The ball was in full swing when Kaguya returned to the dance floor. She spoke a few terse words with Miyuki before he began to make his way toward me begrudgingly.

I watched Komachi and Ishigami laugh together as she relayed a story through several highly descriptive hand motions. His smile seemed easier than I'd seen it in years. I was glad.

Fujiwara glided gracefully across the floor with another partner and sent me a friendly smile. I received Miyuki with a neutral expression. My posture was open and relaxed. His was tense.

Our conversation was in an environment where he couldn't afford to lose his cool. He may be president, but I held more power here. Shirogane wasn't sure if I wanted to use it.

I was still undecided.

"Ahh, it's been a moment since we've last found ourselves alone together."

He agreed, with a clearly forced facade of faux-congeniality. "I suppose that it has; how are you, Hikigaya?"

"Well enough. How's your hand?" My question made him wince.

"Listen, about tha-"

"It's water under the bridge." I interrupted the words that he would've rather gargled glass than speak. "I would very much like to remain friends, though I do understand if you are against that arrangement. However, from now on, our interactions must be, at worst neutral. Kaguya has a lot on her plate, and conflict between the most important person in her personal life and in her professional life will only cause her stress. That's the last thing she needs."

He blinked, but I stood my ground and waited for a reply. I took a flute of champagne from one of the waiters circulating with trays and sipped the liquid. Miyuki formulated his reply. "We can be friends for the sake of Kaguya."

I ignored the sharp stab of disappointment that pierced my heart. "Okay, I suppose motives are inconsequential in the face of the end result." I sighed. "I'm going to enjoy the rest of my night, I hope that you do the same yourself." With those words, I walked away from Schrödinger's friend. Half genuine and half fake.

I stepped out onto another balcony and found a couple making out. I coughed politely, and when they saw my frowning face, they left quickly. I pulled out my phone and dialed Ai's number. It rang once before she answered. "Hachiman, it's really good to hear from you. I'm sorry about everything; I was way over the line with what I said."

"We were both at fault for the things said that day," I agreed without much vigor.

She posed a question. "Why did you call? You're not the type to reach out without purpose. Besides, we didn't part on exactly the best terms."

"I gained a little bit of perspective about it all. You were put in a bad situation and had to make the best of it. Ai, you were forced to play a losing game." I sympathized with more sincerity than I'd expected. "Besides, you never did anything unforgivable."

Hayasaka's breath caught in her throat. "Thank you, Hachiman, that means a lot."

"That's reality; me relaying it shouldn't count as some profound gesture." I snarked, familiar patterns surfacing once more.

"I see. Thank you for the crucial distinction." She countered.

I sighed.

Ai giggled.

My ears perked up. "Ai, you're at the ball somewhere, aren't you?"

"Actually, Kaguya said that I could have the night off." She clarified.

I blinked. That was like a baby letting go of a security blanket.

"You're surprised by that." she teased.

"Somewhat. Though I guess that we all have to grow up at some point." I answered.

"There's no rush," Ai argued.

I squinted. "What did you say?"

"There's no rush to be an adult, Hachiman. Did you ever really have a full childhood?"

I shrugged, relieved she couldn't look at me right now. "No, neither of us had that privilege."

"Then let's do that. The day after tomorrow that'll be our mission." She ordered.

"What are you even talking about? I really don't follow." I asked, more lost than I'd been in ages.

"Let's be kids this coming Monday. We can play hooky and go to a thing that normal youth do on their days off. There'll be no discussions about business, law, philosophy, or fine arts. We'll bring only ten thousand yen each, and that'll be all, no credit cards, just a normal youth allowance." She was getting into it. "What do normal kids do? Laser tag or batting cages or something. I don't really know, but it'll be an adventure; please, say that you'll go with me, Hachiman. It'll be fun."

I relented. Unlike Fujiwara, she wouldn't beg until I broke down, but it did sound promising. "Okay, text me the details."

"Definitely." Her voice was exuberant, the same note of joy I heard from her sometimes when she got a new PC part. "Don't plan ahead and arrange everything." She warned.

"Wouldn't dream of doing that." I promised. "Everything will be chaotic and spontaneous, just how you want it."

