Chapter 4: She's Not A Slut Gyaru After All


There was a time when he'd enjoy lounging around on his couch, wasting the day away on whatever popular handheld console was during the time. Running head-first into tall grass without an ounce of care, fighting pocket-sized monsters with his own pocket-sized monsters, using a magical ball to capture said pocket-sized monsters, and then using them to fight other people's pocket-sized monsters.

Yeah, those were the days.

Unfortunately, those days were behind him.

Now, he'd be lucky if he could lounge around doing nothing. His job demanded a lot out of him and most of it was in the form of his time. Sleeping time, to be more specific.

As expected, hunting filthy blood-sucking vermins which just so happens to be viciously nocturnal resulted in him barely getting any sleep.

This was, as one might guess, a major problem when he was starting out. A lot of those in his line of work sought to remedy this by destroying their sleeping pattern outright, re-setting their circadian rhythm so that they'd be more active during the darkest hours of the night.

This was much easier said than done as the human body was stubbornly resistant to change, especially when it came to something as important as sleep.

He could feel the exhaustion gnawing at him as he unlocked the door to his small apartment. The familiar creak of hinges greeted him as he stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him.

The apartment was as he'd left it–dimly lit and sparsely furnished, more functional than comfortable. He flicked on the light switch, turning on one of the two bright white LED light bulbs, partially lighting the room.

He moved with a familiar stride, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the hanging rack affixed to the door. He unstrapped his dagger from his belt, holding it in his hand for a moment.

The weapon had been with him for a while now, and had saved his life more times he could count. He mentally reminded himself to get it sharpened, it deserved a treat after doing a job well done with Miura's blood-sucker turned father.

He placed it gently on the end table by his bed, next to a small storage compartment he'd used to store small piles of tools and trinkets he'd amassed over time–things that might one day come in handy.

His eyes drifted to the revolver on his desk. A Ruger Redhawk Model Number 5060, chambered in .357 Magnum.

The once-reliable weapon had started giving him trouble recently. It had 'jammed' – at least the revolver equivalent – twice the last time he used it, and the second time, it nearly cost him his life.

The cylinder wasn't rotating smoothly, and he suspected the timing was off, causing misfires. It's still a good gun, but even good guns need maintenance.

He'd been putting off the repair, but after tonight, he knew he couldn't delay any longer. He'd have to hand it over to him–the only person he trusted to fix it right.

He made a mental note to visit him in the next day or so.

With a sigh, he began to undress, peeling off his socks and pulling off his shirt. His movements were slow, each action taking more effort than it should. He was tired, but it was the kind of deep, bone-weary exhaustion that sleep couldn't fully fix. Still, a few hours of rest would have to do.

He headed to the bathroom, heeling the weight of the night bearing down on him. The shower was a small relief, the hot water washing away the grim and sweat of the night. His unit also came with a bath, but he rarely found himself ever using it.

He closed his eyes, letting the steam envelop him, but his mind wouldn't stop running through the events of the past few days. About Miura's job, but it was the Special Assignment he was mostly thinking about.

After a few minutes, he turned off the water and stepped out, grabbing the towel from the rack. He dried off quickly, the cool air prickling his skin as he pulled on a tracksuit. The fabric was soft and familiar, comforting in its simplicity.

He then glanced at the clock on the wall–just a few hours until he had to be at school. He couldn't help but let out a small, bitter laugh.

It felt like a cruel joke, having to balance the life of a student with the life of a Hunter. But this was the path he'd chosen, and there was no turning back now.

He walked over to his bed and collapsed onto the mattress, not bothering to pull the covers over himself. The moment his head hit the pillow, the weight of the night began to pull him under, his body surrendering to the exhaustion.

His last thoughts were of Yukinoshita, safe in her bed, unaware of the world that existed just beyond her sight. It was better that way, he told himself.

Better that she never knew the truth. With that thought, he allowed himself to drift into sleep, knowing that in a few short hours, he'd have to do it all over again.


"E-Eh? H-Hikki…?"

The voice was female in origin, coming from a girl who had just opened the door to the club room. She stood underneath the door frame, her body seemingly frozen like a hastily sculpted statue as she openly stared at the subject of her confusion intently, her mouth hanging open.

"Why is Hikki here?!" she squealed, her voice high-pitched with confusion.

Hachiman, who had been quietly sitting at the table, lifted his head at the newcomer's outburst. Hikki? There was only one person in the room she could be referring to, and unfortunately, it seemed to be him.

He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to place her face, but it didn't ring any bells. Who was she again?

