As Expected He Was More Warped Than Most

Yukinoshita Haruno, daughter of Yukinoshita Yahiro and heiress to the company known as 'Yukinoshita Constructions'. Age Twenty. Born at a time when the company ran by her father had narrowly escaped the claws of bankruptcy. Now, what were the chances that she would be born merely milliseconds before her father's company managed to make a large sum of profit in a rather risky business deal? Almost none actually. Her father considered it a miracle. And as amusing it was to everyone he bragged it to, even to this very day he would call her his 'lucky charm'. The first time he called her that in front of someone outside their family... well she couldn't really remember that. It was just that long ago. But she imagined she was more embarrassed back then than she was now at least.

Her life was 'lacking', had been for quite a long time in fact. One evening, when she was about six years old, her father had suddenly come up to her and asked her if she would accompany him to work the day after. She vaguely remembered playing with her younger sister at the time and it was definitely a school night. Back then, she had no idea what was going on. But of course, like any other six year old that had recently started going to school and absolutely hated doing it, she jumped at the chance to not go to school that day. She remembered bits of what happened that day at her father's office. But it was mostly watching him do paperwork, asking him what certain words meant, seeing a multitude of people coming into his office for various things and marveling at the amount of people that worked under him. Her father seemed rather happy that day and asked her what he thought of it.

"You're work is so amazing, Tou-chan!"

Who would have thought that single thoughtless sentence spoken by a six year old would invoke a life of high expectations and unnecessarily demanding 'workloads' almost every day of the week... Well, someone had to do it. Might as well be her. Otherwise it would fall to-

"-To provide love and care for their younger sibling. To protect them from harm and to try their best to set them on the right path."

No... It had to be her. She had known that for years. And to hear it from another person only solidified her belief. The fact that the other person was Hachiman only strengthened that belief even further. Being the heiress of the wealthy company that her parents have built over the years was truly a heavy weight. One that she would willfully bear. Sometimes it truly felt like a chore. However... Her phone buzzed in her purse which she pulled out. An eyebrow quirked upward as she noticed the caller ID. And moments later as she heard the person on the other side speak. She smirked. "So you have found them. Well done." words were spoken by the person on the other side. "Yes of course. Just as I have instructed you in our previous chat... Show them a good time. And please, do send me a pic of them appreciating your hospitality after all is said and done." the icon for hanging up was pressed and the call ended... Well, as much as she despised this life. She couldn't deny that being the heiress to a decently wealthy company did have its 'perks'. A little barbaric yes. But you know what they say, 'An eye for an eye.' Even if it left the whole word blind.

Haruno walked through the maze like halls of the Yukinoshita mansion. One that she had been living her whole life in until two years ago, leaving right after graduating from high school. But today she was here for a special reason. One that she wasn't fond of. But couldn't bring herself to hate. Well, it would have been far more enjoyable if she wasn't there. Haruno turned a corner and stopped. Her head turns a little to the right, from the corner of her eye she could see a large door leading into what was officially dubbed as 'The Study' by her.

Ever since she was a child, she had wanted to go in that room. She would look at the window of it from the garden behind their small yet luxurious mansion, always wondering what was in it. There were always curtains blocking her view though, preventing her and just about everyone from getting a view of what was actually inside. If there was one thing that had ever truly peaked Haruno' curiosity. It was this room. But it was forbidden. A room neither she nor her sister had ever been allowed to enter. Actually, Haruno couldn't remember anyone ever going into or coming out of that room. Not even her own father.

Haruno stood there silently for what felt like an eternity. Most of the housemaids should be having lunch right about now. And she shouldn't be expecting her for another ten minutes. Haruno stood there a little longer, thinking. Before long a hand reached out to grab the door knob.

"Haruno."

The woman in question froze in her place. Even as an adult, her voice alone could make her feel like a child getting caught stealing a cookie. Then again, that's how a disappointed mother should sound like right?

'Funny.' Haruno thought for she couldn't remember the day her mother's voice holding any emotion outside of disappointed, subtly condescending and on rare occasions, even impressed. But the latter had always been rare. It was no wonder Yukino turned out to be the way she did... Thinking about it now, maybe their mother's charming personality had affected her as well to a degree. "Yes Okaa-san?" The woman Haruno spoke to was almost a true Japanese beauty unlike her and Yukino who were considered to be 'pure' Japanese beauty by most. There were faint traces of foreign descent on the face of the Yukinoshita matriarch. However Haruno could never truly tell exactly where it was from. Nor did she ever build up the courage to simply ask the woman.

Both women smiled the each other. Unlike Haruno who had been practicing this 'smile' for years, she was nowhere near as good as her mother in that regard. For many years Haruno could tell that even though the smile on her mother's face seemed real. It was far from that. Even Yukino didn't know it wasn't real. But that was for the best. Heck, If Haruno had not known the woman her entire life, even she would be easily fooled into thinking that smile was genu-

"Right on time for our weekly family lunch." the elder Yukinoshita began. Haruno resisted the urge to blink. On time? There should at least be a few more minutes left. Was she standing in front of this door for that long? "Come, Anna has already setup the table for us." the woman turned around.

"Ah. How nice of her." Haruno followed the kimono clad woman. But not before giving that room one more glance.

-Two Hours Later-

"-bye Kaa-san." Haruno watched her younger sister leave with that farewell. The lunch spent together had been short. But she was already far too tired than any binge drinking session with her once teacher now close 'friend' Hiratsuka Shizuka had ever gotten her. The conversations held during their family lunches were short. But Haruno knew that was not anyone's fault. This was just how things were in their dysfunctional little 'family'. She was used to it. Just as she knew they too were used to it. Haruno would watch as her younger sister would attempt to converse with their mother. Often 'subtly' pushing in comments about her recent 'achievements' which their mother would carelessly shrug off. As if it didn't matter to her, as if the woman had more important things to be thinking of. Often times this would irritate Haruno. For more than one reason, but usually they were all the same. Her mother shrugging off Yukinos' hard work. Her sister's inability to accept that nothing would please their mother despite the fact that Yukino knew nothing would... Haruno' own inability to make Yukino understand that she had no need to meet their mother's 'expectations'... At least Yukino was no longer living in this mansion with their parents. She remembered the day rather well. Convincing the Yukinoshita matriarch was the hard part. Somehow waiting for the woman to answer was even harder. Sometimes Haruno wondered how a man like their father had come to marry their mother. From what they told her and Yukino, they had married out of love and not of obligations to their families.

The sound of an engine starting reached Harunos' ear. Yukino had left in the family limousine. Haruno had came in her own car so there was no need to worry. It was time for her to leave.

"I believe it's time for me to leave as well Oka-san." Haruno started. Seeing her mother nod she stood up and walked passed the older woman.

"Haruno." she stopped. The lump in her throat made it a little hard to breath.

"Yes Oka-san?" she turned to face the Yukinoshita matriarch, only to see the woman taking a sip from her cup of tea, not even looking at Haruno.

"It has come to my attention that you have spent a rather large sum of money from your bank account without making your father or I aware of it." once upon a time, that tone would have sent Haruno running for the hills. Figuratively of course. Every single word that would come out of her mouth sent slight shivers down Haruno' spine. Now? Well, when you spend so much time with a guy that used a tone similar to this every single day you get numb to it eventually. But it didn't make her completely immune to her mother's version though... Suddenly breathing became a lot more difficult.

"Oh that." she replied, masking her nervousness well. But she had a sinking suspicion that her mother could see through it. "A friend needed some financial aid. It would have been cruel of me to simply stand on the sidelines in his time of need." not really a lie. The money was used to 'help' a 'friend'. The 'friend' just didn't know it is all... Okay it didn't really help the 'friend'. But it did quell her own ire... Huh, guess it's a lie after all.

"I see." her mother nodded after silently placing down her teacup. Haruno internally grimaced, realizing her half lie was caught. She dared to hope her mother not being upset over it. "Well then, since it was used to help an unfortunate soul. I can overlook it this once."

Haruno' eyes widened. Did it work? Did her lie go undetected? She resisted the urge to release the breath she was holding.

