Your suggestions and thoughts have been heard. We'll see what happens as we go on. Feel free to continue "ship suggestions" or thoughts as the story develops, though. I have a feeling that a lot of thoughts will change due to this chapter alone.

I may change from the 1st person Hachiman pov here and there. When I do, it will be made rather obvious when we switch, and when we return.

Edit: Thank you for the people correcting me about Yumiko's first name. The Japanese name system really confuses me sometimes.


Hikigaya Hachiman Will Not Join.

1 year later...

For (what felt like the first time ever, to me) the 2F classroom was actually quiet. The only sound that echoed throughout the room was the rough sound of pens pressing against paper. Maybe a few bothered groans here and there. If I bothered to take a quick glance - it'd be easy to see that everyone had their heads down, focusing on whatever they were writing.

And me? I was mostly just sitting in place, staring at the blank piece of grid paper in front of me. There wasn't even a single character written down.

"Looking Back on Highschool Life." To be honest, this topic was pretty tough for me. Before, I was sure I'd have gone on a rant about riajuu or people's annoying view of youth - but those things seemed like mostly distant sentiments. I could write it, but my heart wouldn't be in it.

Well, my heart was barely in anything these days, except for my chest. Maybe it was more accurate to say that, if I was going to waste time writing an essay for Modern Japanese, I might as well write something honest. I'd already been duping Hiratsuka-sensei by giving her the most generic model student essays for the majority of the year, anyway.

…Even if I was sure that Hiratsuka-sensei would not appreciate what I had to really say, she'd probably appreciate a small bout of honesty more. It'd at least keep her from trying to bury a fist into my gut.

But even so, that was fine. If it came down to it, I think I could dodge one or two of her punches. Maybe three, if I had gotten my daily dose of MAX Coffee. No, if I had MAX Coffee, I could become invincible for at least 20 seconds.

What is this, Mario?

Anyways, to make a long story short, I didn't have anything to write for this essay. Compared to everyone, bursting forth with memories both negative and positive, it felt like nothing I had experienced even mattered.

In my head, there was no "Highschool Life" to look back on. I couldn't even care enough to write about my lack of a highschool life. Most of my memories came from middle school, while my highschool life had just consisted of coming here, going to classes, and then immediately going home.

Just as those depressing thoughts entered and exited my head, a sound echoed through the class. It was some super-macho theme song from a Shonen anime I was sure was about a decade old.

Sensei, you're showing your age again.

Our teacher, completely unashamed at her immature choice of ringtone, took out her phone, staring at the screen for a few seconds, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Sorry everyone, but you'll have to excuse me for the rest of the period. Feel free to use the rest of this class as an open study hall, after you finish your essays, that is. Skip out on writing and I'll find out."

She left the room with a cool wave (and one last good threat), her lab coat fluttering behind her. Curiously, though, I felt a wave of negative emotions washing over me - originating from Hiratsuka-sensei, herself. Her face, obscured by the sunlight shining through the hall, was unreadable, but whatever that call was, it didn't seem like anything good.

Even as she departed, her words rang true in the ears of even the most dull student. Hiratsuka-sensei was both a teacher to be pitied, and one to be feared. Both students and eligible adult bachelors should beware.

For a moment, I wondered if she'd actually practiced her fearsome martial arts on any other student that was present…then I reconsidered. Everyone around me was what I'd call 'well-adjusted' students. There's no way they'd-

Did I just sense a twinge of excitement from someone? Certainly, there are many things better left un-sensed…is that even a real word?

It was a while before I really heard activity begin to buzz around me, as people finished up their essays and got up, placing them on the now-empty teacher's desk.

And, just like before, mine remained totally empty. While I wished it wasn't so, it wasn't like words were just going to appear on the paper if I stared down at it hard enough. At times like this, I'd thought it would be very useful to be able to teleport thoughts to paper.

I sighed, and began to try and force myself to write, but as I listened to what my classmates were doing, and talking about, my mind naturally began to wander. I heard less of my thoughts, and more of what was being said around me. Of course, my hand stopped moving as well.

The otakus were speaking about games and anime while playing away at their handheld devices, others formed their own little hustles to speak in…but of course, the highlight of this class was the loudest group in the back - the Hirata group, named after the prominent, practically shining blonde that led it.

I didn't like Hirata, for many reasons. But if I had to sum it up, he was completely fake. My powers helped me figure it out fast, and it blindsided me pretty bad. After all, I had thought Hirata to be a rare breed of the "true riajuu". I should've known, though, that such a legendary creature could only possibly remain in myth.

"Hey, hey, did you guys, like, hear about that crazy stuff on the news?! It was super surprising, wasn't it?" Yuigahama was the first to speak up, her bubbly, ditzy voice the second-loudest of the group.