Even as the name slipped him, he decided to just go along with it. He got up from his seat and, with a casual air, pulled out a chair for her. "You can sit here," he offered, keeping his tone neutral.

The girl hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering between the chair and him. "T-Thanks… Hikki."

Yukinoshita, who had been sitting by the window, glanced up from her book. "You are Yuigahama Yui," she said calmly. "She's from class 2-F."

He gave a slight nod, yet he was still drawing a blank. Yuigahama Yui was not a name he could recall ever mentioning previously. Still, he knew how it felt to be forgotten, so he feigned recognition. "Right. Yuigahama. Of course."

Yuigahama, however, wasn't convinced. She narrowed her eyes at him, a small pout forming on her lips. "You don't remember me, do you?"

He shrugged, trying to maintain his nonchalant demeanor, but the condescending look she shot him grated on his nerves. "I don't make a habit of talking to every slut gyaru I see," he said with a straight face.

Yuigahama's eyes widened in shock. "E-Excuse me?!"

He looked at her, unphased. "I'll stop calling you a slut gyaru if you stop calling me Hikki. It sounds like hikkikomori, and I'd rather not be associated with that."

"You do give off the impression…" was the not-so-silent comment made on the sidelines by Yukinoshita.

Hachiman rolled his eyes, somewhat expecting the comment. "How can I be one when I'm literally here at school talking with you guys?"

"Ara, I apologize, I must have mistaken you for a speck of microbial dust." Yukinoshita said without even lifting her eyes from the book she's reading.

Hachiman narrowed his eyes. "Hm, funny, you don't sound sorry at all," he said, tone as flat as ever.

"Hm, funny, I wonder why," remarked the club president casually, flipping a page on her book.

Not wanting to waste what little energy he had in him, he decided to tackle the problem at hand. Steering his gaze over to his classmate, he asked, "so, what are you here for?"

Yui fidgeted in her seat, looking down at her hands. "W-Well… I, uh… it's about cookies…" she trailed off, glancing at Hachiman for a moment before looking back at Yukinoshita.

Yukinoshita's eyes flicked toward Hachiman, then back at Yui. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she assessed the situation. Then, with a tone rivaling that of a newly installed air conditioner, she said, "Hikigaya-kun, could you leave us for a moment? I want to speak privately with Yuigahama-san."

Hachiman, not bothering questioning the sudden order, nodded. "I'll go get a drink," he said, already heading to the door. "You want anything?"

Yukinoshita didn't miss a beat. "A Vegetable Lifestyle 100 Strawberry Yogurt Mix, please."

Hachiman nodded again, closing the door behind him as he left. He headed to the vending machines, his thoughts wandering as he considered the strange new girl and Yukinoshita's uncharacteristic coldness toward her.

When he reached the machines, he bought the drink Yukinoshita requested, plus an extra one for Yuigahama–a strawberry milk; just as a sign of reconciliation. He got himself a can of Maxx Coffee, slipping it into his pocket for later consumption.

Returning to the club room, Hachiman found Yukinoshita and Yuigahama seated at the table, looking like they had already outlined a course of action without him.

"We're going to practice making cookies, " Yukinoshita announced, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You, Hikigaya-kun, will be the taste tester."

"Of course I will," he muttered, handing Yukinoshita her drink before tossing the milk carton to Yuigahama. "Here, catch."

Yuigahama blinked in surprise, but managed to catch the can. "Oh, uh… thanks, Hikki..."

He merely shrugged and opened his own can of coffee. "Let's just get this over with."

"Don't worry Yuigahama-san, I'll walk you through it," Yukinoshita said, her voice surprisingly patient, though there was an edge of expectation.

She was confident that it would be an easy task. Baking was more of a science than cooking, and so long as Yuigahama-san follows her instructions, it will all turn out perfect.

"How can someone mess up so badly even with perfectly laid out instructions?"

Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed as she looked at the tray, her question hanging in the air. "These are barely edible," she said, her tone bordering in disbelief.

Yuigahama's shoulders drooped, and for a moment, it looked like she might give up. But then she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I-I'll try again."

Hearing her say that, Yukinoshita's eyes softened ever so slightly as she nodded. "Good. This time, follow the instructions closely."

Hachiman watched as the duo proceeded to repeat the process all over again, while he sipped away from his canned coffee drink seated on a nearby stool.

He was surprised that they'd actually let them use the Home Economics room at the last minute like this on such short notice, but he was more surprised that the room's vacant to begin with.

