Arc I: The Demon of Sōbu
Chapter II,
Cookies Again
Service Club
4:32, PM
"Yuigahama-san, please stop trying to talk with your mouth full", speaks the president of the Service Club. While calmly cleaning the table in front of her. "You're getting the whole table dirty…"
Yuigahama is startled, a little embarrassed.
"Ah! Sorry, Yukinon" the girl uses her hands to wipe a few crumbs from her pink cheeks. "It's just that I can't stop eating. They're delicious."
Yukinoshita gives a small smile at the way Yuigahama cleans herself. She reminded her of a little preschool girl during lunch. So Yukinoshita takes one of her handkerchiefs and gives it to Yuigahama so she can clean her cheeks.
"Dōzo… (here you go)"
Yukinoshita takes one of her handkerchiefs out of her bag and offers it to her companion.
"Thank you, Yukinon" Yuigahama takes the small one, but still does not stop eating cookies.
Yukinoshita could not deny it. Yesterday, Matsuba's cooking impressed her. The ginger cookies he made for them were delicious.
"I thought they were already gone" Yukinoshita mentions while taking a sip of her tea.
Yuigahama immediately nodded with her cheerful attitude.
"Yeah, but Matsu-kun made more for me."
Yukinoshita raises her gaze, nodding in response.
"Matsu-kun…" Yukinoshita repeats to herself.
This should not surprise her, but it still does. The ease with which Yuigahama becomes familiar with others surprises her. But Matsuba is not innocent either. He had gotten under Yuigahama's skin far too quickly.
"Seriously, they're incredible" Yuigahama speaks again, bringing her hands to her cheeks. "Did you like them, Yukinon?"
Without hearing her, out of sheer inertia, Yukinoshita directs her gaze toward Hikigaya's seat.
"He's not here yet" the words escape her.
However, Yuigahama notices her friend's absentminded gaze.
"What's wrong, Yukinon?" Yuigahama brings her hand to her shoulder. As a few crumbs fall from her cheeks.
Yukinoshita looks slightly at Yuigahama. She had not realized that she was speaking to her. Oh, she had not even realized that she had been looking at Hikigaya's seat for quite some time.
"Yes, I did, Yuigahama-san, I liked them" Yukinoshita straightens up, nodding. Then she gives another brief glance at the empty seat. "He's running late…" Yukinoshita thinks. So she asks her companion. "Yuigahama-san, why didn't Hikigaya-kun accompany you this time?, Is he okay?"
Yuigahama, happily moving from side to side, nods.
"Yes, he said he would go see Hiratsuka-sensei first."
Yukinoshita nods. She thinks to herself that he would probably go ask Hiratsuka-sensei about the new editions of the Service Club. It was obvious that he would be annoyed or irritated. Although he did not mind taking the cookies Matsuba had made. Free food won over his pride.
Remembering this makes Yukinoshita give a faint smile at Hikigaya's petty attitude.
She found it somewhat cute.
The door is knocked on with a few light taps.
"Dōzo… (come in)" Yukinoshita speaks, turning her eyes toward the door.
Reddish hair peeks through the doorway.
"Hello, hello" Aisaka greets both girls, while quickly walking to her seat.
"Aisaka-san" Yukinoshita greets her. "Good afternoon."
"Sumimasen, (sorry, I'm late) Yukino-san…" Aisaka replies while hanging her backpack on the chair.
Yuigahama immediately gives her characteristic greeting.
"Yahallo! Aiko-chan" Yuigahama's cheerfulness causes a few crumbs to fall from her cheeks.
Aisaka turns her head. The greeting does not confuse her, she understands it, but what she does not understand is why the only ones who use it are the first-year students and some classes of the second-year students. Although she finds it somewhat silly.
"Hello, Yui-san" she greets, finally sitting in her chair. When Aisaka sees her, she notices that she is still eating the cookies Matsuba made for them. "You really liked them, Yui-san" Aisaka smiles as she points out the obvious.
"Hm?" Yuigahama looks at Aisaka in confusion, when she sees all the mess she made. Her cheeks quickly turn red. "Ha, ha. Gomen, gomen (sorry, sorry)" she wipes the corners of her mouth. "It's just that they're delicious."
Aisaka smiles, pleased that they appreciate her friend's cooking.
"I know" she pauses, and continues. "Haru-kun is very good at baking."
Yuigahama quickly nods, moving her head up and down. But instantly her eyes widen, remembering something.
"Oh!" Yuigahama is startled. "Aiko-chan, before we left, I saw that Matsu-kun and you went together."
Aisaka nods at her statement.
"Yes, Haru—"
But she is interrupted by Yukinoshita.
"Yuigahama-san, don't pry into Aisaka-san's personal life" Yukinoshita interjects.
Yuigahama unknowingly realizes that perhaps she was making Aisaka uncomfortable.
"A-Ah, I'm sorry, Aiko-chan, I didn't mean to…" Yuigahama's dejected words become noticeable.
"No, no, it's fine. It doesn't bother me" Aisaka clarifies things. "And yes, Yui-san, Haru-kun always walks me home."
Yukinoshita listens attentively. It seems Matsuba and Aisaka are good friends.
But Yuigahama understood it another way.
"A-Ah, you two…" Yuigahama could not get the words out. "Are you…?"
Aisaka immediately answers what she is trying to refer to.
"Ah, no. Yui-san. We're nothing like that" she clarifies to Yuigahama. "He's like an older brother to me."
Yuigahama nods, understanding.
"Mmmh" Yuigahama takes another cookie. "I would have liked to have an older brother. I think it would be fun."
Without opening her eyes, Yukinoshita responds.
"Don't be so sure" Yukinoshita speaks, while bringing her cup to her lips and drinking tea.
Yuigahama looks at Yukinoshita, confused by her words.
"What do you mean, Yukinon?"
Yukinoshita lowers her tea cup to elaborate.
"Having older brothers is not as great as people think."
Yuigahama's eyes widen in surprise.
"Hontou? (Really?)"
Yukinoshita nods calmly.
"That's right", she answers while lowering her cup to continue. "It can vary between families. But in the most common cases, some try to bother or bully their younger siblings. They take advantage of them."
Yukinoshita's gaze lowers as she says the words.
Yuigahama never thought there could be such implications in sibling relationships.
"That's bad!" Yuigahama cries out in surprise.
The sound of the door fills the room.
His black hair, and an intimidating gaze.
Hasegawa enters the room.
"Hajime-kun!" Aisaka greets him cheerfully.
Yukinoshita turns her eyes to one of the club's new members.
"Hasegawa-kun, good afternoon" Yukinoshita greets him.
The boy greets them with a sigh.
"Mmmh, ladies."
When Hasegawa sits in his seat next to Aisaka, Yuigahama's voice sounds.
"Yahallo! Hasegawa-kun" Yuigahama greets him.
Hasegawa, puzzled, looks at Yuigahama before taking his seat.
"What did you call me?" His tone was not annoyed or angry. But his face did not help.
"A-Ah! I'm sorry. Did I pronounce it wrong?" Yuigahama responds, a little frightened.
Hasegawa's eyes would have scared her even more, but she was used to always seeing Hikigaya's dead fish eyes. Even so, Yuigahama's voice trembles.
"What? No. The other thing" Hasegawa speaks with a slight frown.
"Yahallo…?" Yuigahama tilts her head. "It's a greeting…" she mentions somewhat dejectedly. "It's very popular among the classes."
"Ah…" Hasegawa sees Yuigahama's slight anxiety. "I didn't know" it was true, he was very out of touch with the new trends at school. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Yuigahama-san."
Hasegawa looks at Yuigahama and begins to bow.
