourage you to have an altruistic attitude if it were so simple. But the world isn't that simple. You'd understand that better than anyone else I talk to, right?" Amidst the pool of emotions, a hint of bitterness and regret swims to the surface of her eyes. "Maybe if someone gave me that advice when I was younger, I would be higher up in life. Maybe."
"Was that when you were in your forties, Sen- oof!"
"You're just asking for it at this point, you damn brat," Hiratsuka-sensei scoffs, blowing on her fist and moving away from Hachikuji to chastise the other committee members. But she seems to have cheered up, which makes this pain somewhat worth it. Somewhat.
When push comes to shove, Hiratsuka-sensei is probably the person who understands Hachikuji, maybe even more so than Hachikuji herself. Is that why she is so hard-pressed to fix Hachikuji's attitude, forcing her to join the Service Club and the Culture Festival Organising Committee? A tide of raw emotion wells up unreasonably in Hachikuji's heart.
It's just like with Yuigahama, isn't it? Hachikuji used to think Hiratsuka-sensei was trying so hard to change her because that's what her job entails, but to think she it's been partially out of pity this whole time...
"Sensei. I appreciate your efforts, but doing all this for me isn't going to change anything. I love the way I am. I'll do everything I can to push back against your efforts and stay unchanged at the end of all this." Hachikuji spits this line out, bracing herself for the punch, or exasperation, or even an emotional outburst.
"That's fine," replies Hiratsuka-sensei, turning back towards Hachikuji. When Hachikuji looks up at her again, she has a fond smile on her face. "I guess I'll try my best too. That's my role as your teacher, after all."
"You sure about that?" What is this feeling of relief? Hachikuji is mortified to find that her voice is cracking. "You'll end up working outside your paycheck, you know? You'll be doing it even though you have no obligation to."
"If you are aware of that, stop giving me more work already." As Hachikuji stares up through increasingly painful eyes, Hiratsuka-sensei is grinning from ear to ear. "What a problem student you are."
For the very first time among her many interactions with Hiratsuka-sensei, Hachikuji is glad there's nobody else around.
…
Hachikuji's phone vibrates in her pocket while she's still working in the council room. Upon checking it, she notices it's from Yuigahama.
"If you have nothing else to do after the school festival stuff, why don't we go visit Yukinoshita?"
...How did he know that Yukinoshita is sick?
Well, it doesn't matter. Hachikuji is free anyway.
Part 2
First time going to a guy's house, huh.
Hachikuji ponders the implications of this while following an abnormally nervous Yuigahama down the street. While Hachikuji would probably decline going to any other guy's house, she understands very well that honour student Yukinoshita would have way too much pride to do anything questionable to her. While still lost in thought, she notices another glance from Yuigahama.
"Why are you so fidgety? I'm the one that's supposed to be nervous here."
Yuigahama quickly turns back when he realises Hachikuji has noticed his stare, but Hachikuji very clearly catches a glimpse of his blush.
"Well, you see, we haven't gotten the chance to be alone together since the, uh, Summer Festival..."
Oh, right. Now I have two reasons to be nervous.
Hachikuji recounts the Summer Festival of Romantic Cliches, where she made up with Yuigahama and cleared up the misunderstandings between them. After watching the fireworks show, what did they do again? Go their separate ways. That reminds her, she also has to apologise to Yukinoshita for running off like that.
"S-So, when we get to Yukinon's house, we'll just go in to talk with him, right?" Yukinoshita breaks the silence with a practically rhetorical question.
"Yeah, I guess. By the way, how did you know Yukinoshita was sick?" Hachikuji couldn't care less about the information network of a popular student (Information flows freely toward those at the top of the social ladder. Source:me), but she really needs a conversation starter right now.
Yuigahama responds after a pause. "Hayato told me. You know, since we're both friends of him and all."
Right. Hachikuji vaguely remembers Hayama mentioning that Yukinoshita and himself were childhood friends or something. It would make sense for him to know that Yukinoshita was sick.
"Thanks for coming with me today, by the way. It would be totally awkward if it was just Yukinon and me." Yuigahama follows this up with a lighthearted laugh. He's obviously a lot less tense than a few moments before.
