Arc I: The Demon of Sōbu
Chapter III,
The Demon Brings More Demons
Uji Station, thirty minutes from Kyoto.
Class C-2
8:57, AM
The class was a short time away from arriving in Kyoto.
They had been the first to leave Chiba Station. Apparently, the students had organized themselves in advance to arrive before the other classes.
Strange.
Since they would be going directly to the hotel where they would be staying. They would have to remain in their rooms and wait for the other classes to arrive half an hour later.
Before, Class C was not this organized.
Their overall performance was below mediocre. They did not have the best grades, nor were they actively involved in events at Sōbu High School. However, they had become closer than the other classes. Now, for some reason, several of them were in the top twenty in the overall ranking of their average scores.
"Ah…" the sigh of a dark-haired boy with round glasses escaped him. He looked out the train window. "Kyoto will be…"
His name, Renta Mizumi.
A serious, somewhat short boy, he could be classified as a nobody. He did not talk much, nor did he follow trends, but he had several friends, and he was pleasant when talking about his interests.
"It will be that. Oh, yeah, if someone has enough courage to change the train's route", the girl beside him replied. As she crossed her legs elegantly over the seat in front of her. Her short hair and the way she spoke made the others look at her. "Okinawa…" the girl named. "Why the hell didn't we win Okinawa?"
Kurosawa Mei was the one in charge of the words.
She was the current class representative of Class C.
She was kind, did not like waiting, and always sought to stay by Renta's side. She had a slender figure, was a great athlete, and almost became the captain this year.
"I voted for Okinawa", the bored boy murmured, Kuroda Kenji, the second forward of Sōbu's soccer club. "Beaches, girls from other schools, and food…" the boy spoke, imagining the scene. "What more could a man ask for."
Kuroda was the fourth-tallest boy in his class. As mentioned, he was the second forward of the soccer club behind Tobe Kakeru.
"You're so predictable that your routine has become boring, Kuroda-kun", the girl with white pigtails, Hikari Sora, replied. "Kyoto has better things than Okinawa. Elegant…"
The boy who was standing turned toward the conversation.
"Elegant, she says", he spoke, interrupting. "Hikari-san. You'll get tired on the first day, and since you won't be able to see everything, you'll just compare souvenirs", the boy, Shibata Shin, concluded.
The clown of the group.
Hikari was known for not having much stamina. She was always the last to arrive in track-and-field tests.
"You talk as if this were a stroll", in the back, a boy, Tachibana Ren, stood up and walked toward the group. "They're going to watch all of us the whole time. We won't be able to do anything."
Kuroda moved his eyebrows carefree.
"Relax, Tachibana", he tried to raise his hand to touch the boy in front of him, but failed and leaned back into his seat again.
"Lazy…" Hikari commented to herself.
"As long as you don't do anything out of the ordinary. The teachers won't tell us anything", Kuroda concluded.
There was a moment of silence.
They all looked at each other.
He was always smiling.
His brown hair was…
Golden eyes, similar to molten iron.
If God did not create him in His image and likeness, then who had created him?
An overwhelming invisible force rose from the back of the cabin, flooding the atmosphere.
It was like being underwater. Feeling tons of weight.
A cold and suffocating sensation.
However, Shibata broke the atmosphere.
"Yeah, as long as we don't throw Mizumi into a well, we'll all be fine."
His mocking smile and the way he ruffled Renta's hair said it all: Don't mention it, ungrateful bastard.
"Hey!" the boy with glasses shouted. "You'd fall before you could even reach me", he replied, while removing Shibata's hand with annoyance.
The scene in general eased the tension of the small group.
"Yeah, well, I'm going to lie down when we arrive", Kurosawa said. "Oh! And hopefully the hot springs are open."
Hikari spoke this time as she adjusted her glasses.
"I want to go to Kiyomizu-dera. They say it's beautiful at sunset."
"I just want to eat when we get there", Shibata commented as he leaned against Renta's shoulder.
"Sencha", Renta said. "Lots of Sencha tea."