"A-Ah, you don't have to apologize, Hasegawa-kun", Yuigahama speaks quickly to prevent him from bowing. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have—"
"No" Hasegawa stops her. "It was mine. Accept my apology" he lowers his head completely, but raises it again.
Yuigahama shrinks back. Her hands go to her legs. Her cheeks turn red. Hasegawa's piercing eyes do not stop looking at her.
"What's happening to me? I'm blushing way too much" Yuigahama thinks to herself. "Of course…" she barely murmurs.
Yukinoshita, who had been silent, finally speaks.
"Hasegawa-kun" the boy, upon being called, stops looking at Yuigahama.
"Yes…?" he turns to Yukinoshita.
"Do you know when Matsuba-kun will come?" Yukinoshita pauses. "Oh, I don't even know where he is."
Hasegawa lets out a small laugh.
"Matsuba Haruto is the only one who knows when Matsuba Haruto is" Hasegawa takes a moment. "You get used to it, pretty" he finishes speaking as he takes his seat next to Aisaka.
Pretty…
Being called that again makes Yukinoshita not blush. What it does do is irritate her.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to" Yukinoshita raises her tea cup and takes a sip, then lowers it again. "And refrain from calling me that, Hasegawa-kun" Yukinoshita's icy voice emerges.
Hasegawa, who really was not affected by her tone of voice, simply responds.
"Sure, sure…" he answers with simple murmurs. Yuigahama smiles awkwardly. Meanwhile, Aisaka takes notes without paying attention to the situation. But Hasegawa has some questions. "And what exactly are we supposed to do here?"
Yukinoshita frowns in confusion.
"Matsuba-kun didn't tell you."
A dry smile appears on Hasegawa.
"Ha, ha, to that guy we're cattle" he straightens up in his seat. "He sent us from one place to another", his gaze goes to Aisaka. "Did he tell you anything, Ai-san?"
Aisaka shakes her head without changing her cheerful expression.
"Nope."
Hasegawa exhales in resignation. "Sure he didn't…" once again, his eyes go to Yukinoshita. "And then?"
Yukinoshita places her cup on the table. Her hands go to her thighs.
"What do you think this club is about?"
She would try to do the same thing she had done with Hikigaya.
Hasegawa does not look away from her. He simply nods and lets his eyes roam around the room.
He liked riddles.
"Literature?" he comments without further thought.
Yukinoshita straightens her posture, thinking. "Again? Why does everyone initially think this is a literature club?" She shakes her head. "Ah, no, no, it's not a literature club. Why would you think that, Hasegawa-kun?"
"Really?" he asks, puzzled. "Well, you have an air of someone who reads. Your book behind you. And looking at the room, it doesn't seem like there's anything else to do."
Yuigahama shows a somewhat contagious smile.
"Those are good arguments."
Aisaka remained silent.
But Yukinoshita leans a little closer to the table.
"Well, if that were the case. The classroom atmosphere, your assumption about me, and my book. Then why doesn't Yuigahama-san have a book with her?"
Hasegawa pulls his legs beneath the table.
"It doesn't look like she would pick up a book by choice."
"Hey!" Yuigahama jumps in her seat, a little embarrassed. It was true, but he did not have to put it that way. Her cheeks puff up into a pout. "Hasegawa-kun, you're mean."
"I thought so too", Aisaka comments without giving it much importance.
"Ah, Aiko-chan, you too! Mou, you're so cruel."
Hasegawa bites his lower lip. "I'm sorry, Yuigahama."
But Yuigahama's pout still remained.
Yukinoshita continues. "Well, it's not a literature club—"
"Is it about tea?" Aisaka raises her hand.
"A-Ah, no, no. Aisaka-san, it's not a tea club" Yukinoshita immediately answers. "And I don't think one exists. And why would you think it's a tea club?"
"Haru-kun asked me to buy tea" Aisaka takes several boxes of black tea out of her backpack. "It's his favorite…"
Yukinoshita counts all the boxes of tea. There were between five and seven.
"Ha…" she tilts her head. "Well, no. I'm afraid it's not a tea club" she straightens in her seat. "This is the Service Club."
Aisaka tilts her head in confusion.
Meanwhile, Hasegawa looks at her with disinterest.
"Service… club…" he did not want to say what he was really thinking. "And what do you do in a Service Club?"
Yukinoshita shows a slight smile.
"Imagine that a fisherman needs help. What we would do is give him the tools, such as a fishing rod, hooks, bait" she demonstrates the actions with her fingers. "We won't give him a fish. What we do is provide people with the tools to solve their problems."
She concludes with a certain amount of pride.
But Hasegawa did not notice it.
"I understand, I understand" he responds, but still lets out a sigh. "Why the hell would Haruto come to this club? Help? The Demon of Sōbu, helping others? Even as a joke, it's absurd. My afternoon is going to be long", he says to himself.
Aisaka raises her hand, making Yukinoshita look at her.
"Yes, Aisaka-san?"
"Is it something like a therapy club?"
Everyone stares at Aisaka with different reactions.
Yukinoshita with her eyes lowered. Yuigahama with two dots in her eyes. And Hasegawa with a slight smile. Accustomed to the redhead.
The door slides open again.
Hikigaya enters the room, with a slight frown.
"Hikigaya-kun" Yukinoshita raises her gaze from her book to the newcomer. "You're late.
"Mmmh" the loner murmurs.
"Ara, you can't formulate words anymore."
Yukinoshita did not want to lose that tradition. That exchange of words between them.
She no longer wanted to lose anything.
Yuigahama addresses her friend.
"Yukinon" wanting to intervene.
Hasegawa and Aisaka could not be less interested.
Aisaka continued with her notes, while Hasegawa moved his neck in circles, faint cracks could be heard.
Hikigaya speaks as he sits down.
"I was looking for Hiratsuka-sensei."
Yukinoshita reflects.
"Looking..." she takes a moment and continues. "That means you didn't find her."
"No."
Yuigahama notices Hikigaya's annoyance, and Yukinoshita's constant way of teasing him. So, before it escalates, she begins to speak.
"Etto, maybe she went home early. Maybe that's why she didn't teach us."
"Mmmh" Hikigaya murmurs. "Yeah, maybe…"
"Hiratsuka?" Hasegawa speaks, "Is she the teacher with the Mercedes?"
Both Yukinoshita and Yuigahama turn to look at Hasegawa.
But Hikigaya is the one who speaks first.
"Yes…" he speaks while looking at Hasegawa with his frown.
"Mercedes?" Yuigahama looks at Yukinoshita in confusion.
"It's the automotive brand of the car, Yuigahama-san."
"Ah…" Yuigahama nods, but there is still a slight confusion.
So Yukinoshita lowers her tea cup to answer.
"A car is—"
"I know what a car is, Yukinon!"
Hikigaya waits for the exchange of words between the two to finish, then speaks in an annoyed tone.
"Why do you ask, Hasegawa?" Hikigaya straightens up to look him directly in the eyes.
Hasegawa notices the anger. It is so obvious. So it is better to keep it to himself.
It does not matter.
What good would it do to tell him that he saw Matsuba with her?
"Nothing. I like her car" Hasegawa replies, trying to maintain Hikigaya's calm.
Hikigaya analyzes him, he can read him. However, there is no point in asking or confronting him here.
So Hikigaya drops the subject.
"Mmmh" he takes a deep breath. "It's a good car."
Time passes relatively normally.
There were no requests, and the vice president of the club had still not arrived.
4:40, PM
The club had remained silent.
With occasional comments from Yuigahama, and Aisaka.
Some from Yukinoshita as well.