We said our goodbyes and I re-entered the ballroom. I climbed the stairs once more and examined the crowd on the upper levels. I saw two familiar faces. Iino looked disappointed as she nursed a drink and glanced longingly down at the dance floor. Meanwhile, Momo seemed happy to pick over a plate of food and engage in small talk with some of the donors and VIPs.

My mind made up; I stopped in front of Miko and extended a hand. "My fair lady, would you grace me with a dance?" I cringed internally at the etiquette-conforming dialogue. This made me want to chop off my ears just so I didn't have to listen to the stupid bullshit flowing from my mouth

"Oh! Hachiman. Yeah, sure, that would be awesome." She blushed as I took her hand and led her down the stairs.

As we held each other and swayed to the music, she stood on her tip-toes and whispered in my ear. "Thank you!"

I pulled away slightly and looked her in her eyes. "I don't know what you mean; I saw a beautiful girl alone and asked her to dance."

She flushed deeply but smiled wider. "I'm glad that I had an opportunity to dance. I've practiced a lot in preparation for tonight."

We moved further through the steps, and her experience shined through. While I merely followed the steps and blended in, she made the movements her own. She was ready to correct my positioning whenever I fell half a step behind. "Miko, your practice has evidently paid off. You're simply magnificent."

She beamed at me. The music slowed down from a more upbeat tone to a slow dance. Once more, we wrapped our arms around each other. We swayed together, gently rocking with the motion of the music.

"I saw that you brought your little sister." Iino noted.

I replied. "I hope you and Ishigami will take good care of her as her upperclassmen."

"We will watch over her." She swore. "Do you anticipate trouble?" Miko probed.

"No but you know what they say, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'" I answered.

"She's not what I expected your little sister to be like." Iino confessed cautiously.

"Siblings aren't identical." I clicked my tongue.

"I was reading about the formation of a new Shinomiya legal group." Iino.

"Yeah, we're expanding and hope to have an office in all the major metropolitan cities. London, Tokyo, Paris, New York, Beijing, and Los Angeles." I informed her with a hint of pride. I was barely a contributing factor to the success but it still felt good - in some small way - to see my plans come together.

Something clicked within my mind and I realized what she was trying to broach. "Let me guess; you would like a summer internship, lay yourself a path forward. Are you going to take the bar when you graduate?"

She nodded resolutely. Surprise overlaying her face when I smiled. "You think it's a good idea?" She asked.

I gave her a thumbs up. "Absolutely, that's probably what I'm going to do as well. If I fail my first attempt we can both take it together the next year."

Iino rolled her eyes. "Sure, when pigs fly."

"I'm sure that could be arranged. I'll get the internship set up. But no matter what, when you pass the bar," I said when because whenever she put her mind to something it got done. "There will be a position waiting for you at the Shinomiya law group. I was thinking of also having you as a member of our corporate ethics board." The music was reaching a lazy crescendo before fading.

Though her steps remained smooth as a new faster song was played, verbally she stumbled. "Wow, thank you, that's a huge honor and I'm just so- wow. Thanks, Hachiman."

"I take it you approve of the idea."

"Absolutely."

~/~

Ai was earlier than I was. I arrived thirty minutes before to already see her waiting for me in a see-through raincoat unbothered by the moderate rain.

"I don't think normal high school girls are excessively early," I commented from underneath my choice of water protection, a dark grey umbrella.

"Honestly, neither of us are really authorities on the behavior of average high school students." Ai deadpanned.

I impishly smiled. "I know that they don't lampshade on whether or not their behaviors are normal."

She straightened up. "Let's start again." I shook my head in disbelief, but she powered through. "Hi, Hachiman; it's been so long. I'm really excited to see you."

"Hey, Ai. I missed you. I hope that you weren't waiting long." I kept my posture open and relaxed.

She held her hands behind her back and leaned forward. "No, not at all. You had perfect timing."

"I'm glad. On my way here, I saw an arcade. Would you like to check it out?" I offered.

The contract she offered was an extended elbow that I looped my arm with as we headed out.

(A/N): In Japan, literally, anyone can take the bar. It's just immensely difficult to pass. No higher education is required. The test is only given annually. Only a thousand people total can pass each year. A third of those who passed took it 6 or more times. At least according to a report I read from 2006. Demographics and approaches have changed in recent years, but that was the basis upon which I was working.