Kurosawa spoke.
"Sencha is bitter, I don't know how you can like that", the girl said as she crossed her legs again, but toward the boy's side.
Tachibana replied to the comment.
"Like you."
Everyone laughed, but Renta turned slightly toward his window, hiding a faint blush.
Tachibana spoke again, but this time a little more seriously.
"Well, as long as we don't have any incidents. Everything is fine."
No one answered immediately, and once again the ocean fell over them.
"He, he…" the sweet voice of a girl interrupted their atmosphere. "Don't you think you're leaving out something important."
Nishikawa Rina.
The girl with her long skirt and equally long hair declared with her hands on her waist. She was now standing in the middle of the aisle, looking at the group that was talking. Meanwhile, in the corner next to her, Matsuba could be seen smiling with annoyance.
Kurosawa looked at her with her usual graceful smile.
"And now what, Rin-san?" she called her by her nickname.
Nishikawa immediately walked toward the group through the aisle as if she were on a runway, then turned around and pointed at Matsuba with both hands as if he were a work of art.
Oh, an animal on display.
"As long as the boss is here, we're untouchable."
"Boss…" Hikari repeated. "Here we go…" the girl with the pigtails took it for granted.
Renta simply adjusted his glasses.
Kuroda simply nodded with a smile.
Hikari only looked at Matsuba.
Shibata did the same, but then looked back at Nishikawa.
Tachibana simply looked at the floor, hoping for the best in this situation.
"Right, boss? Everything is under control", Nishikawa said to Matsuba while he simply looked at her with his irritated smile.
Matsuba looked out the window from his seat. He smiled. As always, but with a slight annoyance that was almost invisible. Although he did not like this girl because of how talkative she was, he put up with her since she obeyed.
However, this was one of those moments.
"Ni-shi-ka-wa-san…" Matsuba addressed the girl.
Nishikawa ran toward Matsuba, kneeling down and placing her head on the armrest of the seat.
"Yes?" she spoke in an expectant and childish tone.
"Don't speak unless it's…" Matsuba said, smiling and showing all his teeth. "Necessary."
"I understand, I understand, I'm sorry!" Nishikawa immediately replied, bringing her hands to her forehead, pressing them together as she apologized. "I take it back, I take it back, boss."
Some laughed, while others sighed. These situations had become part of everyday life for Class C.
"Nishikawa-san," Hikari spoke, "stop acting as if this were a gang, because it isn't."
"Gang…" Nishikawa repeated, pretending to be hurt, deliberately copying Matsuba's theatricality. "I wouldn't put it that way, it would be a student group study organization."
Kurosawa just looked at the floor.
"That sounds worse for some reason."
Nishikawa quickly turned to Matsuba.
"Come on, boss, tell them. Tell them everything is meticulously calculated."
Matsuba sharpened his smile again.
"If you keep talking…" he paused. "I'll make you carry all the luggage to the hotel."
Silence took over the train car.
"HA! Did you see that?" Nishikawa turned to the others. "That's my boss. Cruel, efficient, egalitarian, and completely unfair."
Nishikawa rushed toward Matsuba and tried to hug him, but he simply pushed her away by extending his arm without any sign of force.
The others watched the situation.
"Why does he put up with her?" Kurosawa murmured to the group.
Renta simply shook his head in response.
Nobody knew.
Everyone remembered what Nishikawa had been like before Matsuba arrived.
She had been the complete opposite of what she was now. Less talkative. Her voice was always quiet whenever she spoke.
Hikari answered.
"We all wonder the same thing", said the girl with the pigtails.
Renta looked out the window again, turning his gaze away. Kuroda went back to his phone, Shibata returned to his seat.
Everything had calmed down for the small group.
In another train car, far from the commotion of the small group, four students watched the scenery with little interest.
Before, everyone looked at them.
Now, no one did.
Kanzaki Daigo was leaning against the seatback, his arms crossed and a bitter expression on his face. Tall, broad-shouldered, with black hair with some orange highlights, combed backward.