Hikigaya and Hasegawa had remained silent since their exchange of words.
The loner kept his eyes on his light novel.
Meanwhile, Hasegawa rested his eyes, while slouching in his seat.
Not much time passed when once again the sound of the door filled the club.
Yukinoshita was prepared to give Matsuba a great lecture. So she speaks before anyone else.
"Dōzo (come in)" a frigid tone begins to come from Yukinoshita.
Both Yuigahama and Hikigaya look at the door. However, Aisaka and Hasegawa do not. The boy was looking at his phone, and the girl was still taking notes.
Hasegawa smiles, giving Yukinoshita a quick glance.
Since he knows it cannot be Matsuba. He knows the Dark Prince's clues, and besides not being him, those are four consecutive clues. Not two. There were two people.
When they enter, the blond locks of hair can be seen.
Yukinoshita massages her temple. She had gotten too worked up. She had really expected it to be Matsuba.
But the person actually at the door was none other than Hayama Hayato himself, accompanied by one of his clique. Tobe Kakeru, they enter the room.
Yukinoshita speaks as always.
"Is there something we can help you with?" she asks with a certain hint of annoyance.
When Hayama hears Yukinoshita's words, it is obvious to him that she is somewhat annoyed about something. However, when he sees two students he had never seen before, he is startled, but he is so good that no one notices.
"A-Ah, yes, you're busy with another request. We can wait. We'll come another time."
Yukinoshita turns to the two new members, without responding. So Yuigahama speaks.
"Ah, Hayato-kun, they're members of the club."
"Members…?" Hayama speaks, his confusion evident. "Since when?"
Yukinoshita answers immediately.
"Since yesterday."
Hayama turns to Hikigaya. Who gives him a frown. To which, Hayama responds with an awkward smile. This complicates things. He will have to talk with Hikigaya later.
"Ah, of course" Hayama looks at the new members. "I'm Hayama Hayato. Nice to meet you."
Hasegawa's eyes look at him. He seemed familiar.
"Hasegawa" he responds quickly and curtly.
It was as if he had been forced to speak.
"I'm Tobe Kakeru, don't hesitate to use my name, Hasewaga-kun."
Hasegawa clenched his jaw. He could not remember the last time someone had said his name incorrectly.
"Say it again, pretty boy. Do it. Please" Hasegawa moves along with his chair.
Hikigaya opens his eyes, astonished.
"A threat…?" he says to himself.
He did not expect that from Hasegawa.
From Tobe, yes. Getting his name wrong was to be expected.
But he also drops his gaze on Yukinoshita, who did not seem entirely pleased with the situation unfolding.
"E-Eh? Sorry?" Tobe asks uncomfortably, sweating. He did not expect that response.
But the girl taking notes in her notebook saves Tobe.
"Calm down, Hajime-kun, he didn't mean it" Aisaka turns to the guests. "I'm Aisaka Aiko. Nice to meet you, Hayama-kun, Tobe-kun" Aisaka looks at Tobe with a small understanding smile. "Chotto ne, (it happens), Tobe-kun, it's pronounced Hase-ga-wa. It's usually written with the kanji 'Ha' (long), and 'se' (rapid or current), and 'kawa/gawa' (river)."
Hayama responds uncomfortably.
"We're sorry, it's just strange to have new members" Hayama nods as he looks at the situation. "Tobe didn't do it on purpose, Hasegawa-kun."
Hayama tries to save the atmosphere, but his words are in vain.
"Do you see me caring, Blondie?" Hasegawa was already seconds away from breaking something on the talkative one. Or perhaps both of them. "Do yourselves a favor and—"
"Hasegawa-kun" Yukinoshita's icy voice did not scare Hasegawa, it only stopped him. "If you continue with that attitude, I will have to ask you to leave the club room. We do not tolerate violence here."
Hasegawa sighs in annoyance. His hands clenched, his nails digging into them painfully.
Hikigaya's gaze travels.
Words came to his mind. "This would be the first time I've seen someone make Hayama nervous. And all it took was someone twice his size. Incredible."
Under the table, Aisaka touches Hasegawa's hand.
"Calm down, Hajime-kun, nee? (okay)"
Hoping it would work.
So Hasegawa responds with a murmur closer to a growl.
"Mmmh."
But his eyes do not stop looking at Tobe. To which, out of instinct, he goes to take refuge behind Hayama.
This was not over.
So Yukinoshita speaks again.
"And so, why are you here?"
Hayama smiles awkwardly. He knew that irritating way Yukinoshita had of speaking.
"Tobe, we need some advice. So I brought him here… but…"
"No, no. I don't think so. Hayato-kun" Tobe finally speaks while still standing behind Hayama. "There's no way I can ask him for advice. And especially not Hikitani-kun."
Hikigaya, accustomed to being called that, shows no anger. Just his slight frown. He had another problem now.
"Ha… I should threaten him too. Surely that would make him stop getting it wrong. But maybe he'd just laugh and not take me seriously…" the loner speaks to himself. "But I feel like it doesn't really bother me anymore. It's like feeling a small prick in your finger, compared to what I went through yesterday with that guy…"
Hayama looks at Tobe.
"We're here for help, right?"
"But even so. You know…" Tobe continues complaining like a child who is not being allowed to play. "There's no way I can tell him things like that to Hikitani-kun. His help would be useless."
Rather than being annoyed or disgusted, Hikigaya saw this as something in his favor. If he was not wanted for this request, he could very well leave. And visit Hiratsuka-sensei at her apartment.
Yuigahama mutters irritably.
"How… annoying" Hikigaya turns and sees Yuigahama. She was the one who muttered. It made the loner open his eyes slightly. "Tobecchi, that's very rude."
Yukinoshita nods, bringing her tea cup to her lips.
"Well, Hikigaya-kun is in the wrong place, so it's inevitable."
Hikigaya turns to his clubmates. He did not know what to feel about it. He had earned his villain position recently with the cultural festival. Hasegawa observes the situation. Although he was never good at deducing things, it was obvious that these girls felt something for the boy. Appreciation, at the very least. But something.
Hasegawa still tries to understand why Matsuba wanted to be here.
However, Yukinoshita was not finished.
"That's right. We cannot blame them. So I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave the club."
Hikigaya grabs the top of his backpack. Grateful.
"Fine, call me when you're finished."
Hikigaya stands up and when—
"Wait, where are you going?" He is stopped by Yukinoshita's voice.
"I'm leaving early" Hikigaya responds. "You can—"
Yukinoshita turns to Hayama and Tobe.
"They're the ones who will be leaving."
Incredibly, both boys are surprised. Hayama and Tobe open their eyes in surprise. They did not expect those words to be directed at them.
Both boys, who had been waiting by the door, are startled, confused.
"Lacking any sense of empathy" Yukinoshita begins. "I cannot understand how you could think that we would offer you help when you came here of your own free will. I don't think there's any reason to listen to people like you" Yukinoshita speaks with complete serenity. "I advise you to work more on that attitude."
Tobe trembles at her words, his hands tingling and his breathing suffocating him.
"Tobecchi, you're getting on my nerves" Yuigahama drives the final nail in.
Hasegawa and Aisaka, although they understood Yukinoshita's argument, did not understand what Hayama and Tobe had come for.
Hasegawa was surprised that they were surprised by Yukinoshita's words.
You don't go to a hotel and stay in the room. But, besides that.
"Advice? Is this club some kind of counseling service? It would be bad if Hikigaya were here for stupid advice" Hasegawa thinks.
Matsuba had never told them what they would do in the club, he had only come believing it would be a box-stacking club. That way he could get extra credits. And now that he knows it is a service club, how could it affect him if Hikigaya heard what he had to say…?
