Chapter 5: Return to Sobu (Part 1)

Hikigaya Hachiman

My palms are sweaty and I was feeling restless—the urge to run away to Hokkaido was building up within.

Yeah, this wasn't a dream. I'm definitely back in Sobu High. The supposed final chapter of my youth. Leaving wasn't an option… but no one said anything to me about stress eating.

Mmf. So bad, but so good.

With one free hand I stuffed my sneakers into my shoe locker, the other held a delicious, paste-filled bread. I just couldn't help myself since there was still more than enough time to stop by the convenience store before homeroom. I only wished I had a can of Max to drink with every delicious bite I took.

Of course, this earned me more than a few disgusted stares from my other fellow diligent classmates getting themselves prepared for a studious day ahead.

I couldn't blame them since I was being awfully rude. Kaa-san would flip and pull my ear if she saw me right now. But I was that hungry and what else could I do except ignore them? Like hell I was going to let this tasty bean paste on my fingers go to waste. Being noted with disapproval was already the norm for me anyway.

Other than hearing a few students cuss like sailors under their breaths, the walk towards homeroom was pretty uneventful. The same could be said for my entrance to the actual classroom. Nothing was too out of sort. Everyone was split into their usual groups and pairs, though one group in particular was noticeably still away.

Well, that just meant a much quieter environment for sane people like me and Kawasaki up there in the front.

This is just the way I like it, no interruptions or any unnecessary stares at my physical being. It's quite wonderful to be deemed so utterly insignificant that you're practically invisible. Especially useful when leading the kind of double life that I—

"H-Hachiman!"

What?! Literally who would know and freely use my name in this class?

It didn't take long for me to recognize the perpetrator. The caller was right beside me.

"Ah, Totsuka."

Said boy appeared startled for a second before shaking off his unease, giving me a 100-watt smile. It was quite sincere—even reaching up to his eyes which sparkled. His smaller facial features were practically glowing. Super radiant.

…Nope. Thankfully, this guy's, uh, cute appearance still did nothing for me and I'd like to keep it that way. Though, I suppose being polite to him wouldn't hurt, if he's going to be one of the few to take note of my existence.

"So… good morning. Need something?" I asked him straight away.

Totsuka shook his head, chuckling at my words. How strange.

"Ah, good morning to you too, Hachiman. I'm just happy to see you're back! You were out sick all week, right?"

I nodded yes, surprised he noticed at all. That happy to see me back as well? Sure I helped him out as a part of the Service Club and we exchanged numbers over the summer, but our interactions were always pretty sparse.

He also doesn't really seem like the type to hold ulterior motives. Not like I had anything substantial to offer him anyway. All I could conclude was that Totsuka Saika's a nice guy.

"Thanks. Hope last week wasn't too troublesome," I said.

His smile faltered a bit at that. "Ah, well, troublesome isn't the first word I'd use to describe it. Things were more tense around here."

I figured that was the case. "Really now? Hope you don't mind elaborating."

"Mhm sure. I don't like talking about it behind their backs but… everything involves Hayama-kun's and Yukinoshita-san's families," he whispered.

"Well, of course," I said, nodding at him. "The school hasn't taken the scandals quite nicely, huh?"

"Yeah. You must have heard people in the hallways talking about them, right? I don't know about you but I think it's terrible that they're both going through this kind of trouble," Totsuka said, looking disheartened.

"Y-Yeah. I did," I stuttered out in response.

Truth be told, I did hear more than a few of the slurs and other colorful words thrown around earlier mixed in with Hayama's and Yukinoshita's names. But their insults didn't quite register with me until Totsuka pointed them out just now.

Really, this isn't the kind of talk that I should be ignoring at the moment. Everything about them matters now and I have to get this through my head! I mean, just what do I expect to accomplish without having an ear to the ground? My focus must be on the Yukinoshitas and anything others have to offer. I gave Batman and Alfred my word that I would keep tabs on at least one of them from now on.

It's only fair that this falls on me, y'know? None of this chaos would have erupted without my interference. My actions are the reason why they're calling Hayama a shitty gaijin and Yukinoshita a malignant cun—

"Hachiman?"

"H-Hikki?!"

I heard two voices this time, both wrought with the utmost worry. Totsuka had a hand on my shoulder and I couldn't tell exactly when he began trying to soothe me.

I tapped him lightly on the forearm to get him to stop. Not that I didn't appreciate the gesture, but that part of me was still feeling the effects of whiplash from last night.

What really caught my eye was the person next to him: a short girl with a peachy-pink bun, looking at me like I was some sort of natural wonder. Oddly enough, the feeling was mutual—I couldn't help myself from examining her over twice.

This girl's sudden presence gave her the effect of a passing illusion. It was the strangest thing, because I could never imagine such a person ever fading away.

"Yuigahama…" I finally croaked out.

Woah. I truly wasn't immune to the wonderment of reunions. Seeing Yuigahama's gaze soften the second I uttered her name instilled a… sense of warmth within me.

Well, this effect didn't last long after she opened her mouth again.

"Hikki! You're finally back! It's, like, been sooo long, hehe! Sai-chan's here too! Yahallo!" she happily exclaimed, bringing us three more than a few glances from our classmates.

Ah Yuigahama Yui, as boisterous and bouncy as ever. That bright smile of hers was quite infectious—if I were a normal guy, I'd feel compelled to reciprocate it back tenfold like Totsuka was doing.

Instead, she quickly earned my ire for drawing us all this attention. That's it. Reunion's over, you can go now—

"Yahallo, Yui-chan! Yeah I was surprised to see Hachiman was back too! I thought he would have given you a heads up, at least." Totsuka replied.

Better response than mine, but why throw me under the bus, Totsuka?!

"Mou, that's right! Hikki, I called and texted you all week and you never answered me back! What's up with that?!" she exclaimed, annoying me even further.

"Indoor voice, woman," I told her. "My bad, I guess. I was too sick to even get up for a while."

Well, that was my official excuse when, really, I just blocked her number after the third time she rang me up. Gotta remember to undo that before she finds out.

Thankfully she seemed to buy it and calmed down, tilting her upper body as if to look at me from a different angle.

She appeared contemplative, rubbing her chin. "Well okay then, sorry. So, you really were sick like Komachi-chan said…"

That threw me for a loop. "Komachi? What about her?" I asked.

Yuigahama hesitated to answer me but Totsuka excitedly stepped back into the conversation.

"Yui-chan was the one who delivered all your homework and class notes to your sister everyday! I hope you were able to keep up," he revealed.

Ah, that explains things. Not sure why 'Yui-chan' is getting all flustered about it though.

"S-Sai-chan!" she stuttered, pouting and tugging at Totsuka's dainty forearm.

To that he just pressed his hands together with a sly smile. Huh, didn't think I'd ever see that side of you, Totsuka. Would you be offended or happy if I said it's really like you're just being 'one of the guys'?