Like Miura, she had been one of the girls who seemed to be weirdly paying attention to me. As for why, I was completely stumped. I didn't know Yuigahama - I hadn't even heard her name in passing during one of my loops. Yet, she seemed to be interested in me, for whatever reason.

I knew it wasn't any sort of secret romance, I wasn't gullible, but it was still something to think about, regardless.

"Yeah! The stuff about that weird super gang-cult collaboration terrorist attack? My pops was saying something about how they almost blew up the place he worked in…crazy, right?" Tobe, the one who held the title of the group's loud, obnoxious moodmaker, spoke up, causing Hirata to chuckle, the air around him practically sparkling.

Even in my current state, I found that fake-ass sparkling annoying. Hayato, I kindly ask that you attach a bomb to your chest and blow up.

"Now, now, let's not get too riled up. The news tends to sensationalize these things, after all. It could have been a plot by someone to cover up the true story." He smiled, something which Yamato, the "gentle giant" of the group nodded in agreement to.

"Yeah. I mean, it's one thing to suggest that a high-level organized crime syndicate and a hidden death cult somehow joined hands to commit terrorism for money…but then there's the fact that, apparently, all the people that got caught blamed a middle schooler for stopping them? That sounds like some kind of movie plot!" Ooka, the "kind" person out of the group snickered.

Everyone laughed at that - a fake, vacuous kind of laughter. The type I hated the most. I hated the Hayato group. Everyone, except for…Yumiko Miura.

While the blonde Queen of the clique seemed to be doing her best to fit in with the others by weakly laughing (a rare thing, as she was always the type to force the group, minus Hayato, to go along with her) she occasionally looked over in my direction, her olive-green eyes flitting over every now and then.

It was a bit obvious when her gaze changed, considering she was usually looking at her phone 24/7/365. I wouldn't be surprised if Yumiko Miura had a phone screen installed into her vision.

'Oi, oi, could you be more obvious about taking a peek? It's a good thing everyone in her group is too much of an idiot to notice. Well…mostly everyone.'

Hayato himself seemed all too aware of Yumiko's odd habit of breaking concentration on the conversation - easily, in fact. And, regrettably, Hikigaya could tell the exact moment when the blonde Riajuu began giving him much more subtle glances, alongside Yumiko's.

'This better not become a pain in the ass. Yuigahama, Yumiko, Hayama…I really don't have any desire to be this popular! Maybe my charm points are showing off a little too much…'

It was easier to comfort myself by repeating that in my head…but of course, I knew the real reason Miura was looking over here. Still, I couldn't put my finger on whether that was better, or worse. Eventually, I'd have to confront Miura, even though I'd been managing to run from her during my entire first year here, and the most of my second year.

What I could do for now, though, was get my hands back to work writing out this essay, which I had actually started to make a small amount of progress on...no, that was a lie. At least I could think of a few ideas.

That was short-lived, though.

"That's really scary, isn't it…? I can't believe something like that could actually happen."

A frightening, high-pitched, obviously feminine voice spoke…to…me? Obviously, it was confusing - what sort of girl would make that sort of classroom small-talk to me? I felt like I was in middle school all over again.

Oh, well, I'd just have to-

"...Huh."

I audibly exclaimed, as I turned to face who had spoken to me. A white-haired angel, no, a white-haired goddess had descended upon the seat in front of me. Blindingly beautiful, with big, blue eyes that made me realize that there were still some things worth looking for in this world.

Now if only it wasn't obvious, looking at the outfit he was wearing, consisting of a shirt and pants that showed off his obviously boyish features, that this person was, beyond all belief, a guy.

It was rare to find something in the world that I was surprised by…wow! Maybe today will be full of surprises.

Totsuka, hearing my reply (which, probably, sounded like confusion and disinterest at the same time), took it as a sign to repeat.

"I mean, what Hayama-san and the others are talking about. It's a little scary, actually." He murmured…only to blush and quickly add, "O-Oh, how rude of me, I didn't even introduce myself! My name is Totsuka Saika!"

Totsuka, huh…? It was rare to meet people who actually perceived me, thought of something to say to me, and actually went through with talking to me. Forget that, it was impossible. I can only think of maybe one person who tried - and that wasn't exactly a good memory. Let's say it involved me somehow being accused of harassing a person for no good reason.

Yet another mine in Hikigaya Hachiman's mental minefield.

To put things in a shorter way, what Totsuka was doing was something I had never really experienced. Therefore, I found Totsuka a little interesting. Of course, wanting to interact with such a purely shimmering being was no part of it.

"Hikigaya." I replied simply, deciding to return my eyes to the paper that I was writing on. Totsuka stared at the paper curiously, then back up at me with a sheepish smile. His lips didn't move at first, but he eventually managed to say what I imagined he'd built up a lot of courage to say.