It's stupid.
Hikigaya, still standing, listened attentively to what Yukinoshita was saying.
Hayama nodded.
"Well, I suppose we were in the wrong" so he turns to Tobe. "Let's go back. This is something we should resolve on our own."
Tobe, this time a little encouraged, speaks.
"No. We're already here. So…" he gathers momentum. "The truth is, I…"
Hasegawa rubs his temple. He could not believe what he was hearing.
"Where the hell did Matsuba get me into" Hasegawa says to himself, annoyed. "A damn confession. That's what I'm here for…"
"Seriously?" Yuigahama asks excitedly.
Aisaka is equally excited.
"How sweet."
Hikigaya speaks.
"So you just want to go out with Ebina-san."
"Yes, yes, exactly!" Tobe, still excited or perhaps even more so, answers Hikigaya. "And I don't want her to reject me and hate me."
Aisaka makes a moved expression.
Hasegawa still looks at the table. He reflects on his life up until now.
"I've done bad things, but do I deserve to listen to this…?"
"I love this kind of stuff!" Yuigahama points out euphorically. "I support you."
Hayama still wears his awkward smile.
"It's not going to be that simple, right?" he asks Hikigaya.
"Well, it won't be…" Hikigaya responds.
So Yukinoshita speaks with her finger on her chin.
"I'm afraid we cannot help you."
Yuigahama, upon hearing her friend's statement, turns to her and, like a little girl wanting to go out and play, grabs her arm and pleads.
"Eh? What's wrong with it, Yukinon? We have to help them, right?"
Yukinoshita looks at her companion, and leans slightly to look at Hikigaya.
Hikigaya moves back.
"Hey, wait. Don't make me decide" Hikigaya thinks.
Hikigaya turns to Hasegawa. But he is lost in his thoughts, while Aisaka is off in the clouds with sparkling eyes.
"Hikitani-kun" Tobe speaks this time. But corrects himself. "No, Hikitani-san."
"No, no, no" Hikigaya says to himself.
"Please" Tobe says as he slightly bows to Hikigaya.
As he listens to Tobe's stupid pleas, he continues with his internal monologue.
"What's wrong with you? Are you stupid? Didn't you learn anything from a few minutes ago? Hasegawa was going to kill you just for pronouncing one word incorrectly."
He asks for help again.
"Please."
"Now you're doing it even worse with me, and even more when you try to be respectful, you just make it worse."
"Please" Tobe repeats.
"Come on! Yukinon" Yuigahama breaks Hikigaya's internal monologue. "Tobecchi needs our help."
"I don't know" Yukinoshita begins. "Although I would like to, we're still missing some members, Mats—"
"Oh, that's right!" Yuigahama shouts. "We shouldn't wait for Matsu-kun."
"That guy. Damn it, for a moment I had forgotten he existed" Hikigaya thinks to himself.
"Matsu-kun?" Hayama asks.
Hikigaya looks at an empty space.
"Matus-kun" he repeats to himself.
He felt like a part of him was twisting inside. He knew Yuigahama was a kind girl.
"I hate kind girls"
Someone screamed inside him.
Yuigahama speaks again.
"Yes. He's also a new member of the club."
Yukinoshita, who had only been listening, nods.
"His name is Matsuba Haruto-kun" she answers while looking at Hayama. "He is the vice president of the Service Club."
Matsuba Haruto… Matsuba… the Dark Prince of Sōbu.
Hayama thinks.
Of course he knew who he was…
His second year had begun normally. His clique had not changed. The atmosphere was the same as always. But there was a new topic of conversation on the first day. 'The new Prince of Sōbu from Class C, second year' they talked about him as if he were the one who would replace Hayama. That same day, one of his friends, Yamato, wanted to show him who was in charge at Sōbu. Yamato did not return to school for a week. When he did, he never wanted to say what had happened. He did not seem to have a single scratch, nothing. Just absolute fear.
Rumors and more rumors.
They said he controlled Sōbu, Kaihin, and the surrounding areas. They said he was a delinquent from another school. He was expelled for beating countless students from different schools.
However, like all rumors, Hayama never took them seriously. He never believed them. Besides, those rumors were too exaggerated to be true. So he paid them no attention. It took Hayama days to see that it was true. Matsuba controlled Sōbu, he could see it. Just by observing his class, he did it. So he did everything he could to keep his clique away from him. And with the same calmness as always, Hayama told his group that the rumors, like all rumors, were false, they could not be true.
Hayama returns to himself.
"So it's Matsuba-kun" Hayama responds to Yukinoshita.
But something different was happening inside him.
Why? Why? Why? Why is that guy here? He'll be close to Yukino… shita… I must…
"Hayato!" Tobe responds restlessly. "Isn't that the name of the guy who bothered Yamato?" his train of thought is stopped by his friend beside him.
Hikigaya stops to observe Hayama's reaction. He is not surprised that he does not know him. If Yuigahama knows who the Dark Prince is, he should know too.
"Yamato could have been mistaken, Tobe" Hayama responds. "You know how he is, always making things up" Hayama dodges the subject.
He knows what he will do, he knows Tobe will accept whatever he says.
So Tobe nods.
"You're right, Hayato. If you say so, it's true."
Hasegawa sees something in the blond and, now somewhat recovered, leans back in his seat with a certain satisfaction.
So Haruto has already had run-ins with them, huh?
Aisaka asks innocently.
"Yamato?"
Tobe turns to the red-haired girl.
"Yes!" he answers immediately. "He didn't come to school for a week."
Aisaka tilts her head slightly.
"Mmmh, one week" Aisaka brings her finger to her chin. "It couldn't have been Haru-kun. That's too short."
Aisaka's innocent face baffles everyone except Hasegawa.
Even knowing from Aisaka's words that they are talking about the same person, Hikigaya simply ignores it.
Yukinoshita coughs to clear her throat.
"I'm afraid I need to ask Matsuba-kun."
"Wait" Hikigaya speaks. "You said that he could accept whichever requests he wanted to participate in. But not decide whether to accept them or not" Yukinoshita listens carefully to Hikigaya. He was right, but for the club president, it would not be appropriate to decide without the vice president. So Hikigaya continues. "We can accept Tobe's request. And when Matsuba is here, we can ask him if he wants to help us."
Yukinoshita was aware of the implications with which Matsuba had agreed to become a member of the club, but at least she wanted to know what he thought.
And also lecture him about being late to the club.
"Hasegawa-kun, Aisaka-san" Yukinoshita addresses the pair. "By any chance, do you have Matsuba-kun's phone number?"
Aisaka shakes her head.
"Haru-kun doesn't have a phone."
Hasegawa, like the girl beside him, answers.
"That guy hates technology."
"What is he, a hermit?" Hikigaya thinks to himself.
"He doesn't use a phone!" Tobe shouts with clear exaggeration. "Wow, what a weird guy, huh, Hayato-kun."
Hayama only responds with an awkward laugh.
"Some people choose not to use a phone" Hikigaya backs up what Aisaka said about Matsuba.
"Really, Hikki?" Yuigahama asks the boy beside her.
"It could be because of trauma" Hikigaya answers.
Although Yuigahama understands it another way.
"Well, my grandfather doesn't use a phone."
"I didn't mean that" Hikigaya answers instantly, so he continues. "For example. He could have given his phone number to someone he was interested in, and he thought that already made them friends. So he sends messages, but they never reply."
As Hikigaya talks about the subject, memories come to his mind.
"They say Hikigaya confessed to Kaori."
"Oh, God. Poor Kaori. Good thing I didn't give him my phone number."
Words from his own mind reminded Hikigaya of middle school.