I also didn't think someone like Yuigahama had my back, making sure I received all the work I missed. Komachi didn't say anything, so I just assumed those packets were delivered by the school's higher ups or some lackeys.

Really, I should talk to Hiratsuka-sensei about this matter when I see her. It's kind of irresponsible to task Yuigahama or any other student with something like this. She would have had to wait after club hours to get to my house and then back to her own. With everything that's been happening, no one should be out that late anywhere in Chiba. Especially not for my sake.

In any case, however, I also can't deny that the most at fault was myself. My choices have affected the world and the people in it—I can't afford to take things easily. Once again, I've received affirmation that my decision to stay at home for a week was stupid.

I blinked once and finally spoke up. "If that was the case then there's no need for you to react this way, Yuigahama."

She clasped her red cheeks together, looking back at me with a confused face. "Huh? I don't know what you mean by that?"

Hell. Why did I even say anything? Should have just said thanks and kept my shut.

"I mean to say this should be to my embarrassment. I… regret putting you in a dangerous situation. Sorry."

There, I said it. For what purpose though?

Yuigahama , you don't have to look at me like I saved your dog or something. Seriously, stop that.

"Y-You're apologizing, Hikki? No, no! There's no need to worry—"

She was getting noisy again, so I cut her off. "No. No matter how you look at it, there's plenty to worry about walking in Chiba at night. Or so I've heard…"

Ha, more like 'I've seen it firsthand'.

"I know that, Hikki! I wasn't all alone, being 'reckful' and stuff, I swear! Sai-chan, back me up!" Yuigahama tugged at Totsuka's arm again.

"Ehehe, I think the correct word is 'reckless', Yui-chan," he said so with a sympathetic smile, before turning back to me. "But she's telling the truth, Hachiman, I was there with her every step of the way and back."

That's an improvement but, no offense to Totsuka, not exactly ideal. Though as if reading my mind, he stepped up again with more to say.

"And we were always with a group too! Either with Yui's friends or my teammates from the Tennis Club."

Really now? That's semi-interesting. I turned to Yuigahama for confirmation, still a little skeptical. "Was that really the case with your clique?"

"I don't like how you still call us that, but we have been trying really hard to be together again," she said with a tiny smile, holding a wistful gaze at nothing in particular.

Ah, so your wish for all to get along again was granted. It was really none of business when Yuigahama's group had broken up due to Tobe naively confessing to Ebina-san. Of course, I had disagreed with Yukinoshita about taking and executing his request, but all of that was out of my hands when I was barred from going on the trip.

Well, it's more appropriate to say the matter was out of Hayama's and Miura's hands since they weren't allowed to go either and they actually cared.

"Yumiko and Tobecchi came up with the idea last Monday. I was a little nervous when our group chat finally popped up after so long, but now it's almost like we're back to normal," Yuigahama continued with her explanation.

Hmm, Miura breaking the ice for the safety of her friends makes sense, but why her and Tobe? After all, the key figure of that group is Sobu's ex-golden boy. It'd make more sense for him to unite everyone and arrange such a thing, unless…

"Hayama?" I uttered his name to Yuigahama in the form of a question.

She noticeably slumped at my inquiry. "Ah, Hayato-kun, he…"

She trailed off, not wanting to share the bad news.

"Hachiman, no one's heard from Hayama-kun ever since his… father was arrested. Even before that, he stopped coming to school," Totsuka answered in her stead.

"I see…"

Hiding? Normally someone like Hayama wouldn't make such a drastic decision, but even this would be too much for him to handle. That's to be expected. No doubt Yukinoshita's hiding at home for the same reason. Guess I wasn't the only one to chicken out last week, but that didn't provide me any form of consolation.

Yuigahama's brows furrowed, her petite hands clenched together. Perhaps she took my silence as a note of disapproval.

"I know you two didn't get along, Hikki. But Hayato-kun is still a friend of my group. He's always been nice, and um, upstanding!"

Brilliant, correct wording for once, but I disagree entirely. I'd say he's a two-faced prick whose only hardship in life was to maintain his public facade. Until now, of course.

That said, he only did so for the sake of maintaining the status quo… and nothing else. Hayama Hayato was no criminal—unlike his locked up father. Yet, society will make him suffer all the same for the sins of Hayama Hanzo.

I can't believe I feel empathetic towards that boy scout too, of all people.

"My opinion of Hayama aside, I'm just surprised things have carried on as well without him," I offered to the conversation.

Especially when he was playing mediator to desperately reunite his clique. His solo efforts, before the scandals broke out, were quite blatant to the entirety of class 2F.

Who knew it would take his family's reputation to go down the gutter and the defunding of Chiba's underworld to get his group of friends back together?

Wow! You're welcome, Hayama—all the credit belongs to yours truly!

...

Tch… What a shit joke, Hachiman.

"Like I said Hikki, we've been trying hard. Tobecchi got manly for once, hehe, and took Hina-chan to the side. They, like, really talked things through and made up in the end. Then he came up with the 'BUDDYTALK SYSTEM'!" Yuigahama animatedly explained, as if her wacky arm movements gave me a better understanding.

So, Tobe put his hurt feelings aside and stepped up as a de facto leader in Hayama's absence? Wow, what a true upstanding young man. Also, what's with that butchered English, Yuigahama? Should you really be entrusted with using another language when you've yet to master your native tongue?

Unconvinced by this chick's gibberish, I turned to a sheepish looking Totsuka to clarify things for me.

"Ah, it works really well! We split into groups and pairs depending on the day. No matter what though, we call or text each other every time we get home or if, like, something's slowing us down on the way back."

"Keeping multiple tabs on each other on the way home? That's smart." Dunno about the name, though.

"Mhm! It's like I said Hikki. We've been safe all week, so don't feel bad about it or feel like you have to say sorry. Hehe, it's actually really weird when you do it," Yuigahama ended with another giggle.

"You couldn't leave that last part out, huh? Nevermind you then," I responded. Consider this is the last time I'll ever regret anything involving you, Yuigahama.

You chuckle with Totsuka now like I made a funny joke, but I'm being totally serious here!

"Join us, Hachiman! I know you usually like doing things alone, but you'd be a huge help just by being there. More importantly, you'll be safer walking with us too!" Totsuka predictably offered, to which I had a planned response.

"Thanks for the offer, but—"

Yuigahama interrupted me, getting a bit too close to my face. "No 'buts', Hikki! Mou, you were making a big deal just now, thinking I was walking by myself last week. Well, you can't do that either! No expectations!"

The hell?

"You mean exceptions. Look, I have my bike today and it won't be the last time. So, really, we'd be slowing each other down if I had to walk it alongside you guys."

"No you wouldn't, Hachiman! Either way, it's still safer than being alone!" Totsuka jumped back in with sheer fervor. I know I said his looks had no effect on me, but even I almost immediately agreed on the spot...

"Sai-chan is right, none of that matters! You're coming with us okay? So don't you make us corner you at the bike racks! Which is great, because that's where we meet up everyday right after school anyway," Yuigahama pointed out, rather smugly.