"Your essay - you've been stuck on it ever since sensei left, right? Do you need a little bit of help with it? I'm not great at academics, but I think I could help you."

Totsuka then made an adorable expression - which I guessed was his way of trying to come off as reliable. I understood why he had spoken to me now. A desire to genuinely help his classmate, who looked stuck…I couldn't sense anything beyond that, coming from him.

It was a bit refreshing - people without any alternative motives or feelings were rare, and even if I didn't speak to them, just being around such genuine people was a relief in and of itself.

"It's fine. Besides, this isn't the kind of thing that requires smarts. I just need some time to think."

After I responded, Totsuka looked at me bewildered, eyes wider than dinner plates. Oi - was what I said really such a big deal?! You're looking at me like I just said something absolutely crazy!

"Wow…I can't believe you said all of that."

I raised my eyebrow, and he stammered in response, holding up a finger while he rushed to explain. "I-I mean, it's just, nobody's heard you talk that much, Hikigaya! I mean, nobody in our class, at least. Actually…I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything about you, bad or good."

"It's on purpose," I said, tapping my pencil against the paper. "I try not to be seen, heard, or spoken about, unless necessary. Not to mention, I have a presence that's easily forgotten. Not to mention…"

I raised my gaze, looking directly into Totsuka's eyes for the first time since we began our conversation.

"I've been told that I don't exactly look pleasant, either."

You could call this a test. Or maybe, an experiment. It didn't really bother me to have people talk about my eyes like it used to - I mean, they had only gotten worse, and there wasn't any magical solution coming along anytime soon.

"Eh?" Totsuka tilted his head to the side (adorably) in what was obviously confusion at what I'd said. "I don't get it…to me, you don't seem that scary at all, Hikigaya. Just a little…quiet?"

I stared at Totsuka, my eyes wide open in what must've been a ridiculous expression, since he, in return, only grew even more bewildered.

But I think I had the right of bewilderment here. Totsuka said something to me that not even my own little sister had said.

Was Totsuka truly an angel that had descended down upon us…? The purest of pure souls?

"Haha…"

A sound left my lips, rough, unfamiliar. -A laugh, I recognized it as. It was quiet, so much so that it took Totsuka a while to realize just what I was doing.

But, unlike what I had suffered in the past, he didn't shame me or back away in disgust at hearing my laugh, which I'm sure only sounded even more disgusting after going unused for so long.

He just smiled. A brilliant, radiant smile, that confirmed it to me:

Totsuka Saika really is an angel.

The sharp ringing of the school bell cut through this small and short, yet fulfilling moment, ending the encounter that I only could've called a preview of heaven.

"Well Hikigaya…kun," Totsuka suddenly and forcibly added the last bit on, while blushing from his small effort," I'm going to go ahead. I need to speak to some of the members of my club before our next class. I'll see you around, okay?"

"Sure." Back to my one-word ideal already, I waved goodbye to my front seatmate, as he got up, leaving the classroom with a skip in his step.

Maybe there was something to appreciate about highschool life, after all.

I started to get up to leave as well, only to realize one more thing.

My essay. It still wasn't finished.


The school hallways during the transitions between periods; yet another place where adolescents enjoyed the bittersweet taste of youth. Rushing to your next class or the cafeteria with friends, confessing during the very last minutes of your lunch, fights in the schoolyard…

None of which I had experienced. I mean, maybe I had a little bit of an idea about the second, but that sort of thing never turned out well - it was a sort of theme to my middle school trauma, by now.

Honestly, I found the transitioning from place to place more of a hassle than anything. Tons of students, jam-packed into a narrow space, heading in all sorts of direction, or just wasting space and time by standing around and doing nothing. In some ways, it was even worse than the noisy classroom during morning and lunch.

Of course, the flood of emotions that always followed crowded locations around never made it any easier.

Still, even with my "superpower", or perhaps you could say, because of it, I eventually learned how to avoid that. It was easy to find the routes that barely anybody traveled, and use them for myself.

It was even possible to find ideal routes real-time! Truly, what a useful navigation system, and it'll only cost you two payments of $49.99?! Buy now!

Anyways, that explained how I was able to walk in almost completely utterly halls, despite the undoubtedly huge crowds of students heading to and from different places.

In this particular case, at this time of day, it was extra empty. After all, the school day had already passed, and it was club time. Most were heading to home or club rooms - either way, they were disappearing off the hallways, which was just a bonus for me.

Still, 'most' didn't include all. That was why I wasn't too surprised to see another face in the hallway - someone slowly approaching me, likely just to pass by. Or so I hoped, at least.

She carried a quiet coldness in her expression, and had an aura about her that reminded me of a young princess. Totally untouchable, and unwilling to become close to anyone else - that was the vibe she gave off. Long black hair, with beautiful blue eyes…

Yukinoshita Yukino - the school's Ice Queen. For a person like me, who tended to soak up certain information like a sponge, it wasn't hard to remember her. It wasn't a stretch to say that she was even more known than Miura, rivaling Hayato.