And I'm supposed to make it a lot less awkward? Hachikuji doesn't think she can ever recall a moment in her life where she was seen as the conversation enabler. In fact, back in middle school, other groups of girls sometimes tried to engage her in conversation just to prevent boys from joining.
Despite her misgivings, she replies courteously like the benevolent individual that she is, "No problem, thanks for inviting me too."
Yuigahama slows down her pace before stopping in front of a building. It has a modern design, with a lot of glass. It's obviously classy. And expensive to live in.
"We're here."
This is Yukinoshita's house? Hachikuji can't help but wonder exactly how rich Yukinoshita's family is. His father is apparently a politician, but still...
As the two of them enter the complex, Hachikuji only finds her mixed feelings of awe and disgust multiply when she is greeted by a beautiful waiting lobby. Evidently this building is only for the residence of the top echelons of society, or in other words, the filthy rich. Yuigahama walks up to a panel of buttons next to the lift and inputs Yukinoshita's apartment number. After a pause, Yukinoshita's voice plays from the small speaker on the panel.
"Who is it?" Is it just Hachikuji's imagination, or is his voice really nasal?
Yuigahama cheerily replies. "Yo, Yukinon! Me and Hikigaya-san are here to visit."
A moment of silence. "...Tell her to go away."
Is my presence that intolerable, or are you really that grumpy just because of a cold? Hachikuji can't help but feel a bit offended.
Yuigahama laughs nervously. "Come on man, she's just here to see how you're doing."
There's a sudden burst of what sounds like static from the speaker, and Hachikuji realises that that's the sound of Yukinoshita sighing. The lift doors slide open smoothly.
…...
Yukinoshita opens the door in a bathrobe. Despite the central heating, the temperature of the apartment seems to be sub-zero, probably because of Yukinoshita's dispassionate presence.
"Yahallo, Yukinon, it's been awhile!" Without missing a beat, Yuigahama gives his usual greeting, warming the apartment back up to room temperature. Hachikuji stares at the carpeted, air conditioned, scented front hallway in front of her. What the hell, I want to live here too.
"W-Welcome. Please, make yourselves at home."
Following Yuigahama, who is already engaged in animated conversation with Yukinoshita, Hachikuji enters the apartment. It's extremely modern, with massive glass walls, and a few leather couches surrounding a glass coffee table in the centre. Despite this, Hachikuji feels like the room is rather… empty? Architectural design aside, Yukinoshita doesn't have many personal items or furniture in the room. His schoolbag is in a corner of the room, and has a laptop on the table, next to a tissuebox. That's about it.
The three of them sit down around the coffee table.
"Please wait here. I'll go make tea for you guys." Yukinoshita stands up but is pushed back down nearly immediately by Yuigahama.
"Don't push yourself, Yukinon! I'll go get the tea for you guys!" Yuigahama stands up and makes for the kitchen. Hachikuji wonders how Yuigahama is this familiar with Yukinoshita's house. She must have come here quite a few times.
Hachikuji looks at Yukinoshita, who stares back. They're both alone in the room now.
So much for enabling conversation. Hachikuji has no idea where to begin.
Yukinoshita apparently doesn't either. He reaches for his laptop on the table.
"What are you doing?"
"Sagami-san was considerate enough to send me the soft copies of some documents from the meeting today. I have to review them by tomorrow." Yukinoshita casually replies, not looking up from his computer. Considerate? Has the virus gotten to your head?
"You've already overworked yourself and ended up falling sick, and you still want to continue? Are you crazy?" Hachikuji spits out the last line, unable to keep the disgust from her voice. She's been frustrated way too much recently.
Yukinoshita pauses, opening his mouth to speak, but closing it when he sees Hachikuji's dead glare. He shuts his laptop and sets it back on the table. You actually listened? Hachikuji looks away, surprised.
"Why are you even trying so hard for the festival anyway? Come to think of it, why'd you accept Sagami's request to begin with?"
Yukinoshita looks down at his feet. "Well, as you know, my-"
"All done!" Yuigahama re-enters the room carrying a tray with three steaming cups on top, interrupting Yukinoshita.
"By the way Hikigaya-san, how's the progress for the School Festival you and Yukinon have been working on going? Sorry to force all that work on you, come to think of it. Actually, I could have come to school for the past few days, but planning isn't really my thing..." Oi. Did I just hear what I thought I just heard? What happened to the nice boy who everyone depends on? You've been spending too much time around us, Yuigahama!