What a cheeky girl. Right after school? So that means my assumption about Yukinoshita also hiding back home from school was correct, which means…

"As soon as classes end, huh? Good to know the higher ups had the sense to suspend club activities for the time being," I started.

"Huh?" Yuigahama said confusedly but I continued before letting her talk again.

"If I'm not even required to stay later than usual with you or her in the Service Club anymore, then I'll be fine enough walking home on my own," I reasoned perfectly.

I'd be more than fine, really. No club is a load off my mind and frees up precious time.

"Um, actually—"

*ring* *ring*

Ah, the warning bell's right on time, meaning homeroom will be starting soon and we should all be in class by now.

Still, this prompted both Totsuka and Yuigahama to jump up like a couple of pups. They turned to each other, clearly wanting to get a few matters said and settled before sitting down.

While they were occupied, I looked to the front of the room and found it weird that Hiratsuka-sensei had yet to appear.

Why's that? It's unfair of you to message me last night with such ferocity over my attendance and then not arrive in a timely manner yourself. What, last night's round of smokes and drinks left you feeling jaded this morning?

Oh… think of the devil and she shall appear. Sensei was in her usual attire but looking a little worse for wear. Her unusually long hair was frizzy in some parts and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her lab coat and inner vest was a wrinkled mess.

Really, her entire disposition read like 'I'm going to kill anyone who gives me trouble today' and I felt intrigued as to why.

Yuigahama and Totsuka were still talking amongst themselves, their phones taken out for some purpose. The bell interrupted whatever Yuigahama was going to say to me, but it didn't seem like it mattered. From what I heard, they're still dead set on including me as a part of their 'walk home together' group.

It ticked me off that, despite my refusals, they were actively passing my number and email to someone else involved in this stupidly named 'BUDDYTALK SYSTEM'.

Suddenly remembering something, I searched my bag and took out a cheap, disposable folder filled with a number of documents.

Sometimes appeasing riajuu like these two can't be helped, so I made the decision to leave them by my desk and walk over to sensei herself for the time being.

Yuigahama noticed and called for me in confusion but that didn't stop me. I gave her a small wave with my one free hand and strode across the classroom with ease. I paused right beside Hiratsuka-sensei's desk and observed her hurriedly marking a couple of forms.

…

Amazing—I've been standing right beside sensei for a good ten seconds and she has yet to notice my presence. Should I feel proud or hurt? Not even waving a hand at her seems to help.

"I know you're there. What in the world do you want, kid—H-Hikigaya!" Hiratsuka-sensei yelped at the end when she finally looked up at me.

Her eyes widened and became positively livelier. Yeah, I'm the real deal, teach, not some phantom.

"Yo, morning sensei. My bad, I just wanted to, uh… " I trailed off, losing my train of thought.

Truthfully, I'm not sure anymore why I came up to her like this. More intel? Maybe she knows some other stuff besides what Yuigahama and Totsuka do, but I can't say that was the exact reason. Something to do with this folder that I grabbed from my bag before walking here…

Right.Let's hand this crap in.

Still, she spoke before I did anything else. "Ah, Hikigaya, no. Don't be sorry, I'm really happy to see you're back!"

Good for you.

"Yeah, well, you didn't give me much of a choice. But, I admit it was really irresponsible of me to… take a whole week off of school. Of course, I can't promise it won't happen again," I whispered the last two points.

Well, there you go. She's the first, and probably last, person I've willingly let in on the truth about my prolonged 'illness'.

Her immediate reaction was quite lackluster. I expected to be verbally beaten down or having to dodge one of her punches. But rather than unleashing a 'Final Bullet', Hiratsuka-sensei tilted her head, offering me nothing but a dry look.

"Hikigaya… I'm an adult—a young adult, mind you—who watches the news on a daily basis. Every morning special for the past week constantly let me know you weren't ever actually bedridden with the flu," she pointed out sardonically.

"Oh… that's right." the consequences of being a hotshot were lost on me until now.

Goddamn it.

Hiratsuka-sensei smirked at my lame response and didn't seem like she'd show me any mercy.

"Also, admitting your truancy to your sensei isn't the smartest move, y'know? Not everyone is as understanding as I am."

"…"

I couldn't stop my embarrassment from showing up on my face. She chuckled as I scratched my neck, thinking I should probably get back to my seat and forget this ever happened. Why I mentioned any of that in the first place is beyond me.

"Well, that being said," Hiratsuka-sensei spoke up, eyeing me once more, "I can't say that I don't appreciate your sincere honesty. Thank you for giving me that."

Ah, she really meant that and expected me to reciprocate. However, I failed to keep up with the eye contact and looked away from her before responding.

"...Don't thank me. What's there to be grateful about being entrusted with a lie?"

She shook her head, but that smile of hers never left her voice. "Hmph, I see you're still as endearing as ever. Only you would equate this kind favor to simple lying. What's with the negativity this early in the morning?"

"I'm just saying the truth, sensei. Also, there's just no point in giving one the runaround when they already know more than they should. That's all," I explained with a bit more confidence.

Now that got her a bit agitated. "Whatever, brat. Got anything else for me? Like, say, all the work you missed and probably couldn't finish—"

Chest surging with pride, I quickly handed over the folder in my posession. "Here's everything due since last Monday. Like I said in my message, sensei, I had it covered all along."

Skeptical, she opened the folder and sifted through each assignment with ease. Her incredulous reaction was more satisfying than I thought it'd be.

"...Seriously? All the homework, class work, and even the optional essay due this Wednesday?! What the hell are you?!" Hiratsuka stared at me like I was some sort of unexplained phenomenon.

Ha. Sorry to destroy your image of me as some little kid who can't manage time between work and work. Also, you mind loosening that death grip you have over my papers? I have just those copies on me for today and today only. Like hell my old man's going to let me use up more of his ink and paper all in one go again, without some kind of reimbursement.

Instead of saying all of that, I strangely chose to say something that can be construed as, in my opinion, a 'cool-guy' line.

"I may not look the part, but I'm a man of my word," I said, cringing internally at the end.

Gah! Quit being a fool already.

Well, it's not like I said anything that's overly exaggerated. It's mostly true, especially when it's convenient for me to act like a person who has his things in order. I just hope this showing is enough for Hiratsuka-sensei to get off my back.

"On the other hand Sensei you, uh, look like you've seen better days."

Smooth—you got her to clench a fist.

"Thank you, for that. That's exactly what I wanted to hear this morning," Hiratsuka-sensei said sarcastically.

A nasty thought suddenly occurred to me and I quickly asked her another question.

"You weren't out last night, were you? If you're really watching the news, you should know it's not the best time to be out drinking—"

She interrupted me, waving dismissively. "Yeah, yeah it was my fault. I had a guest coming over late and I needed to buy some last minute booze to share. I went to a convenience store around the corner of my apartment building, that's all."

