4-1

"A few days after the request ended with Yuigahama and her subsequent visit the day after."

"My my she visited? Seems Like you're quite chummy with that girl now." Sensei says in a half amused tone. "Hikigaya you seem to be entering your popular phase."

"Sensei I know you feel young at heart but referencing a new gen comedy anime is pushing it." I simply state before seeing a fist right next to my face in a faction of a second. "I mean… You don't look a day over 25." With an awkward chuckle from my part she lowers her fist.

"Besides your rude comment I do believe we have more to talk about here." Hiratsuka sensei bluntly says as she points to a photo of me inbetween the two most high profile girls in the school. "Tell me how was the lunch period of April 17th?"

With a heavy sigh I close my eyes and hold both of my hands over my face. Because after that date and the several days afterwards my precious little life was over, this event was probably one of the many reasons I was pulled into the counseling office today. "To begin with I was pulled into this conversations by both parties out of my will."

April 17th was a good day all things considered, it was nice and peaceful with the rain falling outside making the weather cooler. However my usual lunch spot wasn't available due to the rain, I could've just sat underneath the awning but at that point I was already experiencing the indoor experience. So after grabbing my usual lunch from the mess that was the cafeteria I sat back down at my seat and started to enjoy my lunch as any teenager in our modern times would, scrolling through social media.

Hikigaya not that I don't appreciate the amount of detail you put into your essays. I would just like us to skip over to what was shaping up to be a fight in my classroom.

Fine, not my funeral. The whole event bleed down to the start of one conversation between Miura and Yuigahama.

I got up from my seat not long ago to throw away the small amount of trash that had accumulated from my bought lunch. I should really start buying more ingredients to make lunches in the morning for both me and Komachi, I believe that gives me tons of Hachiman points! Sitting back down at my desk I was about to put my earbuds in before I heard from behind me a familiar voice say something that made me snort in amusement "Ah, that's true Yukinon's legs are pretty crazy…" Of course it was the one and only Yuigahama Yui that made the entire classroom silent. The only noise that was being made was stifled laughter around the room.

"Eh what does that mean!?" Miura asks loudly as she stands up from her desk to match Yui's height.

"A-ah I just meant that other than that you stand out a lot more!" Yui answers in a hectic manor as she waves her hands around leaving afterimages of them. Seriously, how does that girl bring theoretical effects to life?

"Yui you have been hanging out with the group less and less along with making excuses to leave and disappear during lunch." Miura says creating an atmosphere of tension between them and the rest of the room. A quick look over to the one and only King of Sobu Hayama Hayato his facade falls off a slight bit as a hint of panic shows on his face. His false light seemed to have darkened at the same moment as well. He quickly stands up trying to speak before Miura raises a hand to him, stopping him before he ever got the chance to speak.

This duo that the school made up in their own fantasy world seems to have shattered its image. The King and Queen of room 2-F one that many thought would ultimately end up together the ones that never truly fought seem to be clashing for what seems to be the first time. In the end their goals are different. She wants true companionship, which I can tell from our conversations from last year to now but for him I don't know his true goals. I know what he says is falsehoods, lies, sweet nothings he keeps everyone around him at arm's length a simple chain of relationships that will shatter after all is said and done. "Well do you have anything to say Yui?" She continues her attack disrupting the suffocating tension that's continuously building.

"I'm sorry." Yuigahama says in almost sickly whisper, so close to not being audible at all.

"Why are you apologizing!? There's something that you want to say isn't there?" Her fire burns brighter Miura's onslaught marches forward, as darkening shadows start to fill the room.

I had really hoped that someone else other than Hayama would've tried to have stepped in at this point but all that's left again is me. With a cough to clear my throat I stood up near the opposite side of the room where they were standing. The whole class shifted their view to me. The one person who dared to interrupt this interpersonal drama, I won't lie when I say that I froze up for a second but as if speaking for me my heart burned bright and spoke for me.