But, well, I wouldn't call her 'popular'. She was more like an idol - looked upon from afar, but never approached by anyone. And for good reason...

"You there. Yes, you, the airhead." A voice interrupted my thought process, leaving me to lazily stare at the only possible, obvious source:

That same 'ice queen' had stopped right in front of me, practically blocking my way.

I remained silent, my back still hunched over, and hands shoved into my pockets. She was silent for a while herself, likely unable to judge if I had actually acknowledged her based on my expression alone - or, well, the lack thereof.

"You are Hikigaya Hachiman, correct?" She asked. Before I could even reply, she held up a hand towards me to continue speaking. "No, you quite certainly are. Sensei's description was completely correct. Eyes like a corpse, posture like a corpse - that is, completely lacking in any posture - , and a face like a corpse."

"You might as well just call me one at that point. " I said, with a tired sigh. Though I didn't bother to retort - this was more the sort of recognition I expected from people, with what little I got.

"Of course I have the common decency not to do so - though with such a description, I can't help but feel as if simply speaking with you breaks some form of desecration laws…"

"What am I, dead and buried already?" Yukinoshita simply shook her head at that reply, before continuing on.

"Regardless, I was sent here to escort you to the faculty room by Hiratsuka-sensei. A formal request - it seems that she has reason to believe you'd not come otherwise." Yukinoshita shook her head, arms now folded.

It was obvious that she felt the request was below her. Still, I couldn't help but feel curious - just why was she taking orders from the teacher of another classroom? Her overtly headstrong, blunt nature didn't seem subservient to me. If anything, it felt like she could give Hiratsuka-sensei as much of a hard time as I could.

No, scratch that. I held the title for that, now and forever.

"Hiratsuka-sensei is the advisor of my club." She answered, as if reading my mind. "I wouldn't be wasting my time on such a simple request if it wasn't for the position of authority she had."

"Well…why not just go back to her, lie, and say that you couldn't find me? It's not exactly like I'm actually afraid of Hiratsuka-sensei, and it's not like she has some secret school-wide surveillance system that'll let her call you out. If anything, I'll be punished, and you get off scot-free." I suggested, with a shrug that showed just how little I cared about the summons.

Guess I let a little bit of my true thoughts leak out there. Whoops.

Sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei. You're strong, but when it comes to fearing you, well…I've just seen and experienced worse. Besides, I could say with confidence that she wasn't the type of person that could kill me, something that was practically requirement #1 to take up a spot of fear in my mind.

Though, she might just consider doing it if I pointed out her lack of a marriage partner, immature personality, or age one more time...there really was just too much to poke fun at when it came to my homeroom teacher. I was worried for what would happen if an even more troublesome student than I came along.

"That I can't do. No matter how small, it was a request entrusted to my club by a client, whether it be the advisor or not. I will not break my own words." She near-instantly refuted, leaving me to sigh again.

This kind of person that liked to stick to their guns, no matter what…in most cases, I didn't mind them - but right now, it was a little bit annoying. I considered expending a little bit of effort to get out of this, but I realized that whatever Sensei wanted, she'd probably just hound me until she got a chance.

I could evade her however long was possible, but her persistence was unusual for a teacher - she'd probably try corner me as soon as I came to school every day or something.

For a while, I'd been keeping her at bay by submitting completely average work - stuff she couldn't complain about or give me props for. But now that she had a chance to criticize me about something, she'd probably take this moment to drop her 'guidance' on me.

An educational yandere. What kind of messed-up character was that?

"Okay. Let's go, then."

I resigned myself to my fate and began walking forward, only to hear a complete lack of footsteps behind me. Stopping in place, I chanced a glance behind me to see…

Yukinoshita just standing there, looking at me. Her face was unreadable, but I could feel the genuine surprise coming from her.

"...What."

"It's nothing, I was simply surprised at how easily you agreed. With your obstinate attitude, I figured you'd have said something about preferring to shamble about the school halls…" Yukinoshita replied, causing me to shake my head in exasperation.

"You've got some real guts to be calling me obstinate." I huffed, continuing to walk again, this time without waiting. Yukino followed closely behind, likely choosing to ignore what I had said in response.

"So, what club do you run, exactly? No matter how I think about it, I don't remember any club whose activities involves going around, dragging people through hallways." I asked, perking up in the slightest bit of curiosity.

One thing I wasn't aware about was the situation of clubs in the school - they weren't important and still weren't, as far as I was concerned.

But still, Yukinoshita Yukino was worth the curiosity, or so I reasoned to myself.