Hmph, how stupid.

"Oh, drinking with a guest? Well, good to know you had an appropriate reason," I said, upping the sarcasm.

Inexplicably, I felt this oozing bit of disgusting muck form in the pit of my stomach. I shut my mouth before it came out in a form I couldn't take back. Doing so only served to make my nerves shudder even worse. My hands clenched into fists as this vibe of disgust and… anger washed over me.

"...Yeah, well, even I can't down a bottle all to myself on a school night." Hiratsuka-sensei said nonchalantly, though her brows were furrowed and she gave me a pointed look.

I guess she expected something else from me but I had nothing else to offer. Neither of us really knew what to say after, I felt. I certainly didn't feel like delving into the subject.

Hiratsuka-sensei turned away and fished for something inside her purse. She dug out a dark colored ornament and used it to tie her long hair during our silence. I observed her pulling it off in one swift, practiced motion. Her black scrunchie practically vanished, like a new moon against the midnight sky.

She tiredly straightened her ponytail with her fingers, looking much neater than before. But all I could think of was how we were both exhausted for entirely different reasons. Hers left a bad taste in my mouth, so I simply stopped thinking about it. I even looked away before I was to be accused of ogling.

Once she was finished, Hiratsuka-sensei didn't look straight at me either. She smiled at something past me instead.

"Well, that's all for now, Hikigaya. Take your seat, class will be starting in a few minutes… and I think you left your cute friend hanging back."

I followed her line of sight to see that Totsuka was no longer where I left him and had actually gone back to his seat, talking with his neighbors.

Not sure what you mean sensei, only Yuigahama was hanging back by my desk and she's also not my friend.

Heh.

Honestly though, has Yuigahama been waiting there, pouting like a lost puppy this entire time? She really shouldn't have since the rest of these trash-talking neanderthals will get the wrong idea.

Besides that, I felt this strong, imposing aura coming from the back of the room. I looked over and wasn't all that surprised to see Miura scowling at me to do something about her friend.

When did you and your clique get here anyway? Shouldn't people in Tobe's dumb 'BUDDYTALK SYSTEM' do something about this instead?

What a pain in the ass.

Meeting Yuigahama's gaze only prompted her to bounce in place again, causing the guys around her to visibly drool.

"Good grief," I whispered to myself, wiping the corner of my lips with my handkerchief.

Reluctantly, I moved to address the girl but paused at Hiratsuka-sensei whispering to me.

"Hikigaya, I meant what I said last night."

I glanced back at the woman, annoyed at her vagueness.

"Be specific," I said to her.

She scowled, tilting her head in confusion but pressed on after a second. "In my messages. Homework aside, we have to talk about your extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, I don't have time during lunch or even immediately after school today, but we have to sit down—"

"Just let me know when you aren't busy with anything else, Hiratsuka-sensei," I tersely interrupted her.

That was honestly more harsh than I intended. She grunted at that but I didn't turn back to gauge her full reaction. Fortunately, it didn't seem like anyone eavesdropped on our conversation or even eyed us like Yuigahama had.

Well, there was Kawasaki who appeared to be in a foul mood as I passed by her. We must have disturbed her precious silence. I don't think she's the type to expect a 'sorry' from me like the Queen Bee in the back would, but it didn't matter. I wasn't in a conciliatory mood either.

Now, to get rid of this so-called cute airhead.

"Class is starting, Yuigahama. I was just notifying Hiratsuka-sensei of my presence and handing in my work. Miura's waiting for you, so shoo," I demanded, waving her away as I sat down.

She wasn't amused. "S-So mean! And I already knew what you were doing, dummy."

Then you've lost me. "What is it then?"

Yuigahama took a deep breath, signaling she had something particularly important to reveal. Or at least something she thought warranted a dramatic pause, which wasn't much when it came to this girl.

"I... just wanted to let you know that club activities are still going on," she said.

...Well alright, she got me there. Damn it all. This correction of hers ruined everything I had planned to do at the Den later.

"Should they be? Kind of stupid to continue clubs now, especially those whose members are down to only two people like you and me," I pointed out, knowing I came off agitated.

I saw her flinch back a bit but I didn't care all that much initially. As she thought to herself, I did so as well and figured there were other, older people in this building who were more deserving of wrath and scrutiny than the powerless girl in front of me.

Just what in the hell are the higher ups of this school thinking to keep things running as they are? I can understand only hiring one other guard due to budget constraints, but why encourage students to continue to stay later in the afternoon?

Something's not adding up… and how was Yuigahama still operating the Service Club by herself all this time? That's just… not possible. Actually, it feels I've made more than a couple of assumptions that are turning out to be completely wrong.

Furthering my confusion, Yuigahama took on a reserved, demure demeanor. Her head was bowed down as she looked at her clasped fingers. Seeing her actually fidgeting was enough to make me feel just a tad bit guilty.

She whispered just loudly enough for me to hear. "I see. So I guess you, like, probably weren't going to come to the club at all if I didn't tell you anything…"

"Well, that's been the norm for a while now hasn't it been?" I asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, but I never liked that before!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Actually, we have no requests right now, so…"

Right, Isshiki's request was the last and that fell through miserably.

I sighed. "...I suppose it's only fair if I attend again. To make up for, uh, snapping just now and for the trouble I caused you last week. Then you and I will be even."

Yuigahama paused just before giving me a strange, hopeful smile. "Ah, well, then I want to be fair to you too, Hikki."

"What, this means I can walk home alone?" I asked with the tiniest sliver of hope I had left, only to have it crushed into pieces when she shook her head.

"Nope. It's actually, um… maybe you guessed wrong before, but… Yukinon has still been coming to school too, Hikki. Service Club too."

No way.

"...You're joking, right? I mean, that would be kinda stupid," I replied, actually hoping she was just trying to mess with me.

To think that Yukinoshita was actually attending instead of taking the easy route like Hayama…

Who am I kidding? That kind of misplaced, useless stubbornness is exactly what I should have expected from that ice woman. The kind that shines through even during the worst of times. How insane.

"No, I'm not joking Hikki," Yuigahama responded sharply, towering proudly over me like some kind of mother… wolf. Ah, I definitely crossed the line there with my tone and choice of words. Talk about a complete mood switch.

"I wouldn't joke about Yukinon at all. Not now and not ever, Hikki."

Point taken.

"...I see."

"Yeah, so you can choose whether to come to the club or not. Just letting you know for later, okay?"

Yuigahama left it at that and finally turned away, upset as can be, tersely walking towards her seat.

If there ever was a time that I could genuinely say Yuigahama Yui left an impression on me, it would probably be this very moment.

Well, let me clarify by saying that I wasn't intimidated, nor did I feel slighted by her attitude. Rather, I was impressed to have learned firsthand that Yuigahama Yui had ceased to be a total nice girl. Don't get me wrong—that core remained intact, but things have definitely shifted and for good reason.