"Miura, as the Vice President of the Service Club I suggest that you stop talking to my fellow member like that." I say counter attacking on behalf of Yuigahama. A small wave of gasps flowed throughout the room, I can't say why I had said what I did but it truly was what my heart had desired. I walk forward, placing myself between her and Yuigahama. "I have a duty to uphold and defend my club mate."

A small snort came from her with the glare she was giving Yuigahama a few short moments ago shifting over to me, her new target. "Really Hikio." Miura looks at me, her glare faltering, the fire in her eyes seems to have diminished a bit. She almost looks as bad as when I first met her. "For one claiming to be as truthful you sure can spit out sweet lies easily." She says shoving me back away from her as she moves towards the door.

I was about to refute her point but the scene was already out of hand, people had their devices out recording this whole interaction as if it was a show that was made only for their entertainment. I looked around trying to find a way out of here, but all I couldn't find was the only person with the fake bonds I hate, Hayama Hayato was gone from the classroom how? I couldn't tell you. I wish I could say that I asked her if we could go talk privately but that ship sank as soon as the classroom's door slid open revealing the one and only Yukino Yukinoshita who intercepted Miuras exit.

"Honestly Hikigaya-Kun I thought you'd at least be able to keep this conversation civil despite how terrible you are at social interactions." Yukinoshita says to me as she enters the classroom, completely shattering the tense atmosphere that had built up.

"You say that as if I hadn't been coming to school for months. I'm not a NEET!" I respond with a grumble in my voice, this interaction seems to have caused a bit of confusion in my social standing inside of the classroom. There were some whispering asking why I was talking to Yukinoshita Yukino so casually, while others started to laugh silently at the absurdity of the situation. "Besides I think I had the situation well under control."

Yukinoshita sighs in exasperation then shakes her head. "Obviously not well enough since Yuigahama-San had to send me a message." She says while holding up her phone.

"Yuigahama has your number despite not being an official member yet!? I see the president is showing favoritism." I say in a humorous tone that makes a small majority of the class laugh.

4-2

"So that's it for that day? Nothing else happened?" Hiratsuka-Sensei asks me with her typical glare.

"That is correct, nothing else happened!" I reply immediately not wanting to dwell on this anymore, I have other things to attend to after club today anyways.

"Really? Then could you tell me why there have been many students talking about the fact that you ran after her with an umbrella in hand?" Sensei asks with her glare softening up a little bit.

"I don't know what you want me to say. I didn't run after her, I followed whatever they thought they had seen was wrong. It was raining and that idiot forgot to take anything that could stop the rain." I respond biting my tongue a bit, of course those around us would try to make up a fantasy between us based on one scene.

"Hikigaya there's nothing wrong in caring for a friend." Hiratsuka-Sensei says to me before turning over to the ringing phone on her desk. Friends, the thought of them even a few years ago would've made me happy to think that there would be someone to even bare spending time with me but now? I don't know where being acquaintances end and where friends start. If friends could be defined by the people you spend the most time with then Komachi would be number one but she doesn't count. In this case right now my closest friend would either be Totsuka or even worse Yukinoshita, but given other factors such as out of class activities and the enjoyment of both parties amongst others it seems despite it all Miura Yumiko is always a close second. The sound of a call disconnecting brings me out of my inner monologue and back to the recap of my time at the Service Club so far.