Anyway, why ask me? Hachikuji glances at Yukinoshita, who takes a tissue from the tissue box and blows his nose.
"Go ahead, assistant historian."
"Well, the deadline's closing in really fast, and at the pace we're going with Sagami, we'll have to pull off some incredible last minute miracle to get ready in time."
"Really? Well, I was wondering why Sagami-san had so much time to go for class meetings when you were rushing off almost instantly after school each day."
"That's why you should let me do my job as Vice-President." Yukinoshita forcefully injects emphasis into his statement, but Hachikuji doesn't care.
"Your job as vice-president? Please! That's outside your job scope! Why don't you let Sagami actually do her job instead of babysitting her all the time? She'll take the blame if the festival fails anyways."
"Now now," Yuigahama interjects awkwardly, "let's calm down, there's no need to… "
"I knew being irresponsible is part of your very being, Hikigaya-san, but I will not shirk my duties just because they are unspecified!" Ouch. Hachikuji ignores the temporary sting and pushes on.
"Responsibility is one thing, self-sacrifice is another. You're not competent enough to handle all the jobs you've taken on, and you know it!" Don't show any weakness. Belittle him. Assert your dominance. That's the only chance I have to make him stop overworking!
"Why, you-"
"Pfft!" The heatedly arguing individuals stare at Yuigahama, who is convulsing with laughter.
"...He's lost it, hasn't he?"
"Indeed. I blame his prolonged interaction with you."
"No, you see, this is what happens during club all the time. You two argue over something, and I end up breaking you guys up. Isn't it funny? Even though the circumstances are so different now, we're still the same around each other." Yuigahama beams.
The remaining two consider this for a while. Then Yukinoshita sits back with a sigh. "That's true."
Nice save, Yuigahama. I had it all in the bag, though.
...
"When you two finish with the School Festival, be sure to come back to Club, alright? It's lonely without you two. I mean, not that I've been at club either... you get what I mean."
Yukinoshita and Hachikuji exchange glances again.
"Of course."
Their conversation falls back into idleness.
…..
"Anyways, I hope you get better soon! Sorry I have to go so early, I've got a family gathering to attend to. Well then-" Yuigahama gives Yukinoshita and Hachikuji a final wave before walking down the hallway and towards the lift.
The door closes behind him, and the mood immediately turns a lot more sombre. Just like when Yukinoshita and Hachikuji were alone in the clubroom without Yuigahama, before summer break.
Hachikuji looks at Yukinoshita, who is still facing the door. They silently make their way back to the couch in the living room.
Yukinoshita picks up his tea, which he still hasn't finished. The clink of the cup on its saucer is painfully loud.
"Yuigahama sure lightens up the mood, doesn't he?" Hachikuji blurts out, unable to keep the tension from her voice. So much for engaging conversation.
Yukinoshita stares at her, and puts the teacup back down on the table.
"I wouldn't expect any less from a student at the top of the school caste. Not that a loner like you would understand."
"Was that supposed to be an insult? Sorry, but I have long embraced the path of solitude. Being a loner is one of my few sources of pride."
"...you really are an odd girl, aren't you."
"Well, sorry about that." That couldn't be more untrue. Loners are model students; it's the rest of the school that's odd.
…
These awkward silences are starting to get really annoying. One would expect Yukinoshita and herself to have made progress in their relationship after all this interaction for the past few months.
On the other hand, she did ditch him on a date during the summer festival just to hang out with another guy. Hachikuji banishes the train of thought.
...
"Hey, Yukinoshita aren't you a loner too?"
"I refuse to classify myself in that category. Even if I was, my reasons for which would be much more valid than yours." This time, Yukinoshita's remark actually does irk Hachikuji. Oi. If you've got a problem with me choosing to be a loner, let's hear it.
"Since when was being elitist a valid reason to be a loner? 'Being at the top is always lonely', is that it? Well, people like Hayama and your sister certainly don't seem to have that problem, do they?" Hachikuji spits that line back, but regrets it immediately when she sees Yukinoshita's face fall visibly.
"My sister, huh..." Yukinoshita trails off. As if becoming aware of Yuigahama's absence, the room temperature dips again.
