Author's note: I've taken some liberties to develop some of the unexploited elements of Oregairu. There might be a few changes from the canon concerning certain characters, but I've tried my best to be as accurate as possible.

There are multiple povs in this story, and angst. I'm all ears if you have any criticism or tips that could make me improve, I'm originally from Wattpad and I'm slowly exporting my stories in this plateform.

On that note, I hope you'll enjoy the story!

Complete Synopsis:

"Everything is alright."

He wanted to reassure her, but it only increased her concern for him.

"Is that the genuine thing you were asking for?" she yelled at him, her words piercing his heart like a knife sinking into butter.

One hoped for him to open up to her, but another kept on failing her expectations.

Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly disappeared for a whole day without telling anyone or writing to any of his friends. The next day, he came back, but something had changed in him. His actions and behavior became strange. He became distant and cold to his friends. Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama noticed this very quickly and tried to get him to tell them about what had happened. But he continued to avoid answering, until he had to lie.

At the same time, Iroha Isshiki came to the Service Club with a new and unusual request. It wasn't Student Council related this time, it was more a... Family matter.

Lies are often perceived as more harmful than truths, a common belief many hold. However, the true nature of deception is far more intricate than this simplistic notion. We resort to lying to shield others from pain and to spare their feelings. And if the lie perpetuates harmony, is it truly a deception?

Yet, when it pertains to relationships, honesty may prove pivotal in addressing conflicts or preventing further discord. Perhaps, it is better to confront issues head-on rather than allow deceit to fester and exacerbate the situation.

It's a difficult subject to think about. Lies are really as bad as we think?

I can say for sure that lies can lead to the greatest regrets.

"Good afternoon, Yuigahama-san, Hikigaya-kun." One of the most popular girls at Sobu High School greeted her friends as she sipped her cup of tea.

"Yahalloh, Yukinon!" The cheerful girl greeted her back and went to her usual seat.

"Yo."He simply said as he took a seat at the opposite side of the table.

Everything went as usual today, it seems. Yui and Yukino were chatting about different meaningless topics, and Hachiman was reading his novel.

'Usual', it's what we would say from the exterior. But the reality is different. Ordinarily, Hachiman had a penchant for inserting lighthearted comments or quips into the conversation, but today he remained unusually and Yui couldn't help but notice a subtle change in Hachiman's demeanor.

Through their meaningless conversation, they communicated with glance and gazes. Yukino occasionally gave him a discrete glance. As for Yui, she could only become more concerned for the boy after observing Yukino's constant glance in his direction.

Both knew that if they tried to ask him if he was okay, he would answer 'yes'. Yukino thought about letting it slide for now, maybe she's overthinking and it's just that he had a bad day. Tomorrow he will be like he always was.

But no. It had been two days since she told herself that. However, she decided to simply wait for a better moment, when he'd be more able to open up.

Yui tried somehow to involve Hachiman in their conversation so that he wouldn't be isolated.

"Hikki ! What score did you get in the last test ? I was curious since the teacher revealed the points today."

Hachiman shifted his attention to Yui for a second beforelooking up at the ceiling. His gaze landed on Yui's face again.

"I wasn't present the day you wrote the last test."

"A-Ah, yeah, that's true... How could I forget ?" Yui said, trying to fake a giggle to make her 'interaction' with him more alive.

Yukino let out a small and quiet sigh as Hachiman led his attention back to his novel, feeling like he was rejecting their attempts to get him to talk again.

She couldn't help but feel frustrated by his behavior. How has this suddenly changed? The fact that he wasn't communicating anything about it made her clench her fingers tightly around the handle of her cup of tea. He let them in on the ignorance.

His warm smile, his dead eyes that would retrieve a bit of life when they were landing on her, and the quick peeps he threw at them showed that he was paying attention to what they were talking about. All of those, Yukino was missing. She knew that she couldn't stand this sight of him for very long.

