Chapter 2: Café L'Amour

"Whenever I'm with him, I realize that he's my one true love!"

Pfft. True love? I've never understood what that meant… love is a joke.

When a couple is in love, they'll rave on and on about how they've found their one true love, or their soul mate, a particular individual who was destined to become their lover, their perfect match so to say.

Later on, when these artificial bonds eventually crumble and shatter into nothingness, as they almost always do, they'll talk of how there's many fish in the sea, and how there is someone out there for them… what happened to your soul mate? Fools.

Love was truly best defined by psychologists as being comprised of four criteria… you needed close proximity, similarity, attractiveness, and reciprocity. There was no such thing as a true love, just merely many people who were good "enough".

Wait—crap.

Reciprocity? Didn't that basically just exclude me from ever experiencing love?!

Psychology was truly a scary thing…

"Hikigaya, do you have something you'd like to share with the class?" Hiratsuka-sensei snapped.

"Huh?" I stammered, still not having grasped the situation from my previous daze.

"If you're not going to read the passage I'm asking you to, I thought maybe you had something more important to share with the class?"

Oh. She'd been talking to me. Oops. My stealth-hikki skill was obviously defunct, I would have to recalibrate later.

"Uhh—no. What passage was it? I'll read it"

BRRRRRRING

The bell rang saving me from having to read my passage. I quickly sprang to get my things together and leave before sensei could say anything else.

"Everyone, remember your assignments are due next week, and Hikigaya, stay after class. I need to speak with you"

Noooooooooo!

"Sensei, you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah. Its about the assignment due next week."

Ah yes. The "describe the ideal job you feel would allow you to fully utilize your skills" assignment. I had already written out my assignment. Of course, it was a no-brainer. I would become a house-husband.

Now, before you look down on me, hear this. When a small girl tells her parents she wants to one day grow up and become a house wife, her parents don't mock her or criticize her, instead they say stupid things like "awwww" and "that's good for you honey".

Well then… why was it so wrong for me? I would relentlessly pursue my dream of house-husbandry.

Not only for myself, but for the world.

You see, in forcefully talking about my becoming a househusband, I was expanding the gender equality in our society. I was actually doing all of Japan a favor, in increasing equality amongst everyone.

Basically, I was like a saint. Wow I'm actually a great person.

"I wanted to let you know not to pull any idiotic househusband stuff again, otherwise I won't be happy."

What? Outrageous. How dare she look down on my dream, no, the dream of all who wish for gender equality in Japan!

"Absolutely not sensei, I would never dream of doing such a thing"

Gender equality was great, but I needed my internal organs to work if I wanted to fight for a househusband lifestyle in the future…

Sensei's fists were scary. Too scary. I could see why no one wanted to marry her…

SMACK

"Uggghhh.. what was that for?" I reeled as I received a solid metal fist in my gut.

"I felt like you thought something insulting towards me"

What the hell—ESP? Scary.

Sensei gathered her things and left the room, leaving me sprawled on the floor.

"See you Hikigaya."

I got my things together and slowly made my way out of the classroom.

As I closed the sliding door behind me, I noticed Miura leaning against the wall in the hallway.

Better leave before she thinks I'm stalking her or something..

"Hikio." She turned and said, after hearing me close the door.

"Uh what?"

"Weren't you supposed to mail me yesterday?" She said, her eyebrows scrunching together as she scowled at me.

"Ah yeah. Sorry. Something came up and I didn't have time"

Hehe. Something came up, and I was busy. I've always wanted to say that. Of course I spent my entire day reading in bed, but she didn't need to know that.

"Busy? Weren't you just at home the entire time?"

What—ESP again? Why did every girl around me seem to have ESP.. or wait.

I was a loner. I guess it was an easy guess that loners would just be at home..

"Uhh—yeah." I said, defeated.

"Okay… well.. a-are you busy right now?"

"No, I'm not. Why?" Club had been cancelled since Yukinoshita had a family function to attend.

"Ah okay.. w-would you be okay to go with m-me.." Her voice trailed off as she looked off towards the side.

"..What? I have no idea what you're saying."

"W-would you go with me to a café? So we can discuss my request in detail…"

"Ah.. sure. I wasn't going to do anything anyways"

Her face lit up as I gave her my response.

"Okay! You have a bike outside right? Let's go get it." Miura said, as she began to walk towards the bike park.

The entire walk, I could hear Miura lightly humming as she walked beside me.. it was oddly refreshing, I found myself smiling unintentionally.

Miura looked over and saw my smile, and immediately stopped humming.

"Ah! Sorry. I'll stop" She stammered, her cheeks reddening.

"No, don't worry. It… it was.. kind of nice" I said, looking away from her, unable to meet contact with her eyes.

"Oh… is that right?.."

She never did hum again though.

I probably creeped her out… sorry, it kind of just happens on its own…

After we reached my bike, we started to make our way towards the café that she had chosen for our meeting. It was one of the popular ones among "youth" that I obviously hadn't heard of.

"Caffe leh… leh… more?" I croaked out, trying to repeat the name Miura had just told me.

