I want to make 100 friends.

If anyone else were to tell me this, I would have laughed in their face, and promptly avoided them for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, Komi's request was too heartfelt for me to do so, and I still felt like shit for berating the socially inept girl. Though it didn't change how I felt about it.

A goal like this would only give her 100 superficial relationships. Maybe even worse, considering Komi's own popularity.

I'm sure she hasn't even begun to think about that, either because of the lack of social experience or her own naivety, perhaps even a mix of both.

…I'll let her off easy after the first few, before I get too invested in this.

Yeah, that's probably for the best.

Komi-san's not just a cutie…Wait, What?!

Really?

"Maybe not, Zaimokuza might not uhh…Actually, why not join the Service Club?" The Loner asks, unbothered by the shocked look from the girl. 'It makes the most sense really, if the club successfully continues to gather attention, she could use that as practice and I won't have to help her as much.'

Not giving her a chance to answer, Hikigaya continues. "Just think about it. You don't have to, but it'll be incredibly beneficial in meeting new people."

"Ultimately, it's your choice." Gathering his things, he stands up. "Lunch is going to end soon, so I'm heading back to class."

With that, Hikigaya looks back to the tennis courts, only to now be face to face with… 'Who the hell is this?'

Their short silver hair blows in the wind, as the newcomer speaks. "You're Hikigaya-kun, right?" To Hikigaya that is.

'Cute…Wait, no, not important. The hell does this girl want? And what's with the -kun?' Despite the girl's good looks, Hikigaya had slowly started to get irritated with all the social interactions he had had in such a short time. With a begrudging nod, Hikigaya stared at her warily. "Yeah, what do you want? I'm in a hurry."

Appalled at his rude response, Komi looks back at the newcomer and finds them completely unfazed. "Well, you see…"

"Would you like to join the Tennis Club?"

Komi didn't think Hikigaya-san was this popular. Neither did he.

The Following Day, Service Club

"Impossible. I already promised Hiratsuka-sensei in reforming you into a proper member of society, and I don't plan on failing. Even if you did join the Tennis Club, what makes you think they want you there?" Yukinoshita doesn't leave any room for argument, and moves on rather quickly. "Putting that aside, why is Komi-san hiding behind you? Should I call law enforcement?"

'Ice cold bitch.' Slightly annoyed at not being able to abandon the responsibility forced onto him, Hachiman glares at the ice cold bitch. "...She's here to join us."

Standing from her chair, Yuigahama excitedly slams her hands onto the long table, scaring the poor girl further behind the resident loner. "...Is that true, Komi-chan!?"

"..."

Without a response to her question, the silence only further pushes the awkward atmosphere in their face. "You shouldn't spread falsehoods, even if it's expected of you, Hiki-liar-kun."

Failing to resist the urge, Hachiman face palms. "She was here yesterday, remember?"

"Is that why you were here yesterday, Komi-san?" Yukinoshita asks, only to receive more silence. "...Perhaps you are lacking basic manners, but it is polite to respond when spoken to."

Again, no response. "...Listen, I mean it whe-" Hachiman tries to convince the two, but is cut off by the sounds of chalk hitting the chalkboard.

It's true, I'd like to join your club.

Shouko had taken the chance to formally introduce herself in her own way, but still couldn't quite meet the eyes of the rest of the Service Club.

"...Mute?" Whispering to herself, Yukinoshita sighs but looks back at the possible new member. "In order to join, you will have to submit an application form to Hiratsuka-sensei. Whoever joins or leaves is not up to me."

'...Oi, didn't you just reject my leaving?! B-But, seeing as it's up to Hiratsuka-sensei, I'll just keep quiet.'

Shouko silently nods and promptly walks out the club room, leaving the two members to look at the other member that just sat down.

The first to break the silence is, unsurprisingly, Yuigahama. "Hikki, you're friends with Komi-chan?!" Much to the annoyance of Hachiman.

"...We still cannot discount the possibility of Hiki-creepy-kun blackmailing Komi-san. It would be in his nature, after all."

"Did you forget who you're talking to? I don't need or have friends, idiot. Also, don't act like you're not forcing me to be here." Reaching into his bag, Hachiman begins to read his light novel and promptly ignores the outside world.

