Hey

"So, you don't have anymore classes?"

We left the lecture hall and I turned towards to the lobby. There is a vending machine near the doors.

"No, just that one with you guys. The rest of the week is the same just one or a few lectures. But I'm sure you still have classes. Asking if I'm free is one thing. But asking if I'm free when you're not, is another." I said jokingly.

"You know… It sounded sexy..." She looked a bit guilty. Aw, no need to.

"But I get off at one o'clock. Will we see then?" She added.

"If you want to."

"Of course I want to. You've been so distant to me lately."

"C'mon. It was just last weekend and this week. I've been busy because of the starting semester. I have to teach you know. Beside, shouldn't have you been working hard as well?" I always have to justify myself to everyone. Even to people like her. People who know me well. I'm sure some of it is in jest but still.

"What? I don't think I have to work to get my studies in order. And especially hard. I'm a smart girl aren't I?" Rumi stated while turning towards me due to us stopping in front of a vending machine.

"Well. You certainly are. But just make sure you don't forget something seemingly trivial or basic. It might come back and bite you hard." I lectured her while entering a note to the machine. And pushing the MAXXX coffee button twice.

"I'm pretty sure I've heard that enough times in my high school years." She looked at me somewhat sternly while holding her hands at her hips.

I smiled at her comment. After hearing my cans rumbled down, I turned towards the machine and picked them up.

"And I'm sure I've heard that you're a smart girl just as many times"

"So? Me being smart is a fact!"

"So? So is the fact that you mustn't forget some key principles. We both know how some of your tests have went when you said you had them under control." I said to her quite sternly. She had failed them hard.

"Hmph." She flicked her hair and turned away. Somewhat expected.

I sigh and place one of the cans in my bag and crack the other one open and start following her. After she reached the stairs, she turned towards me.

"Care to share a sip?" She asked.

I took a sip of my own, taking the can's virginity, and handed the can to her. The buyer always has the first sip...

"Sure."

She grabbed it and I watched her lean her head back and taking a plentiful sip. Or more like sips. Hey! That is quite e-

I was going to complain about her drinking all of my MAXXX but I didn't since I was somewhat captivated. She looks really nice. Her thin neck, collarbone, defined jawlines and the gap between the collarbones, jugular notch you may call it, looked really nice together. I watched her throat go up and down. Now that's a kissable neck. Luckily, I have gotten that privilege many times.

Not so luckily, looks like she's finished.

"Ahhh... " She lowered her head and exhaled deeply.

"Mmm. Very good." She added, smiling.

"You finished?" I asked somewhat hopefully.

"Yes. Here." Before she gave it to me though, she looked me in the eyes and licked the extra liquid from the top of the can with her tongue. Somewhat unnecessarily raunchily.

She handed the can to me. And I was disappointed. She had drank almost all of the coffee. There was just maybe a deciliter left on the bottom.

"Why'd you drink it all? You wanted a sip."

"I left some for you didn't I?" She innocently asked.

"Please. Anyway. I'll be going now. I'll see you later, all right?"

"Yeah. You also said you weren't in the mood just now. How about then?" She asked a little pleadingly.

"How would I know? Let's see how the day progresses first?" No need to get hasty.

"Well I AM in the mood." She crossed her hands and leaned a bit to the side. So much for not being hasty.

"Ok, ok. Regardless, I'll see you afternoon."

"All right." After saying this, she approached me and perked up. I lean downwards and place my lips on hers. Her soft as ever lips tasted a little like MAXXX coffee. She pushed herself onto me while I remained still. More passion on her part for sure. She ended our short kiss with a rich 'mmh' sound.

"ByeBye Hachiman!" She smiled at me and started lightly skipping the stairs up.

"Bye..." I sigh as I turn towards the door and gulped the rest of the drink and tossed the can into a bin and exited the building. I headed towards the parking lot where my car was.