What it took was a week of society bogging down her dearest friend. Instead of conforming to mob rule, Yuigahama chose to close that chapter of her life, where she naively believed everyone could be friends. She made the decision to defend her one, true friend instead. And, funnily enough, realizing this relieved a bit of the guilt I felt from scaring her earlier.

Sooner rather than later, if Yuigahama continued to stay by her side, Yukinoshita wouldn't be the only most hated girl in all of Sobu. However, I couldn't help but imagine that Yuigahama would uphold second place like a badge of honor.

It was a fact that, during lunchtime, not all of us had the luxury of eating from pre-made bentos. In Yuigahama's case, I noted she was blessed with two such things in her hands as she left the classroom at the beginning of the period.

The only reason I saw that was because she made it a point to noisily pass by my desk on her way out. I must not have reacted the way she wanted me to though, since she left with a pout after glancing at me.

Dunno what the problem was—all I did was look up at her with my cheeks stuffed, hamster-style, with delicious melon bread.

Was she expecting me to be curious or give her an emotional reaction as to where she was going? If so, she wasted her time since it was obvious she was meeting with Yukinoshita and I really felt nothing about that. It wasn't any of my business who she ate with.

I had other priorities to think over…

A can of MAX sounded great right about now, but that would mean getting up and cutting into free time that could be used to sleep on my desk. Not talking about the kind of "sleep" that loners try to pull off to blend in with the background. I mean having an actual, genuine siesta that I hardly get enough of these days. How much is it that I get to sleep on weekdays, like five non-consecutive hours max? Terrible, just terrible.

Forgoing the coffee milk, I slip on my ear buds to hear some relaxing, lo-fi hip hop beats and lean my head into the comfort of my forearms. It only took me, like, five seconds to find the right angle for my head to be comfortably tilted. My phone's volume was adjusted perfectly to drown out the chatter of the classroom, but not so loud that my ears were getting blasted by the music.

All I had to do was maintain this position for another thirty seconds and I'd enter dreamland for the remaining twenty minutes of the period.

Of course, some fifteen seconds later, my right foot gets tapped and my internal clock is reset.

Now I'd have easily dismissed this disturbance as an accident caused by the jerk who sat in front of me all day, but then it happened again.

Then a third time. Then a fourth time.

By the fifth tap, I wished nothing but a special place in hell for this cheeky, four-eyed bastard. I rose up from my position, readily equipped with a glare on my face.

However, instead of meeting Poindexter, I was met with deep pools of green, adorned with long, curly lashes. The hell? Was I having a dream of spring? No, that's not it. This was a face, one that was way too close for comfort, twisted into a deep scowl.

Huh, I was being harshly judged and yet, this visage provided my inner core with a sense of familiarity for some odd reason.

…Kaa-san?

"Hikio."

At that, somehow I managed not to jump back in my seat and blinked a couple of times instead. Thankfully, I also had enough sense to not speak out and audibly refer to this girl as my freakin' mother.

Miura Yumiko was right in front of me. How surprising. No seriously, I almost thought I was having a stupid, unwanted hormonal dream.

From the corner of my eye, I saw my four-eyes neighbor, Glasses-san, leaving the classroom in a huff. It didn't take a genius to deduce that the school's Queen Bee told that pleb to buzz off (ha) and give up his seat for her. Just bad luck for us both that it was for the purpose of disturbing my siesta.

I took off my earbuds and politely addressed her.

"What?"

Well, as polite as I could manage in my interrupted-sleep status.

"Hmph, that's it?" She said rather loudly, clearly unimpressed.

As if she couldn't sour my mood even further, blondie had the nerve to expect me to say more than that. Really, the women of Sobu are a strange, stubborn, annoying breed.

Though what's even more strange, despite Miura being loud and away from her usual throne, no one else in the class was staring our way.

You'd think she'd have a far easier time catching everyone's eye than Yuigahama and Totsuka did earlier. Her popularity was seldom contested by anyone, even by the third year girls, after all.

I suppose she had a couple of amendments made to her monarchy upon reestablishing it the week I was gone. One of them might have forbidden anyone from prying into her affairs and they were all scared enough to comply.

Well done Miura, but your subjects could use some better acting skills. I mean, them looking anywhere else besides our direction only makes it all the more obvious, y'know?

Some of these clowns are looking at the stupid walls…

Huh, the stooges of your clique don't seem to mind one of their de facto leaders is sitting by me. One of them, Tobe, was awkwardly trying to talk with Ebina-san.

Ah, what a hopeless idiot, can't you see Hina-san's more interested in waving at me with an apologetic smile? Be glad I wasn't interested in reciprocating her greeting, Tobe-san. I bet you're the kind of idiot who'd think something was going on between us if I did.

"So, you're back," Miura continued after I stayed silent. "Didn't think you were the type to leave for, like, a whole week."

Miura leaned back against the wall, examining her manicured nails as she awaited my response. Really? To her, I appeared to be the type of person to diligently attend wherever I'm mandated, like school?

Forgive me for being skeptical, Miura, but that's a crock of shit. I wasn't born yesterday, you're definitely fishing for something else.

So, like her, I chose to lie. "I got sick last Monday. It was a big deal, so I stayed home."

"Sick huh?" Miura said, tilting her head as she eyed me directly.

To that I simply wore my usual poker face and refused to let up for even a moment. A few seconds later, she faltered and I took that opportunity to jump in with a question of my own.

"Why is it any of your business?" I asked, lifting a brow at her.

Miura looked away from me, peering down at her own crossed, pale legs. Surprisingly, she wasn't put off by the way I worded that. Rather, she looked lost in thought, perhaps contemplating whether or not to tell me the truth of her sudden inquiry.

"I kinda had a feeling you were finally gone… because of what happened last month," she finally worded out.

"A lot happened last month," I responded, a bit curious at what Miura was going on about.

She was bewildered, to say the least. "Are you serious?! Idiot, of course I'm talking about when everyone was in Kyoto and we were attacked again by that psycho bitch."

That felt like ages ago.

"What of it? We survived—"

"You got shot," Miura whispered sharply at me, gauging my face for a reaction

It got me to shut up for a bit, but I didn't let up any sign of shock.

I appreciated her discretion, since I didn't need the class, much less the school, to become aware or remember that specific detail. I'd rather them mindlessly gossip about how I carried an unconscious Hiratsuka-sensei to the infirmary, like I was some kind of pervert taking advantage of the chaos.

Also, you really don't have to remind me that Lady Comedy landed a hit on me with her gun. There's a mangled scar on the side of my arm that fulfills the memory everyday.

"What of it? I got grazed in the arm and you think I finally snapped or something last week?" I asked her, still wondering why any of this would be her business.

Bingo. She squinted at me, crossing her arms defensively. "It's harsh when you put it that way. Like, why make the effort in sounding like that?"

I scoffed at that. "Nothing wrong with being blunt. Better than beating around the bush."

Like what you were doing, for example.