Seeing someone who means so much to her suddenly start to act as if he were a stranger to them really affected her.

Yui endured the tense atmosphere of the club room. Hachiman, silent and refusing any form of communication with her, and Yukino, frustrated and wanting to know why he's like that, but she finds herself struggling to communicate with him. It was an unbearable sight.

Yui was wondering how much longer this would last. She feared that if this continues and if they don't fix it, Hachiman might end up invisible to them. Hachiman, as for him, didn't seem to care so much about that. He was staying quiet, as if purposefully lowering his own presence within the clubroom.

Until now.

Suddenly, Hachiman stood up, closing his novel. The girls looked up at him and directly spoke.

"Where are you going?"

"Can I leave sooner today?" He asked.

"Is there a reason?" Then Yukino asked, putting her cup on the table.

Hachiman stared at the girls with a blank expression before answering. "I've got some personal stuff to do."

"And what is this 'personal stuff' about, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Something that only concerns me. I'm leaving." He simply said as he took his bag about to leave.

But Yukino wasn't done yet, so she directly stood up.

"So, you just leave like that after maintaining such a reserved demeanor all this time?"

Yukino's remark made Hachiman stop for a second but he quickly replied in an emotionless and cold tone. "Yes."

Yui felt the tension heating within the room. She was used to see the arguments they could have every now and then, but not how to handle situation with this intensity.

"Hikki..." She muttered his nickname, which sounded totally quiet to his ears.

He took the first step forward; he seemed to be walking but also running away in some way.

"You vanished for a whole day without a word. And when you finally decide to grace us with your presence again, you come back all changed and acting weird. Then, when we try to ask you about it, you just give us these vague non-answers. What on earth is going on with you?" Yukino's voice rang out, her words filled with irritation and concern,piercing through Hachiman's ears.

"I tell you, everything is fine. I'm just a little busier than usual. That's all."

"Busier with what exactly ?"

"You don't have to worry about that."

"And how am I supposed to not worry ?" Yukino said with a harsher tone.

Yukino had all the reasons to be mad. All she wanted was to keep him here and know what was on his mind. The fact Hachiman kept on refusing to tell her more was seriously getting on her nerves.

Seeing the boy she cares about most beginning to turn his back on her made her heart ache. This happened very quickly. Just a few days. But that was enough to considerably impact the ambiance of the group of friends.

Nothing frustrates her more than being powerless in a situation. The incessant refusal of Hachiman made her powerless.

A little voice whispered to her mind : 'Maybe nothing important happened. Maybe I'm overthinking it.' But it was all to reassure her. Her feelings, as for them, were telling otherwise.

She felt like she was missing something big. She knew Hachiman too well to not notice that he was going through something. Not knowing what troubled her.

"...Trust me."

"Trust ? Are you kidding me, hikigaya-kun ? You talked aboutsincerity a few times ago, and now you're hiding things? I can't believe you're..."

Yukino's voice trembled slightly as she confronted Hachiman. There was a sharp undertone in her words, conveying her frustration at his silence.

She paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "You've been distant since the day you were absent. I can't stand this anymore. I and Yuigahama-san require an explanation." Yukino said everything she had wanted to say since the start of the day. But will that be enough to get her the answer she desires?

"I've just been a little busy lately, that's all." Hachiman said with a casual shrug, trying to downplay her concern.

But Yukino wasn't buying it at all.

"That's not it, and you know it." She shouted back, her voice filled with a mixture of irritation and concern.

"You want me to answer your questions that badly? Okay, I'll give it." Hachiman sounded irritated as he spoke. But he was definitely determined to give something to answer.

Yukino's expression slightly softened after she'd heard that Hachiman was about to finally reveal what she was asking for.

"On Tuesday, I had an accident. I could not go to school because I was taken directly to the hospital. That's what happened, and yet today I am not able to get over this event."

Yukino and Yui's eyes widened in shock. The news popped like a storm in front of them.