"However. Do remember to inquire my opinion on such things next time. And also, keep in mind that It would be... troublesome if such an act of 'charity' were to be traced back to you or our family."... Such a simple thing shouldn't warrant that kind of cautiousness. After all it wasn't even that much money... Unless... Haruno' eyes widened, had her mother found out about exactly what that money was used for? No... That was... not good.

"Of course, Oka-san." Haruno nodded. Without another word she walked away. Just as she exited the mansion and entered her car. A deep breath escaped her lips. Despite what Yukino thought of her, Haruno wasn't cruel. She did not want her mother to have something done in accounts of protecting her. Something irreversible.

"As expected of the woman that raised Yukino-chan and I." even in the business world, that woman terrified many people and Haruno couldn't blame them, she too was scared of her mother. A buzzing noise reached her ear. It was her phone. She picked it up and placed it next to her ear. A series of pained groans came from the other side making her lips curl up to form a smirk. It was a little messy but it was what she had ordered. Even though it was done at the risk of undergoing her mother's wrath... Now normally Haruno wasn't this 'cruel'. But she couldn't really be held responsible. They had brought this on themselves. Regardless, It was completely- "Worth it." she muttered before putting her phone away and started the engine. "I wonder what Shizuka-chan is up to."

On the other side of the city, Hiratsuka Shizuka sneezed causing the large box in her arms to wobble. A pair of hands came up from her front and grabbed it, stabilizing the container. Their hands overlapped.

"Careful with that." Hachiman scolded the woman. "Most of the things in this are fragile. And I can't afford buy anything else this month."

"Alright. Alright. I'm not clumsy you know." Hiratsuka reassured him. Hachiman nodded at her before picking up a box similar to the one in Hiratsuka' hands.

Focus was required to accomplish many things. From gargantuan tasks such as figuring out math equations to simple things such as learning how to level your breathing to the point where you could conserve strength and stamina so that you could last longer in... well, once again, many things. And no, Hachiman was certain he did not have it backwards. After all, math is hard. Those that claim otherwise only do so because they were simply good at it. Or lying. There really wasn't any in between. But ultimately focus was required for it. What he was doing right now also required focus.

The Pea Pod between his fingers broke in half. It seemed that he had put too much pressure on it. See? This too needed focus as well. The next one he picked up split in half vertically. He nodded, that's what he was aiming for. This way it was easier to just brush out the peas inside the pod and easier to throw away the the pod itself that won't be eaten. He picked up another.

"Remind me again, why are we doing this?" Hiratsuka who was doing the same thing as him, asked from across the table. "We could have just bought canned peas you know."

Hachiman continues to split open the new pod between his fingers even though he was now looking at her. "Canned peas are expensive." Not really. "This is half the price for more than twice the amount of peas. Just requires a little extra work." That was true. They were saving well over two hundred yen by doing this. Sure it was going to take them at least one hour to peal them all but hey, there was nothing better to do at the moment.

"I see your point." Hiratsuka wasn't really complaining, she too had nothing else to do at the moment. "But-" the sound of the doorbell interrupted their conversation. "I'll get it."

Hachiman nodded as he watched her leave. A few days ago the older woman had come to his home, right before noon, with the proposition of sharing an apartment. In different terms, 'being roommates'. He had to stop and think for a moment. Unsure if he heard her correctly. After a proper explanation from her he began to see her reasoning. Hiratsuka' abode was closer to the school and his workplace. Also it was more closer to the nearest convenience store meaning he could go out for MAX whenever he wanted to. And most of all, they would split the rent and bills so he would be saving money up on that front as well. It was a win win no matter which way he looked at it. Although...

"I hope you realize you won't be able to smoke here anymore"

"..."

That reaction she made was definitely worth the risk of having to go back to his previous apartment. The memory made him want to smirk on the inside even now. He was beginning to enjoy randomly teasing others. Once again, Hachiman realized, Yukinoshita Haruno was a bad influence on him. Speaking of Haruno, she had come by to visit Hiratsuka the very day he had moved in here. His presence had left her surprised, the reasoning even more so. But as usual, she poked fun at the older woman. Mentioning how Hiratsuka would no longer need a 'partner' now that he was here. Of course, he voiced his agreement on it. Telling them that he didn't mind if the older woman wanted to 'share a bed' with him, half jokingly and half serious of course. After all, what single man in their right mind would pass up on free sex? With a decently attractive older woman no less? Hachiman may consider himself to be a little... different... than most but he still had a perfectly normal and functioning libido. Their reactions to his comment was truly a sight to behold. If only he had taken a picture to remember it. His mind wandered to the day he moved over here, and the little 'surprise' that greeted him in his old closet. His dead fish eyes glance at the door that led to his new bedroom.

"Have fun."

He wasn't able to delve deeper into that line of thought as he felt his phone ring, signaling an incoming phone call. Upon pulling it out he raised an eyebrow. Odd, he didn't recognize this number. And it certainly didn't look like it was from the Sim Card Company. He answered the call. "Hello?"... "Ah, Yuigahama-san. How are you?" A standard greeting followed by a standard answer from Yuigahama which was then followed by a nonstandard question from Yuigahama. "... Tonight? Rather sudden don't you think?" Today was a Sunday so he didn't have work. "I see, I'm free tonight yes." he could literally hear her fist pump from over the phone. "What of Yukinoshita-san? Wouldn't you rather go with her?" It was rare for him to be invited for an outing of any kind. While he didn't see a reason to deny his classmate's request, he did have one more question he wanted to ask. "...Is your mother coming as well?" a disappointing answer was all he got, but it didn't really matter that much. "No reason. I shall see you soon then." He hung up.

He saw Hiratsuka grunting a little as she entered the living room. There was a decently sized box in her hands. It didn't look heavy though. "What's that?"

"A package from my mother. Although I don't remember her saying anything about it though." Hiratsuka looked more confused than him. Understandably, he had heard that the secret to a functioning family was communication. The lack of which could lead to many problems. Hachiman returned to to what he was doing while Hiratsuka opened the box.

The woman's brows furrowed as she inspected the items inside the box. There was also a note. Silently she unwrapped it and read it. "Hey..."

"Hmm?"

"You know my mother is happily married right?"

Hachiman blinked, unsure where that question even came from. He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

The woman deadpanned at him before showing him the note in her hand. He read it once then gave her another confused stare. "Okay... So?"

"I'm asking how the heck you know my Oka-san!" the woman exclaimed before calming down. "Without me knowing no less."

"Ah that. The last time you went to a mixer she came over to visit you. But since you weren't there we had lunch and got acquainted." Hachiman explained. "Quite the resourceful woman. She even handled my mapo better than you did."

Hiratsuka winced, the memory of that absurdly spicy dish still fresh in mind and the events of that morning. Namely of her waking up more or less in the arms of her student while basically cradling his torso... and then puking all over said student. Hiratsuka knew she was likely to remember that day for a long time to come. But for now she just hoped the... emotions she started feeling towards Hachiman after that day were temporary. She sighed. "Well looks like she took a liking to you and sent us something.

'Sent us something?' the unspoken question was answered when the real adult tilted the box on the table so that the fake adult could take a peek inside. His brows rose as he stood from his chair and reached in the box. The item he pulled out was long, and very soft to the touch.

"I just don't understand why she would send these." the woman rubbed her chin in thought. Hachiman thought for a moment before remembering Shori' last words to him. It probably wasn't related to this 'present' Shiori had sent them but that was the only thing he could think of at the moment. This was pretty much mandatory in old traditional weddings.

"Shiori-san may have misunderstood something." he spoke aloud.

"... Shiori-san?" Hiratsuka narrowed her eyes at him. Unsure what she should be concerned for more... and if she was being concerned enough for both of them.

"She asked me to call her that." he raised his hands in defense. "I assure you I have no ill intentions towards your mother." Hiratsuka didn't let up, choosing to continue glaring at him. "She may believe you and I are involved romantically with the intention of one day getting married."

"..."

"I hope you have a camera for Shiori-san's requested picture. I don't really have one of those."

"..."