I blow my some of my hair out of my sight. It comes back. I blow it away again. It comes back again. I blow it away again.

"Hey Yokko." Rio, my friend called out to me.

"A bit bored are you?" Kasumi, my other friend asked.

After knowing that Hikigaya-sensei will be one of my lecturers and otherwise a central figure in my studies, I've been miserable. I've never been sad or anything like that. But after not getting my recently acquired stress relief method, I've been something you could call miserable. Although, it's been only two days…

"Yeah… The fact that I tried to hook up with one of our teachers bothers me."

"C'mon. It can't be that bad. Or are you a sex addict now or what?" Kasumi laughed.

"No, it's just the fashion that it happened in… I mean, I got totally… rekt by him." I just hope that I can forget all about yesterday and today. Start of with a clean table with him.

"I couldn't have said it better myself. But for real though, don't let it get to you. It cannot be that bad. It cannot." Kasumi said to me while fiddling with her golden hair. She couldn't know. But, she was right. Even to me it wasn't a big deal.

"It's not really… I just don't know what to do. What I can say that this man hunting stops."

"Does it now?" Kasumi asks and stuffs her face with fries.

"Hhhh…" I sighed.

She can eat all she wants but still stays thin. I have to restrain myself from eating too much. But, she exercises more than I do. I guess that's fair.

"What time is it?" I asked both of my friends.

"14:16" Kasumi was faster to reply since she had her phone on her hands already.

"Arrgggh…" I groaned. Bothersome… I don't even know why to be honest.

"I'll get some more soda. Anyone want me to bring some?" Rio stood up with her cup in hand.

"Bring me more coke. Please." I asked her.

"Ok, Kasumi?" She asked her as well.

"Yeah, bring me sprite." She quickly drank rest of her current Sprite.

"Yes." With that, she left off with our cups and a tray.

"Hhhhh…" I sigh and start watching the big, flat screen television mounted on the wall, almost at ceiling height.

There was nature documentary on. Beautiful zebras and gazelles or something, were running around in packs, giraffes and chilling and eating leaves of trees. It was from Africa I think. I'm no geologist, but I'm pretty sure giraffes live there.

Before I knew it, I had become enveloped into the documentary, following the animals' every move, listening to the presenter carefully. I didn't have any idea what was happening around me. All I knew that Kasumi was next to me on her phone. Just as oblivious to the outside world as I was. And Rio was downstairs getting our drinks. Anyway, I continued watching the show.

"Guys, guys!" I heard Rio.

"What?" I saw Kasumi lift her head out of my peripheral vision.

"Oh my god guys you don't be-" Rio started.

"Did you know that giraffes have the longest tails of any mammals? They're like two and a half metres long…" I told them, not leaving my gaze from the TV screen.

"No, that's crazy! Think about all the muscles in that tail!" Kasumi surprisingly interestingly pondered.

"I know right." I responded.

"What the hell guys? No one cares! Listen to me!" Rio demanded.

"What?" I strikingly asked, now looking at her.

"Ok, so I was getting our drinks downstairs…"

Who cares about giraffes tails? WHO cares about this nonsense?

"... and I saw this girl. I was like OK, but she looked a bit familiar. Then I realised she's in one our classes. Then I was like, OK whatever. I saw her get upstairs. And then, when I got up I saw where she sat, and I was 'OMG WTF'." Rio had told us her biography, and it wasn't interesting. She was smiling though… as if there was more to come.

"So what?" I inquired.

She didn't say anything but nudged behind us with her head. Me and Kasumi turned simultaneously to see what was behind us.

It was the girl with black hair and grey eyes. The one that glared at me. She was sitting with some man.

"Hey Hachiman. Do you know how long giraffes tails are?" She asked the man.

OMG! I looked at my friends in a bit of a shock. After looking at their reactions turned back towards the couple.

"Giraffes? Their tails? No, I don't. Probably 'bout two meters?" He calmly answered her.