"I could not let go of the fact that I had faced death a second time so easily. So, sorry if I looked like... a dead fish more than usual these last days."

"Was the accident... car crash-related?" Yui asked, in a tone of worry.

"Yes."

Yui didn't manage to keep eyes contact with him anymore. Her gaze aimed the floor as flashbacks filled her mind.

Yukino stood silently still. Why isn't she talking ? Well, some might say that she is still searching for her words, and others might say that Yukino could just not say anything. They are both right. She thought and looked into the depths of her mind and heart. Was there something she could tell now?

Nothing appeared. Her words remained inexistent as her lips stayed shut.

"I'm taking a psychological follow-up as this is the second time I have experienced this trauma. Do you understand now, Yukinoshita?"

His words went right into her mind, they were going to be stuck there for a while.

Hachiman turned back towards the door and resumed his walk.

Neither Yukino nor Yui tried to stop him. They didn't dare. Maybe it was better to let him go for this one...

A tenth of a minute of silence passed since Hachiman had left. Not a single words has been exchanged between Yukino and Yui, as their minds were too busy thinking about Hachiman.

That was until Yui realized the length of the silence and finally spoke up.

"Yukinon..."

She snapped out of her transe as if remembering she was existing.

"Excuse me, you were saying..?"

"I don't think we should worry this much. It's painful to see the ambiance of this club in this state. You know, like, making it hard to even breath..."

"Yes, I apologize. I don't know why I get in such a state for this."

"It's fine, I understand." Yui said with a weary smile. "You know what? I've got an idea to get our minds off this topic!"

Yukino raised an eyebrow and wondered.

"Is that so? Tell me, I'm all ears."

Yui played with a strand of her hair as she answered. "I invite you over!"

"You mean your place?"

Yui nodded eagerly.

"Yes, and my mom will be glad to have you at home too."

"I guess I don't mind it. I don't have anything planned today, so..."

Yui smiled warmly.

*Clap*

The door opened promptly, revealing Iroha's presence. Of course, the new ambiance of the room didn't remain unnoticed for very long.

"Hello guys... Eh? What's wrong?"

"Ah, it's just... It was pretty intense a few minutes ago." Yui answered.

"I see..."

Iroha quickly sat down in front of Yui, immediately feeling the tense atmosphere in the club. It was clear that something had happened, and she assumed it must have been an argument or something similar.

"What happened?" Iroha asked.

She directed her question towards Yukino. She was well aware that if something had caused such a noticeable shift in the mood, then Yukino was likely one of the main players involved.

But Yukino didn't answer. Although she saw Iroha eyeing her when she asked her question, she didn't feel like talking about it now. So, noticing Yukino's silence, Yui answered for her.

"Well, we've been worrying a lot about Hikki since he came back. He's changed and acting weird. We confronted him today, and he revealed the reason for his absence..."

Iroha's eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Wait, Senpai came back?"

Yui and Yukino looked at her with faces full of surprise.

"You didn't know?" Yukino asked.

"Well, no one had told me, I thought he was still absent. So he's gone now?"

They nodded as Yukino slightly looked away.

"But what happened? Why did he go so early?"

Yui tried harder to find the right words. Yukino had already given up on that idea, she preferred to let Yui explain. After a few seconds that felt like hours, Yui finally found what she wanted to say.

"Hikki told us that he got into an accident a few days ago... And since then, he has taken a psychological follow-up. He seems to have one today so he left earlier than usual."

Iroha couldn't believe what she heard. Hachiman had an accident. It was something so unlikely to her, who was unaware of the first accident involving Yui and Yukino.

"How did this happen?" She asked, and Yui's explanation only fueled her curiosity.

"Hikki didn't elaborate further than what I told you."

Iroha looked down, she thought that it must have been really serious then.

"But I think Hikki will be back just fine soon!" Yui tried to relax the mood.

"I hope so." Iroha replied.

After a few minutes of conversation about Hachiman, Yukino asked Iroha the next question.