Hachiman walked along side Hiratsuka through the train station. More than a few glanced their way. Some surprised at them in their current garb while others mumbling something about being jealous. He took a glance at her from the corner of his eye. When he first saw her in that dark red yukata with black and white flower patterns and combined with that hairstyle, he was forced to into a pause. Who would have thought such old traditional clothing could still make people look 'good' at this day and age? He couldn't help but wonder how he looked at the moment. The dull gray yukata he was wearing had far less patterns than the one on his teacher's yukata. Instead of flowers there were faint traces of waves and stripes. The colors of their garbs clashed yet somehow complimented each other, making the other stand out so long as they stood side by side. He had never worn a yukata before today. He certainly hoped he was wearing it the right way at least, he didn't want Shiori' effort to have these sent all the way from her own hometown to go to waste. Although Hiratsuka did help him putting on his so it should be worn the right way...

"When did Yuigahama say she was gonna be here?" Hiratsuka asked, they were going by foot because driving a car in a yukata was supposedly hard. Hachiman didn't question it, walking in this was certainly harder than walking in regular pants so driving was probably the same. Also Hachiman figured the woman next to him just wanted to show off how she looked in the yukata. That was fine. He didn't mind.

"I think I see her." just like being able to hear more than the average person. Often he was able to see more than the average person as well. Maybe these eyes of his had more DHA than most as well? That would explain why they resembled so much like that of a dead fish... Jokes aside. They approached the younger Yuigahama who seemed surprised.

"Hiratsuka-sensei? What are you doing here?" Yuigahama asked, unsure if she should be more surprised by the older woman's presence with Hachiman or the fact of them wearing Yukatas that went perfectly with each other.

"Oh? I can't enjoy fireworks like you kids?" Hiratsuka asked with a glare. Yuigahama stuttered making Hiratsuka chuckle. "It's okay. That was a joke. Had some free time so I thought I'd join you two." Actually, Shiori' note mentioned that she caught a glimpse of the flyer for the fireworks festival. The day she came here and wanted the two of them to go. Since today was a Sunday he didn't really see the reason to not come. The woman next to him more or less thought the same. So there they were.

"A-Ah." Yuigahama looked disappointed, why Hachiman didn't really know. "That's great! The more the merrier right?" Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow at Yuigahama' mood shift before the obvious realization hit her, followed by another which admittedly made her frown inside. Hachiman walked forward, his movement brought the other two out of their thoughts.

"Shall we go then?" He asked without looking at them. Smiles could be seen on both their lips. One obvious and the other not so much.

Unfortunately the fireworks were supposed to be held on the other side of the city. And getting there on foot would take hours. So they boarded a train. With Yuigahama sitting on his left and Hiratsuka sitting next to Yuigahama. Hachiman found it odd that she would sit so far away considering there was a perfectly good empty seat next to him.

"H-Hey. Kotomine-kun?" Yuigahama suddenly asked.

"Yes?" he turns his head a little to face her.

"You-uh. Look good in that Kimono. Really mature and cool." Yuigahama said, her cheeks flaring pink. "That color really suits you."

'Well, at least I'm not wearing it the wrong way.' Hachiman thought. "Thank you..." Wait, was it customary to compliment someone if he or she complimented you? Or something like that at least? "You look good in yours as well."

"R-really?!" she asked him. Her slight increase in volume seemed to have caught the attention of Hiratsuka who had been deep in thought.

Hachiman nodded, he knew that it was rare for him to give compliments. Still is, but she probably didn't realize that he only did it because she complimented him first... Knowing Yuigahama she definitely didn't. "When is the fireworks going to start?"

"The flyer said 7:30." Yuigahama checked her cellphone. "So another 2 hours."

"I see."

-Later-

"Hey Kotomine-kun, Hiratsuka-sensei. What should we eat first? Yakisoba? Grilled Squid?" Yuigahama gushed.

"We'll be eating dinner in a couple of hours so it'd be better to not fill up with something heavy right now." Hachiman explained.

"Than what about Cotton Candy? Candy Apple?!" Yuigahama gushed. Hachiman internally questioned when Yuigahama became a glutton. Maybe she had always been one?

The sun was setting in the horizon, the fireworks should be starting in a little over an hour later. Currently Hachiman and his two companions were viewing the various stalls and the 'fun' they had to offer. Most of which Hachiman saw absolutely no need to spend money on. Why would you spend a hundred yen to get a chance at scooping up a goldfish when you can just buy one for three hundred? Sure it would cost triple the former but it was a guarantee against a chance. Hachiman preferred not to take chances when he didn't need to. Best to avoid an unnecessary risk right? That was just common sense. And by the looks of it those 'nets' they were supposed to catch those goldfishes with weren't even that durable... Or stable for that matter.

His hunch was true as he noticed a teenager around his age fork over his fifth hundred yen coin at the grinning vendor.

"Hehe. That's it. Waste away your youth just like your money." a sinister line with a sinister tone spoken by a normally non sinister person. Hachiman raised an eyebrow at Hiratsuka who didn't notice his expression. Instead she just focused on the teen as he failed once again with a smirk, truthfully Hachiman was mildly impressed, who knew his school teacher and now 'roommate' had a sadistic streak? There was a girl that was next to the distraught teenage who boy patted his shoulder before kissing him on the cheek.

Hachiman blinked in confusion as the teen apologized to the girl for being unable to catch one of the fishes for her. His eyes shifts to the left and right to see more than a couple more women in Yukatas walking around with a plastic bag filled with water and a lone goldfish within it, hanging from one hand. 'Do women like these?...' He wondered if he was supposed to obtain some for Yuigahama and Hiratsuka. He pondered about it for a few seconds.

"Do you want one?" he asked Hiratsuka, motioning towards the stall. Hiratsuka, who was still relishing at the teenager's despair was caught off guard. She did not expect Hachiman to offer her that. Her cheeks flushed pink, her inability to reply made Hachiman turn to the final person of their group for her answer. Unfortunately though he wasn't able to get a reply from her. He wasn't even able to ask her as he saw a few girls approach Yuigahama. He recognized them all, they were from school.

"Yui-chan!" the red haired one called out. "Fancy meeting you here."

Since his own name wasn't called out he didn't greet them and asked Hiratsuka again. This time though, Hiratsuka had calmed down a little. The blush on her face was no longer there as she replied.

"S-sure." Hiratsuka averted her eyes from his. Just like him she too ignored the arrival of the three girls. And just like him, she too was paying attention to the conversation being made by the girls. Hachiman was no stranger to bullying. Be it on himself or someone else. Their conversation was surprisingly close to that.

"Here with your parents?" Sagami Minami if he remembered her name correctly, teased Yuigahama with a smirk. The type Hachiman would often see on Yukinoshita' face whenever she thought she had the upper hand on something. The only reason Sagami' smirk was so much more obvious was because she lacked the 'natural beauty' Yukinoshita had. Natural beauty that gave Yukinoshita a pass on quite a few things it did. Sometimes questionable things as well.

'Mamagahama is here? Where? I don't see her though.'

"What? No." Yuigahama looked as confused as he felt. And from what he can tell from Hiratsuka' face, she too didn't know how Sagami got to that conclusion.

"They're not my parents silly. That's Kotomine-kun and Hiratsuka-sensei!" Yuigahama cleared up the misunderstanding.

The three girls blinked before giving a proper glance at Hachiman and Hiratsuka.

"Good Evening/Enjoying your summer girls?" they greeted. The girls blinked as they realized their mistake. Hiratsuka watched in amusement as they tried to save face. Hachiman wondered how they even came to such a conclusion. Neither he nor Hiratsuka looked anything like Yuigahama. Maybe if Yuigahama' hair was dyed black? There would be slight resemblances but that was about it. But he didn't care either way as he glanced at Yuigahama who seemed to be enjoying the company of her 'friends'. Eventually Hiratsuka too ended up in their conversation and as usual he was ignored, so he set to do what he intended to before.

Not long after, The extra girls left, waving Hiratsuka and Yuigahama goodbye. There was still some time left till the fireworks would start. Hiratsuka and Yuigahama look around for Hachiman. Once again, Hachiman' utter lack of presence had allowed him to disappear without anyone noticing his departure.

"Where did he go this time..." Hiratsuka sighed. She wasn't worried about him getting hurt this time. After all, if he were to get kidnapped in a crowd like this someone was bound to notice.