4-3

After the events of lunch came and went the classroom still murmured and whispered throughout the afternoon lessons, some of which were pointed at me and why I was the person to stand up for Yuigahama along with many wondering why I knew both Yukinoshita and Miura. I could care less of what they talk about but knowing the rumor mill of Sobu High there'd be some terrible rumor about me in less than a week's time, so classes went on like normal. I continued to listen despite my head being down, actually paid attention in both Science and Mathematics so that I wasn't thrown into a cram school despite my outstanding grades or worse spending the weekend with other students that were forced to take supplementary classes. When classes were over I started walking over to the clubroom only to be distracted by my own thirst, with a small detour to the vending machines I looked over my options. There was of course Max Coffee but it's almost dusk and I don't want to stay up until dawn. The next option was a cream soda Sea Salt Ice Cream flavored too but for its amount the price was egregious, with the last options of course being water for incredibly cheap too! As I was caught up in my own head deciding which drink I should get, a person shorter than I am walks up to me with their silver hair messy and a bit damp along with the rest of their clothing being like that as well. "Hachiman!" The one and only voice of Totsuka Saika yells out from behind me while patting me on the back which leaves a handprint on my blazer. He's definitely gotten stronger since the start of last year as his slap to my unsuspecting back lurched me forward making me press the purchase button for the teal cream soda can. The can makes a thunk as it lands in the receptacle. I reach down to obtain it before starting my conversation with Totsuka.

"Yo." I say giving a small salute to him before turning my attention over to the can in my hand as I open it and take a drink of it, it's not as salty but it's definitely more sweet than it's actual ice cream counterpart. I take notice of Totsuka's condition; he had pushed onward with practice despite it drizzling and the courts being flooded by actually being able to play standards. "I guess that practice was cut short?" I ask despite already knowing the answer, he just nods in response before talking about how he wanted to try training in the rain because some courts are situated outside and weather conditions could change.

"I really wanted to push our training harder! The rain gave the perfect obstacle since it could teach them how to stay steady despite their ground being slippery. However it seems that our courts are extremely slippery when they're wet and we had more than enough accidents out there that our adviser cut our practice short." He was saying animatedly that stars and sparks started to appear around him, seriously how do two people manage to do that?

"There's always tomorrow. It's going to rain heavily tonight but there should be clear skies tomorrow." I say trying to give him some type of silver lining for the day.

"Hachiman Hachiman. Do you think you'd be able to help me out with practicing tomorrow? The rest of the members seem to be taking the rest of this week as a break due to the weather! Also I need a skilled player to play against to be better!" Totsuka continues as he swings his hand as if holding an invisible racket in his hands.

"Yeah sure but I'm part of a club so first things first it's time to give a formal request to the service club." I tell him as he nods his head a bit before a confused look takes over his face.

"You're part of a club now!?" Totsuka asks with genuine surprise in his voice as he follows me walking to the club room, I just nod as a response. Walking down a few hallways wasn't much but to my surprise I found both Yuigahama and Yukinoshita standing outside the door who were only peeking in to see something that was inside of the room.

"What are you two doing?" I ask the two girls who in turn had jumped a bit in shock. Yuigahama let out a bit of a short scream while Yukinoshita after calming herself down apparently gave me a glare that even rivaled the one she gave me when I had first entered the clubroom.

While it seems that she was going to speak up, Yuigahama beat her to the punch "Hikki what are you doing with Sai-chan?" She asks me in a weirdly questioning tone, am I being interrogated here or something!?

"Yui, Hachiman brought me along since I had a request for him but it seems that I have to request it from the club first." Totsuka replies butting into the conversation for me. Thank you very much Totsuka. I will have to repay you some other time but now it seems that those two are caught up in a conversation of their own, as they keep talking I walk over to the one and only president of the Service Club.

"What seems to be the problem, President? Some Hooligan somehow found a way in and you can't find a way to get them out?" I ask her only to be met with wide eyes, some muttering and a nod to end it. "Really? I was just joking but it looks like I was right anyways… That should get me some good Hachiman points then." I say to her response, muttering the last bit to myself as she looks at me in confusion. Well there's only one thing left to do here I step up to the door and place my hand on the small handle. Opening up the door I felt a draft of wind hit me in the face and blew my hair out of my face. The sun beams intensive light dims as I see a slightly bigger body guy with long white hair in the center of what could be called a centralized small wind storm, a loud laughter could be heard from him, the one and only Chunibyo I used to know, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.