"...I don't know what would be worse. You, putting on a dumb, brave face or that you're actually okay after everything," Miura confessed, leaning her head on her palm.

"The scenario where I'd need to see a shrink, that for sure would be worse," I followed up.

She sighed at my response. "Nothing wrong with that, Hikio. I'm, like… still not over it what that bitch pulled off."

…There's that colorful insult again.

I stayed silent in order for Miura to get her issues out of her system. She hesitated for a moment—my reluctance to hear her out was very apparent in my exhausted, resting bitch face. But I knew she'd stay and force it out, to finally vent to one of the only people who was with her on the day of the second attack.

Clearing her throat, she began her spiel. "I've been running everyday and training at a dojo for self-defense stuff, even before that day. I hate how sweaty and gross I get all the time now, but I know it's for the better."

I nodded in understanding, recalling the night I ran into Miura during one of my patrols. I mean I did most of the work against those lowly thugs that harassed her, but she did better than most chicks would in her position. She had a respectable goal in mind and applied her training without hesitation when it called for it.

After thinking this, I noted the changes Miura attained for her body through supposedly hard work. Her newfound athleticism made her leaner but also fitted with toned, healthy-looking muscles that kind of showcased through her uniform. Her arms, for example, didn't look uselessly twiggy as they once were.

She's also maintained an upright, healthy posture the entire time we were talking. Those legs of hers didn't look like they were just for show either. Glancing them over in a new perspective, I could tell Miura built up an impressive set of runner's legs. Great looking quadriceps and calves for someone our age—she seriously must have been at it for months…

Yeah, let's refocus again: this issue was a matter of pride.

"So when Lady Comedy attacked us, your hard work betrayed your expectations," I stated.

"That's… That's right. Hiratsuka-sensei, Hayato, and I had to be saved by you in the end," Miura sighed again, looking dejected. "She was totally a head shorter than me too but I still couldn't do anything."

Height isn't everything you know…

"Well, my bad for upstaging you?" I offered, much to her chagrin. "...It was a joke."

Miura rolled her eyes at that, choosing to stay quiet again but still not getting up to leave me alone.

Fine, fine.

I sat upright as well, cracking my neck on both sides before taking another stab at this unwanted conversation.

"So... you were thinking that, if I had succumbed to PTSD or something else after being shot at, the rest of Sobu's shit out of luck?" I asked her, unable to resist a smirk creeping up on my face.

She did lighten up a bit, at least. "Don't flatter yourself, Hikio. I was just using you as a, um, what do they call it? …A point of reference?"

That implies exactly what I just said, woman.

"Well, I'm not troubled and you should probably keep training despite what happened with Lady Comedy," I advised her. "I still don't get why you had to make sure I was alright in the head or why you wanted my input on your time in the dojo though."

In fact, I still feel like I'd be the last person you'd consult. Why not ask Huntsman the next time you see him? Not like that would ever happen, since a girl like you should definitely heed to the mandatory curfew.

"Hmph, you really don't?" Miura asked me, albeit twirling her locks and looking away from my stare.

There was that familiar inkling in my gut that told me not to take her apparent nervousness at face value. Miura was obviously suspicious but I had nothing to go off to determine what exactly she was hiding from me.

The alternative explanation for her behavior that flashed in my mind for a second was nigh impossible.

"Nope," I said flatly.

"Well, th-that's good." Miura responded, her voice slightly high-pitched." Right now I can, like, only tell you that a few ideas have been floating around in my head for a while now."

"Stuff involving me? Never thought I'd ever be relied on," I said, feigning arrogance.

Miura didn't seem to catch that and gave me a dry look. "...Don't ruin a girl's fun. Just keep an open mind the next time I come to you about something, alright?"

You can try to disarm me with those eyes of yours all you want, but I know better than to think I have a choice. Miura, you're the type to run roughshod on anyone who gets in your way. No amount of humble pie could destroy that unfortunate side of yours, freakin' Fire Queen.

Seriously, what's with the women in this class resolving to be both loud and demanding? Take a leaf out of Kawasaki's notebook for once and shove it.

"That reminds me. Yui made you a part of our walk-home group now, huh?" Miura asked.

"You mean the one with the stupid name?" I quipped, no hesitation on my part.

"Shut up, Hikio. Like, who cares what it's called?" Miura asked rhetorically, her cheeks tinted red.

Oops, must have hit a nerve. Funny, you don't seem to be thrilled about the butchered English name either. I knew I wasn't the one with the problem. Heh. Perhaps she could see reason and lend me a hand.

"Hey Miura… I told Yuigahama no but she's not listening. Overrule her or something," I asked, waving it all off.

"Hah?" Miura voiced, her scowl etched like never before. "Like hell I will, idiot. You're coming with us, because I'm tired of being the only one taking this seriously."

And I will help you elevate things?

"What do you mean? You have Tobe, Ooka, and Yamato to help ward off creeps. You don't need me there," I pointed out.

Funnily enough, a part of me was satisfied that she didn't defer to the 'you'll be safer too' argument like Yuigahama and Totsuka did.

She let out a healthy snort. "Sure, those goofballs are loud guys, but that's all there is to them. I want someone to actually help me watch our backs instead of just talking with each other like a bunch of old hags."

What, so because I saved your ass, now I have to pay the price of being relied on? Sounds like a crap deal and I wanted nothing more but off this ride before it even began. Let some other schmuck take the position.

"How about you go wrangle your precious Hayama out of his house instead of—"

Miura tightly grabbed onto my sleeve, cutting off my suggestion. I looked at her in surprise, seeing her shake her head to and fro, her eyes finally looking at me with anger. She was basically giving off the same harsh vibe that Yuigahama did earlier. As if to say I was treading on ground in a manner that she wouldn't tolerate.

How touching. It seems that Hayama and Yukinoshita will always have at least one good person stand firmly by their side.

Miura's grip on me loosened and she let go a second later, satisfied after making her point. Yeah, she definitely would have tried to slap me if it weren't for the fact that I took a shot for her once. That didn't mean I could speak freely about the guy she's most likely still fond over.

She was giving me a pass and I took it, pivoting back to what I really wanted.

"My bad. Forgive me for... stepping there. Look, Miura, just count me out alright?"

Miura's expression had softened at my plea but she decisively turned her attention towards her phone. Her fingers tapped away as fast as lightning. She smirked to herself when it quickly dinged back more than a few responses. Ah, as expected of Sobu's top socialite…

"Yui gave me your number earlier to send out to the group—which I did just now," Miura said so matter of factly, waving her phone at me. "Not gonna let you back out after that, Hikio. Bike racks after club hours. Be there."

Oh, screw that.

"I said it was my bad. Also, message blocking exists and nothing is stopping me from just leaving by myself," I said, directly challenging her.

"Hmm? I'll just, like, tell your parents one of these days if you do that," Miura said without a care in the world.

"...What is this, primary school? You don't even know—"

"Then I'll go to Hiratsuka-sensei too and see if she has anything to say about it."