That would be the case, at least, but his focus was immediately broken by the door sliding open. Looking towards the entrance, he waits for someone to pass through, only for a hand to appear.

One he recognized at that…Not that he memorized the hands of other people, that'd be both creepy and weird, but he had already seen this hand in motion so many times before, recently too. So, it wasn't unsurprising for him to recognize the long and slender fingers waving for his attention. 'She can't be serious…'

"Um, Hikki? I think-" With an annoyed groan, Hachiman gets out of his chair and approaches the now open door.

Once face to face with his own personal client, he stares into the dark violet pools Komi calls her eyes, though the looks from the others were burning a hole through his side. 'How tiresome.' Walking around Shouko, he closes the door to the club behind him. "What is it?"

Of course, a response doesn't arrive, like all the other times. As Komi starts to rummage through her bag, her search is quickly ended by a defeated and tired sigh. "...Let's go, that gorilla woman should still be here." Hikigaya says to the now confused Komi.

With the image of a gorilla wearing feminine clothes now in her head, Komi follows behind him anxiously.

Hikigaya Hachiman

Returning to the Service Club with our newest member in tow, I resist the urge to groan as I find myself gazing upon our newest potential client.

"-Ah, Hikigaya-kun!? You're in this club?"

Totsuka Saika, was a boy. Yep, this Sobu student dressed in a tennis uniform (That hid any indication of gender) with beautiful feminine facial features was a boy.

'We live in a scary world…What's next? Zaimokuza loses weight and becomes a raijuu? No…even that is too cursed for me to imagine.'

"I-I guess." I give a non answer, seeing as a prolonged conversation with him might bring something out of me that even I'm not aware of.

Walking around my seat, I grab a chair for our newest member from the back of the room. I leave the placement of her chair up to her as I hand it to her.

Sitting down in my seat, I look at the current seating order. I sat at the end closest to the door, with Yukinoshita and Yuigahama on my left, but still at a distance. Our customers would always be on my right, usually opposite Yuigahama. That left very little space for our newest member, that being, on the other end of the table opposite me, and next to the ice queen, or in between Yuigahama and I.

I'm unsurprised by her choice, but it troubles me as she slides her chair next to my own, and keeps her distance from Yuigahama. 'Oi, isn't this a bit too close? We barely know each other.'

My complaints go unsaid, so I subtly move my chair away. Which she notices and scoots more in my direction, though she is somehow completely oblivious to my discomfort.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the others present, as the other members of the Service Club looked at me like I was trash.

"Ahem, Totsuka-san." Yukinoshita begins with an unladylike clear of her throat. "You wish for the Service Club's assistance in tennis?"

"Ah, yes."

Glancing in my direction once more, Yukinoshita sighs. "Then the Service Club accepts your request. Ah, but be prepared to die from exhaustion." Oi, oi…this isn't a battle shounen!

"...Wh-What?"

"Don't worry, Sai-chan! Hikki and I will be training alongside you!" And, don't include me in things you decided to do!

"Yuigahama-san?"

"Hm? What is it, Yukinon?"

"You are not part of the Service Club, you have yet to submit an application form to Hiratsuka-sensei."

'Wait…Seriously?'

"Seriously?!" Yuigahama expresses my thoughts out loud.

"...I never submitted an application, eith-"

"Good attempt, Hiki-lazy-kun, but Hiratsuka-sensei has already made you a member."

'Damn it.'

Tennis Courts

The training was progressing smoothly, and I didn't have to lift a finger, not yet at least. Unfortunately, my time lazing about observing the training is put to a stop as Komi sits next to me on the bench, and the others start practicing actual tennis and not just physical exercise.

Since my client wasn't one for words, it was my responsibility to start a conversation. '…Wait. What the hell am I supposed to say?'

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I'm unable to say anything as Totsuka-san falls over with a pained expression on his face and a muttered "ow".

Yukinoshita stared at the downed tennis player like a disappointed parent would their fish-eyed son. 'Wait, that's too specific? No it's not…it happened to an acquaintance of an acquaintance, I swear!'

With a sigh, Yukinoshita hands her racket over to the current referee, Yuigahama. "Wait here, and don't strain your foot. I will be back with medical supplies."

"I-I can stil-" Totsuka-san tries to stand.

"No, you can't." Yukinoshita denies him. "Hikigaya-kun, make yourself useful and help Totsuka-kun to the bench."