"Haaah, you stupid nincompoop Hachiman! They're two and a half metres." She told her.

What is going on here?

"What? That's unreasonable. It was within the margin, c'mon." He responded.

The girl began giggling.

"What's that? You forgot some basic maths? Point five is rounded up to three! You're such a hypocrite Hachi!" She said to him. She looked like she really got him. There was a short moment of silence. The girl waited for his respond with a faint smile.

"Irrelevant. My point was that I was within a reasonable length for the giraffes tail. It has nothing to do with maths. Besides, saying that the tails are three meters long, would have been just as wrong." Seems like the few second wait was worth it. He came back. Her faint smile faded as she had no response. Might I say, looks like she got rekt. I took some enjoyment out of this. Probably because the girl who glared at me got verbally conquered.

"You're still stupid." She said seriously with her arms crossed. But, soon the faint and genuine smile crept it's way back to her face. She and Hachiman, our teacher, chuckled and returned to their meals. The smile on the girl's face didn't disappear though. As if she was genuinely having a good time. I've seen so many times when fake smiles have been quickly dropped. I myself have even committed this crime.

I slowly turn back to my original position, facing forwards. I gaze at my friends' faces.

"What the fuck?" We all quietly ask in unison. We lean inwards together and make our little triangle of gossip.

"Are they dating?"

"Isn't that forbidden?"

"Is she the reason why he rejected you?"

These among others were some questions asked in our gossip triangle.

"That's a twist..." I say to my friends.

"Indeed." Rio agrees.

We continue drinking our drinks silently and stalking them by occasionally glancing at them eating and exchanging small talk. I have no idea why we are doing this…

"Hmm… hey, I think it's time for me to bring you back home." He said to the girl.

"What? No! You promised didn't you!" Woah! Tone down the brattiness young lady. You guys aren't going to Disneyland?

"I said 'Let's see how the day goes'. I didn't promise." He answered.

"C'mon~ Hachiman! My parents won't be home until late evening. Like nine o'clock or something… Please?" She looked at him, pleading.

"Hhhh…" He just sighed deeply.

The girl then leaned towards him. She started to blush. She looked him in the eyes deeply and whispered something to him.

"Rumi!" He looked up and snapped at her. That's her name?

"We are in public!" He looked around to see if anyone noticed what she had said. Luckily he didn't see us. Is he blind or what? He was also flustered. But not blushing. Just seemingly shook by the girl's words. What did she say?!

The girl leant back and began lightly smiling.

"Well?" She asked. You could see it in her eyes that she was greatly longing for his answer.

The of us slowly slurped our drinks, waiting for his answer. I can imagine we looked like teenage girls looking at some drama series final episode to know if one of the characters was cheating or not.

He stood up and picked up his bag.

Well?!

"Let's go." He said and started walking downstairs. 'Let's go' he said!

The girl smiled as if she had never smiled before and quickly got up. She caught up tp her and grabbed his hand. They walked downstairs together. We all leaned to the window that oversaw the front of the shop to see where they were headed.

As soon as they came out the girl released his hand and stopped in front of a white sports car. A Ford Mustang GT350R to be specific. I remember that the R variant has the front lip. That's my dad's dream car… He and my brother wouldn't shut up about it.

Our teacher walked to the otherside of the car and unlocked the doors. The girl hopped inside and our teacher followed suit. The car unparked and sped off towards the highways.

We all looked at each other. And bursted into laughter.

"What did we just see?" Rin cried.

"We shouldn't have seen that take place…" Kasumi said.

It wasn't funny. It was just so surreal. Like, what the hell? Those two seemingly have a mad affair going on.

I'm bothered. I'm bothered about the fact that I'm bothered. I'm so curious about them! I mean, he seems like such a lawful and a normal guy. But he has an affair with a student?

We spend a few dozen more minutes gossiping about Hikigaya-sensei and this 'Rumi' girl. We decide to call it a day.