What the hell?

"You're that determined to make sure I come along?" I whispered sharply at her. "Why not take a step back and see how this looks?"

Miura threw a glance at the room, scaring away more than a few curious plebs. A few comically gasped at being discovered, bowing their heads down. One pair even left the freakin' room…

At this, she rolled her eyes dismissively, following up with a grandiose flip of her long, golden hair.

What's with that smug smile? Happy that you command that much respect? Really, no teenage girl should have all that power…

"Like I care how it looks, Hikio. It'd be easier to just go along with us than to be nagged and nagged, or am I wrong? I kinda doubt I am." Miura derisively mocked me.

She wasn't wrong, not in the slightest and that pissed me off. This was it, I had no defense against being overruled by either party. Hiratsuka-sensei already wanted to "talk more" about my nightly patrols, so refusing to compromise during the day would be a bad show.

And Kaa-san?

She'd definitely nag endlessly at me for reneging on my promise to come home as safely as possible. I didn't need or want her oversight of me to increase exponentially because of this.

'I'll just, like, tell your parents'.

Tch, to think that childish tactic still holds up well, years later…

"Damn you…" I glared at her with my voice hopelessly trailing off, her returning with a light snicker.

As I should have expected, the fire queen got her way without any consideration for the other parties.

Miura got up after she got what she came for, throwing me another cheeky smile before walking away. She strode across the classroom with unprecedented confidence, looking quite satisfied with herself and leaving me unbearably frustrated.

There was a strange vibration going on in my pants as I watched her walk away, swaying left and right...

Ah, it was my phone all along. Yep, that was it.

I unlocked the damn thing and opened a new message, only to find a tragic jumble of the Japanese language.

"YOOO HIKITANI-BRO! i finally got ur deets! LOL. Welcome 2 BTS! o7

-Ur boy Tobe K"

Looking up, I saw the orange-haired perpetrator giving me a stupid grin and two thumbs up.

'Goofball' was too kind of a word to describe this guy and now he had a way of contacting me anytime he wanted with his… nonsense. I had half a mind to walk over to him and shove both his thumbs up where the sun don't shine—

*ring* *ring*

Nooo. Goddamn warning bell.

I checked my watch to see fifteen minutes had passed. My other classmates, including Yuigahama, and the next sensei trickled into the room.

Unfortunately, there'd be no opportunities for me to sleep until much, much later.

Kill me now.

Lessons had passed without much trouble… other than the agonizing pain of trying to stay awake. And now it was finally time for the Service Club. Yippee.

I felt both Hiratsuka-sensei and Yuigahama look in my direction as I walked out of the room, trying my best to ignore them. I knew sensei had stuff to take care of, but it was surprising that Yuigahama didn't start jamming her things in her bag to bolt after me like usual. I suppose she was still miffed about the end of our conversation from earlier?

Soon enough, I reached the crossroads: the wall where I always waited for Yuigahama and the stairs that would lead me to the school's shoe lockers and exit.

It occurred to me that I could just ready myself up and ditch the club altogether instead of making my way towards it.

No matter what Hiratsuka-sensei or Yuigahama thought, to me the benefits of leaving outweighed the costs. Why go anyway if the latter wasn't even hurrying along to make sure I was attending?

Of course, there was a major reason holding me back. I recalled the conversation (lecture?) I had with Batman two days ago about keeping certain connections maintained for a greater purpose.

Whether I agreed with it or not, just routinely being in the same room as Yukinoshita would keep a channel open to Haruno-san, the new head of Yukinoshita Constructions. More significantly, Yukinoshita Yukari's current primary adversary.

On top of that, there was the matter of proving to Alfred and to myself that I had no emotional stake in this case. Continuing to ditch the club would falsely indicate that the opposite was true. The earlier the better. I'm determined to erase all doubts.

There was also the fact that Yuigahama and Totsuka brought me my homework during all of last week. Perhaps it didn't hold much as weight as the other two factors, but there still existed within me a sense of obligation to Yuigahama's part of the action.

With all this considered, it was a no-brainer. I moved away from the middle of the hall and leaned against my favorite waiting spot on the wall. Not ten seconds later, I heard a familiar pair of footsteps make their way towards my direction and braced myself for the usual backpack bop to my side.

Surprisingly, however, the light footsteps came and went with no assault made on my person. No angry pout or dumb question made about why I didn't wait for her in the classroom. In fact, Yuigahama had chosen to walk past by me without even so much as a glance back.

My initial surprise quickly soured to annoyance as I was forced to catch up with the girl.

"Oi, Yuigahama," I called out to her, still not receiving a reply. She did, at least, slow down a bit and I was quickly able to match my pace with hers.

Up close, Yuigahama was clearly playing with her thoughts. Really, what's with this chick? For once, she didn't say anything as we made our way to the usual storage room. Well, she still couldn't help but throw a few glances my way, each time followed by a couple of strange grunts.

Her pace slowed down once we reached the suspended hallway leading to the special building. I matched her footsteps, taking a glance outside where grey clouds reigned above. Our school banners swayed heavily against the wind, indicating the weather was undoubtedly chiller now than it was this morning.

"I saw you," Yuigahama piped up. "You were thinking about leaving. Right, Hikki?"

Huh, didn't think I'd be caught red-handed. Well, since that was the case and I had no reason or room to lie, I told the truth.

"Yeah, that's right."

Simple as that… or so I thought.

Hmph, denying it would have been stupid and earned me further scorn from you, Yuigahama. Not to say I expected praise and smiles for being honest but she brought this up. Now she was silent and kept her distance, making the air around us needlessly awkward.

Nonetheless, our walk continued until we reached a certain point within the special building and she blocked me from walking further.

Was this it? If Yuigahama was going to tell me to leave, then I seriously wish she had done so about a hundred paces ago. So much for making me a part of the stupid 'BUDDYTALK SYSTEM' if all it took to piss her off was me thinking that Yukinoshita probably shouldn't be attending school at the moment—

"I-I love this club!"

…Again and again, I keep forgetting how excitable Yuigahama was by nature and never auto-adjusted her own volume levels. Way to croak that out, Yuigahama.

What was with her saying this exact line once again? It's a rule of thumb that repeating your words only decreases the weight they initially held. Going by that logic, was I right to assume Yuigahama was starting to feel the opposite of her words? I'd find that somewhat intriguing, given how she's always been a far more active member of the club than myself.

If Yuigahama was having doubts about the club now, it was doomed.

"I know, you've told me that before already," I pointed this out to her in mild confusion.

She nodded eagerly at me, her bun bobbing along. Her enthusiasm was so infectious I almost skipped in place. Hmph, was I wrong?

"Last week, I really, really missed it the entire time. Like lots. I mean, I didn't mind being there for Yukinon since she needed me and all. She got a little bit better on Friday, but even then it didn't feel like our club at all."

So Yukinoshita's become depressed, but that didn't change the fact that the Service Club was open for business anyway. "There was nothing to miss, except people actually coming to you two with their problems."