Yuigahama looks at Hikigaya sadly.
"Another one of Hikki's sad stories."
Hasegawa finally smiles.
"Why do I feel like you're talking about yourself, friend" he laughs a little at what Hikigaya said.
The loner's eyebrows furrow upon hearing the small laugh.
"He said it in general. It can happen to anyone who gets carried away. Yeah, it happened to me, but that doesn't mean it can't happen to someone else. I was very naive. Besides, don't call me friend" Hikigaya speaks to himself. And speaks again. "But there's more. Let's suppose you want to confess to someone you get along well with. You're not friends or anything" he points at Tobe. "Everything is going well between them, and you do it… and then…"
"Hikigaya-kun, I ask that you refrain from telling your traumas" Yukinoshita interrupts.
Aisaka's hand gives Hikigaya a few pats on his hand.
"Aisaka-san, I'm not a dog" Hikigaya thinks to himself. "But I don't mind."
Hikigaya can only let out a murmur.
"And what exactly do you want us to do?"
Tobe takes the floor.
"Well, I want to confess, and I want you to help me or something like that."
"Mmmh, but don't you think it's too risky?" Hikigaya answers.
Tobe leans slightly.
Yuigahama turns to Yukinoshita, confused.
"Risk?"
Yukinoshita answers before taking her tea.
"Risk: An event with the possibility of danger or harm."
"I know what it means!" Yuigahama raises her voice in reproach. "I asked why it's risky."
"Because he could be rejected" Hikigaya answers.
"Are you just taking it for granted?!" this time Yuigahama actually shouts, impressed.
"Yes, it's based on statistics. When you confess. The next day the whole class will know" Hikigaya takes some time. "That in itself isn't bad, but the rumors won't take long" when he finishes, he lets out a slight sigh and returns to his argument. "He could risk being made fun of."
Hasegawa laughs a little again as he speaks.
"Is that another one of your stories, or the same one?"
Aisaka strokes Hikigaya's hair.
"Yoshi, yoshi…, (there, there)" Aisaka strokes Hikigaya again.
Hikigaya turns and looks at the red-haired girl.
"How did she get here so quickly? A second ago she was in front of me" Hikigaya asks himself in his mind.
"Well, well" Hayama, who had been silent, speaks up. "Well, I have to go to my club."
Hikigaya watches as Hayama turns around.
"Tobe" Hayama speaks again. "Good luck."
The words make Hikigaya notice something.
"He's lying."
4:51, PM
"Good" Yukinoshita breaks the silence. "First, let's look for Tobe-kun's strengths."
Silence reigns in the club. Not even Yuigahama said anything.
"I'm friends with Hayato-kun" Tobe answers.
As if that were worth anything.
Hasegawa speaks to himself.
"What an idiot."
"You depend on someone else!" Yuigahama speaks this time.
Hikigaya takes Tobe's answer as valid. There is not much else to go on…
"Is there anything else?" the loner asks Yuigahama.
"Etto… Is he bright?"
Hasegawa adjusts himself in his seat.
"Bright? Is that the best you've got?" Considering that from the first time he saw Yuigahama, he thought she would be more elaborate with her words. But he sees that is not the case.
"If being bright were enough, bald guys would be popular" Hikigaya responds.
"Ah, Hasegawa-kun, Hikki!" Yuigahama shouts desperately. She did not know what else to say as a compliment to Tobe, and her two companions were not helping. "I don't know!"
Aisaka raises her hand incredibly quickly.
"Go ahead, Aisaka-san" Hikigaya speaks.
"If I look at him from the side, he can look cute" Aisaka answers cheerfully.
"Okay, no" Hikigaya responds quickly and this time looks at Hasegawa.
Hasegawa frowns.
"You're asking too much of me, friend" he replies.
Hikigaya turns.
"Yukinoshita…"
"Let's see…" Yukinoshita thinks aloud. "Is he noisy? No, is he annoying?" Yukinoshita closes her eyes, wanting to formulate a single answer. "Noisy and annoying… energetic?" Yukinoshita turns back to Hikigaya with a hopeful smile, thinking that she had said the right thing. "Don't you think?"
Hikigaya understood where this was going.
"Okay. I understand" the loner answers quickly and turns to Yuigahama. "Change of plans."
"So quickly?!" Yuigahama shouts.
Hikigaya speaks to the group.
"Alright, instead of looking for Tobe's strengths, let's look for Ebina-san's preferences."
Yuigahama nods quickly.
"I understand, I understand."
Yukinoshita looks at Hikigaya and responds.
"You mean what Ebina-san feels about Tobe-kun."
"That's right. That way, you could formulate a better plan" Hikigaya answers, agreeing with Yukinoshita.
"Mmmh, good. Yuigahama-san, could you tell us what Ebina-san feels about Tobe-kun?"
Yuigahama is startled, she did not expect that question, nor did she know how to answer it.
"A-Ah, good question…" is all Yuigahama can say.
Hasegawa notices the girl's discomfort and smiles understandingly.
"Holy hell…"
"Well, I think we already have the answer" Hikigaya thinks, and glances at Hasegawa. "And apparently, I'm not the only one."
"Come on, tell me, Yui-san" Tobe speaks expectantly. "The nerves are killing me."
"Are you sure?" Hikigaya tries to preserve Tobe's dignity for a little longer. "Knowing would be like your final judgment."
"But I have to know to move forward, right…?" Tobe responds, still hopeful.
"Yes, but…" Hikigaya tries. "Whatever… Go ahead, Yuigahama."
So Tobe leans forward in his chair.
"Tell me, Yui-san."
Yuigahama avoids Tobe's eyes.
"I think she thinks…" she takes a second breath. "She thinks you're a good person."
"Game over! And thanks for participating" Hikigaya thinks. "When women say you're a good person. It means they're not interested in you at all."
Tobe responds excitedly.
"That's positive."
"She basically told you she's not interested in you, partner" Hasegawa responds with certainty.
"I can't believe he said that! He just broke the only positive thing here!" Hikigaya screams to himself.
Tobe tenses. He had not exchanged words with Hasegawa aside from the greeting.
"But she said I'm a good person, that's something, right?" he asks the group itself.
Yuigahama smiles awkwardly.
"Yeah…"
"Even Yuigahama knows it. Yuigahama" Hikigaya thinks to himself.
Yuigahama quickly speaks, so everyone's eyes turn elsewhere.
"A-Ah, what do you think, Yukinon?"
Yukinoshita, still thinking about things Ebina might like, returns to the group.
"Mmh, being a good person" Yukinoshita thinks. "The term is quite relative, Yuigahama-san. It can mean several things. Or none."
"Yukinon!" Yuigahama cries out to her friend, hoping she would save her. "I shouldn't have said anything" Yuigahama thinks.
Hasegawa, somewhat bored, turns back to Tobe.
"Hey" Tobe turns, somewhat uncomfortable, the sweat giving him away.
"Yes…?" Tobe responds, still slightly uncomfortable.
"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" Hasegawa asks while reclining in his seat.
Tobe shakes his head.
"No, no. Never."
"Mmmh, that complicates things" Hasegawa responds.
"It does!" Yuigahama shouts.
"Yes…" Hasegawa takes a moment to name the boy, still very aware of his earlier mistake. He turns to Yuigahama and answers. "Yes, Tobe has no experience…" he turns back to Tobe again, interrupting himself. "Have you ever even confessed your feelings to someone?"
Tobe shakes his head.
"Now this makes it worse."
"More?!" Yuigahama shouts again.
"He has no experience being rejected" Hasegawa nods.
Yukinoshita watches with curiosity.
"Hasegawa is right" Hikigaya declares.