"Ha Ha Ha! I never thought I would find you here, my comrade in arms, The God Of War: Hachiman!" Zaimokuza exclaims to me as small explosions appear from behind him as if they were special effects, when did the genre of my life change? That was a stupid question. I start walking to him as the president and the not-so official member behind me questions how I know him.

"Zaimokuza. I thought you had stopped acting like this the last time that you ran into a problem because of your actions." I exclaimed calmly back to him with a bit of my magic being unrestrained and creating a small flame effect from behind me, no one seemed to question it. Is Sobu High just filled with magically gifted people or does the world have magic and no one seems to use it? Questions later Hachiman focus on the task at hand.

"Oh you're right. Sorry I just got carried along there for a second." He sheepishly responds back while rubbing the back of his head. Sighing and pinching the bridge of my nose I think back to last year where I had to help this guy at least somewhat get used to talking to people that didn't think like him, and while it took a while and a lot of reading and answering too many questions I broke through that Chunibyo at least a little bit and he did the rest by himself. "Hachiman, why are you even here? I thought that this was the Service Club's room?" He asks me. I look over at him with a blank expression on my face. He's definitely changed a bit in the last year, got a bit taller, lost a bit of that weight but still a tad bit larger than normal. I struggle to imagine what would've happened to him if we were never paired up early on.

"I'm the vice president of this club." I state blandly to him. He doesn't seem to believe me as he bursts into laughter and ends up on all fours on the floor wheezing.

"Very-" He tries to say before wheezing and placing a hand on his chest and catching his breath "-funny Hachiman you almost got me there. I mean you Vice president? What did you get forced into this club by Hiratsuka-Sensei?" He asks and when I look away from him he starts to laugh again.

4-4

After letting him calm down a bit and passing him some water that I had not opened yet, Zaimokuza finally reveals to us why he's there. "I'm sorry to interrupt but how do you two know each other?" Yukinoshita butts in from her seat at the other side of the table.

"I know this!" Totsuka says excitedly as all the attention in the room fell on him. "It was last year after I had asked Hachiman for help with Tennis practice since he was a really good player. One day he showed up to the practice session with Zaimokuza over there and said that he wanted to try the workout regime that Hachiman had made for both me and himself, he almost didn't make it through the first day but with Hachiman's support through his own weird way he kept coming back and eventually went off to do his own workouts after he had stopped being as weird when he first started." That story that he said put me in a much better light than what actually happened.

"I wasn't that weird was I?" Zaimokuza asks both of us, I replied with an instant yes while Totsuka nodded a bit sheepishly. "Oh well enough about that I have a request for your club if you'd hear me out." I look over to Yukinoshita who nodded in response seemingly contemplating the dynamic between me and the other two while it seems that Yuigahama is stunned by the scene going on in front of her.

"Go ahead. We at the Service Club are here to help those that are in need of help." Yukinoshita says, pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear. Zaimokuza nods quickly eagerly, pulling out a few large amounts of paper from his bag.

"This is my latest work! I'm a writer by trade or atleast I will be. I want genuine feedback on my current revision before I send it off to competitions and publishers." He says excitedly, handing each of us excluding Totsuka a copy of his work. It seemed to be a bit more condensed and shorter compared to other things he's written and that I have read from him.

"I'm not missing any of the pages am I? This seems to be your shortest yet." I ask.

"Hachiman, my comrade you must know that I aspire to become a large writer and marry the woman who voice acts the main heroine of my stories."

"Of course it was all that you would talk about for months on end last year."

"Well I first have to get into the industry. What better way than starting a light novel series that chronicles many adventures of a fledgling hero!?" He asks me excitedly. I stay quiet for a few moments before responding.

"You played an open world MMORPG and got inspired to write what your character had done." I respond.

"Yeah pretty much." He says making a small chuckle escape from me. Zaimokuza is that type of guy of course but skimming through this what could be called volume zero it seems to be well written, well atleast better written than what he had made me read last year. "I don't think it should take more than 3 days to finish reading so I'll return on Monday if you choose to accept my request."