"Of course you wouldn't be aware of my club. Someone with eyes such as yours being aware of anything already seems like a miracle, as it is."

"Oi-"

"The service club. The purpose is exactly as it sounds." She said matter-of-factly, but the description only left me even more confused.

"So…you teach people how to serve others? You just do things for people? Do you train to become servants?" I asked, all of my answers eliciting a further and further displeased look in Yukinoshita's eyes.

I sort enjoyed seeing her a little pissed off. And, at the same time, I was struck by the image of Yukinoshita, with her cold expression, in a maid outfit.

…not bad. Not bad at all.

"It seems it was a little too much for me to expect from you, Hikigaya-kun. The purpose of the service club is not to serve, but to help those who request our help to better serve themselves. Requests such as sensei's are extraordinary."

"Teaching someone to fish instead of just giving them fish, huh?" I hummed, giving Yukinoshita a slightly more pleased expression.

"Correct. Perhaps your brain is still somewhat alive, Hikigaya-kun."

I just remained silent, unsure of whether that was an insult, or one of the world's most backhanded compliments.

We walked in silence, the only sound between us being the alternating echo of our footsteps through the empty corridors.

It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly comforting. With our conversation done, Yukinoshita just finished her job of escorting me to Hiratsuka-sensei's office without anything else to say.

"Ah, Hikigaya!" Said lab-coat wearing teacher turned around the moment we walked in, her smile betraying the completely hostile stance and energy she had emanating from her. If I was an animal, undoubtedly, my instincts would have drove me to run out the moment I crossed the threshold into the room.

"Sensei…I don't think it's normal to greet someone while you've got your fists tightened. Are you trying to show that you're ready to punch me?"

"Be quiet, kid. You're not in a position to lecture me about normalcy. What the hell is up with this essay?"

She held up a piece of paper, smacking it with her palm as if to prove a point. It was my essay, "Looking Back on Highschool Life", and it was…still completely blank, with nothing but scribbles on it. Well, my name was on it. That at least counted for something, right?

"I would've preferred if you just wrote something stupid than nothing at all!" She groaned, sinking back into her chair.

"I was just honest. There isn't much 'highschool life' for me to look back on." I replied, with a shrug.

"How helpless…I can see now why Sensei figured you'd need escorting. Perhaps it was in consideration of your lacking past?" Yukinoshita murmured, looking at me with an expression of faux pity. No, was that real? I think she'd manage to somehow seriously piss me off if she was giving me social pity, of all people. "Anyways, Sensei…if you'll excuse me-"

"Wait, Yukinoshita. What I'm about to say will concern you too, so stick around for a little bit longer." Hiratsuka interrupted, with a single raised hand.

"I see…very well then."

"Now, Hikigaya, first of all, you will be rewriting the essay. Or, I suppose…writing it, in the first place."

"Okay." I responded, flatly.

"Back to the one-worders…anyways…and, as of now, as the second part of your punishment," She turned her gaze to Yukinoshita. "You will be joining-"

Seemingly understanding where this line of conversation, Yukino moved to verbally intercept Hiratsuka.

"Sensei, I-"

But I was faster.

"I refuse." My simple, cold refusal echoed through the room.

"Hmm…? Did you…say something, Hikigaya?" Hiratsuka-sensei spoke, her words laced with annoyance and obvious anger.

"I said, I refuse. As far as I know, there is no rule in the school's curriculum that says you can force a student to join a club as punishment, Hiratsuka-sensei."

(POV Change: Third Person, Hiratsuka Shizuka)

The moment that refusal left Hikigaya's mouth, Hiratsuka Shizuka felt herself shaking, ready to deliver one of her teacherly-love-filled moves onto Hikigaya. A head lock? No, someone like him needed a good punch to knock some sense into him.

Yet, when he continued on, seemingly ignoring her threat…even she couldn't help but shudder. Shizuka had dealt with all kinds of students, and all kinds of outbursts. Some students were too blunt, were prone to those same outbursts, some held irrational anger, all sorts of things…

Yukinoshita herself, who was similarly frozen in place, was a good example. She was someone many students described as icy, sometimes even frigid. However, Shizuka felt like Yukinoshita's problematic personality was a joke compared to Hikigaya right now.

Looking up at his eyes, she noticed nothing. No pleasure, displeasure, it even felt hard to say he was being purposefully apathetic, as many kids found it cool to do. It was like, through her words alone…she had awakened something that must be left sleeping, deep inside of Hikigaya's mind. This was no tantrum: it was as if her words had fundamentally gone against a piece of Hikigaya's existence, leaving him an empty void.

She honestly felt like completely giving up and running away. Some part of that stare made her feel like she was talking to something far beyond her.

Still, somewhere deep in her soul, Shizuka felt not fear…but disappointment. Perhaps if she had been able to get to Hikigaya a bit earlier, she would've been able to help him, properly. Even in those lifeless eyes...she knew that there must've been a suffering kid in there.