"Kotomine-kun?!" Yuigahama looked around. Her voice louder but not enough to attract attention of strangers.

"Yes?" the two women nearly jumped out of their Yukatas'. Seconds ago he was nowhere to be found. Now It was almost like Hachiman magically appeared out of nowhere.

"Are you a ninja?" Hiratsuka blurted out before noticing what Hachiman had in his hands. Yuigahama noticed it too. Hachiman handed them a goldfish each. Then a candy apple. They took the items, surprised but not opposed to it in the least. Yuigahama beamed at him, Hiratsuka had a smile on her face as well. There was still two more goldfishes left in Hachiman' hands. But they guessed that was for himself. The thought made Hiratsuka smile a little wider, the thought of him getting into the festival spirit was unexpected. 'He needs a little bit of that.'

They wandered the festival a little more. There was still an hour left before the fireworks started. Plenty of time. Finding a place to get a better view of the fireworks came to mind at first. But Hiratsuka had warned them that the so called 'good spots' were likely already taken. Meaning if they were to try and rush now they would only waste their energy. Her students saw her point and decided to enjoy their time. Well, just Yuigahama enjoyed. Hachiman remained passive as always.

'I should have brought a picnic blanket or something.' He thought to himself, there were many people around. All here for the fireworks. The thick crowd reminded him of days he had forgotten years ago. At least this time he was wearing cleaner clothes.

-Later-

Their wandering took them to another area. This one quite far away yet still in visual distance of Chiba's taller buildings. Many people were waiting for the fireworks to start, placing down blankets on the grassy slope in front of them.

"Looks like a VIP area. How did we end up here?" Hiratsuka asked aloud.

"I guess we got a little too into the festive air right Kotomine-kun?" Yuigahama asked. Hachiman spared them a glance before replying.

"Walking aimlessly can lead to unexpected places." He nodded. It reminded him of old days a little too much actually.

"Oh? Hachiman-kun! Shizuka-chan!" a familiar voice called out. The trio turn to see Haruno walking over to them.

"Haruno? What are you doing here?" Hiratsuka asked.

Haruno' reply was that she had to attend in place of her father who had went over to Kyoto for another meeting. She took a better look at them before commenting on their clothing. "Wow. You guys look really good in those." The girls complimented back at her. Hachiman just nodded. Haruno took them to an area almost perfect for viewing the fireworks. It had a bench and everything... Actually it just had two benches. Now Hachiman really wished he brought a blanket. His feet and back were hurting a little because of the sandals and all the walking.

They sat down, the fireworks should start soon enough. The girls chatted, Hachiman listened, pitching in only when his words were required. Then suddenly...

Glowing yellow motes of light, ascended into the air. Floating from one place to another in a leisurely pace. A rare spectacle at this time of the year.

"Fireflies!" Yuigahama exclaimed from his left. Just as her, everyone else in the area watched in awe as more and more fireflies came out, their lights flicking on and off every second. They came here today for fireworks. But looks like they were going to get an extra show right before it.

"Most likely the last time we'll be seeing any this year." Haruno commented with a smile of her own. Even for her such a sight was rare.

Hachiman watched the fireflies with near childlike curiosity. He had seen many things in his life that many would consider 'beautiful'. But nothing like this . One of the fireflies came up from behind and passed him before landing on the tip of his nose. His eyes crossed to focus on the firefly. Suddenly it took flight, instantly his eyes followed it.

He froze, eyes widening. The fly had left his field of vision. But his head remains on the same position as it was before it left. He mind had stopped working. He had forgotten he had company. And therefore forgotten that Hiratsuka Shizuka was sitting right next to him. The woman stared back at him. Eyes equally as wide as his. But unlike him though, her cheeks were smeared pink, or was that just the makeup? Hachiman felt the pace of his heartbeat quicken. His stoic expression softened up visibly. Neither really knew who leaned forward. Maybe it was him or maybe it was her. For now it didn't matter because now they were close. A centimetre more and their noses would touch. The fireflies were all almost gone, but neither of them noticed it. Just as they all didn't notice someone else walking up behind them.

"Oh dear, Haruno. You did not tell me you were bringing guests. I would have requested for refreshments."

Hiratsuka pulled back, face completely red. Hachiman blinked. That was not a voice he was familiar with. All four of them turn to see who it was. Haruno tensed a little. It went unnoticed to everyone except the woman that had came into the picture. Neither Hachiman nor Yuigahama had ever seen this person before. But Haruno and Hiratsuka certainly had.

"Oka-san, you're back." Haruno stood to greet her mother.

"I would have returned sooner but as you know Fujimura Raiga-san is quite the talkative man despite his appearance..." the woman trailed. "But enough of that, I don't believe I have been acquainted with your friends here." she eyed Yuigahama and Hachiman briefly.

"Good evening Yukinoshita-san." Hiratsuka greeted the older woman.

"My word Hiratsuka-san, how rare to see you in such formal clothing. It suits you. Would this perhaps for that special someone you have been seeking all this time?"

If Hachiman had any doubts of this woman being the mother of the Yukinoshita sisters. They all faded at that moment. Despite himself, Hachiman couldn't help but let out a light snort. Even though it barely made a sound, Hiratsuka who was next to him heard it quite clearly. The woman's face heats up a little in embarrassment. "I-It's just for the festival Yukinoshita-san." Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded before giving Haruno an expected stare.

"This is Yuigahama Yui. She's one of Yukino-chan's friends." Yuigahama stepped forward and waved at Mrs. Yukinoshita who nodded at her.

"Then you must be Kotomine Hachiman." Haruno was interrupted before she could introduce Hachiman. "My Yukino speaks quite highly of you."

Hachiman raised an eyebrow. From the way Yukinoshita treated him he couldn't really believe that sentence even if it was from the girl herself. "Is that so?"

Hachiman wasn't the only one to ask that question. Haruno herself asked that, internally of course. A new set of thoughts swirled in the older Yukinoshita siblings' mind. Hiratsuka was once again reminded of why she shouldn't be feeling what she felt. The eldest Yukinoshita woman replied. "Quite. Haruno, would you please bring our guests some refreshments? It would be quite a waste to view the beautiful fireworks in an empty stomach."

Haruno wanted to stay, seeing as the fireworks would start any moment now. But she was never able to deny her mother. And it wasn't going to start today. So without another word she began walking away. Just as she was out of earshot. Mrs Yukinoshita continued. "Oh dear, with so many of us here she may need some help with all those refreshments." while giving Hiratsuka and Yuigahama a brief glance.

Hiratsuka didn't know why the woman wanted the two of them away as well. She didn't want to leave Hachiman alone with Haruno' mother. But angering a woman like her wouldn't bode well for anyone involved. "Yuigahama. Let's go..."

"W-What?" Yuigahama clearly didn't understand Mrs Yukinoshita' silent demand. And Hiratsuka was glad for that. She sent Yuigahama one of her 'looks' famous among her students for getting her way and as always it worked... Er, unless it was used on Hachiman. It never worked on him. The two went the direction Haruno went. With Yuigahama sending one last glance at Hachiman.

Hachiman wasn't sure why the woman in front of him had all three of his companions of the day leave them alone. But he knew he was likely to find out. Without a word the woman came up to the bench he was standing next to and sat down. Hachiman followed, mostly because standing still for long periods of time was tiresome. He resisted the urge to check the time. His fight or flight senses were triggering again. He head tilted as discreetly as possible to the woman so that he at least see the woman's face a little bit. Much like Mamagahama he noticed that Mrs Yukinoshita looked a lot like an older version of her daughters. But unlike Mamagahama he couldn't find himself being physically attracted to her. Or maybe that's just because of the Yukata which made her look as flat as her younger daughter.

"Tell me Kotomine-san." she began. "Do you read?"

"Of course." Hachiman blinked in confusion. His senses calming down. "If I wasn't able to I wouldn't have made it into Sobu."

"..." the woman took a pause, glancing at Hachiman now herself moments were spent in silence before a soft laugh escaped her lips. "Now I see what Yukino meant by 'quite the character'."

