Chapter 12: After an Overture

'Come on now. Be real'

'What other choice did he rly have? He tried it the "right" way and the bastards still didnt see it his way'

'It was him or them'

'He had to do everything to save his loved ones. The ones who bore him!

'Hoenstly, to hell with the rest! They were the ones who started it!'

'Deep down, you know im right'

'Just because the author didn't explore any other potential options, that doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't any. Everyone else on his side disagrees with his methods too. That's got to tell you something at least.'

'Hmm…'

'sounds familiar'

'Huh? What do you mean?'

'Sounds like a certain smartass i know'

'and thats all ill say about the subject'

';-)'

I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I stared at the glowing screen.

What had initially begun as a simple text conversation between me and Hiratsuka-sensei about a recent chapter of a manga had quickly devolved into a somewhat passionate debate about character motivations and ideology.

I argued that the methodology of the main character was too brutal and headstrong, and she argued that that brutality was necessary to achieve his goals and that there was simply no other way.

I decided to respond, 'I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Bzzt.

'YOU.'

Bzzt.

'DUMMY.'

I rolled my eyes as I set my phone facedown on my desk.

What? I didn't understand what she was getting at, at all.

If she was referring to my unorthodox method of gaining results, then she was completely off the mark.

Sure, both the protagonist and I were dashing young men, but that was where the similarities ended; I only used my particular methods when I failed to see any other way to... achieve my…

Shit.

Maybe she was onto something.

When it came to this issue, it looked like we were pretty much in polar opposite camps.

I guess this argument wouldn't reach a resolution any time soon.

Even so, as for the nature of the argument itself, it still felt… playful. At least to me.

A little more than a week has passed since we'd shared that important conversation.

To say that our relationship easily and miraculously evolved and completely matured after such a profound heart-to-heart would be an exercise in dishonesty.

In the last week alone, we've had our fair share of butting heads over some things… But those small quibbles somehow felt lighter and less tense than they did before.

...Maybe it was because we understood each other a little better now.

Maybe it was because now, we had both seen the uglier sides of each other, and for some reason, still hadn't bolted off yet. Perhaps that fact brought about a newfound sense of trust… or something like it.

I flipped over my phone and quickly smashed in a few letters with my thumbs before hitting send.

'Ok. You're the commander then. Always way too loud and inappropriate.'

A few (presumably flustered) seconds of '...' before:

'Asshole…'

'Well shes actually pretty kickass so ill take it as a compliment :)'

I chuckled. I had meant it as a half-compliment/half-insult so I was glad she'd picked up on my intentions.

I looked down at my phone to type a response, but noticed that the 'typing' symbol was once again on the screen on Hiratsuka-sensei's end.

'...'

I gazed at the phone curiously for a few seconds as that symbol persisted. After a few moments, it disappeared altogether. Then it reappeared, and after another moment, it was gone again.

I raised an eyebrow at the screen.

Did she just erase what she was typing..?

'Hey did you just erase what you were typing?'

It took her a moment, before she responded:

'What? Stop watching the text page like a creep'

'Hey, I wasn't being a creep. I was just super eager to read what was undoubtedly going to be a thoughtful, kind, and wonderful text straight from the mind of my wonderful girlfriend.'

'…'

'Are you busy?'

For some reason, it appeared that she had ignored my pointless little comment and had instead decided to ask a somewhat unrelated question.

I typed up a quick response.

'Not really. Why?'

'…'

'Can you talk?'

'...Can I call you right now?'

Those words caught me off guard.

It was incredibly rare that Hiratsuka-sensei and I ever spoke over the phone.

When we couldn't interact face-to-face, the overwhelming majority of our conversations were conducted via text message.

I wasn't sure why we didn't call each other that often, to be honest. I suppose part of it was that texts were a lot more inconspicuous and a lot easier to hide. They could be checked by either party at any time and could be kept private from prying eyes or ears.

Someone listening in to a call at the wrong time could very likely lead to questions, and eventually, trouble.

It was better to be safe and talk over text than risk raising any undue suspicion.

That was certainly a part of the reason.

My fingers hovered above my phone as I considered how I would answer.

I hadn't been lying.

As I was sitting idly at my chair with my feet propped up on the corner of my desk, I realized that today was actually a pretty damn rare occasion as far as the Hikigaya household was concerned.

It was a Saturday and both of my parents were out of the house for the entire day visiting my grandparents.

My parents pretty much never left the house on weekends so this was a very strange change of pace indeed.

Normally, they would spend the weekend lazing around, doing absolutely nothing in an attempt to recharge from a brutal week of wageslavery.

...Unfailingly, their efforts were unsuccessful, and they would always still be cursing under their breaths come Monday morning.