She only fully came to her senses an indeterminate amount of time later, gathering her words with a shuddering breath.

(POV Change: Back to Hikigaya, 1st Person)

"...alright, Hikigaya. I suppose it was a bit questionable of me to try and strongarm you into such a thing. I apologize. You as well, Yukinoshita."

The moment Sensei said those words, I slowly nodded…and both she and Yukinoshita visibly relaxed.

"T-that….that is correct, Sensei. I'm not quite…accepting of such a sudden..."

Yukinoshita began to say something, but her prideful, sure demeanor had been shattered. She didn't even get to explain her own reason for resistance to the idea. I was even sure that she was physically shaking.

Huh…standing there, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to these two to start acting so weird. I just put my foot down, a little bit. But with those overreactions, it was like they were playing along to a gag I didn't get.

Which…happened a lot to me. I suppose that's another mine on the trauma minefield best left alone.

"But, as your responsible, reliable teacher, I can't just let you go like this, either."

Hiratsuka-sensei's eyes once more shined with her teacherly determination.

She sure had a lot of teacher-abilities…weapons to surpass the 108 skills?!

"What exactly are you saying, Sensei?" I asked. Her words left my brow raised - an involuntary motion.

"We'll have a competition. While I won't force you to directly join Yukinoshita's club - the Service Club's activities as an official member…there'll be a competition between you and Yukinoshita, on the basis of who is more capable of fulfilling requests that the club receives."

Yukinoshita's expression, which before, had pure dread on it, seemed to somewhat lighten up at this proposition. In fact, her gaze narrowed ever-so-slightly in focus.

"...it sounds like a little bit of a pain, but I guess I can do that. Not like I have much to do after school anyway."

"Oh? It seems like Hikiloser-kun is quite afraid of this competition? Without any motivation from him, I may as well consider this won."

"Says the girl who was literally shivering in her boots a few seconds ago."

"Be quiet, you emotional brute." Yukinoshita replied coldly, just leaving me to once again sigh and shrug.

"I have another condition I'd like to add, Hiratsuka-sensei." I cleared my throat, causing the woman to focus on me. "These requests…can I choose when I have to give my advice? I don't want to waste time helping someone do anything mundane."

"Well…" Hiratsuka smiled, a knowing, happy smile, that made her look more beautiful than she already was…and made me even more anxious about this than I already was. "If you want to decide what requests are worth your time, I guess you'll just have to make daily visits to the club to check for those requests, now won't you, Hikigaya?"

…Now I understood why she could actually afford to smile. She'd got me good - official member or not, I'd end up coming into the club every day after school, anyways. This is what you call the unfair power of adults.

"This is what happens when I try to be a smartass." I groaned, bowing my head in defeat. Hiratsuka-sensei grinned, continuing on with her explanation giddily.

"Then, the deal is set! Ah - I'll be deciding who wins and losses every round, of course - and who ultimately wins or loses will be decided by me, too!"

"So much for a 'competition', isn't this just us trying to convince you who's better?" I snapped. The more she spoke, the more it seemed like she was boxing us in - both me, and Yukinoshita, for whatever reason.

It made me worry if this "Service Club" was less like a club, and more like Hiratsuka-sensei's personal asylum, from which she could carefully choose to rehabiliate students whenever she pleased.

"Well, I never mentioned that it'd be fair and square, did I? You're always quite observant, but I supposed you missed a detail this time, Hikigaya." Hiratsuka-sensei said, with a devilish smile.

In any other situation, charming, in this situation, it felt like she was a kid on the playground saying "No takesies backsies!"

"Regardless of the circumstance, I do hope you'll at least put up a fight, Hikizombie-kun?" Yukinoshita said, giving a challenging, confident smirk. I didn't know why she was suddenly so into this, but I didn't care. I had no idea what the reward was, but I'm sure I could at least get Hiratsuka-sensei to leave me alone for good and well if I won.

All I needed was results.

"Hm." I responded simply, ignoring her jab at my corpse-like appearance. It was true, after all.

Wait, did I just describe myself like a corpse?! Yukinoshita might've won that round…

This was how my involvement with Yukinoshita Yukino, and her Service Club began.


Another day, another dollar!

Whoever had invented that cheerful line…I beg of you to rise up and become a deity. If only I could be paid simply for surviving another day, I'd have all I need, forever.

Though I guess in a world like that, money would just become worthless, and some other thing would take its' place, regardless…

Gods are overrated, anyway. But, it may still be interesting to see a world where something ridiculous becomes the new form of exchange.

Like underwear.

…wait, doesn't that already have a booming underground economy?! If something like that were to go popular, the perverts of the world would all become millionaires overnight.