"Is that so?" Yukinoshita asks. "In what way, Hikigaya-kun?"
"When someone…—"
"Aren't you afraid of being rejected?" Hasegawa interrupts, looking at Tobe.
Tobe shakes his head even faster.
"No, not even a little."
Hikigaya feels the atmosphere change from that question.
"That's something only someone who has never been rejected would say, partner" Hasegawa responds.
Hikigaya watches Hasegawa and thinks. He tries to understand what his clubmate is thinking now.
Yuigahama, noticing how the atmosphere changes and becomes heavier, quickly turns to Hasegawa.
"Hasegawa-kun, have you had a girlfriend?"
"Of course" Hasegawa answers with the same calmness as always.
But Aisaka quickly speaks.
"Yes, Hajime-kun has dated many girls."
Hasegawa stumbles.
"Ai-chan…"
"Yes, there's Sae-san from Class F, Minami-san from Class G, Aname-san from Class C" Aisaka continues, counting on her fingers. "Oh! And also, the lady from the café, Kaede-san, and—"
Hasegawa covers Aisaka's mouth.
"I think that's enough, Ai-chan."
Hikigaya was not surprised. It was obvious that he was more experienced in that matter than they were. And not only because of the first day he met him. When Matsuba asked him to stay in the club, he heard. "He was with that girl…" but stopped when he saw Yukinoshita and Yuigahama.
Yuigahama blushes slightly at the quick and confident declaration.
Yukinoshita, on the contrary. In fact, she was relieved. Hasegawa could help with this request in a good way, advising and giving feedback to Tobe.
Yukinoshita speaks.
"Then…"
The door slides open.
The sound makes everyone turn.
Hikigaya, knowing who it is, clicks his tongue.
"Tsk…" almost inaudibly.
The brown hair shines as he enters, and the sunset makes the golden eyes of the person entering shine even more.
His smile fills the room with presumptuousness.
His uniform was immaculate, wearing the vest with his red tie with golden stripes.
"The king of Rome has arrived" Hasegawa thinks. "He certainly took his time."
At a slow and calm pace, with utmost elegance.
"Ho…"
"Matsuba-kun" Yukinoshita cuts off his greeting.
It was becoming a tradition.
Matsuba simply keeps smiling at Yukinoshita's icy voice.
"Yes…" he answers with a slight movement in his perfect smile.
Tobe tenses upon hearing Yukinoshita's voice. At least it worked on someone.
"You're late, Matsuba-kun" Yukinoshita points out. "You asked me what time you had to arrive. So I expect you to give me a good excuse for being late."
Matsuba smiles, moving through the room until he reaches Yukinoshita.
"Mōshiwake ohen, Yukinoshita-san" (there is no excuse) Matsuba theatrically moves his hand to his chest, as if it hurt him. [1]
"Does he think this is a theater club? Why the hell does he move like that" Hikigaya thinks. "And that accent? What is he trying to do? Sound interesting? He just sounds more ridiculous."
Matsuba leans toward Yukinoshita and takes her hand with such delicacy.
"Tell me what you want me to do" as he speaks, his smile becomes charming and less sinister. "I'll do anything to make it up to you."
Matsuba moves dangerously close to the back of Yukinoshita's hand, bringing his lips too close.
Yukinoshita's cheeks turn red.
"Anything…"
Yukinoshita does not know why, but she thought those words more than she should have.
She wanted to respond, but she could not. She could not form a single word. Everything happened too quickly.
Yuigahama is startled by Matsuba's attitude and blushes slightly.
Hikigaya was the one having the worst time. If his eyes really could kill like the rumors said, Matsuba would already be dead.
Matsuba, who had his lips just a few centimeters from the back of Yukinoshita's hand, caught Hikigaya's reaction from the corner of his left eye.
He loved Hikigaya's reactions, they were so entertaining to him.
It was so much fun making him angry.
Matsuba's smile grows even wider.
At such a fast speed that it creates a slight blur, he straightens up, letting go of Yukinoshita's hand. Matsuba, as if nothing had happened, turns around and walks to a table with some chairs stacked on it to leave his backpack.
Aisaka takes her backpack and pulls out a golden cup. She walks over to Yukinoshita's teapot and pours tea.
When Matsuba returns, Aisaka greets him by handing him his tea.
"Ōkini, anta" (Thanks, dear) Matsuba speaks. [2]
Aisaka returns to her seat. Without any reaction, she was already used to Matsuba calling her that and a thousand other ways.
Hikigaya has his mouth slightly open.
"What is he, her servant?" Hikigaya thinks. "This damn guy has his own maid."
Matsuba turns to the group and leans against the broken window, which has a large white sheet with Matsuba's face drawn simply on it with the caption: Under repair. So his golden eyes turn toward Tobe's face.
"So tell me, who are you, little buddy?" Matsuba asks, showing a row of teeth.
"A-Ah, Tobe Kakeru" Tobe, who still had not gotten used to the atmosphere, has trouble speaking.
And he does not know why.
Matsuba smiles, satisfied by the discomfort of the boy in front of him.
"And why are you here, Tobe Kakeru-kun?"
"I-I came to make a request."
Matsuba's smile was more than obvious. A long one, filled with a desire to know what would happen.
"Honma ni?" (Seriously?) [3]
"You couldn't be more obvious" Hasegawa thinks.
"Y-Yes" Tobe finds it increasingly difficult to speak.
Hikigaya sighs. Although he hates Tobe, he does not want to see this.
"Tobe made a request. He wants to confess his feelings to a girl, Ebina-san."
"Hikitani-kun!" Tobe shouts. "Don't just say it like that!"
"In fact, we haven't accepted it yet. We left it" Yukinoshita speaks. "We were waiting for you, Matsuba-kun."
"Yes, Matus-kun" Yuigahama speaks this time. "Tobecchi needs our help. So—"
"Of course" Matsuba says. He walks toward Tobe, leaving his cup on the table. "Of course we'll help you, my friend" Matsuba puts his arm around Tobe's shoulders. "That girl will FALL at your feet, my friend…" Matsuba murmurs.
Tobe, unaware of the way he words it.
"You mean it?!" Tobe's cheerfulness changes the atmosphere.
"Mmmhp!" Matsuba responds.
Tobe turns around and stands up, taking Matsuba's hands.
"Thank you, Matsuba-san."
Hikigaya notices Matsuba's obvious manipulation. Giving Tobe confidence just to lighten the atmosphere.
"What the hell did he tell him?"
"Don't worry about anything, buddy" Matsuba emphasizes the last word. "Go get some rest. We'll take care of it" Matsuba laughs without letting go of Tobe. "Ha, ha, ah."
It was obvious to Hasegawa how this would end. This was going to be painful to watch.
However, Aisaka did not care. The only thing that mattered was that Matsuba was happy.
Whatever it took. So that he would not leave again.
"So you'll tell me why you were late, Matsuba-kun?" Yukinoshita speaks while drinking tea.
Matsuba smiles.
Hikigaya's jaw tightens as he watches Matsuba smile more and more. Every time Yukinoshita speaks to Matsuba, Hikigaya cannot help but get annoyed.
Matsuba brings his tea to his lips.
"I had a few things to take care of" he says as his golden eyes move to Yukinoshita. His smile makes Yukinoshita wonder again what he had been doing. "Nothing important. I just lost track of time. A thousand apologies, my dear president."
"I understand" Yukinoshita answers, trying not to reveal any hint of embarrassment. "Try not to let it happen again in the future."
Matsuba stretches the corners of his mouth.
"Of course."
"I've got it!" Yuigahama makes the group turn to look at her.
Yukinoshita turns to look at her expectantly.