God, I really don't want to be like them when I grow up…

The other person to consider, of course, was Komachi. However, she had left some time around 10:30 in the morning saying something about her "boyfriend" wanting to find "cute, aesthetic places to take pictures at" or something equally inane.

Simply put, as of now, no one else was home. I was alone.

'Sure.'

I stared at the phone for a while, but the screen didn't change.

Eventually, a minute passed and there was surprisingly still no response from Hiratsuka-sensei. Then two minutes. Then three, and a few more.

Even the typing icon was suspiciously absent.

...Had she set her phone down or something? Had I taken too long to respond?

I wasn't sure why I was getting so worked up over what should by all accounts be a somewhat trivial matter, but for some reason, I felt anxious.

BZZZZT.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed loudly and began to loudly blare out the obnoxious default ringtone.

Shocked by the sudden noise, I let my fingers slip and the phone flew out of my hand and clattered loudly to the floor.

"Shit…" I whispered under my breath.

I jumped out of my chair and fumbled at the hardwood floor before finally getting a grip on the device and pulling it up.

I let out a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, the screen was still intact.

Upon peering at that screen, I saw: Hiratsuka Shizuka. Decline/Accept.

I moved my finger over to the accept button and tapped on it lightly.

"...Yo."

My voice came out somewhat quiet for whatever reason.

"Way to keep me waiting, brat. For a second there, I thought you were actually gonna let me go all the way to voicemail."

Those words came across slightly tinny over the phone, but there was no mistaking whom that voice belonged to.

It was definitely Hiratsuka-sensei: sarcasm, blunt insults, and all.

Surprisingly, that strange anxiety from earlier all but melted away as soon as I heard that familiar tone.

I suddenly felt more at ease.

"You're the one that took like five minutes to actually call me once I said I could talk," I started. "So who really deserves the blame here?"

I couldn't help but bandy back a retort.

"Oh… Oops," she replied.

I rolled my eyes. Somehow, I had expected a response like that.

"So," I started. "Is there any particular reason you chose to call me? Or can I hang up now?" I asked sarcastically.

"Oh… I thought you said it was alright to talk?" she asked with what sounded like slight surprise.

I found her response to be uncharacteristic. Normally, she would immediately strike back with some sort of snarky and self-assured remark, but that didn't seem to be the case here. I was a bit taken aback by her question.

"Sorry. I was just kidding," I answered.

"Ah, I see."

The line remained strangely silent for a moment. I waited until it became uncomfortably so before I eventually asked, "…Shizuka?"

I ended up using her given name to ask that question. It wasn't the first time I had done so, but I couldn't lie, it still felt a bit strange to so casually address someone who I had thought of as a sensei for so long.

Some time during the past week, we had both agreed that we would start using each other's given names. In fact, we both ended up agreeing that we probably should've started a while ago given the nature of our relationship, but even after multiple tries, I still felt a bit out of place calling her that.

I expected that it would take a while for us to adjust.

I heard a cough from across the line. "Ahem. Sorry. Got a bit lost in my own thoughts there for a second," she finally responded.

"Ah," I responded stupidly as I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Right," she said, her voice more firm this time. "Well, I just wanted to ask… if you wanted to… er, I don't know..." The firmness ebbed and she trailed off again. "…do something today?"

I couldn't help but feel surprised.

"Ah, what do you mean?" I asked.

"Well… it is the weekend, and it's not like I have anything in particular to do…" she began. She sounded a bit more reticent than normal. "So I was thinking we could maybe go out and do something…" she continued. "You know. Together."

I suddenly felt thankful that we were only speaking over the phone and weren't face to face in that moment. I'm sure my surprised expression looked absolutely ridiculous.

Was she really saying that she wanted to do something together?

...In public?

Since our conversation in the classroom, I feel like I had come to understand her perspective a lot more. We had had another conversation about the topic since then and she had explained why she felt how she felt and I couldn't help but sympathize with her doubts.

Being seen together definitely might raise some suspicion–especially if someone that either of us knew was the one to see us in public together.

Truth be told, I was just happy that we talked it out. Hearing her own thoughts and fears about the issue really allowed me to better understand her perspective.

In the end, despite a bit of disappointment, I came to see it her way.

She was right; it was a risky proposition.

So it surprised me now that she would bring up this issue again and seemingly contradict what she had said before.

"...Hikigaya? You didn't hang up, did you?"

Now it was my turn to be a bit embarrassed.

"That sounds great," I said a bit too quickly. Despite my surprise, I felt a small smile break out across my face.

I heard a quiet chuckle from across the line. Somehow, I felt like I could almost hear her lips curve into a smirk.

"Good. Because I have a few ideas about where we can go," she answered. Her tone sounded a lot more relaxed than it did earlier.

"Oh yeah? Let me guess, you got us two tickets to Metalloid Cruiser: Panic at the Strobemare: The Movie, didn't you?"