Soubu had a lot of clubs – it's one of the school's main selling points – so he wouldn't be surprised if the Cooking Club was a thing and this room was being used during after school hours.

Being a former member of the go-home club – meaning not being in an existing club – he used to spend his after school hours catching a quick nap at home before heading out to 'work'.

Now that he's being assigned a very special assignment though… that routine has changed.

In the relative peace and quietness, he drifted off to sleep, his head dipping down as his eyes slowly closed.

"Hikigaya-kun, wake up."

He woke up.

Raising his head, he blinked away a few times, noticing the two girls in front of him were staring at him. "You two done?" he asked, his voice sounding as flat and monotone as usual, as if he hadn't just woken up from a short nap.

Yukinoshita stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes scanning for details unknown to the rest of them. "Yuigahama-san has just finished making the second batch of cookies," she said coolly, "please give them a try."

"Alright, where is it…" he grabbed a piece that was offered to him, still warm to the touch. "These don't look as bad as the first one, but definitely not the best…"

Yuigahama, hearing the comment, tensed up. She gripped the hem of her apron, staring at Hachiman intently with great anticipation.

Then he popped the cookie into his mouth, breaking it with his teeth, chewing it, and then finally swallowing. He shrugged. "It's alright. I've had better, but it's definitely edible. I'd say it's an improvement over the first batch."

Yuigahama's eyes lit up at his words. "Really?" she asked, her voice raising in pitch.

"Yeah, sure."

Although Yuigahama might seem content with the — admittedly — lukewarm praise, Yukinoshita wasn't. She cast a doubtful over at Hachiman, her arms crossed, posing like a professional critique.

"Oh? Are you implying that you are able to bake better cookies than Yuigahama-san?" Yukinoshita asked, somehow managing to make what was clearly an attempt to goad someone something else entirely.

But, to their surprise, he shook his head. "Probably not," he said, "but let me try anyway and we'll see."

So that's what he did. He got to baking cookies, following the same instructions Yuigahama got and using the same ingredients she had.

Eventually, the cookies finished baking, and when he took them out of the oven…

Well…

Let's just say that there's a reason why curry was the only dish he could consistently cook properly. That and pasta.

"These aren't that much better than mine." Yuigahama pointed out, her disappointment clear in her words, even if she probably didn't mean to sound disappointed in the first place.

Yukinoshita took one of the cookies, inspecting it with the intensity of a judge judging a student's science fair experiment. Eventually, she tested the cookie.

"These are… surprisingly decent," she said, sounding pleasantly surprised. "Certainly better than Yuigahama-san's first attempts, but no better than her second one."

Hachiman nodded, peeling off the oven mitts from his hand. "And that's totally okay," he said, looking at Yuigahama, "they don't have to be perfect; nothing has to. Most of the time, 'okay' is fine."

"That is a flawed observation, Hikigaya-kun." Yukinoshita pointed out firmly, her attention focused entirely at him. "There is no reason why one shouldn't try their absolute best and not strive for a perfect result."

"Now when did I say she can't or shouldn't try her absolute hardest to get things as best as she could?" He shot the question back at Yukinoshita, his head tilting slightly. "I think you're projecting a little bit, Yukinoshita."

It took everything in her power not to twitch at the accusation. Yukinoshita, still with her arms crossed, instead directed her focus solely on him. "Projecting? I think I'm just stating something every decent, model human being should emulate. What's the point of doing something if you are not going to be giving your best in doing it?"

"Let me ask you this: why is Yuigahama here?" He asked, his tone calm and even.

"...what do you mean by that?" Yukinoshita asked, raising a thin eyebrow, and wondering where he was going with this line of questioning.

"If Yuigahama already knows how to bake cookies then she wouldn't be here, would she?" He pointed out, glancing at the silent girl who was visibly shrinking from the attention she's getting.

"It's not unreasonable to assume that she has prior experience baking," Yukinoshita reasoned, sounding defensive.

"Sure," Hachiman shrugged, accepting Yukinoshita's reason, "but it's unreasonable to expect perfection from someone who, clearly, needed help."

Yukinoshita's gaze remained unwavering, though a flicker of something —perhaps doubt— passed through her eyes. She didn't respond immediately, instead choosing to carefully consider his words.

It was clear to everyone present that she was trying to reconcile something within herself.

"M-Maa," Yuigahama's voice was bright and slightly desperate, cutting through the tension. She looked between Hachiman and Yukinoshita, her eyes sheepish while her face sported a wry smile. "I kind of get what Yukinoshita-san was saying, Hikki, honestly, it's whatever. Haha… e-everyone in class says stuff like this is awkward and silly anyway."