'What did that bonehead even say about me.' he thought to himself.

"No Kotomine-san." Mrs Yukinoshita tried again. "What I meant is do you read books outside your school study books? Things such as fairy tales, novels and such?"

Hachiman remembered Yukinoshita claiming light novels weren't really something she considered 'real' books. And considering the woman sitting next to him had more similarities with Yukinoshita than Haruno he had no reason to believe she would be different in regards to light novels. "Very few." Regardless of what they thought. He considered them real books. "But I normally do not have the time to do so." now that he lived in the city, closer to both work and school. Maybe he would be able to snag an hour or two of free time everyday, even when classes resume.

"I see. You should consider doing so whenever you could. Some are rather fascinating." the woman started. "I prefer books regarding fairy tales and folklore myself. Folklore of other countries even. England, India, Spain, Germany. Some are even based on real events from what I hear." a second later she began humming a tune.

Hachiman didn't know where it was from. Probably from one of these 'folklore' she was going on about? No That can't be right. She clearly meant books, books didn't come with sound effects. Unless this folklore was related to sound or music. "I shall keep that in mind...!?" He felt a slight headache. He squeezed his eyes shut for a couple of seconds. The headache passed. He shook his head then allowed his eyes open once more. Just in time as he saw a long trail of red rapidly ascending in the sky. It burst into flames, spewing embers that could be seen even from this distance. Hachiman watched with mild interest. He had seen fireworks before. But never this up close. Either too busy with other things. And the times he weren't... Well he was never really invited to these kind of events nor did he see the reason to abandon the safety of his 'home' for it. The student handbook from middle school advised students to be at home before dark. His head turned to take a look at the older woman. He froze again, eyes widening. Another firework exploded. It's light illuminated the woman's face, giving Hachiman a full view of her. The Yukinoshita matriarch was not looking at him. Her eyes were focused on the sky as more fireworks flew up and combusted. However, unlike the past couple of minutes where she had a small smile on her face, this time she was sporting an angry frown. One that completely destroyed her image of beauty and grace to him. His eyes narrow in both suspicion and confusion. His lips parted-

"That was a long line." he heard the voice of Hiratsuka. His lips closed. Whatever he was about to say was going to remain unsaid.

"Aw. We missed the start." Yuigahama whined. Hiratsuka patted her shoulder.

"This'll go on for another hour at least. So no need to worry." much to his surprise, Haruno also tried to comfort Yuigahama.

As the trio approached, the woman sitting beside him stood up. He remained seated but his eyes still remained on her. The emotions he felt in right now was new. And he didn't-

"I apologize for parting so early. But it would be rude of me to not accompany Fujimura-san after the long trip he had to make to get here for us." the woman looked at Yuigahama. "Thank you for looking after my daughter Yuigahama-san. She mentions you a lot as well. You're a good friend to her. I trust you to continue being so for the foreseeable future." Yuigahama smiled brightly at her. Nodding at her and answering.

"I will! You can count on me Yukinoshita-san!"

"It was nice talking with you Kotomine-san. I hope we meet again." the woman smiled at him as well. But this time Hachiman saw the smile for the fake it was.

He nodded at her. She began leaving. The girls sat down and unpacked the sweets and drinks they brought. However Hachiman' gaze was still on the retreating form of the Yukinoshita matriarch.

"Oh my~ Hachiman-kun. Don't tell me you're attracted to my Oka-san like Mamagahama-san?" Haruno teased. Even though the fireworks were loud, her words were clear. Hiratsuka heard it and gave him an unreadable stare, waiting for his answer. Yuigahama stammered, surprised that her mother had somehow became a part of the conversation. Hachiman didn't answer at first but when he did, it was not one any of them could have ever expected.

His head turns to his front and raised up a little. Allowing him to see the fireworks once again. "I... do not like that woman."

-Afterwards-

The festival had passed. Many of the vendors were closing and people were beginning to leave for their homes. Hachiman' group was no different. Unlike the rest of the people here they had nothing to pack so they stayed a little longer. Not to mention heading off right as the festival ended meant there was going to be a thick crowd on the road. The Yukinoshita matriarch had not came by even once nor was she mentioned even once after her departure. Hachiman preferred it that way.

"Hachiman-kun. Would you keep me company on my way home? I live nearby but my Oka-san seemed to have left with the family car." Haruno asked. Since she and her mother arrived together, there was no need for her to bring her own vehicle. However, she did not account for her mother leaving without her.

Hachiman paused. He wasn't sure how to answer that. He glanced at the other half of their group. Hiratsuka sighed but smiled back, motioning him to go with her. Yuigahama seemed disappointed by his early departure but did not voice any objections. He thought for a moment. The answer became apparent. He was to go with her. In that case- "Hiratsuka-sensei, could you drop Yuigahama-san to her house for me? It's dangerous for a girl to be outside alone at this hour." the others seemed mildly surprised by his consideration but smiled at him.

"Her house isn't too far from ou-mine." Hiratsuka didn't want the rest of her students to know she was living with one of them. Looking back now, considering her new emotions towards her apathetic student, inviting him to live with her was a bad idea. It was too late to go back now though. Perhaps even a little rude. Not to mention he seemed to be enjoying her company. At least she hoped he was.

Hachiman nodded at her. "Thank you."

They bid their farewells and went the opposite directions. Hachiman and Haruno in one while Hiratsuka and Yuigahama in the other.

"How far is your apartment?" he asked without looking at her.

"Give or take twenty minutes." she responded.

"I see." he paused. "I almost forgot... Here."

Haruno looked at him curiously as they passed by more people. Her eyes widen slightly as she took the goldfish from him. "For me?"

"I got one for Yuigahama-san and Hiratsuka-sensei. So I thought I should get one for you too." At the time he didn't even know Haruno was attending the festival. But he thought he should have gotten one for her since she too was a frequent part of his days for the foreseeable future. He got one for Komachi too. Although, by that logic. 'Should I have gotten one for her sister too?'

"A-ah..." she wrapped the thread it was hanging from around her ring finger, somewhat disappointed that more people got the same treatment. "Thank you." They continued walking in silence. Neither speaking a word.

"Say Hachiman-kun..." the tone of her voice was one Hachiman had never heard from her. "What do you think of Yukino-chan?"

To Hachiman that was an odd question. She rarely mentioned Yukinoshita when they talked. One of the only times she did was that time she caught him with Yukinoshita that day at the mall. "What's there to say?" truthfully speaking, he didn't have any opinions of the younger Yukinoshita sibling. They passed more people, the density of crowd seemed to dwindle. There were few people around them.

"You know." Haruno elaborated. "What do you think of her as a person?"

"..." he pondered the question for the bit. It was just them now. A rare sight considering it was a Sunday night. And barely Nine PM. "In my eyes, Yukinoshita Yukino is..."

Haruno got a little closer to him as they walked, even though she wasn't looking at him. Her ears were solely focused on the words that escaped his lips.

"... a sheltered child."

Haruno was half expecting an answer like that. But she wanted details. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"Ignorant, idealistic, outspoken and headstrong. The bad kind... unfortunately." Unfortunately for him at least. Considering the amount of times he would get wrapped up in her needless 'problems'. He knew that he too was outspoken. But he knew better than to be that during certain times. Times that would likely get himself hurt or worse. Yukinoshita had yet to show the same restraint. He wasn't really sure how to put it into words. He wasn't even sure if the things he was saying was correct or not. Despite knowing her for a quarter of the year he knew so little about who she was outside of school. Frankly, he preferred it that way. What he was saying right now was simply based on his perception of the way she carried herself and the way she behaved around her peers. "Prone to make mistakes she couldn't possibly own up to. Incapable of realizing the true weight of her own words." his eyes narrowed, trying to remember the things she said the day he first talked to her.

"Yukino-chan is still young." Haruno wasn't going to lie. She saw the reasoning behind some of the things. The others confused her. But just as she was about to ask Hachiman said one more thing.

"And most of all, she's a coward."