"See ya!" With a wave Kasumi leaves Rin and I. We began walking towards a train station.

"Today was crazy, right?" Rin asked me.

"It definitely was… so many twists and reveals… And the sheer amount of coincidences, like what~?"

"I know right. You kn-"

Home. Here I come…

Saying that while it's a sunny day and it's like three PM.

"Are we gonna go to your place then?" Rumi asks me.

We were speeding away on the highway. This lane contains two ramps. One goes to Tokyo, to my place. And the other to Rumi's parents' house.

"No." I tell her.

"What?!" She turned towards me in mild disbelief.

"I'll just drop you off, and we can see another time. OK?" I tell her.

"Why? I wanted to spend the day with you!"

"I need to do some work for the story. You remember it I mentioned about it some time back?"

"Yes. Yes I do." She somewhat angrily answered.

Don't get sissy on me, girl...

"Then you know why I can't be with you today. That's why I didn't promise you earlier today." I remained calm.

"C'moooon Hachiman, they don't need you today." She was almost pleading me now.

"No is a no Rumi." I sternly said to her. She can't be this stubborn...

"Hachiiii~, pleaseeee~!..." Her 'the almost pleading' turned into full on pleading.

I ignored her to think what to say to h-

"Pleaaaase~! Hachiii~!" She loudly moaned. Why is she acting like this? Where's her manners gone? I glanced at her a bit shocked.

"Why are you like this Rumi?" I asked her pretty harshly.

"Because you won't be with me today!" She shouted at me.

That's it...

"...What about tomorrow then?" I ask her.

I have had numerously gotten frustrated before because of her. Sometimes she gets just too bratty. She's like a little spoiled kid who doesn't get what she wants now. She's really getting irritating

"What? What do you mean?" She didn't quite get my point yet.

"You see, I don't happen to feel like making love to you everyday! Before I know it, you're asking me for it tomorrow. And the day after that. And on and on it goes. I don't always have time for you and your teenage body's needs!" I almost shout at her. I kept my eyes on the road, gripping the wheel hard. This is the first time I have raised my voice or changed my tone on Rumi. And I did then both at the same time.

"..."

After not hearing a response from her, I turned to see her. She was looking out the window solemnly. It was as if she was crying, but she hadn't shed a single tear. Almost immediately I regretted my little outburst directed towards her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" I quickly tried fix the situation but stopped my speech due to not coming up with anything to say.

"..."

I really shouldn't have said that should I...

I sighed at her lack of a response and didn't react to the ramp that lead to Tokyo. I was going to bring her home.

After I did this, I checked on her. She finally shed that single tear, but wiped it away quickly.

I reached for her hand. Rumi watched with her red and distressed eyes at me questionably.

I look back to the road.

"Just know that I'm not trying ignore or avoid you… Sometimes it's just too stressful. Keeping up with you and work..." I say to her calmingly. Even though I have to play by outside of my point, I still think I have the dominant say.

"I k-know…" She answered whimpering.

"Just know that you are still the single most important thing to me Rumi. Don't forget that!" I emphasized my point by looking at her in the eyes while saying this.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice was barely audible.

"It's OK…" I try to assure her.

The rest of the journey was silent. Rumi gripped my hand hard and didn't allow me to let go. Not that I was going to anyway…

"Here we are…" I quietly said to her and parked my car in front of her parents' house.

"..." She just looked down to her legs.

"Hey, c'mon now." I tried to cheer her up.

"..." She continued watching down to her feet.

"I can promise you that we can have date this week. And I'm off the whole weekend… I would spend time with you just to laze around but I can't." I hope she just cheers up a bit. Seeing her like this isn't nice...

"..." Still no response from her.

I grab the point of her chin with my thumb and index finger and turn her head towards me. She didn't resist at all. She looked up to him with sad eyes.

"It's a promise." I told her while moving my hand from her chin to her shoulder.