"We accept your request. Hope to see you soon." Yukinoshita responds to him after also skimming through the packet. Happy that his request was accepted Zaimokuza smiles and says his farewells to Yuigahama and Yukinoshita before turning to me and Totsuka and waving goodbye as he exited the clubroom. Now there were four left in the clubroom, two members and two non-members.

"Sai-Chan what was your request again?" Yuigahama tries to ask but Yukinoshita interupts her.

"That's reserved for members only Yuigahama-San." She says which leaves Yuigahama stunned.

"Yukinon, I'm not a member!?" She exclaims. Yukinoshita explains how she never submitted a formal request to join the club and how she has to get the certified sheet from Hiratsuka-Sensei since she was the club adviser. Long story short Yuigahma left the clubroom with Totsuka in tow for some reason.

It was silent once more but unlike that second day there was a tension building up in this room that wasn't there before. It seems that Yukinoshita was trying to figure out who I was, as if I was a puzzle to deconstruct and put back together after figuring out how it works and ticks. "What is it Yukinoshita?" I ask her with a hint of annoyance in my voice leaking through.

"It's nothing. It's just that for someone like you to have such connections to people like Totsuka-san and Zaimokuza-san along with the fabled Fire Queen. I would've thought that you would've jumped at the chance to be friends with any of them since you just say they're acquaintances yet your interactions with them seem to be more comparative to that of friendship rather than passersby that have only interacted a few times." She says breaking down my interactions with the people I know. "Still, why did it have to be you?" She mumbles something under her breath that I couldn't exactly pinpoint out.

"They're people that trust me and I trust back, but that alone can't be mistaken for friendship. I know it's unfair of me to say that but I can't delude myself until I know for sure that I see the relationship for a friendship, but when that day comes I know for sure that more than anything I'll value my friends that put up with my shit of not considering them friends." I say as a small smile reaches onto my face, betraying the very words I had just said.

"With Miura-san why did you run after her the way that you did?" She abruptly asks me. I don't know myself but I think I felt responsible for it, for her running away but I can't say that not to Yukinoshita nor to her. I could tell that she was getting impatient but luckily for me Yuigahma barged in.

"You're now looking at the third member of the Service Club! I also came with news about Sai-Chan's request! Looks like we're going to see what type of workout those three did all last year Yukinon!" Yuigahama proudly says. She doesn't know it but her attitude just broke through the tense atmosphere that was building. For that I can't thank her enough.

4-5

Stretching is a good way to finish off a workout session. Yuigahama and Yukinoshita tried to keep up with both Totsuka and I but it seemed that even with them being in relatively good shape they couldn't handle it and dropped out before the start of the third set. I passed them both a small towel to dry off with since they hadn't brought their own.

"T-thank you Hikki." Yuigahama had said to me after I handed her a towel, I could see a small blush on her face that definitely came from her body heating up after the exercises. After a short break it was time for me and Totsukas practice match to begin, it was his first serve and he shot a quick shot that if I hadn't been practicing with him I totally would've missed hitting it for a return. The first match continued for a few minutes before I lost Game-40. It was down to the wire for a while, it was more fun than I had remembered. We kept going for another few matches, each one going closer and closer to the wire, soon enough we had gathered a small group of people watching us. Ultimately after five games Totsuka won it all 3-2, he has improved a lot since we last played. The sun started to set as the breeze I usually feel during lunch escaping back to the ocean, looks like I missed my chance to use that to my advantage today. Not like it matters anyways going up against Totsuka even if I had used it against him it wouldn't have done much. The people cheered for Totsuka the "Prince of Sobu" and it seems like my association with two high tier figures in this school have led me to become something that led to more fantastical rumors about me being made.

o8o8

"And that was my first week in the Service Club." I concluded my story Hiratsuka-Sensei as she looked at me blankly.

