Subsequent Imaginations

Chapter 3 : A Confused Affair

"No, because I took your pulse Yukinoshita…," I whisper in 'her' ear and quietly took 'her' phone in 'her' other hand.

Huh?

Wait a minute. What?

I got so carried away with the story that I totally forgot what I sought out for. Wait, No. Actually my plan which involves playing this game is fulfilled. I wanted those two to shift their attention to this game and engage their interest in it. This way they would not be bored and as a result they would not resume their so called -duty of reminding me of my place - as Yukinoshita puts it.

Truly, I pity myself. While I had portrayed I was not in any way affected by any insults people threw at me, I did get annoyed. I got better at shoving away my irritation and it slowly but eventually got portrayed in the form of indifference. When I gained the new insight of my new skill to differentiate simply knowing and truly understanding and to eventually strive for the latter at the things I encounter, the first and foremost thought was to get a good idea about myself. It was not an easy task at all.

I discovered quite a lot of perspectives which act as a new lens under which I evaluate everything I know. It gave me some notions about my whole identity which I never thought would be possible to gain just by directing your focus with a determined approach. Of all the things I got to kno-

"Hikigaya-kun!"- the voice of Yukinoshita brought me back to my current predicament.

"H-huh, W-what is it Yukinoshita?" - I replied to her with my sudden altered attention.

She was still sitting at her usual place near the window in all her glory. Her eyes conveyed some barely concealed vexation at something, while her hands held the book she showed us earlier. Yuigahama was looking at me with apparent confusion mixed with slight irritation.

"While I know lower life forms have no inkling of basic attentiveness, I am truly baffled by how insignificant your attention span is Hiki-lowlife-kun."

"Yeah Hikki, It was you who gave us the idea to play this game, but now you are totally ignoring us. You meanie!" - Yuigahama added fuel to the burning fire.

I looked at them for a moment. They were totally occupied with the game just moments ago but now they are starting to show the signs of their usual onslaught. I took note of this. So this indicates that I should engage their attention all the time to stop them from verbally assaulting me. It really is not an efficient approach. My plan seemed to fail in terms of long-term results. I should somehow figure out a way around this. First and foremost, why would they actively seek out to insult me? Getting to know the root cause and countering it might be my best opti-

"Hey Hikki, are you alright?"- again a voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I look at the source. Yuigahama was in front of me now. Her pink-dyed hair bangs hangs limply against her small face. Those coral colored eyes clearly convey unconditional concern. They are aimed at me. I was pulled into those eyes for their sheer ability to convey emotions in such clear fashion. Together with the pretty face Yuigahama was gifted with, I was once again reminded why she is considered beautiful.

I was staring at her face, eyes in particular. I realized I was doing it for a while. For an unusually long while. My body naturally responded as it should. I felt my cheeks gaining heat. I saw that Yuigahama noticed all of my expressions and a peach hue adorned her face.

"Ahem"

Yukinoshita looks at the two of us with quite a complex look to deduce. Her brows are furrowed, but her eyes hold this unreadable emotion directed towards me. I took this distraction to compose myself. Wow, I can't believe this happened. I considered myself a person with a good presence of mind to not fall into these types of embarrassing situations.

I am being proved wrong at so many things these days…

"S-sorry, I was a little preoccupied with my thoughts," I spoke out with a hoarse voice of a person who hadn't quenched his thirst for eternity. I took a sip of the ever-pleasant tea Yukinoshita has brewed. Yuigahama goes back to her seat after composing herself. Her movements appear to be a little subdued. Maybe she was shocked by my behavior earlier. Well, if I knew what her hunched figure with her fists near her chest was any indication of my assumptions, I would have gone to properly apologize to her. But I don't.. Back to the matters at hand.

"Well, what may be these 'preoccupied thoughts' of yours, Hiki-pervert-kun?"

Whelp, she is going back to her usual behavior. I should sort out my doubts concerning my plans afterwards. But for now I need to conciliate her, and direct her focus elsewhere.

"It's about the game we are playing," I answered. She and Yuigahama now directed their fresh attention to me. Yukinoshita remained silent, I took the cue to continue.

"You see Yukinoshita, you have understood the essence of what this game is. But I think you have missed the part where it's identity as a game is lost"

She quickly withdrew her complicated expression from earlier to replace it with genuine curiosity. She then voiced her transparent and apparent question - "Well, what might that be?"

I had already decided to continue my plan till I think of a new one. So I proceeded to satiate Yukinoshita's spirit of inquiry.

"The game requires the players to build a story together with themselves as one of the characters. While you did exactly that, it does not complete it. The core of the game is to provide each character a chance to alter and contribute to the story, thus that corresponds to the story to almost always be original." - I paused for a while and took another sip of the tea provided. Did I mention how amazing this tea was?

Yuigahama seemed completely hooked. Yukinoshita is the same, but it does not seem apparent at first glance. I think of a way to deliver my thoughts effectively, seeing that they are hanging on my words.

"What we were doing in fact was a very unconventional role-playing of a novel. What we are supposed to do," I draw it out purposefully - " is adapt a setting and construct some background to our characters and create our own story, where each member gets a chance to pitch in their ideas." I end with a tone of finality. I am proud of my skills at explaining. Even Yuigahama should be completely in tune with me right now. I open my eyes and glance at my club mates.

Imagine my disappointment when I found Yuigahama still looking perplexed at me. Now, this is quite a dilemma I'm facing. Should I feel insulted how my easy explanation failed to penetrate the airhead or should I feel amazed at the extent of her airheadedness to not understand what I'm trying to convey? Truly, a dilemma of a kind.

Yukinoshita appears to be pondering about something while trying to fully comprehend my words. She does the traditional thinking pose and it amuses me how she gives the impression of being elegant in such a perfunctory fashion. The curtains sway with the breeze and Yukinoshita's hair dances with it subtly. I am suddenly reminded of the day I first met her. What a day it was.

"I think I get it now, Hikigaya-kun"

As expected. What was not expected was how she flashed her face adorning the rare expression where she displays her smile. That eyes reflecting replenished vigor, the hair fluttering in the breeze, and that criminally perfect face she has- She is indeed beautiful. I am contemplating how I managed to be composed all the time in this club with these type of arsenals present beside me. Arsenal that could make a man's mind muddled. My heart uncharacteristically fastens it's pace. I should work on my composure. This sudden awareness of intricate details that I used to completely overlook has now made itself a prime candidate in the forefront of my mind. Truly, ignorance does equate bliss.

This is the second time I'm doing this. While I know I am striving for truly understanding things around me, I think I am not actually fully ready to shoulder the burden of being aware. To know is easy, but to embrace the ethos in things is akin to a responsibility. Responsibility that I have sought out to shoulder. It is very amusing to see what I thought was curious beckoning in a completely new light like this. Very amusing, and genuinely intriguing.

Yuigahama looks at me with wide eyes. She then directs her sights to look at where I am currently focused on. She then looks at me back and her eyes downcast the next moment. Oh no. I must appear a creep to her right now. I need to address this issue of being unusually mesmerized by them soon after today. I can't believe I am going through these thoughts.

This is going to be a long day..

A/N

Short Chapter. Have planned the chapters ahead. Slow execution. Do bear with it and don't forget to review.