Waking with a pounding headache, I'm unable to recall the past few hours before this moment. Closing my eyes, I try to let the pain simmer down. 'Did…Did I drink last night? Ugh…I totally did.'

Yesterday was Yuigahama's 20th birthday, which I had to attend by myself, without the company of my girlfriend. Who, unfortunately for me, had a dinner with her family she had to attend.

Trying to remember how alcohol got introduced into the mix, a mental image of a headband wearing idiot comes to mind, alongside his two, somehow more idiotic friends. 'Damn it all, Tobe.' I am now more confident than ever that this is how I ended up like this, all because of an idiot's doing.

Opening my eyes once more, I now recognize a very surprising and obvious fact I should have realized way earlier. 'This is not my room.' Sitting up, I observe my surroundings cautiously. 'Okay, this is someone's room, but based on the decorations, this room belongs to a female.' And that fact only filled me with dread.

'Okay, this can be easily explained! I was blackout drunk, and…Yuigahama let me sleep in her room! Very selfish of me, but Yuigahama is a nice girl, so it makes sense. Right?'

As if to prove me wrong almost immediately, I hear a soft moan at my side, from a head of blonde hair I could recognize immediately. "Mnph~." Moan? Maybe, a grunt instead? No, it sounded too feminine to be a grunt. Let's settle for a very sensual breath. 'That isn't important!'

Looking to the other side of the bed in fear, where the head of blonde hair shifted around in their sleep, I finally noticed the freedom in my movements. 'No, no, no, no…I didn't! I swear!' Despite my denials, It didn't take a detective to realize what had happened.

I had slept in the same bed with Miura Yumiko, and…

I fucked up.

"Mn? Hikio? …You're up? Already?" Suddenly pulled back down into bed, I struggled out of her grasp harshly. "Hey! What's your problem?"

Many emotions swirled inside of me as I realized just how naked we both are, that being very. "Y-You know exactly what my problem is!" I smack her hand away, even as the world around me began to slowly blur again.

"Oh, that. But, I thought you…?" Finding that the conversation had just ended, I got out of what I had just realized was her bed, and began to look for my clothes that were strewn all over the room.

Fully dressed, I leave her home despite her futile attempts to stop me.

In a neighborhood I vaguely recognized, I stop as I feel a vibration in my pocket. Pulling out my phone, I feel a sinking pit in my gut as I realize the message was sent to me from…Yukinoshita, my girlfriend.

Yukino

Now

Yukino

Mind explaining yourself?

View Image Attachment (1)

In that image was the shitfaced idiot responsible for my current hangover doing shots, and in the background? One Hikigaya Hachiman and Miura Yumiko sucking face on a kitchen counter.

Ah, I had reciprocated in the blonde's advances, even if I was drunk. "Heh, so this is how my life ends." I let out a mirthless chuckle, as a feeling of emptiness filled my chest.

Where It All Went Wrong

Now face to face with my judge, jury, and executioner, their piercing blue eyes break away at my defenses instantaneously. "I…I'm sorry."

With a sigh, she drops her cold gaze…to an extent. "You're a mess and stink of alcohol and…sweat, did you immediately come here?"

My face can only lower itself in shame. "Y-Yes."

"...Why?"

'Because, I love you.' Trying to voice my thoughts, I find my voice stuck in my throat. Clenching my jaw shut, I found the pavement to be far more interesting. "..."

My silence was more than enough to push her over the edge.

"You…loose man!" I'm sorry. "Was my momentary absence all it took for you to find some harlot?!" I wasn't thinking. "Y-You're so shameless, that you ask for me to meet with you, immediately after you are done?!" I wasn't. Far from it, I had so much shame at this very moment, and I had the pleasure of experiencing it all right now.

Alongside the shame was a pang in my heart everytime she insulted me, because I knew she truly meant every word. All I could do was stand there and take it, because her complete dismissal of my apology told me all it needed to. "Did all those years mean nothing to you..?"

She didn't intend on forgiving me, and that fact made my stomach churn worse than ever. "They didn't."

Taking a moment, I hear Yukino take in a shaky breath, not that I'd dare look at her now.

"...I can't trust you anymore, so…even if you meant it. Tsk, goodbye, Hachiman."