"Hikigaya, you really need to learn how to make your stories shorter." She exasperatedly says with a heavy sigh at the end. I looked around the Teachers Lounge and saw that the clock I looked at the start now showed that it was 3:30 in the afternoon. I had just spent two hours talking and I was missing telling Zaimokuza my review of his story.

"Sensei, I have to go!" I say quickly as I rush out the room with my bag waving around randomly in the wind as I run, Sensei says something but I ignore it. I have a few choice words to say to Zaimokuza.

4-Secret Report

My name is Miura Yumiko, I was one of the best Junior High Tennis Players in the region winning the whole championship along with it. My name means gentleness, beautiful child and if you had told me last year that the weirdo with the constantly dead fish eyes and an ahoge in a leg cast that had seen me crying would be one of my strongest confidants I would've laughed in your face and ask you to please get mentally evaluated. Yet standing here now after seeing him help others and asking for little to nothing in return despite the fact that most of the rumors revolved around him, seeing his eyes light up a small bit after accomplishing a menial task for someone else or whenever someone says his name correctly. In this short amount of time that I've known Hikigaya Hachiman I've noticed that he's changed from the kinda weirdo that asked me if I was fine when he found me on the school rooftop, to a person a few select people look up to for help and know who he is underneath all the rumors and lies people have said about him. Hikio is one of my friends despite how much he'll deny having any… he's really stubborn.

"I'll see you next period Yui. Enjoy your lunch." I say ignoring all the looks the class was giving me, that he was giving me. Walking out of the room into the quiet hallways where more people keep giving me looks, some of pity, others of confusion, while many of them look at me with smugness. Finally the one above all has fallen it was about time- they all think -Can't believe that she ignored him of all people, talk about pretending to be all high and mighty. My pace picks up to the point where I'm almost running, where to I don't know exactly when my feet kick off the ground wanting to take me away from where people can see me. I push open the door and feel the cool air brush against my skin as the water droplets start to seep through the uniform that I am currently wearing. I suppose it does serve me right to be punished like this, I know that the friendships that I have made are weak and fragile but… I still want to protect them, I still want to be with them until the end of our highschool years and beyond.

The door opens once more as footsteps splashing onto the wet concrete of the rooftop start approaching closer to me. "Really Miura? The same rooftop?" The voice that I know all too well starts to speak, I turn around to face him the rain droplets stop hitting me. I see him standing there with the rain hitting him rather than me with his extended hand holding onto my umbrella "I would really like to head inside now, lord knows what Hiratsuka-sensei would do if I was late to class again with you missing." He says with his sarcasm that leaks from his voice as his face betrays him with the smile he only gets when he's helping someone. I grab his hand and pull him under the umbrella as well.

"Thank you Hikio for everything." I say to him with a smile on my face as I pull him forward into the school building again.

If by some chance the end of the world is near I know that despite it all Hikio… No Hachiman would do everything he could to try and protect the ones he cares about. He's just like that, a hero who doesn't even know it.

o8o8o8o8o

A/N: Hi it's been a few months. I was hard at work at the chapter you just read. I hope you enjoyed it enough since I wrote most of it in a 90 minute period before the start of the New Year. I'll reread it in a few days and edit what I dislike and stuff. The other chapter that was posted today is Interlude ii which you might be wondering where's the first one? It's there, it's just that the previous chapter dealing with the more endpoints of the series and parts that I haven't reached yet are all going to be interludes just to get used to writing 8man interacting with the KH cast of characters. They're are going to be a few sprinkled in here and there as I write so that there is some type of KH content in this fic.

Future→ I am still writing monthly but will likely be the last place I publish to after a day or so, my ao3 is Animation_is_neat and I will be publishing there earlier.

Thank you very much for the patience you've all shown. I might just create a spacebattles thread for this once it reaches ten chapters for better interactions and stuff maybe. Until next time! Happy New Years!