My fun thoughts didn't do much to actually entertain me. Compared to the beautiful weather outside, I felt absolutely dead, as was usual. I was heading to the back, like I always did, weaving through groups of students that walked and talked together, and students dressed in the different outfits for their sports clubs.

I felt like my school days always ended like this - going through the motions, and then finally being able to get home. A monotonous cycle - the type of activity I most hated.

Yet, even then, I couldn't find it in myself to break out of it. I simply didn't have any will to. Something about monotony was comforting - especially when I could be sure that tomorrow would actually come.

Enduring what I did would likely leave anyone else thinking the same - unless you were some sort of Shonen protagonist with the indomitable will of a god (who are still overrated, by the way.)

Sadly, I was just a regular person. Minus the emotional sensitivity, of course. I guess it wasn't all bad. In a way, after all that time…to be normal again, that's all I really wanted.

Still, there were some parts of my past that just wouldn't let go.

Finally arriving at my bike, I found an unsurprising sight - long, blonde hair that swayed in the wind, olive eyes, fiery with determination, and a near-permanent frown etched on her face (when dealing with people such as me.)

Yumiko Miura.

"Hachiman. You know I'm not just gonna let you talk your way out of things this time, right? Stop dodging me, or you're gonna have to go home on foot today."

Skipping the formalities, greetings, or negotiations, Miura got straight to the point - she sat atop my bike, immediately fixing me with a victorious smirk the moment I laid eyes on her.

She was stunning, in a fierce sort of way - her eyes were like that of a predator…a coiled snake, ready to strike…maybe even a lioness? She'd been like that, from the first time we met.

I felt my shoulders lean over even more than they had before. Today had indeed felt long…yet, somehow, it was far from being over just yet.

"Fine. Wherever you're forcing me, it's going to be your treat, though."

Miura's smirk almost turned into a grin, and she hopped off my bicycle, satisfaction clear on her face.

"It's just like you to say something nasty like that. Shouldn't you, like, be treating the girl, instead? That's what a real gentleman would do."

I groaned, while hopping atop my bicycle. "My name is Hikigaya Hachiman, not Hayama Hayato."

"Yeah you're right. You don't even match up to Hayato, of course. But, well…you're alright, I guess." She said, and I felt half-tempted to go back to my mental 'bitch' nickname.

But, wait…what was…that unfamiliar weight, concentrated on my back…? Small, delicate hands wrapped around my waist?

"-! Too close, Yu-..."

I almost said her name, but stopped myself. The fierce fire Queen of Soubu was quiet, her eyes closed, and face buried into my back.

…I did what I was good at - kept silent, and began to push the pedals. The mechanical movement helped to keep my mind off of the girl who was currently, by all means, snuggled up on me on my bike.

Well, I suppose that this was the safest way to ride, with two people. It still didn't make it feel any less intimate.

Odd, isn't it? The fact that someone like Yumiko Miura would casually call me by my first name? Ride with me on a bike…and actually hold onto me? In the past, I might've been freaking out over it. But this was more common than you might've thought.

We'd done this more times than you could possibly imagine.

'Yumiko Miura was a partner of mine.' I had thought something like that, previously, but I refused to delve deeper into that thought. Yet, at a moment like this, there was nothing to do but confront it. Yumiko would do it herself soon, I was sure, so I might as well prepare myself.

In each 'loop', as I came to call them, Yumiko was something like a constant. No matter what I did differently, or when I moved on to the next loop, I always encountered her in some way.

Sometimes she was a friend, sometimes an ally, and sometimes an unintentional obstacle. Yet, she'd never been an enemy.

Call it fate, destiny, or pure, freakish luck, but Miura was probably the person I knew the most in the world. Her likes, dislikes, personality, secrets and preferences...

On the final loop, she had become someone I could truly call my one and only partner, during that hell. She even awakened abilities of her own, though she never bothered using them much.

Miura was much like me, in the way that she preferred to live a normal life, even if she had special powers. The first thing she'd done when she got them was express disappointment that she couldn't use it for tennis, unless she planned on turning all of her opponents to ashes.

She had actually considered using them like that for a worryingly long time...

The only thing Miura never did achieve, during those months-long loops, was that she never remembered them. I never could share those memories with her - it was one thing to be wielding special powers, but who would believe you if you said that you had been in a time loop millions of times?

Only I would.

Still, he'd formed a unique bond with this "final" version of her. In a way, that was all that mattered, even if it meant he had ended up leaving every other version of her behind.

It was a little ironic, honestly. In any other kind of situation, Miura would be the kind of girl he hated the most, yet, she had also been one of the few people he trusted deeply. Perhaps even more than Komachi.

An unlikely, but spectacular combination - The generic popular queen bee and a person who loved nothing more than staying to himself.

Well, it had been good while it lasted, at least.