Hachikuji looks at Yukinoshita's face. He's smiling, but it makes Hachikuji feel uncomfortable. The image of Yuigahama smiling awkwardly while jumping to hasty conclusions at the shopping mall flashes through her mind, and she realises that Yukinoshita's smile is eerily similar.
Teenage angst incoming! Why did I have to say that?
She opens her mouth to speak, but Yukinoshita continues before she can.
"My sister... has always been the beloved representative of the Yukinoshita family, even though it's technically supposed to be me. I've always followed in her footsteps. My grades have always been top notch, but never better than my sister. I went to this school because it was the school my sister went to, and I'll probably go to the same University that she did. I've never really stepped out of her shadow, and it's likely that I never will." Yukinoshita enters a daze, but feels Hachikuji's penetrating gaze and snaps out of it.
"We were talking about the Cultural Festival before Yuigahama-san interrupted, right? I'm sure you've heard about how my sister organised the Cultural Festival a few years ago."
Well, no use forcing a change of subject now.
"And how it was the best Cultural Festival in the history of the school?"
Yukinoshita nods. "I was there to witness it. It was magnificent. Well, anything my sister makes is always magnificent, to the point where they seem to block her out." Hachikuji understands. One's existence being swallowed up by his accomplishments is probably one of the most frightening fates to befall a person. That is why Hachikuji prevents this by minimizing her achievements.
I can see where this is going, but go on. Yukinoshita can probably see the boredom in Hachikuji's expression, but he continues anyway. If anything, it makes him get to the point.
"So basically, I'm going to be undertaking the same task my sister did and organise the festival. Just this once, I want to overtake my sister and prove my worth as the heir of the Yukinoshita family. I don't want-"
Hachikuji can almost finish his sentence. She doesn't.
"-to be outdone by her." The room is quiet again, save for the whirring of Yukinoshita's air conditioner.
What is Hachikuji supposed to say?
Is it really that important to be better than your sibling? Hachikuji thinks of Komachi, and imagines her worried about falling into the shadow of her brilliant role model of an older sister.
Nope, not happening.
Yukinoshita fiddles with his hands, and looks down at the ground. Seeing the usually cold and confident Yukinoshita doing this, Hachikuji feels a pang of unease. He almost looks...vulnerable. This isn't right. She sighs and gets up.
Do I have to play the hero? I thought we established that I'm the heroine of some Shoujo Manga who's role in life is to sit there and get charmed.
...
Yukinoshita doesn't understand why he said so much to Hachikuji, and he doesn't want to know either. Rather he's more concerned about Hachikuji's response. What expression does she carry now? Disappointment? Concern? Surprise? A million possibilities run through his mind, and yet his courage fails him when he wants to look up.
Always dropping the ball at the most crucial time. However much I work toward excellence, I'm still a failure. Yukinoshita looks at his own hands. Hands that have calluses just from working on a laptop. Hands that have, time after time, grasped and failed to reach the blinding light that is his sister. For the first time in a long while, Yukinoshita realises how laughable it is. How laughable he is.
Outdoing my sister by organising a single school event? How petty, how useless is that? Haruno will always be the capable one, the one to receive praise, the one who stands in the spotlight. The pride and joy of the Yukinoshita family. And here he is, yapping about outdoing her while mimicking her actions. Trying to overtake her yet following in her footsteps.
What was that he told his club members about, again? Something about constantly improving oneself. I'm such a hypocrite.
…
Yukinoshita breathes in sharply in surprise when he feels the hand on his head, interrupting his thoughts. The hand raises up, and lands on his head again.
Pat, pat, pat.
"...What are you doing?" Yukinoshita turns to look at Hachikuji, who looks almost bored while she continues to pat his head.
"That entire rant was basically you saying 'Hurry up and comfort me', right? So that's what I'm doing," Hachikuji says casually, and doesn't stop patting his head.
"You're treating me like a child," Yukinoshita hisses accusingly. Yet he doesn't make any effort to make her stop.
"That's because you're acting like one," Hachikuji retorts. "What're you whining about? Yukinoshita Haruno didn't form a club to help members of the student body, did she? You've already surpassed her in terms of community service, haven't you? This isn't like you, Club President. Where's the cold and unapproachable Yukinoshita that I know? Hurry up and get back on your feet."