I heard a sudden cough ring through my phone's speaker. "H-Huh..? What do you mean…"

Ah… This woman... Maybe I knew her better than I thought, after all.

At least when it came to anime.

She sighed. "Damn you. How'd you know?" Her tone came off as slightly sullen but as far as I could tell, she was mostly playing it up for dramatic effect.

I shook my head knowingly. "Well, I've been seeing ads for the movie for months now so I know it premiered last weekend," I started. "And I figured since last week was a bit… tense... you probably didn't have a chance to get to theaters to see it yet. So I was wondering when you'd go."

"I've become that predictable, have I?" she asked.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. It's not your fault. Maybe my Shizuka-vision is just finally catching up to your Hikigaya-vision in specs."

She scoffed as if what I had just said was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "Only in your dreams, hachiman-kun," she replied in a sing-song voice.

Despite her mocking tone, hearing her address me by my given name like that made my face heat up for whatever reason.

I had to cough to regain my bearings.

I couldn't lie and say that I wasn't happy to hear the news, but to say that I was free of apprehension would be wrong as well.

"But… is it okay?" my voice was quiet. "The theater. It'll be a public place... right?"

Despite my vague wording, I think Hiratsuka-sensei understood what I meant.

The line stayed quiet for a moment, until she finally said, "It'll be fine... I think. The tickets I bought are for a theater on the outskirts of Chiba–near Ichibara. So unless there's gonna be a surprise Sobu High field trip there this weekend that I'm not aware of, I think we should be alright."

"Ah. Gotcha," I responded.

Despite her words, I could hear a hint of hesitation through the line.

What she said made a lot of sense. She chose a theater that was just far away enough that it was unlikely we would run into any familiar faces. Although the possibility existed, the chances were pretty damn slim.

Still, I understood her hesitation. To be honest, to know that she was hesitant and yet still wanted us to go to that theater together made my heart beat just a little faster in that moment.

"So when's the showing?" I asked.

"Tonight," she responded simply.

I sighed. "Of course it is."

I heard a chuckle. "Sorry. Those were actually the only tickets available for the whole next week. More than likely, it's gonna be packed in there tonight."

"Probably," I began. "So I guess you were counting pretty hard on me saying yes, huh?"

"O-Oh. I suppose so..." she said with the tiniest of stutters.

The fact that she waited until the last minute to ask me and just assumed I would say yes was very much on brand for the woman I had to come to know. Knowing this, I decided to press my luck on the issue and put her on the spot a little bit.

"What if I had been busy tonight," I started. "...or had said no?"

There was a brief pause after I had asked that question, as if she were taking a moment to think deeply about something important. However, after a few seconds, she responded.

"I guess I probably would've just gone by myself and scalped the other ticket to some sucker outside the theater," she said nonchalantly. "There was zero chance I was going to bed tonight without having seen this movie. I've already put it off way too long as it is."

That response seemed so typically her that I couldn't help but snicker. "Wow, it sounds like you've had to suffer quite a hardship," I said sardonically.

"Damn right," she affirmed with an air of confidence.

I scoffed. "Alright. What time should I be ready?" I asked.

"Well…" she hummed. "The showing itself actually isn't til' 8:30, but I was thinking that if you're open to it... we could grab a bite to eat beforehand? I know a few places down there that are pretty private…"

Oh.

...Was that suggestion just off-the-cuff or had she been planning this for a while?

Besides, dinner and a movie? This is starting to sound dangerously close to a real, normie date, you know.

Regardless of which, her suggestion honestly sounded great. With both my parents and Komachi out of the house, it was doubtful that I'd be eating anything other than instant noodles for dinner, so being able to dine out at a restaurant sounded pretty heavenly to me.

"Sounds great."

"Okay. I'll pick you up around 6 then?"

"Sure."

"Wear something nice."

I rolled my eyes. She had said that very same thing to me on the day before the Autumn Festival. "This again, huh?"

She laughed. "Hey, are you telling me you don't wanna look good on our very first public outing as a couple?"

I snorted. She was blunt, but not wrong, I suppose. "Fine. Your wish is my command, Shizuka-sensei-san."

"Now that's what I like to hear," she laughed breezily. "I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah. See you then."

With a smile on my face and a click of a button, I ended the call and crawled back into bed.

I think I had just enough time to sneak in a quick nap before 6:30.

All things considered, today was shaping up to be a pretty good day.

AN: Thank you for all the lovely reviews from the last chapter! I read all of them and I'm really happy that most seem to like the direction the story is heading in. Your words give me inspiration to see this through to the end so I thank you for telling me what you like and don't like about the story. As always, thanks for being patient, and I hope to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. By the way, bonus points if you're able to identify what manga Hiratsuka and Hikigaya were reading from the few clues given.