"Could you please stop trying to match everyone around you?" Yukinoshita questioned, the fire that was burning within her seemingly returned as she looked at Yuigahama. "It's incredibly annoying," she stated.

Yukinoshita then continued, "and aren't you embarrassed, looking to others to tell you what's awkward and silly?"

Hachiman watched Yuigahama take on a crestfallen look, her face dipping down, and casting a shadow over her expression. Did Yukinoshita manage to do it? Had she made their very first 'client' cry?

"You're…"

His ears perked up.

"...so cool!"

…nevermind.

Rather than a tear-stained face or something more akin to getting insulted, Yuigahama's face sported… enthusiasm? Either way, the girl did not seem upset at all.

In fact, she looked relieved.

Naturally, this drew a rather verbal expression of surprise from Yukinoshita, who outright let out an uncharacteristic 'huh', showing just how dumbfounded she was.

"You're just saying it to me straight," Yuigahama said, laying a palm on her chest. A gesture of relief, perhaps? "I think that's so cool."

Hachiman briefly looked at Yukinoshita, mumbling, "maybe she is the masochist…" his voice trailing off.

Ignoring what Hachiman just said, Yukinoshita couldn't help but look at Yuigahama with slight concern. "Were you even listening to what I said? I believe I was being rather harsh."

"That's true, your words were harsh," Yuigahama agreed, her voice acknowledging, "but I felt like that's how you really feel. A-And I think you kinda nail it about me letting others tell me what's what… but I get it! I'll just try again!"

Hachiman shook his head. He wasn't expecting his afternoon to go like this, but it seems like they're going to be baking more cookies. Still, he couldn't help but wonder.

"But, really though," he suddenly said, getting the two girls' attention, "why are you trying to make cookies that taste good anyway?"

"Huh?" Yuigahama blinked, confusion leaking from her voice.

"What are you saying?" Yukinoshita wondered.

Hachiman grabbed one of his own cookies, holding it up to eye-level. "Butter cookies can only be so tasty," he said as a matter of fact, "are you trying to impress someone by giving them cookies?"

Yuigahama's eyes widened, her cheeks flushed bright pink at Hachiman's casual remark. "W-What? N-No! It's not like that!" She stammered, waving her hands defensively. "I-I just wanted to share them with my friends!"

Hachiman raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, his expression as flat and detached as ever. "Sure, friends." His tone was dry, not mocking, but enough to make it clear he wasn't buying her excuse. "But, you know… it's totally fine if the cookies don't turn out that great, especially if you're giving them to a guy."

Yuigahama blinked at him in surprise, her embarrassment deepening. "Huh? What do you mean?"

He took a bite of the cookie he's holding, chewing slowly before continuing in that same monotonous voice. "Boys are simple," he said, as if stating an obvious fact. "Even if the cookies taste like crap, we'll just be happy you gave them to us. The gesture matters more than the taste."

Yuigahama's blush deepened, and she fidgeted with the hem of her apron. "I-Is that really true, Hikki?"

Hachiman nodded. "Yeah, trust me. I'm a guy." He paused. "And don't call me Hikki."

There was a brief pause. Yukinoshita, who had been silently observing the conversation, narrowed her eyes. "Is that how it is…" she murmured, momentarily lost in her own thoughts.

Yuigahama looked down at the batch of cookies in front of her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I guess… maybe I am trying a little too hard," she said softly. "But I still want them to taste good, you know? Even if… well, you know…"

"Yeah, I get it," Hachiman said, finally standing up from his stool. "But don't beat yourself up if they don't turn out perfect. The thought alone is what counts."

Yukinoshita, though still maintaining her usual aloof demeanor, glanced at Yuigahama and nodded. "As long as you're sincere in your efforts, Yuigahama-san, it will be appreciated. Just don't forget that improvement is always a possibility."

With the tension between them dissipating, Yuigahama seemed more at ease now, ready to take another crack at the cookies. Hachiman, meanwhile, resumed his position, silently watching the two girls as they prepared for another round of baking. He couldn't help but feel a little bit more invested now, despite himself.

He wondered, would Yuigahama's earlier batches be lethal to vampires?


"I wonder if we really handle that right?" Yukinoshita wondered aloud, her voice tinged with a rare uncertainty as she watched the door close behind Yuigahama.

Hachiman leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, as if the answer might be hidden somewhere up there. "What are you on about?" he replied after a moment, his tone as detached as ever.

