Second "special" to round the route up. Gotta keep things in order on paper like in my mind, after all.

The full title is "Right now you're helpless, you're almost hopeless" and it comes from The Squip Song, from Be More Chill.

Going out by herself became a little more difficult. Both Ichigo-san and Miyako-san wanted to come along, suggested going with the kids somewhere. But Ai had already talked to the twins. She had a plan, took her a little but it should work.

"Who is it?" A young man's voice came from behind the door she'd rang the bell for. The corridor was as she remembered, if on a different floor from which she'd lived until the incident. It was curious, if irrelevant. At least for the purpose of coming back here.

Why was Hikigaya here then? For all the time she spent waiting for his responses, Ai knew precious little about him. But, with how things had developed, she had to use some of her smarts to figure things out.

What to do? Referencing with names from Sobu High and other legally accessible knowledge, she'd had to screen and cross out names in her search for answers. She didn't really know what she was looking for, not yet. But knowing more about him should be a good start. Right? It made sense, at least because understanding was the first step in everything. How things, or people, work. Why they work the way they do. Like the choreography and makeup during a show. If Ai could push through years of idol work just to learn about love, she could certainly puzzle out a single individual for the same purpose.

"Package for Yukinoshita-san~." She didn't know if this door had a way to look outside. Her own hadn't had it, but she still held the small white box closer to her face just in case.

"…" The door opened slightly, letting the person peer out from behind it "Yes?"

Dyed blond hair, green eyes. He looked somewhat tired, but otherwise regarded Ai with the same disinterest that anyone on the street would give her given the inconspicuous civilian attire she wore.

This guy is…?

"Ummm, hi. Is Yukinoshita-san not home?" She tilted her head, not letting her pleasant smile fall.

"She rents me the place." He explained, moving something behind the door to be able to actually step outside. He looked like he'd come back from either work or school, with the button up shirt he wore loosely hanging to him with neither tie nor visible belt beneath it. His pants didn't look especially comfy, but Ai didn't pay attention to it.

What do you mean Haruno's not here?

"Ah, I see…" Ai looked down and pushed the small package closer "It's a small cake."

"Eh?"

"Cake."

"Ah! Ok, thank you." The guy took it with both hands, lifting it a little while he expressed gratitude verbally "Sorry, who sends it?"

"Oh, I'm a friend of her sister from high school!" Ai cheerfully informed him "We lost contact, but I remembered her sister lives around so I thought of dropping by."

"Oh, really?" The blond smiled a bit, tilting his head "That's nice."

"Yeah. I was hoping to catch up, though…"

"Haha, Haruno-san can be difficult to get a hold of." The guy smiled sidewise, looking behind himself. Checking for something.

"Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I have a timer on, don't mind me." He smiled pleasantly enough, but Ai had the distinctive feeling that she'd seen expressions like that before. Sometimes at work, sometimes in the mirror.

Sometimes in bed too.

It made a bit… Softer, so to speak. Like she could breathe freely because she was speaking the same language as the guy in front of her.

"Yeah, well. If she's not here, guess I should look elsewhere." Ai shrugged "Do you happen to know where she works?"

"No, not really. But I can send her a message, if you want." The guy didn't change his expression, and Ai felt a little more relaxed.

"Ah, that'd be great… Errr…"

"Hayama." He stated. And the way he let that word linger in the air had Ai's mind spin around, trying to piece it together.

The names, the…

Oh, damn.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah…" He looked away, a little amused "Sorry to break the spell, friend-san."

"Ah, well. It was worth a shot." Ai still felt kind of comfortable in this position. Be it because Hayama was taking it well, or because something else was going on "You don't have a timer, right?"

"I have a bat." He stated simply.

"Oh, sounds like I should get going then." Ai smiled brightly at him, taking the hint.

"And I don't suppose this is cake?"

"It is." Ai confirmed "Chocolate with coffee."

"Coffee with chocolate." He corrected her.

"Same difference."

He opened the small box, seeing the pastry and smelling it with some reservation.

"Well, seems to be the case." He nodded to himself "Can I know the reason why you were trying to do this? Haruno-san might be interested."

"I just wanted to meet her."

"People like that usually schedule a meeting." Hayama pointed out.

"I have my own reasons."

"Does it have to do with the thing that happened here, perhaps?" Hayama moved his head, looking a little cheeky while asking.

Ai fixed her cap without thinking.

"Maybe?"

"I still don't see what it has to do with her. Haruno-san is scary, but she wouldn't send someone to murder a celebrity." The blond shook his head.

"That's for me to know." Ai stated in no uncertain way.

The blond held her gaze for a bit before shrugging.

"Fair enough."

"You're, huh, taking this rather well." Ai's smile became a bit bigger "I appreciate it."

"I can't imagine Haruno-san being in any sort of danger." Hayama chuckled awkwardly "I'll let her know, so who should I tell her sent this?"

"Hikigaya." Ai stated coldly.

The guy stopped smiling, but Ai's expression became a bit brighter.

"I don't think that rings a bell."

"Liar."

"Ah, well." Hayama snapped his fingers.

"Can I at least get a hint for that reaction?" Ai tilted her head.

"Not a name I'm fond of." Hayama shrugged.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not someone notorious for being a people person… Or likeable at all."

It was the same with the other girls. Everywhere she looked, no one ever believed in Hikigaya's good points. Why? Was this some kind of secret? Was Ai's warped understanding of people what allowed to see things for what they were?

…Was she, perhaps, the only one that could see it?

One way or another, she felt a bit warmer at the idea.

No one can take a treasure they don't know it's there, after all.

"I see…" Ai looked away "Thanks all the same."

"Sure. A pleasure to be helpful." The guy chuckled, opening the door slightly to step back in. He left his head outside for a moment though "If you excuse me, I'll go back to taking a break."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for your time!"

"Sure." He chuckled again "Oh, and… Ai-san?"

She wasn't wholly surprised, but it still made her flinch.

"Yeah?"

"Don't come back here ever again." His expression was still pleasant, but the hollowness of it became more evident "I don't want to have anything to do with whatever you're doing."

Ai considered it for a moment.

"If you keep your word, I can do that."

Hayama chuckled awkwardly again.

"I can do that."