Hikigaya turns to her with his dead-fish eyes, even deader.
Hasegawa looks at her with boredom.
Aisaka tries to see what she was writing while making little hops in her seat.
Matsuba tilts his head without stopping his smile, waiting for Yuigahama.
Yuigahama blushes because everyone is looking at her.
"A-Ah" she tries to speak. "D-Don't all look at me at the same time."
Yukinoshita turns to look at her tea cup in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Yuigahama-san."
"Mmmh" Hikigaya also turns away, looking at the table.
Hasegawa tilts his neck in circles.
Aisaka still tries to see what she wrote.
"I almost got it" the redhead says to herself.
Matsuba smiles even more as he looks at Yuigahama's blush, which makes her a little more nervous.
"Matsu-kun…"
"Yes, pretty" Matsuba responds just to make Yuigahama blush even more.
Hikigaya's eyebrows furrow further, but he hides it by looking directly at the table.
"Again. This guy probably doesn't remember their names, and that's why he calls them that."
Hikigaya's words are present in his mind as he stares at the table.
"M-Mmh" Yuigahama, seeing that Matsuba was not going to give up, starts explaining her plan. "We need to create an atmosphere."
Yukinoshita speaks.
"Create an atmosphere?"
"Yes!" Yuigahama responds. "Make Tobecchi and Hina-san be alone."
Hikigaya speaks this time.
"But where do we create this atmosphere?"
Aisaka jumps, stretching her arm as high as she can.
"Why doesn't she just say it?" Hasegawa thinks.
While Matsuba simply smiles.
"Yes, Aisaka-san?" Yukinoshita responds.
"We can create that atmosphere on the school trip to Kyoto."
Yukinoshita raises her eyebrows slightly.
"It could work. Make them spend time together during activities. I understand."
Hikigaya speaks.
"Will it work?" Hikigaya saw something the ladies did not. "More than half the classes are going. The last thing we'll have is time alone. We'll be surrounded by several classes every day" Hikigaya clarifies. "We'll be lucky if Tobe doesn't rush and confess in front of a bunch of students."
"Hikigaya is right" Hasegawa responds. "If he gets rejected, they won't just make fun of him. Everyone will know, and it'll be a social execution."
Yuigahama feels slightly sad upon hearing them.
"Really…?"
"In the best-case scenario" Hasegawa responds.
Matsuba slightly picks up the magazine promoting tourism in Kyoto. He slowly flips through the pages and stops at one showing the night and a lonely path.
"Mmmh, what a lovely place" Matsuba says with a slight smile, and finishes drinking his tea. Pushing the magazine away.
Yuigahama does not understand, why?
Why is everyone so cruel? It's just a person wanting to confess their feelings, why would they make fun of that person? They're a brave person.
The knocks on the door make everyone look at the same time.
Yukinoshita speaks.
"Come in."
"Excuse me" a girl's voice is heard before they can see who it is.
"Oh, Hina-chan!" Yuigahama responds.
"Hello, Yui" the girl named Ebina greets her. "Yahallo, Yahallo."
"Yahallo" Yuigahama responds.
Hasegawa thinks to himself.
"It sounds worse every time…"
"Yukinoshita-san, Hikitani-kun, Yahallo, Yahallo!" she greets the others.
But before greeting everyone else, she stops, thinking that they are there because of a request.
"Are you busy?" Ebina asks. "If so, I can come back another time."
"A-Ah, they're members of the club, Hina-chan" Yuigahama responds.
Ebina raises her eyebrows in surprise.
"A-Ah, really?" she takes a breath. "I'm Ebina Hina."
Aisaka smiles and stands up to greet her, bowing slightly.
"Aisaka Aiko. Nice to meet you, Ebina-san. Please don't hesitate to use my name."
Ebina smiles, acting as if it does not bother her.
"Of course, Aiko-san, you too, don't hesitate to use my name."
Ebina turns to the boy with black hair.
"Hasegawa Hajime" he interrupts before she can say anything.
"A-Ah, nice to meet you, Hasegawa-kun, you too, don't hesitate to use my name."
Hikigaya, watching their introductions, was somewhat expectant. He hates it, but it was true. He wanted to see what Matsuba's reaction to Ebina would be.
A simple smile. There was no emotion or interest.
"Matsuba, Haruto" he answers without stopping his smile, bringing his tea to his lips.
Without paying any attention to the guest.
"That's it…" Hikigaya thinks to himself. Hikigaya expected him to stand up and turn her around like he did with Yukinoshita, or call them by those awkward nicknames. How the hell does he say them without even blushing? "I feel disappointed, Matsuba-san."
Ebina simply smiles awkwardly at the way Matsuba introduced himself.
Matsuba, for his part, says absolutely nothing. There was no need for any emotion. Or desire to entertain himself.
"Take a seat, Ebina-san" Yukinoshita speaks this time. "Why are you here?"
"Well, you see" the girl speaks as she takes a seat at the lower part of the table. "I have some things to tell you about Tobecchi" the girl speaks with embarrassment and shyness, while bringing her hands toward herself.
Yuigahama jumps with excitement.
"T-T-Tobecchi?" the girl's excitement is obvious. "What is it, what is it?"
"To-Tobecchi…" Ebina responds.
Yuigahama returns.
"To-Tobecchi…"
"To-Tobechi… To-Tobechi…" Ebina leans backward and jumps forward. "Lately, he's had a good relationship with Hayato-kun and Hikitani-kun!" Yuigahama's reaction does not change, it was as if she had been frozen in time.
"That leaves Ōoka-kun and Yamato-kun frustrated!" Ebina continues. Yukinoshita simply closes her eyes and waits for the girl to finish. Ebina takes a breath and continues. "I would like to see a more passionate relationship!" Hikigaya sighs tiredly. "But that would break my carefully constructed love triangle!" Ebina does not stop.
Hasegawa stares at the girl. As if he had discovered a new branch of Homo sapiens.
Aisaka's mouth is slightly open. She would not say it, but she imagined a little of it.
Matsuba simply smiles and continues drinking his tea normally.
After a few seconds of silence, Yuigahama speaks.
"Etto…" Yuigahama tries to formulate something, but it is impossible for her.
"Lately, Tobecchi talks a lot with Hikitani-kun" Ebina now speaks normally. "They have those secret glances" the girl brings her sleeves to her nose to wipe them. "I just want that if you invite one, you invite everyone. And that way everyone gets along" Ebina wanted to make her point clear. "Or rather, I want you to accept everyone's 'invitation'."
She looks at Hikigaya.
Yukinoshita did not understand what she meant.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"How should I put it… I feel like the group from before has changed" Ebina avoids Yukinoshita's eyes to answer.
"But, come on, men need to spend time together too… right?" Yuigahama turns to Hikigaya, but he only looks away, just like Hasegawa. Meanwhile, Matsuba simply smiles. Not caring about Ebina and Yuigahama's conversation. "To sort out their issues with each other" Yuigahama continues with her monologue. "Like a male bonding", she concludes.
"Male bonding between men?" Ebina repeats. "Good heavens, Yui, how obscene you are."
"Did I say something wrong?" Yuigahama asks, alarmed, turning to look at Hikigaya.
"No, no. There's nothing wrong with what you said" Hikigaya answers immediately.
Yuigahama turns to Hasegawa this time.
"You could have said it worse" he responds.
So Ebina speaks again, this time somewhat calmly.
"I know things are a little different now…" Ebina responds more calmly this time, leaving her fantasies aside. "Than they were before…" Ebina plays with her fingers under the table. "And that's something I don't like. I wish everything were the way it was before."