Miura giggled an extremely girly laugh that I could have never dreamed Miura could make.

"Café L'Amour Hikio. You're such a goof."

She smiled as she walked on ahead, leaving me completely dumbfounded at what I had just witnessed.

What the hell was that?

Was she always that incredibly beautiful? Wasn't that, like kind of too over powered?

She had the ability to take over the entire world… all she had to do was use this secret smile. The Fire Queen had some scary hidden talents..

This was dangerous. I had to stay on my guard… otherwise I would inadvertently fall in love with Miura.

The gap-moe was too real. But. I couldn't.

I had to stay loyal…. Yes. Of course, Totsuka was the only one for me. In Totsuka we trust!

"Are you coming Hikio?" Miura called out, as I hadn't moved since her deadly smile attack.

"Ah yeah. Sorry" I replied, shaking off my thoughts.

As we reached the café, I realized why I had never heard of it.

Not only was it a hotspot for popular youth (which I'm not, one strike), it was a popular date spot for couples (super strike! You're out!). There's no way I would have ever heard of this place.

Wait—why were we here?

"Uhh Miura.. this café.." I croaked, unable to explain why I wasn't fond of the place.

"Yeah, its great isn't it? I've always wanted to come! Oh, yes a table for two please!"

Dangerous.

After we had settled down, the waitress made her way over.

"Can I get you any drinks to start off?"

"Could I get a coffee, 4 sugars and 4 creams please."

"Sure and for the sir?"

Woah… Miura drank garbage sugar-coffee. Just like me eh…

"The same, please."

"Sure! I'll bring it right away"

The waitress scurried off as she made her way to the other tables she had to take care of.

"Is that how you always take your coffee?"

Miura looked up at me, confused, then softened her face and looked down at the table.

"Yeah.. the way I see it, the real world is already too cruel and bitter to take your coffee the same way"

Haaaah. What? Wasn't that, like, exactly the same response I gave when anyone asked me about my coffee?..

Why did I always get called a loser when I said it though… sounded so cool from Miura..

"You're not really like what I expected Miura"

Miura giggled again, instantly making my heart beat shoot up.

"You aren't either, Hikigaya-kun."

Miura brought up small talk as we waited for our coffee, after it arrived, Miura looked right up to me.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"Uh—yeah?"

Uh oh, what'd I do? She seemed serious.

"In class earlier… during break.. w-were you reading "Why is it so wrong to have a teenage romantic comedy go right" in class?"

"Huh?"

Why was it so wrong to have a teenage comedy go right … that was the crappy fan-servicey harem light novel series I loved.

It was about a boy who managed to somehow get nine girls to fall in love with him, and couldn't realize that were making advances on him the entire time.

Nine girls? Lucky bastard. I'd be happy with just one.

But.. this could be bad. Miura would undoubtedly mock me for reading a light novel like that.

"Uhhh.. n-no… you see it was.."

"Have you caught up to volume sixteen?"

Miura cut me off with her question, her eyes completely lit up as she leaned over the table looking at my face.

Close. Too close.

Wait—what?..

"Miura… do you read the series?"

"Ahh. Yeah" She giggled.

"I really like light novels like that, they're my favorite pastime"

After I got over my shock, Miura and I compared our favorite ships and debated why or why not they wouldn't work out.

Before I realized, it had been four hours since we first sat down.

"Excuse me sir, would you two like anything before last call?"

"Oh.. uh no, thank you, we're fine"

"Okay!"

"Wow, closing time already?" Said Miura, as she finished laughing off from our debate.

We gathered our things and made our way toward the door, as I remembered something Komachi had told me recently.

"Onii-chan… make sure you always walk Yukino and Yui-onee-san home when it's late okay! Or I'll never forgive you!"

I'm sure this extended to Miura… but how would I propose walking her home without looking like a creep…

Okay. I couldn't tell Komachi down. Onii-chan is going to try his best!

"Uh Miura, w-would it be.."

"Hikio, could you walk me home? It's gotten a little late and I'd feel safer if you did"

"S-sure"

Wow. I did it. Komachi your onii-chan isn't such a failure!

We made our way to Miura's house walking side by side. It was mostly quiet, with occasional humming from Miura.

They must have been popular pop songs, I couldn't recognize any of them.

But, it was pleasant.

Before I noticed it, we had reached her home.

"This is my place.. thanks for walking me Hikigaya-kun"

"Ah, I see. Okay.. bye."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow.. sorry for having you come all the way here"

"Don't worry, I've got my bike so it's not a big deal"

She gave me a final smile as she turned and entered her home.

After Miura closed the door, I looked up and stared at the sky.

Had the stars always been this radiant in Chiba?

A/N:

Hello everyone.

I'd like to start off by thanking everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed my story.

I never expected such a huge response. As of publishing this second chapter, I have nearly 70 followers. That is phenomenal, seriously, I cannot thank you all enough for your support.

As I am very new to this, I have greatly appreciated the reviewers providing their insights, without your feedback I wouldn't know what to improve on in further chapters, it also helps to motivate me to update.

Thank you everyone again for your support, and I'll see you all for the next chapter.