"Ha…can you at least get up and start pointing out directions?" I sighed, looking at the girl behind me. She glared immediately, giving me a good reason to turn back around and begin whistling.

It looked like I'd be forced to give the lioness a joyride for a bit before we actually got to…wherever we were going.


"Mmm~! Like, I knew double chocolate was gonna be the best." Miura let out a sound of absolute pleasure, licking away at the ice cream cone in her hand (it was kind of lewd, actually) and I sat across from her, simply eating from the coffee-flavored cup I got.

"This is good…don't get why you had to drag me here, though." I replied, though I was focusing more on enjoying this flavor than the conversation.

Honestly, coffee flavored ice cream was a blessing. It was like MAXX Coffee in solid form. It had everything that mattered - milk, tons of sugary sweetness, and the distinct flavor of coffee.

Nothing beat the real thing, but this sure came damn close.

"Anyway," Miura's gaze turned serious, her attention now completely directed on me. "You know why I had to drag you here, Hachiman. Don't even try to play dumb this time."

She tried her best to come off as serious, but it was almost a little comical how she did it while holding an ice cream cone in one hand.

"Not sure. Why don't you go ahead and enlighten me?" I asked, ignoring her mountain frustration as I scooped another mouthful of delicious ice cream in.

-Or at least I would've, if I didn't find the spoon yanked out of my hand.

Damn…

"I said, don't play dumb, you idiot. After all of that, you just disappeared off the grid! You didn't even call me, or text me, or anything! I thought something happened to you, you know?! I didn't even think I'd see you at Soubu, anymore."

Her words were contradictory in their tone. Both satisfied relief and outrage filled her voice.

I even thought I might've spotted some tears in her eyes, but they quickly…evaporated, into thin air.

Ah, boy. She was beginning to subconsciously use her power in her rage - a bad habit of hers.

"Your ice cream is-"

"Don't try to change the topic, either." She growled…and immediately devoured what was left of her cone.

"... you're making all this fuss, but you were fine, weren't you?"

"Excuse me?" Miura looked up, disbelief in her voice and gaze. She looked at me like I was less than dirt - but I still pressed on, unfazed.

"I wasn't at Soubu for the first 3 weeks of my first year. You tried to contact me at first, but then you gave up, until now…we're second years, you know?"

Miura huffed. "Well, that's cause-"

"You formed a clique with a popular guy. You found a bunch of friends. And it looks like you're even pursuing a crush. You're in the middle of what should truly be called 'youth'...and you didn't need me for a second." I said, procuring another spoon from my pocket, and continuing to eat.

"I-but-ugh…what does any of that even matter…" Miura quietly simmered in the seat opposite me. Things were starting to feel a little warm now.

I think even my ice cream was beginning to melt. Probably best to bail and calm her before she went full inferno.

But before I could say anything else, it was Yumiko who spoke up, with a slightly calmer tone.

"You're an idiot, you know that? You've always been overthinking stupid things, and that's why nobody's made friends with you yet. Even if I know you're a good guy at heart…you don't even give anyone else the chance to see that." Miura leaned back into her seat, now playing with her hair, as if to distract herself from her own anger.

"I'm fine with that. Actually, I would've preferred that you forgot about me, entirely." I said, cutting off the conversation by curtly standing up. "That's who 'Hikigaya Hachiman' is. The spot of the forgotten sacrifice belongs to me."

Miura was silent for a while, but any remaining playfulness disappeared. She looked up at me with ferocity unbefitting a highschool girl.

"...and that's really what you decided? After all that thinking and thinking you said you were gonna do?"

"Yeah."

"Tch…suit yourself. But you better know that I'm not gonna let you rot alone, Hikigaya. Who knows what a creepy idiot like you would get up to? Calling yourself a 'forgotten sacrifice' or whatever, ugh." Miura added, in a tone that screamed 'this is a statement, not a suggestion'.

I already knew she'd say that. That was just how Yumiko Miura was. To anyone outside her circle, she must have seemed like a ruthless Queen, but to those within it, she protected with her life.

Despite myself…I couldn't help but smile, a little. Guess I could throw her a piece of her prey, even if she seemed more than satisfied just stalking it.

"See you around, Yumiko."

"Yeah, you- w–wait, who said you could just use my first name out of nowhere?! You dumb-stupid-!"

I ignored Yumiko's half-hearted abuse while heading home, wondering just what I'd watch on the television today.


End of another chapter. If you're still here, thank you so much for reading. I put a bit more effort into this one, and revealed a little more, so that Hachiman isn't just anything but a frustrating mystery to us, the readers.

Of course, what I said still stands: don't trust everything out of his mouth. Even his own thoughts may be diversions.

This chapter I played around with a lot of characters. I hope I portrayed them well enough. Let's see how things continue to progress as we go along!