Yukinoshita stares at the hand which continues to apply slight pressure to his head. He tries to summon annoyance from the depths of his heart, but realises that he cannot. Instead he feels… what does Yukinoshita feel right now? From a simple head pat? Is he he supposed to feel relieved? Comforted? Touched?
And despite his internal denial, he does. Why? My guess is as good as yours, as Hikigaya-san would say. Yukinoshita sits in this slightly awkward position for a while, staring at the bored look on Hachikuji's face and secretly enjoying the slight pressure atop his head. At some point in time, Yukinoshita's mind completely shrugs off its troubles.
Hachikuji drags her feet back to her seat on the other side of the couch. She pauses before she continues, scratching her face.
"The past few weeks have been hard on you, and I can see that. I know that you've got this honour thing going on between you and your sister, but it doesn't make it reasonable for you to kill yourself in the process. So… you know, rest well, and blow your sister away with a fantastic festival."
Seriously, what am I supposed to feel?
But Yukinoshita can already feel himself beginning to smile. Wanting to laugh, even. When was the last time he did that? Probably when Hachikuji cracked her tasteless joke when the Committee was discussing the festival theme. Somehow it seems that all the events in his life worth noting involve this girl in one way or another. How pathetic.
Seriously, this girl…
Still smiling, he looks at Hachikuji, who blinks back owlishly.
"Thanks, Hachikuji-san."
"No problem?" Hachikuji instinctively restrains herself from smiling back, but Yukinoshita understands anyway. Then she casts her glance away in the mortified fashion which indicates she is going to say something embarrassing. I'm starting to read her too well, he realises in a brief, horrifying moment.
"You... don't be afraid to split the workload with me and Yuigahama, all right? The rest of the committee may be senseless slackers, but we are your official underlings, after all. We're supposed to share your suffering."
What an eerily negative connotation. Yukinoshita Yukio smiles a genuine smile for the third time since the festival planning started. "I'll manage just fine on my own, Hikigaya-san."
"I-I didn't exactly mean what I said earlier, alright? T-This isn't an issue about competence, it's about trust!" stammer Hachikuji while she jabs an accusing finger in his direction. What's with my tsundere reaction? What's wrong with me? "You can't run a club without trusting the members to do the basics. Get off your high horse already, dammit!"
Is that a hint of bitterness he hears in her voice? Well, not like Yukinoshita can blame her for that. Suddenly, the rivalry with Haruno that has only ever existed in his head doesn't seem so imposing anymore. He smirks.
"Hachikuji-san. You seem to have a flair for provoking others, but it appears your skill set is limited to that. Fear not, for I will put your abilities to the most optimal use."
"S-Screw you!" She appears to be more attractive when she blushes. Yukinoshita tells himself that it is due to the red tint on her face obscuring her dead fish eyes, and is completely unrelated to his personal opinion.
It also appears that his club members care for him to a greater extent than he thought. Though he would never admit it, the very thought seems to lifts the burden off his shoulders, if only just a little.
"In all seriousness, though," he interpolates, causing Hachikuji to immediately cease her mortified blustering. "Thank you, Hachikuji-san. As you might already know, I am not used to this sort of thing, and it will be an uphill challenge for me. However, rest assured that I will try my best. After all, putting my trust in both of you is merely the behaviour befitting the president of the Service Club."
The tea from both their cups stops steaming. Neither of them notice.
…..
"Get well soon, alright?"
Hachikuji exits Yukinoshita's apartment and walks down the hallway to the lift.
Yukinoshita closes his door and sighs. Today has been a long day. Recalling Hachikuji's (accusatory and degrading) pep talk, he smiles to himself for the (fifth? He's lost count.) time in weeks. He certainly didn't expect Hachikuji-san to do something like that for him.
His eyes fall onto the laptop on the table.
Before leaving, Yuigahama gave him some health products that would supposedly help him recover faster, and he has already asked the doctor to prescribe the strongest medicine possible. As it stands, he should be in working condition by tomorrow.
Maybe he'll put off working on the festival a bit longer.
...
At some point on the way home, Hachikuji pauses abruptly. To an onlooker, she would be appearing to communicate with the row of street lamps.
"...Wait. Did he call me by my first name?"
END OF CHAPTER 7