Ah.

So that's it.

Ah.

This is all my fault.

Ah.

"There you are, Hikio!"

Ah…

I did it again.

Ahhhh…

I fucked up, again.

Chiba, Miura Household

Holding the mug of coffee in my hands, I look back at the man who made me who I am today.

"I talked a lot about myself, that you've barely got a word in. How's the big city treating you, Hikigaya?" Miura-san, Yumiko's father, smiles as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Well." I simply answer, taking a long drink from my mug.

"Oh, come on, none of that, we're practically family! Yumiko told me that you became a writer, how is that going?" He asks, making my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

Glancing to my left, Yumiko Miura won't meet my gaze. 'Stalking? No…' Realization hits me as I remember a mutual friend we share. 'Damn it, Ebina!'

"It's going…" I stop as our eyes meet again, a serious look in his eyes. 'Already, huh?'

"Yumiko? How about you head on upstairs to your room? Make sure all your stuff is there."

"Daddy, Hikio's just tir-" She's quickly interrupted before she can try to finish the lie.

"Yumiko, now."

Biting her lip, she runs out.

Now, with just us two, he sets his drink down on the table, something I mirror.

"You two aren't together anymore." He states, as a fact.

"No, we're not." I confirm.

"How long has it been?" He asks, and at that, I fail to hide the grimace forming on my face.

"...Our last year in college. Four years ago." I omit the reason why, not really in the mood to explain any more.

"I see." He sighs, moving a hand up to massage his temples. "Then, I'm sure you know what she's up to." At that, I don't give him a confirmation.

Instead, I just stare into the brown liquid in my mug.

"I'd love to ask you to go easy on her, but…it's your choice to make." With another sigh, he smiles sadly at me. "Take care of yourself, son."

"Of course, sir." Standing up, I give a curt bow, before leaving the living room.

Yuigahama's 20th Birthday, Before The Mistake.

Nursing her drink, Yumiko Miura finds her thoughts more interesting than the surrounding festivities.

"...I have better things to do."

'Better, huh? Better than one of our best friend's special moments?' She thinks to herself, as she finishes her drink, and begins to pour herself some more.

"Didn't take you for an avid drinker." She hears a monotonous voice from her right.

Finding the source, Yumiko lets the frown pull at her face. "What's it to you, Hikio?" Was she still sore about his inadvertent rejection of Yui? Yes, but you would never hear it from her.

He smiles lazily, raising his hands in surrender, though his left held a can of beer. "Forget I said anything, especially if that's how you're going to act." He'd also grown a backbone at some point, something she could respect, but couldn't care for at the moment.

"I…I'm not. …A drinker, I mean." She corrects, putting the bottle of cheap wine down.

"Could've fooled me." He chuckles, very unlike his usual self.

"Why are you here? Because if you just want to be a dick, I'll kick you there too." Laughing again at her threat, she finally spots the giant blush on his face. "...You're drunk, already?"

"Guil -hic-ty." He begins to drink from his can.

With a sigh, the tipsy blonde ignores the out of character loner. 'I seriously don't understand what Yui still sees in him.' Cradling the glass between her fingers, Miura takes another sip of wine. '...What could be so importa-'

"I'm guessing blondie isn't here?" She hears Hachiman say, his voice a stark contrast from just a moment ago.

"Why does that matter?" She knew what he was getting at, Hikio had always been perceptive like that, but he was wrong, she was sure of it. "Sh-Shut up, Hikio."

"I haven't said anything, but you're already denying it. Isn't that telling enough?" He slurs a few of his words, but that didn't matter, because Miura understood perfectly.

But…what would he know?! He'd never understand.

"He'd never…"

Present, Hikigaya Hachiman

The Miura Home was the same as ever as I began to make my way to her room.

When were you planning on telling me about this?

Stopping at her door, I find dry amusement in her door's decorative sign, something that fit her as a teenager, and was odd for a fully grown woman.

Why?! That wasn't your sole decision to make! That was my…

Reaching my clenched fist up, I knock twice.

"Yumiko, we need to talk."

To Be Continued…

Took a while to release, because the FFN app has a new different bug everyday.

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