"Change always comes" Matsuba takes everyone by surprise by responding. His eyes are closed as he answers, and his smile rises as he enjoys the atmosphere. "It's inevitable, ojō-han (dear)…" [4]
The corners of his mouth stretch.
He was enjoying this.
"I know" Ebina responds.
There was no sign of shyness or embarrassment.
Matsuba opens his eyes, and when he sees that the girl does not react to his words, he twists his smile almost imperceptibly.
"Mmmh" Matsuba murmurs, stretching the corners of his mouth even further. "This girl" Matsuba thinks.
However, Yuigahama intervenes.
"But I think it's nice that you get along well with them, Hikitani-kun" Ebina turns to look at the loner this time. "To my eyes, it's something pleasant to see" Ebina stands up. "Well, I also hope to see something 'delicious' during the trip."
Ebina looks at Hikigaya, something only the loner notices.
"Hikitani-kun, I'm counting on you" Ebina finally says as she slides the door open.
Everyone watches as the door slides shut behind her.
A silence rises.
"What was that?" Yukinoshita asks without expecting an answer.
Hasegawa responds anyway.
"Was it because of the girl? Because of what she was talking about? Because she didn't make any request… Oh…?" Hasegawa speaks irritably. "Because there are so many things to ask."
Aisaka speaks.
"Yeah, that girl… so… etto…" Aisaka this time does not know what to answer. "Pretty."
"Aisaka-san, that was even painful for me" Hikigaya thinks to himself.
Yuigahama feels the need to defend her friend.
"Hina-chan is like that. But she's a great friend. She just likes to talk about those kinds of things a lot…" Yuigahama smiles awkwardly.
"Well, actually, I think she did make a request" Hikigaya speaks.
Hasegawa responds, still confused.
"What kind?"
"I think she asked that we all get along, I guess."
Hasegawa raises his eyebrows in response.
"That's true" Yuigahama agrees with her friend. "But Hikki, how do men get along?"
"Well…"
"I think you're being very cruel by asking Hikigaya-kun that" Yukinoshita speaks before Hikigaya can answer. "Yuigahama-san, be more considerate, nee? (okay)"
Yukinoshita points this out with a condemning smile at Yuigahama.
"That's right, Yuigahama-san" Matsuba speaks. "We should be more considerate toward Hiki-gaya-kun" he finishes speaking, this time smiling like a demon feeding on pain.
"Yukinoshita-san, stop giving this guy weapons" Hikigaya thinks. "This guy is going to make me hate seeing people smile. I'm really starting to hate him."
The loner's face screamed only one thing.
Go to hell.
Hikigaya walks through the streets of Chiba toward his home. His steps are slow, tired. He felt a heaviness weighing on him. He knew what it was. But he did not want to admit it.
That would mean letting him win…
The fresh air filled his lungs. The sun had still not completely gone down. Suddenly, a flash. He quickened his pace. His sister. He wanted to get there before her, before his sister Komachi. He did not want his sister to arrive at an empty house.
When he arrived home.
A modest place. No second floor, but perfect for living.
Hikigaya Residence
When he opens the door, he is greeted by his sister Komachi.
"Damn it" Hikigaya says to himself as he takes off his shoes at the entrance. "Komachi…" he greets her with a murmur.
"Onii-chan" the enthusiastic girl begins. "I waited for you so I could welcome you like a great little sister, oh! That must have given me a lot of points."
Hikigaya, who was exhausted, could only raise his eyebrows in response.
"Hai, hai… (Yeah, yeah)"
Komachi, who sees her brother collapse onto the sofa, approaches him. This was common, but her brother at least responded with some energy.
"What's wrong, Onii-chan?"
Hikigaya hears his sister's concerned voice. Less curious or teasing than usual. Although he knows that when she wants to, she can be very perceptive, he does not want to share what he now has to deal with in the club.
"Nothing" he manages to answer. He did not want to talk anymore today.
Komachi's eyebrows angle diagonally.
Annoyed.
She knows her brother almost completely, she knows something is happening at the club.
"Is it about Yukino-san, and Yui-san…" more than a question, that was his sister's statement.
He wanted to answer, he really did.
…Ah.
Of course, them…
It wasn't exactly wrong. But it wasn't right either.
It's not just that.
But even though it was not specifically about them, that annoyed him. Not everything was about them. Hikigaya wanted to tell her that now it was not only them, but also someone disturbing the peace that had previously existed in his club, and what kept him frowning all day was the fact that he could not do anything about it.
Hikigaya looked at her for a couple of seconds. Did he want to tell her? No. Honestly, he did not.
He did not want to talk about some guy who had wormed his way into his club.
When he thought he had finally found a place there, someone came along just to annoy him.
He did not want to talk about him…
"Why do you think it's about them?" he responds with some uneasiness, annoyance, unable to understand his sister's question.
Komachi immediately understood her brother's tone.
He was not like this…
"Onii-chan, you always do something" she responds with the same cheerfulness as always. She did not want her brother to think she was being nosy.
Not entirely.
She just wanted to see him smile, with them.
"Well, it's not about them… if that's what worries you, Komachi…"
Komachi nods.
She will leave it for tonight.
"Okay, Onii-chan" so she turns around, but before leaving, she turns to her brother again. "Remember that Komachi will always support you, oh! That gives a lot of points, Komachi!"
Komachi passes through the doorway and stands there for a few seconds without moving a muscle. She leans her head against the door behind her.
She inhales and exhales.
"Onii-chan…"
Omake: New Faces and Glasses
"Ha, ha, Ebina-san, she seems to be a very energetic girl, doesn't she?"
Aisaka says cheerfully.
"I find her unpleasant. I hope I never run into her again" Hasegawa responds with both arms crossed, staring into nothingness.
"Mmmh…" Haruto barely murmurs, without stopping his smile. Ignoring the subject. "Anyway, the next chapter is: The Demon Brings More Demons. Which translates as: I Swallow More Demons! Ha, ha, ha. I hope you find it entertaining."
Aisaka brings her finger to her chin.
"Mmmh, you mean Yuu—"
"Ah-ah-ah!" Matsuba covers Aisaka's mouth. "No spoilers, sweetheart!"
Notes for Chapter Two: Cookies Again
This chapter is essentially a connector to what will be the first part of the main plot.
Points to clarify:
I made a small update, adding more content at the beginning between Hajime, Aiko, and Yukino and Yui. I wanted to have some integration between them. But I didn't know how to approach it, so I watched the first episode of the series, and well, I did almost the same thing. Using the club's premise to establish a small conversation.
The request for Tobe will not be changed. Everything will continue according to canon.
In the next chapter, the first antagonist of the season will appear.
TRIVIA
Note: Why are these words used?
Haruto is originally from Kyoto. He will use several words with the Kyōto-ben accent.
[1] – It is used to express a very serious and respectful apology. おへん (ohen) is a dialectal form from Kyoto/Kansai related to polite negation, giving the phrase a regional nuance.
[2] – ōkini means "thank you" and is an expression strongly associated with Kansai, including Kyoto. あんた (anta) literally means "you", but depending on the relationship, it can sound familiar, affectionate, or even somewhat blunt. Among people who are close, such as Haruto and Aiko, it can sound warm and familiar. However, あんた does not literally mean "dear"; that affectionate nuance depends on the tone and relationship between the characters.
[3] – Honma ni? – It is a very common expression in Kansai, including Kyoto. It is used to show surprise, disbelief, or curiosity when someone tells you something unexpected.
[4] – It is a traditional Kyoto/Kansai form of addressing a young girl, especially with a certain degree of politeness or respect. はん (han) is a regional variant of さん (san) and gives it a more distinctly Kansai nuance.