Haruno was not expecting that. In fact, she was so caught off guard that she tripped. Fortunately Hachiman caught her before the pavement below received a hug from her. She looked down at her feet. One of the sandals tore. Rendering it unusable. Both Hachiman and Haruno stared at it for moments in silence. Hachiman shook his head before kneeling down in front of her, facing away and arms leaning back. Haruno got the gesture almost instantly and felt her face heat up a little. Haruno glanced around, fortunately there was no one around to see it. So she climbed on top of his back. If her weight bothered him he didn't say anything as he stood up.

"Why would you say that?" There were no anger behind her words even though her own sister was insulted in front of her face. Their current situation stole any negative emotion in her. With her arms around his neck and her head resting in the crook of his neck she waited for his answer. Despite the warm weather his body was cold.

"She speaks of helping people. She speaks of saving people. She said that's what she wants to do. Yet she doesn't realize that 'saving' others simply isn't possible in this world. If it was then the very concept of 'saving' someone would become nothing short of a currency. Found and lost upon mere circumstances. And even if we were to ignore that. She doesn't even understand that in order for her to 'save' people. Those very people would have to be put in danger. And therefore, put at the risk of more suffering should she fail to save them..." he paused. "She created the Service Club in order to help people while ignoring her own problems. How can she possibly hope to save others from their problems if she isn't able to acknowledge her own?" Hachiman wanted to chuckle at the younger Yukinoshita' ignorance. But that stopped being amusing after the first time. "She probably doesn't even know what she really wants... She refuses to accept things for the way they are. Just like she refuses the path she was given. The only one she has..."

The words register in her mind. The final ones resonating in her the most. Her fingers twitched for an instance. Her grip on his body tightened a little. Memories of long days and often nights spent doing the things her mother had always made her do yet she never wanted to, things that had shaped her to become the way she was to this very day. So that she would one day take over her father's company. With Yukino staring at her from the sidelines in not so well hidden jealousy. Unaware of Haruno' anguish... Haruno had always known that Yukino wanted to be in her shoes... Just as Haruno had always wanted to be in Yukinos' shoes...

"Her ideals are amusing. Considering your family's background no less."

This time Haruno was confused. "My family's background? What do you mean?"

Hachiman comes to a stop. Due to the sudden lose of momentum Haruno' front pressed against his back. But that didn't bother Hachiman as much as the other revelation he just had. Haruno questioned why he stopped but Hachiman didn't answer. Since she was on his back, she failed to notice the smirk forming on his lips. But she did hear the snort that escaped his lips. "First Yukinoshita then your mother and now you. Is there anymore Yukinoshita women that I would be meeting anytime soon?... So even you don't know." the smirk disappeared. But the feeling of amusement still remained. Few had ever truly made him actually come that close to laughing. In Yukinoshita Yukino' case it was a full blown laughter though.

"I... don't understand." she tilted her head a little till she could see his face a little more. Their cheeks were almost touching. His body heat was increasing thanks to hers. He started walking again. However, instead of answering her question. He was focused on something else.

"Haruno-san... Is there something else you wanted to tell me?" Haruno noticed his gaze before a defeated sigh escaped her lips.

"So you noticed?" she asked him, this time fully aware of what he was going on about.

"Hard not to... You don't seem too surprised. How long has this been going on for?" another question from him that she knew the answer to.

"About two weeks or so. I've had my me... friends look into it. But they weren't able to find anything." the amount of money spent into that investigation almost got her in trouble with her mother.

"I see... Shouldn't you have gotten help from the authorities?" a valid question, if not for-

"A new person every time. They manage to escape before I could identify them." Even with the resources at her disposal she failed every single time.

"Then why come to me about it?" he wasn't really capable or dependable on these kind of things.

"Why not?" she counters. "Shouldn't the answer be obvious?" Hachiman's eyes widened briefly. A spark of life in his empty eyes came and went just like that.

"-a person you share your burdens with."

"I... see." now was not the time to get lost in thoughts. "I'm going to dial the police and give you my phone . Try to explain the situation as discreetly as you can." fortunately his phone was tucked away in the sleeve of his yukata. He moved his arm, trying to make it look like he was positioning her better on his back. But in reality he placed his phone between their hands. The mic and speaker faced towards his female companion. Her cheek presses against his phone. If he wasn't able to feel her breath on his neck till now, he certainly was now. While Haruno talked on his phone, giving the police details of their position, Hachiman' eyes darted to his right.

'There...' he stood on the other side of the road, the darkness of night made it hard to spot the person. But there was certainly someone there. Someone who had been staring at them nonstop since they set out for Haruno' apartment. By the sounds of it, Haruno was done. He didn't take his phone back, in case it alerted their would be stalker. So Haruno took it instead. Hiding the device in her Yukata.

"They should be here in a few minutes." she notified him. He nodded without a sound. He didn't know where her apartment was but since she didn't mention it yet. It was likely still far away. "Looks like he's leaving."

So he was, the man no longer looked at them. Hachiman' eyes narrowed. If the man managed to escape now this would continue on longer. And he couldn't have that. He stopped walking and turned to the stalker. Staring straight into the man's form. He expected the man to turn tails and run. But the man instead stopped and turned to face them. He set Haruno down. The man walked forward. They could see the man's face properly now... Neither recognized him. "Who are you? Why are you following us?"

The man didn't respond, his head bent down a little and his body tensed. Hachiman hadn't been learning to fight for long. But he did know a fighting stance when he saw one. 'So be it.' he thought. This time he was ready. His legs spread and body tensed. Haruno got off him, equally tense as he. He waited for the unknown man to make the first move. The man didn't. Another set of footsteps reached his ears. Hachiman' gaze darted to his right. From behind them, another man appeared.

Another set of footsteps. Another man. This one was holding a steel pipe.

Another set of footsteps. Another man. This one wielding a knife. Hachiman regretted not bringing the 'gift' he received earlier this month.

The men closed in on them. And despite himself and the dire situation, Hachiman couldn't help but surmise it into a single word. "... Fuck."

-With Hiratsuka-

Hiratsuka Shizuka was aware of many things. But she was still a human being. And therefore, imperfect. So she didn't know everything. Then again she didn't want to anyway. What would be the fun in life if everything was already there for your beck and call? She didn't know everything, but she knew plenty enough. Like how if you add an extra pinch of salt to instant ramen it would taste a wee bit better. Not enough to be noticeable by the general masses unless they were specifically looking for it but just about enough to be made a conversation topic when you have nothing else to talk about...

As a single woman in her late twenties she was not proud to know that... Mostly because she had a bad habit to blurt it out in dates when there was nothing else to talk about...Anyways, Hiratsuka Shizuka knew many things. One of them being her apathetic student's ability to make women- Not just girls, but grown women as well -develop deeper than normal feelings for him. Yes she knew. She knew of Yuigahama' now obvious crush on him. She knew of Yukinoshita Yukino' odd desire to impress him. But most of all, she knew of Haruno' weird interest in him. She was aware of Haruno' tendency to mess with people she would find 'interesting'. However, she was also aware that Haruno' interest wouldn't last more than a week or two at most. Therefore, why would she still hang around Hachiman this much?... Unless... No, It couldn't be...

The train came to a stop, the doors opening wide enough for the few passengers that were still out at this hour to go through. From her side, Yuigahama told her that this is her stop. Hiratsuka got out with her, much to the younger girl's surprise. When asked why-

"I told them I'd drop you off at your house didn't I? It wouldn't be right if I left now." she replied with a 'dazzling' smile.

"Sensei. That was so cool! I wish I had a boyfriend like you."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say as Hiratsuka looked like she got hit by an arrow. A Critical Hit! Be it intentional or not, being compared to a man had definitely hurt her pride as a woman. Just as the grown woman's body wobbled in an overly dramatic fashion to emphasize the 'damage' she took. The string holding the plastic bag containing the goldfish Hachiman had got her like with the others snapped. The thin plastic of the bag couldn't withstand the impact against the ground as it burst open, spraying its contents all over the train station floor.

Hiratsuka and Yuigahama instantly tried to give the poor freshwater fish a safe haven by dumping it in Yuigahama' goldfish bag. It was still alive, much to their relief. The entire ordeal went by rather quick. At the end of it, Hiratsuka was thankful few people were around to see that embarrassing blunder. Fortunately her mother wasn't here. That woman was very superstitious at times. Probably would have called half of her contact list to ask if anything bad happened just because this looked like a bad omen.