"...Sure." I nod, as she leaves.

We were losing, obviously. If the fire queen's earlier words of having experience were to be believed, then we didn't have much of a chance to begin with. Yuigahama's own inexperience and the golden boy's active lifestyle didn't help either.

"Game!"

"Ite…" Oh, and if I haven't mentioned it, I am now down a teammate, slightly tired, and we were losing. I said that already? Well, nothing's changed.

'Time to get serious.' I felt disgusted at the thought of lowering myself before the faker and his entourage, but if it meant they left, I could bring myself not to care.

Turning in their direction, the racket in my hand falls from my grasp, which gets their attention. 'Good…' Lowering my head, I stop as I hear gasps from them.

""It's the Silent Queen, Komi!""

I hear from the obnoxious idiots in the golden boy's group. Turning back around, my eyes immediately met this "Silent Queen" they spoke of. My client was dressed in a tennis uniform like Yuigahama, and was obviously uncomfortable under everyone's stares.

'Legs…' Shaking that stupid thought out of my head, I noticed the racket in her hand. "You're…subbing in for Yuigahama?" I voiced for her, since her notebook was nowhere to be found.

With a hesitant nod in response, I feel a strange confidence as we both get into position.

After the coin toss, they are chosen to serve first.

For the first round of the game, we received their serve. "Fifteen-Love!" Which was quickly returned and scored by Komi who played net.

"-retty good, Komi-san." I hear blondie…the male blondie say to my client, but he doesn't get a response.

"Hey, Hayato's talking to you!" Which only infuriates drills.

"..." Nothing.

Approaching the net, I look at blondie plainly. "Hurry it up, we were actually doing something before you all intruded."

The rounds all seemed to blur together as we all went through a back and forth. "Deuce!"

In the final match, we are up to serve. Meeting the eyes of the Silent Queen (kill me), I nod, trusting her serve.

"Ad in!" Winning the deuce point immediately after the serve, I stare in amazement at the socially inept girl.

I am not the only one however, as I notice a growing crowd outside the court.

"Woah, Isn't that Komi-san from class 2-J?!"

"Wait, seriously?"

"And who is that next to her?"

"...He looks kinda creepy."

Tuning them out, I turn back to a now vibrating Komi. "Oi. I'll serve this time." Feeling the wind blow past me, I hear shouts from the crowd.

"Go Hayato!"

More specifically from the guys in his entourage. 'Idiots.' Ignoring the embarrassed golden boy, I get into position.

'After all, I already won.'

"What exactly happened in my short absence?" Yukinoshita asks, looking none too pleased with both the retreating crowd and the golden boy's clique.

"Enough." I answer, slightly miffed at winning the battle but not the war. "Our lunch break is almost over, so I'm leaving." Walking out the court, I start making my way to the closest vending machine.

Arriving at one of the many vending machines, I look through the selection curiously, but unsurprisingly decide on a max coffee.

I don't think I could get through the rest of the day without the rejuvenating feeling of drinking a max coffee. Especially considering the fact I have to stay after school too.

Pressing the button, the machine dispenses both my drink and the change. Taking both, I turn and am surprised by the unannounced presence of my newest clubmate and former tennis teammate.

Still dressed in the tennis uniform, she holds her notebook in front of her.

"You're pretty good at tennis, Hikigaya-san."

I snort at her "compliment", feeling it was wasted on me. "Hardly. I'm not the reason we won." Taking a seat on a nearby bench, I finally take the chance to properly rest. "I got lucky. You on the other hand…" Taking a sip from my coffee, I sigh. "How did it go with Totsuka-san?"

I just listened, or rather read, her retelling of what happenned. Not giving much input as she wrote, other than hums or unintrested responses.

'It'd be better for the both of us if she'd ask those two for help instead of me…'

To Be Continued?

Abrupt ending, I know.

Just don't expect updates on any of my other stuff or this because I'm busy, and this was the only chapter that I was working on that was near finished.

Anywho, Hachiman did not end up knowing someone who would be friends with Komi. Why? Because this is literally ep 2 Hachiman. Something I didn't account for until after I made chapter one. Fuck. Let's just pretend that didn't happen.

I don't have much to say, and don't feel like responding to…MONTHS old reviews, so…

LATER.