"Tell me, Isshiki-san. Was there a special reason why you came here?"

Iroha clapped her hands together, remembering the original reason for her arrival.

"Actually, I've got a request for you."

"Again?" said Yukino.

"It won't be student council stuff related this time, I promise !" Iroha tried to make her request look like an easier task. But the truth is, it wouldn't be so much easier.

"This is.. a family matter."

"Family matter?" Yui asked for confirmation.

Iroha nodded. She never talked to them about her family before. So, effectively, Iroha saying she needs help with a family issue is quite unexpected.

"Family issues... That sounds familiar." Yukino spoke up.

Her friend glanced at her, understanding. They had to deal with this in the past but it's not the current topic. We're talking about Iroha's family now.

"So, what's the matter?" Yukino asked.

"It's about my grandpa. Next week will be his birthday, and I want to make it a really good one."

The girls nodded as they waited for the next part.

"But the problem is... it's going to be his last birthday." Iroha said, lowering her tone in her last words.

A somber silence filled the room as the girls absorbed Iroha's words. Yukino and Yui exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious.

The lightheartedness that had filled the room moments ago was now replaced by a heavy sense of somberness and quiet resignation to the fact that this was her grandpa's last birthday.

"I... I'm sorry." Yukino said, fidgeting nervously with her fingers, her usual cool composure now replaced by a slight hint of discomfort.

Yui, on the other hand, fiddled with the hem of her uniform, her usually bubbly demeanor momentarily subdued by Iroha's revelation.

"No, don't be. It's been a while since I've learned about it. So, I'm fine." Iroha reassured.

"So... all we have to do is help you prepare for your grandpa's birthday?" Yui asked.

But if Iroha came to the Service club, it wouldn't just to prepare a birthday. She could manage it with her own family. No, she had something else on mind.

"Well, that's not all. Grandpa has been... a little distant recently, ever since he found out he was ill."

"Your grandpa is ill? He's going through such a thing..."

"Actually, he's 69 years old."

"That's pretty young..." Yukino said.

"Yeah, so you get what I mean? He's frustrated and depressed right now. He's going to die so young, and knowing that has made him lose all will and hope. Instead of spending time with his family, he spends all his time alone, sunk in his own thoughts like a loner..." Iroha explained as her gaze was aimed at the table.

Yui and Yukino saw that it must have taken a lot from her to explain all of this. Seeing her in this state only made them want to help and support her and her grandfather.

Yui reached for Iroha's hands and held them firmly.

"Don't worry, Iroha-chan! We'll gladly help you reconnect your relationship with your grandpa."

"Thank you, Yui-senpai and Yukino-senpai. It means a lot."

Iroha knew she could count on them, and even if she knew that they'd accept to help her, she is still very grateful for having such friends.

Yukino and Yui witnessed for the first time Iroha's vulnerable sight. She came with a huge request today, and they couldn't allow themselves to fail it. Therefore, their determination was at its peak.

Though they were still concerned about one thing,

Hachiman.

Will he be a part of it? The answer remained unknown for both Yukino and Yui. Since he said he's getting psychological follow-up, it wasn't sure he would be able to comply with this request with them.

For sure, it was also a concern for Iroha. Her senpai was probably the one she expected the most help from. She trusted the girls enough to ask them, but still, it'd be much better if Hachiman was a part of it.

To lighten up Iroha's mood, Yui directly proceeded to turn the subject into something less dark, like foods and shopping stuff.

After a while, they had to go home. Yui and Iroha left first and waited for Yukino outside while she returned the key to the clubroom to the teacher. It was only a few minutes later that Yukino arrived, but not with the look they expected.

Yukino walked towards them, her face slightly aiming down as her eyes were making her look lost in thought. Her expression was much darker than earlier, which Yui and Iroha noticed almost instantly.

"Yukinon...?"

She looked up at them, now standing less than a meter from them. Finally, she spoke.

"Hikigaya-kun... lied to us."