-With Hachiman-

Much like Hiratsuka' gold fish, the one Hachiman had gotten for Komachi flapped around on the ground. Gasping for water most likely. It's plea was unheard. However it's misery was short lived as a shoe stepped on it. Killing it instantly.

The wearer of the boot, a man in his late thirties swung his fist at Hachiman who managed to dodge it in the nick of time before retaliating with a punch of his own that hit said man in the chest. The attack seemed to stagger the man, but just like the last couple of minutes of them 'fighting' it didn't even seem to phase him.

"Learning to fight properly takes time. Often years even."

The situation would have been bleak. It hadn't even been a week since he started learning how to fight from his superior at work. And even then it wasn't like they were training every waking moment of the time they were together. In between work and his own personal life, Satoshi barely had much time to teach him anything aside a basic stances and how to throw punches. Not to mention the older man was a freestyle fighter. Not a trained martial artist. There was little he could learn from the man to begin with. Hachiman was certain he could take on an average man and leave victorious with a few bruises. Two would have been rough and three was definitely impossible. But four? He might as well have just curled up on the ground and hope for the best. The only reason he wasn't a lump of flesh on the ground was right now was because-

"Hyah!"

Hachiman didn't have to look back to see what happened. Once again, the situation would have been bleak. He would have probably been bruised, bleeding and possibly even unconscious by now if he was by himself. Fortunately he wasn't alone. Surprisingly the person he was supposed to 'protect' was doing much better at keeping their attackers at bay than himself. Unfortunately though, it seemed just like him, she too was unable to actually land a hit that would show any visible results. And it didn't help that they were still in their Yukata's which were far from clothes meant to fight it. Moving his feet alone proved to be a bigger struggle than anything else.

The man Haruno had downed stood up, a visible bruise on his chin but he showed no signs of fatigue just like the rest of his companions. Hachiman and Haruno were already taking deeper breaths. Hachiman glared at the three men in front of him... Wait, three?

"Aaah!" he heard Harunos' scream. He turned quickly, just in time to see Haruno falling on her stomach due to one of the men slamming his entire body weight on her. He would have went to help her but two of the men from behind him suddenly grabbed both his arms. With both his arms immobilized he couldn't hit back. A third man came up in front of him. The steel pipe in his hand held tight. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what his intentions were.

Hachiman' eyes widened. He tried to free himself from their hold but it was no use. Their grip was too tight. Haruno still hadn't gotten up and the police where nowhere to be seen. He was on his own till either could happen. He struggled harder to no avail. The man with the steel pipe quickly drew nearer till he was within striking range. Desperate to escape, Hachiman lifted both his legs up and kicked the knees of his captors. But of course that wasn't enough. So he leaned forward. With his body weight suddenly shifting the two men on his sides couldn't keep their balance. That was exactly what Hachiman was going for. The man wielding the steel pipe mirrored the expression of his compatriots to the letter at Hachiman' work. The steel pipe was swung at him. With both his hands still held firmly by the men on his sides, there was only one thing he could do.

With his body already leaning forward and the momentum increased by the weight of him and the men that were holding him back, the force his head crashed into the head of his enemy with was more than enough to completely disorientate his foe. Problem was that...

Hachiman never knew instant regret was an actual thing. He always figured it was just over exaggeration.

... he didn't account for his own disorientation. Nor did he count for the pipe hitting his collarbone. It hit him hard. He could almost hear the sound of his collarbone shaking even.

His body fell on the ground. The world spun around him faster than he could keep up with it. He clutched his aching head in pain. It didn't help that he was already experiencing random headaches lately. He pushed through the pain and peeked open one eye. If he wasn't having such a hard time focusing he would have noticed that all of their assailants were also clutching their heads in pain. His vision was clearing rapidly, just in time to see that his enemies were also recovering quickly. However, due to their positioning, Hachiman failed to notice a man behind him had recovered faster than his associates.

"Watch out!"

Hachiman heard Haruno' warning and began to turn. Time slowed down. Hachiman felt himself being pushed, a new weight was added to him. His vision cleared completely, just in time to notice the glimmering white steel of a knife under the moonlight, piercing through the fabric on Haruno' back. His eyes widened. A strange emotion welled within him. One he had never felt before. One he couldn't even describe even if he was given years to think upon. His expression changed to match it, his eyes followed suit in a different way. Even though he never felt it before, he knew what it was. It was too overwhelming to miss-

Unbridled Rage

-Later-

A pair of dead fish eyes fluttered opened. A blurry mixture of blue and white came to view. The sound of a machine beeping reached his ears. The feeling of deja vu was immense. Followed by the dull ache of pain from all over his body. 'What... happened?' Due to his voice being raspy the words were barely audible. It was a little difficult to breath. And even more to think. Slowly memories of the night previous came to mind. His eyes widened and his head hurt even more. He grunted from the pain. His left hand reaches for his face, caressing the area around his eyes in a slow fashion. He tried to focus his vision, waiting for something happen again. But nothing did.

As more of his senses returned, he felt something on his right hand. His gaze shifts to his right, a mop of black hair came to view. "... Kom...?"

Kom?... Who?

His throat was dry. Forming words clearly felt impossible so he choose to lightly squeeze the hand holding his own. His action seemed to have gotten the intended results. Haruno slowly awoke. When she noticed his eyes were open she was noticeably happy. He tried to ask for water. But all that came out was a tired gibberish. She understood it somehow and grabbed the bottle of water resting on a desk next to his bed. Lifting his head up a little so he could drink without choking on the water she tipped the bottle and let him drink. Then She helped him sit up on the hospital bed and now that his throat was no longer dry, Hachiman asked.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Haruno sighed before letting out a tired chuckle.

"Forget about me, are you okay?" she asked. "You took a heavy blow to the head back there."

He remembered. After seeing Haruno get stabbed like that he lost control. He managed to keep their attackers occupied long enough for the police to arrive. But a few seconds before that, one of the unknown men managed to land a devastating blow on the side of his head with the steel pipe. Then something happened. But before he could make heads or tails of what he saw his consciousness faded. His head still hurt a little. He guessed the doctors had given him morphine to dull the pain. "Been better... Been worse... You were stabbed." It was a statement.

Haruno wasn't sure if the former was a joke or something else. But the look he gave her meant he was still waiting for her answer. "Yea... Been better, been worse."

"Did they manage to catch them?" it was obvious what Hachiman meant.

"Yeah. They did." Haruno frowned. "But they're saying they didn't know what happened." The men that were caught were still going to be charged with assault and attempted murder. But their insistence of being unaware of their actions were unsettling. Haruno had seen to them already, either they were really good liars or she was losing her edge because she saw no signs of them lying.

"That's good." Hachiman nodded, or tried to nod at least.

"I called Shizuka-chan earlier. She should be here any moment now." Haruno informed him.

"That's good." Hachiman responded. By the looks of it, the sun had come up. Meaning it had been at least eight hours since Hachiman had decided to escort Haruno to her apartment. Hiratsuka was bound to get suspicious if not worried about his lack of presence back at their apartment. "Haruno-san..." His hesitance to continue spoke volumes of what he was about to say. Anyone who knew Kotomine Hachiman could tell that instantly.

"Are we friends?"

For what was nothing short of a simple question that could be easily answered by an equally simple yes or no. It felt harder than anything her physics professors at college could hope to throw at her. Fortunately she already knew her answer.

"Are we?" She asked, looking at him straight in his dead fish eyes.

Hachiman' eyes widened slightly, not because he wasn't expecting that question but because he remembered asking the same thing to Zaimokuza the year before when his white haired acquaintance stated that he and Hachiman were 'friends'. He didn't know how to answer Haruno' question on time, just as Zaimokuza didn't know how to answer his. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try. However, Haruno wasn't done just yet.

The doorknob to Hachiman' hospital room turned.

"Friends know each other. Friends trust each other." She didn't have many friends because of that reason. No one really knew her, not even her own family. No one actually trusted her. Haven't done so in many years. Even those closest to her were afraid of her. "You know so much about me... Things even I don't know apparently." obviously mentioning what he said the night previous. " But I know so little about you." That was true, but that wasn't Hachiman' fault.