"It's a promise…" I repeated while lightly shaking her shoulder, trying to make her understand.

She nodded and exhaled shakily.

"O-okay… I'll be... going now…" Rumi unplugged her seatbelt and prepared to open the car door. Before she did though she turned towards me again. I try to look at Rumi expectantly. It is time for you to go home now. She got the point, sighed and opened the door. But instead of stepping out of the car, she got up on her knees on the passenger seat, with her feet sticking out of the car and hands on the cupholders. She reached for his lips and didn't I necessarily resist.

"Goodbye kiss?" Rumi asked, looking hopeful. I'll give this quick peck to her due to her cute antics. Also, not ending in a positive note wouldn't be nice.

I lean towards her just enough for our kiss to be possible. The kiss was stale for me, but Rumi seemed to try to savor every passing second of it, moving her lips around, moving her jaw up and down. She started force her tongue on my lips, trying to escalate the kiss. I leant back a bit, stopping the kiss. Rumi didn't fall back though. The fraction of the second our faces were seperated I could see it in her eyes that she wasn't backing off. Before I could back of myself, she pushed herself onto me. Once again our lips touched, but only briefly. I was having none of this.

"Enough Rumi…" I gently pushed her off.

"Sorry…" Her voice was weak and meek. Looks as if she was ashamed. I don't want to shame her or anything, but she needs to control herself. Sometimes feelings just must be contained.

"Walk me to the door? Please..?"

This was seemingly Rumi's final wish. One I was willing to fulfill. Rumi seemed really miserable now. The situation changed from us not being together to her being unreasonable and forcing herself onto me. . I don't want to argue with her at all. She just needs to calm down alone.

"Hhhh… all right." With a deep sigh, I complied.

I killed the engine, unbuckled my seat belt, opened the driver side door and stepped out of the car. As Rumi follows suit, I gently close the door. I approach Rumi and motion her to move out of the sidewalk. She slowly treads towards the front garden. I close the passenger side door that Rumi left open. She had stopped before the gate, waiting for me. As I reach her I gently push her towards the door of her family house.

"Hachiman…" She stopped in front the door and reached out to me for a hug.

I reply by taking her into my arms. She leans her head to my chest and I pull her small body tightly against my own. She also grasped my back tightly.

"I wanna stay like this Hachiman." Shu murmured. Her voice was muffled due to her face being stuffed into my chest. I kiss the top her head and rest my head on hers.

"We can't can we? I need to go."

"When will we see then?" She looked up to me. She had returned to her calm appearance, but her eyes were looking at me desperately.

"As I said, let's have a date this weekend." I reminded her of my promise.

"Mhmm." She leant back onto me.

"Sounds good?" I mused her.

"Yes." She said. I can imagine her smiling.

I disengage our hug and grab the sides of her face and kiss her on her forehead. Even though we have done much more lewd stuff, she still blushed.

"Bye Rumi." I bid my farewell.

"Goodbye Hachiman." And so did she.

With that, I left her and walked to my car. I opened the door of my car, and before I glanced at Rumi who was still watching me by the door. I give her a smile and she replies with her own. I hop in my car and speed off.

I hope Rumi is going to be okay…

"Rumi! Rumi?" A mature feminine voice called out for Rumi outside of her room.

"What?!" Rumi yelled back.

Rumi's room was illuminated by the light coming out from the gap of an opening door.

"Rumi. It's really late. You should go to sleep…"

"Hhh… yes, yes... " Rumi said from under her covers.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, mom." Rumi responed.

…

"Uhhh… a-aahh…"

"Mmmh…"

"Ha-... Haah…

"Nnmmm, Hachiman~..."

Ok, so the tone of the story and especially Rumi changed a bit. In the first chapter I implied that she was a bit of a dominatrix and 8man in her pocket. I don't like that as much now. It's a bit dumb since the content jumped tones like that but whatever.

I know the Rumi outrage got a bit unreasonable on both ends but I just can't write