And you can expect the amount of requests we get, from now on, to stay at zero. That works for me.

"I'm trying to say how… Service Club includes you too, Hikki. It just totally didn't feel the same the entire time, y'know?" Yuigahama said earnestly, looking up at me with a sad smile.

I sighed at this, mostly disappointed that my heart actually skipped at her inane statement.

Could I be blamed though? Seeing Yuigahama share a selfish desire that involved my presence wasn't something that I counted on. Where was the girl from earlier who coldly passed by me in the hallway? That version of her was preferable to the one here trying to create a sentimental moment with me...

In my opinion, however, Yuigahama jumped the gun and skipped one crucial step—that is, actually having formed a bond with the other party, me, in the first place. You can't build upon something without proper foundation, woman.

"Maybe I got mad this morning and when you were thinking about ditching us today. But now I'm really happy you're staying with us!" Yuigahama reiterated, tapping my shoulder once.

Ouch.

Tch. Yuigahama trying her best to convince me that we were always close only proved my point even further. She probably sensed this was… ineffectual but wanted to give it another shot. Too bad for her, I had more than enough of her attempts.

"I don't know what you want me to say to that," I finally voiced out. I went back past the girl, ushering her to move alongside me. "Let's go, we've walked the wrong way while you rambled."

Indeed we did. Her fault for distracting me like that and she appeared taken aback. Gathering her bearings, Yuigahama whispered thanks and followed through, quietly moving with me again towards the club room. Unfortunately, this silence lasted for only a few moments before she had another outburst.

"That's it?!"

Oh, for the love of—here we go.

"I said something, like, super embarrassing and you're leaving it at that?!" she yelped out loud.

Yeah, it seems that way and I refuse to feel any guilt. "No one asked you to do that in the first place..."

"So? It's still not fair! You say something nice to me too, Hikki!" she tugged at my shoulder, her voice still shrill as can be.

Definitely not nice. More like selfish.

Annoyed, I swatted her hands away. "Got nothing in mind. So leave me be."

"You're always so grouchy. Couldn't the doctor cure that side of you?"

Ha, you've got a mean streak too. Don't stick out your tongue at me...

"Being annoyed isn't an illness. Though, taking another week off just to improve my mood sounds good."

I smirked. Quite pleased with myself and didn't bother to hide it, annoying Yuigahama even further. Well done.

"Grr. You'd like that wouldn't you? Ditching us, for real this time!" She cried loudly once more.

Right. This time. Yuigahama repeatedly play-punched my arm, invading my personal space again as if this was normal between us. It didn't seem like she was going to stop anytime soon and it was really starting to hurt.

Unfortunately, she backed off before I could land a corrective karate chop to her head, giggling hard to herself.

"What's so funny?" I dared to ask.

She tried waving me off but I kept looking at her to give me an answer.

"I was just thinking, if you did leave us today, I'd tell Yukinon… 'Hikki is playing HOOKY'," Yuigahama sheepishly admitted, fidgeting around.

Ugh.

It felt like a thousand blood vessels in my noggin' just burst instantly. As if it couldn't get any worse, pinkie here scrambled to explain her dumb joke.

"Y-Your name and the other word, like, rhyme when you say the second one in English, hehe."

We took the same English today, you dunce.

"Yeah, I got it. That's not even my name though…" I trailed off.

I'm sorry I asked in the first place, but now I understand being here was a mistake that needed to be rectified.

Ah there we go. As if on cue, I saw an emergency exit a few seconds later. I swerved and walked towards its direction with a skip in my step.

Anticipating my move, however, Yuigahama gripped onto my arm and redirected me back towards our original destination. Heavenly solitude was but a few strides away but denied to me by a daring, airheaded minx. A minx who stupidly brushed herself and her huge funbags against my elbow. It took a few moments until she finally realized what she was doing and got off me with a timid apology.

Not another word was said and we walked on as if that didn't just happen. However, she kept eyeing my damn arm and fidgeting with her hands that were gripping me hard earlier.

Yeesh, nothing's going the way I wanted it to today, huh? Sucks. Let's see if she'll divulge anything else.

"Uh, moving on," I started, clearing my throat. "No requests all last week huh?"

She nodded slowly. "Uhn. Nothing at all really. But, Hikki…"

We reached the club room door right before she trailed off, bringing us both to a stop. Nicely done, Yuigahama. You certainly know how to structure a conversation and use perfect timing to make your next point sound significant. But given that Yuigahama is… Yuigahama, I don't expect this next point to have much substance to it.

"I've asked you to help Yukinon in the past, during the Cultural Festival," Yuigahama reminisced. "And you did it."

Hmph, I was right. Yuigahama couldn't be more wrong, especially about that day. I failed to capture Isshiki and left her free to attack the school a second time. But no one but myself would know about that, so I'm guessing she's talking about the preparations and the event itself.

I shook my head at her. "I didn't do anything other than fulfill my duties like every other committee member. Besides, the event was ruined in the end by Lady Comedy, so that request was an utter failure—"

She cut me off. "I meant before that. I heard what happened, Hikki. You didn't let Sagamin or Yukinon's Onee-san have their way and let everyone take it easy."

Alright, that's true, but not for the reasons you think.

"That was only because Yukinoshita's plan for the committee was the most efficient at the time—"

But Yuigahama interrupted me again with a soft whisper. "It's okay, y'know?"

Stubborn girl needlessly gave me a reassuring smile, her lashes batting at me as if to convey understanding. Wait no, she was pleading with me.

"Please, Hikki. Please be there for Yukinon again. What people are saying about her… be-because of her bad mama and papa… I can't stand it."

She tried to close the distance even more but I stepped back instinctively once her breaths tickled my ear. I didn't like the sensation as much as she didn't seem to like that I caught her eyes getting watery. She brushed her eyes quickly, looking annoyed while doing so.

Don't worry, you've definitely made things far more awkward for me than for yourself.

Undeterred by my wariness, however, Yuigahama continued and I stayed put, beyond her reach.

"I never thought I'd see Yukinon be so… delicate. She needs us to be nice, okay?"

Again, I didn't have a straight answer for her, but I knew it never would have resembled what she sought from me. Yuigahama didn't wait for me to speak and finally opened the sliding door instead.

It surprised me when this typically loud girl silently walked in the way she did. What a curious thing for Yuigahama, of all people, to enter a room without Yahallo-ing to the heavens.

The atmosphere must have been that bad since last Monday. And I was expected to express a level of understanding and comfort, despite having no experience in doing so.

My nerves were slightly riling up again, no, they were even worse than before.

Anticipating an awkward, silent hell of a club meeting, I took a deep breath and followed suit.

Ah, there she was.

Yukinoshita.

A/N: Thanks a lot to the original story author 502Nickster as always. Part 2 should be out this week, because I've taken way too long to update the story and the next part is where some drama occurs. Hope you can bear this slow burn.