Yukinoshita frowned, her brows knitting together. "With Yuigahama-san; I wonder if we've adequately helped her."

"I don't see any reason why we hadn't," Hachiman offered, shrugging his shoulders. "You saw her yourself, she walked out that door smiling. Customer satisfaction guaranteed, I say."

Yukinoshita's frown deepened, as if Hachiman's words had the opposite effect of what was intended. "I feel like you're taking this lightly, Hikigaya-kun."

Hachiman shrugged again, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Hey, I'm just saying," he rolled his eyes, "besides, why should it even matter what we think? If Yuigahama is satisfied with the help we've given her, I don't see any reason why we should think about it so deeply."

Silence hung in the room for a moment, only the faint sound of the clock ticking away the seconds in the background. Yukinoshita remained quiet, mulling over his words, her gaze thoughtful and distant. Then, she broke the silence herself.

"I'm of the opinion that people should challenge themselves if they want to improve." Her eyes wandered to a random corner of the room, lost. "I think that would benefit Yuigahama-san most in the end."

Back to this again, was what he's thinking. Looking around, Hachiman debated on whether he should make a comment or even share his own opinions on the matter. He's a firm believer that just because he could, doesn't always mean he should.

But, for the heck of it, he decided to say something anyway.

"I think Yuigahama's hard work speaks for itself," he said, scratching the underside of his chin, eyes narrowing as he stared at the ceiling, "her effort was real, so I don't see why she wasn't challenging herself."

He trailed, pausing. "Come to think of it, it probably took a lot of effort on her part coming here in the first place," he pointed out, "a lot of people want to be helped, but not many are willing to admit it."

He should know. And he got the feeling Yukinoshita could agree with him on that.

Yukinoshita was silent. Whether she chose not to comment on his statement because she agreed with him or not, he didn't know. Eventually, they decided to close up shop for the day.

As usual, he made up some bullshit reason about seeing Hiratsuka-sensei to turn in an assignment. In actuality, he was just waiting for Yukinoshita to leave school just so could sta-err… follow her home. While undetected.

Totally not creepy, he's aware.

The sky outside was steadily darkening, the last remnants of day were like blotches of light slowly being overtaken by the inevitable coming of dark. He patted his hip, feeling a familiar hard object present; his dagger.

"Hikki!"

To his credit, he didn't flinch. He turned around to face his caller, their identity exposed from the get go. He didn't make any comment about it before, but Yuigahama was a very hard person to miss.

She's what one might call attractive with… desirable features. He knew she was one of the few students who were there to fetch Miura, but he was surprised to learn that she's his classmate.

Maybe he should start sleeping less and start paying attention more in class.

She moved to approach him before stopping a few feet away from him. "You're not heading home yet?" She questioned.

"I was just about to," he told her, gesturing to his school bag he's holding, "you need anything?"

"No," she shook her head, smiling, "I just… want to say thank you."

Hachiman blinked. "You already did."

"I-I know," Yuigahama pouted, stomping a foot down, kicking up a little cloud of dust, "but I just want to say it anyway…" she trailed off, murmuring.

He saw her eyes drifting elsewhere, no longer looking at him.

Yuigahama took in breath, before saying, "b-back then, with Yumiko… I…" he was about to intervene, to tell her that what happened back then was none of her business, but what she said next stopped him, "...thank you for that too."

Her smile did not falter, but it did take on a rather… sad hint. "I don't know what's going on with Yumiko, but she hasn't been herself up until recently. W-Which is understandable, seeing as her mom's hospitalized and her dad's still missing… but she's doing a lot better now and I'm sure whatever you talked about with her had something to do with that."

She then bowed, a rather deep one at that. "Thank you, for helping Yumiko!" She said, thanking him.

She raised her body up again, flashing him the brightest smile he'd seen ever since… since…

His shoulders, unknown to himself, drooped. Drifting his gaze sideways, he said, "...don't mention it."

Then, he excused himself so that he could locate Yukinoshita. While walking, however, he couldn't help but think, 'she wasn't a slut gyaru, after all.'

If she was, then she's the nicest slut gyaru he knew.

Chapter End


AN: I'm reaching the end of the Pat re on exclusive content I have for you guys. This is the last free chapter I have for now, because I'll need to write up more backlogs. Now, the only way to read these backlogs as early releases is to be a Pat re on member. You don't have to do that, but the option is there if you want to read further ahead and if you want to support what I'm doing. Until then, please kindly wait for further updates. Thank you.