"You never asked." he answered. Haruno couldn't but chuckle. That was the kind of reply she expected him.

"Then I'm asking now." she didn't know why she cared so much about him. By all accounts, someone as dull as he shouldn't have been able to hold her interest for this long, if at all. "Who are you Hachiman-kun? Why are you the way you are? What are your goals? Your ambitions?" A plethora of questions. None of which Hachiman could properly answer.

Hachiman closed his eyes. He could feel the warmth of Harunos' palm as it held his tighter. "I... do not know."

Hachiman didn't have to open his eyes to see Haruno' confusion. But he did so anyway, but instead of looking at her he was looking at a familiar white ceiling while thinking of the distant past with a similar white ceiling. "I do not know who I am. I do not know who I was. For all I know, Hachiman may not even be my real name. Kotomine certainly isn't." He had no identity of his own, therefore, his very existence was a sham. "As a human being I am... different." the word defect came to mind. But he couldn't accept that. He refused to believe he was that far gone, to do so would mean there was no point to any of this. "I feel no joy from the laughter of an infant nor by any 'normal' means." sometimes from the despair of others. "I feel no remorse for the death of another." countess would die, yet he still couldn't feel sad. "I feel no hate towards those that wrong me, towards those that condemn me." he felt nothing towards the men that would needlessly hurt him, towards those that would mock or ridicule him.

To Haruno who had once studied psychology for the sake of reading people better and for the sake of her father's company, such a length of apathy would be impossible. Even the sociopaths felt something for those that condemned them. But coming from the mouth of the man in front of her, she knew she could trust those words.

"They said I was found from the aftermath of a great fire. One that had claimed the lives of hundreds... I was said to be one of the few that survived." One of the few that were still alive. "When I first woke up, I couldn't remember anything. Not my name. Not my age, nor how or why I was there. All I knew was that I had nothing, not even the ability to process emotions properly." Days spent all alone, scavenging for scraps. Nights spent staring at the starry skies and moonless skies, searching for answers. "I know it's not normal. To be this way. I know it's wrong. To be this way." He knew there was something wrong with him. But he didn't hate himself. "...I figured that who I am today may have had something to do with who I was before. I figured all my questions would be answered if I found out who I was. And I would become normal." He was not fond of hope, but in this case was his only option. As it always had been. " And... well..." he knew that she didn't need to know this. But this is what friends were for right? To share your 'burdens'? "Here I am now, years later, chasing after a shadow that after all this time of failures, leads me to believe that it no longer exists." If that was the case then what was the point? If there was no one before Kotomine Hachiman, then what's the point of all this struggling? Then what was the point of Kotomine Hachiman' existence? "If that is true then what's the point for me to be here?" He had felt no purpose in anything he did nor tried. Everyone had a secret or two, this was his. This doubt.

Haruno didn't reply at first. How could she? She had never came across a situation like this before. Years of being the Yukinoshita Haruno people had expected her to be, be it the perfect and capable daughter that could do or the manipulative monster many would desire her to be didn't train her for this. So instead of her mind, for once in her life, Yukinoshita Haruno let her heart do the talking. "I... don't know who you were." That was obvious. "But does it matter?" Hachiman blinked. "Who you were before... does it really have to matter?"

It had to... right?

"The person you are now. It's not necessarily 'bad' you know? You don't feel as much as others, so what? Does that make you a bad person? I don't think so." Her 'mind' wanted to slap her 'heart' for saying such corny lines. But that didn't make it any less true. "Maybe your past has the answer to why you are the way you are, maybe it doesn't. But the person you are now? It's okay to be like this." It might be frustrating to deal with him sometimes, but truthfully everyone was a little frustrating in their own way. Haruno was absolutely certain the person Hachiman was before was just as frustrating to deal with as the person he is this day. If not more. "You asked what's the point of you being here. What's the point of anyone being here?" a question scholars had been asking for many centuries. Hers were already decided for her, but truthfully she never accepted it. "I don't really have the answer to that either. But if all of us work together. You, me and even Shizuka-chan. I'm sure we can find that out eventually."

Hachiman broke eye contact with her. Her words left him with much to think about. But he still needed an answer. "Then... we're not friends?"

Haruno had to stop thinking for a couple of seconds then bursts into a fit of giggles. Kotomine Hachiman was hard to deal with sometimes, but this part of him she did not mind and she was sure her once teacher now friend wouldn't disagree. She raised the palm that had been grasping his all this time to her cheek, the back of his palm brushing against her cheek, allowing her to bask in the skin contact for a brief moment. With her eyes closed she answered with a soft smile. "Yes. We're friends now." She was beginning to understand why she still spent time to him. But it was a theory at best.

"I see..." Hachiman too closed his eyes to think. Finally Haruno let go of his hand and stood up.

"I'll go get a doctor so we could check you out of this depressing place." she began heading for the door.

"Haruno-san..." she grabbed the doorknob. "... Haruno..." there was no suffix added to her name this time. The doorknob turned. "... Thank you... for being my friend." she turned briefly to reply. But whatever her words were supposed to be got stuck in her throat. Her eyes widened and body tensed and she quickly exited the room without sparing another glance at him. In her hurry, she wasn't able to notice that the door war already opened.

The door slammed shut but the lone inhabitant of the room didn't care. Haruno leaned back against the door, a hand firmly covering her lower face. She closed her eyes to stabilize her breathing. Only for the blush on her cheeks to reach all the way up to her ears. She shook her head trying to forget it. But it was no use. The image of Kotomine Hachiman... Genuinely Smiling at her... had already burned itself into her mind.

She understood now. It wasn't a theory anymore.

She, Yukinoshita Haruno was in love with Kotomine Hachiman.

-Hospital Roof-

The rooftop of Chiba General was like the roof of most other hospitals. And like most other hospitals, it was not open to the public.

"Ma'am please. If someone finds out you're here I'd be in a lot of trouble!" the young female nurse pleaded her. But getting kicked out of the hospital was the least of her worries.

The 'her' in question lit up a cigarette and inhaled the smoke with a deep breath. The nicotine in the short stick like object soothed her nerves but that was all it could do. And for the first time in her life, it just wasn't enough. She took the cigarette away from her lips and exhaled. However, instead of the pleased smile that would normally appear on her lips, only a sad frown remained.

-Chapter End-

Holy fricking hell! This is probably the longest chapter I have ever written for anything. Now it's late right now so I'll make this short. First things first. I'm sorry. For a lot of things. For uploading this so late. For not keeping my word about the scheduled updates and if I made Haruno too OoC in this chapter.

While I prefer Hiratsuka over Haruno as a romantic interest I can't deny Haruno' character is far more interesting. How can I? She was simply written that way. So I wanted to try something different. I focused her path to falling for Hachiman than Hiratsuka. Making Hiratsuka fall for Hachiman would have been easier. For making someone like Haruno fall for anyone is harder than it seems. So here it is, Haruno finally came to terms with her feelings for Hachiman. Now then, the story is about to pick up the pace rather fast now. Since I already missed so many scheduled updates I'm gonna stop promising them. It's just hard to do when there's so much going on irl. I WILL still finish this, that much I assure you. Heck I can technically finish this next chapter if I want but there's still so much left to be told and explored. Nevertheless I hope this was worth the wait.

Now then, I understand it's a little confusing. I should have explained this long ago but I will now. Hachiman was 11 when he was caught in the Fuyuki Fire. While Shirou was around 7 years old. The fifth Holy Grail War happened 10 years later. Meaning when Shirou was 17 and when the fifth war happens in this timeline, Hachiman would be 21. Right now Hachiman is 17(a few days into 18 actually) meaning there's still about 3-5 years left till the 5th grail war begins. According to wiki, Kuzuki appeared in Fuyuki around two years before the war. Meaning this is happening way before that. I hope his appearance makes more sense now.

Changes from the original: Hachiman' answer to Haruno' question about Yukinoshita altered a little. And the hospital scene altered a little as well. But for the most part it's the same. Some spelling errors fixed and missing words added. Some lines added+tweaked.