"Before, all it took was looking at them for them to shut up", he muttered through his teeth. "They're so noisy. It annoys me."
Beside him, Oshima Kaito let out a dry laugh. He was shorter, slender, with sharp eyes. He was not intimidating, but he could be by using his words, rumors, and small manipulations.
"They don't even fear us anymore, it's pathetic… I feel pathetic…" Oshima commented. "Wow, I disgust myself…"
In the seat across from them, Aizawa Reina. Her posture was perfect. Aizawa did not raise her voice. She simply spoke with a confidence that made others follow her.
"Speak for yourself, Oshima-kun", she said calmly, raising her gaze to the scenery.
Beside him, Fujimori Nao absentmindedly played with a strand of her long hair. She was the most expressive of the group, the one who used to laugh when someone made a mistake or broke under pressure.
"I don't understand…" she complained like a little girl who was not allowed to participate.
Kanzaki spoke again.
"Do you remember? What it was like before he arrived…"
"Of course I remember", Oshima replied, happily remembering the old days.
"And now…" Kanzaki let out a bitter laugh. "Now everyone talks as if nothing happened."
A silence fell over them.
They all knew the name they avoided saying.
Kanzaki gently hit the folding table in front of him.
"Because he is here", Aizawa said calmly, tucking a strand of her long black hair behind her ear.
Before, that small balance controlled the atmosphere of the class.
The name did not need to be spoken.
Until he arrived.
He walked through the school as if nothing were wrong.
Calm.
As if all of Sōbu belonged to him.
"So…" Kanzaki finally said. "Maybe it's time to remind everyone who was in charge here first."
Once again, silence engulfed them all.
"Yes… sure", Oshima murmured, although his voice no longer sounded as confident as before.
Aizawa sighed.
Fujimori simply raised an eyebrow.
And then it happened.
Kanzaki raised his eyes… and his gaze met someone on the other side of the train car.
Sitting beside the window.
Relaxed.
Watching.
Matsuba.
The boy was leaning back in his seat, his chin resting on his hand, as if he had been listening to the entire conversation… which was quite likely.
His golden eyes met Kanzaki's directly.
And then he smiled.
A wide smile.
Too wide.
Showing his teeth.
Or rather…
Fangs.
Or at least, that's what they looked like.
"…Ah" Kanzaki opened his mouth slightly, with a faint trace of fear.
"Ah…" Oshima repeated, copying his friend.
Kanzaki swallowed.
"Were they always…" Fujimori murmured without taking her eyes off him. "…Were his fangs always like that?"
"I think so", Aizawa replied quietly, appreciating the smile.
She found it frightening, but attractive.
"No, no, no", Fujimori whispered. "They weren't so… pointed before. Or were they?"
The boys said absolutely nothing.
Neither of them could take their eyes off Matsuba.
Kanzaki cleared his throat.
"He must have heard us", he swallowed again. "No, right? He's very far away…" he said slowly.
Oshima immediately nodded.
"No, it wouldn't be impossible", he said, but the doubt prevailed. "I think…"
Matsuba simply tilted his head slightly.
As if he had heard something funny.
Then he raised his hand… and gave them a small wave.
Smiling.
Still showing those fangs that looked like teeth.
"Well", Kanzaki said with artificial calm. "We can… uh… remind everyone who was in charge here… tomorrow."
"Oh, never."
"Yes", Oshima immediately supported him. "Tomorrow sounds good."
Aizawa and Fujimori looked at each other.
Both girls had honestly expected that reaction from them.
"Cowards…"
Aizawa barely murmured.
She was tired of this.
I didn't think Hikigaya Hachiman would ask me for something like this.
"Zaimokuza… keep an eye on him."
The God of War Hachiman has returned.
"Ah… Hachiman, you've come back to ask your master for mercy again…"
Actually, when he told me, I thought it was one of those dry jokes of his, the kind where you don't know whether to laugh or feel insulted.
Yesterday afternoon, Hachiman asked me for something without any irony.
He told me that he was genuinely worried.
And even more so if he was asking for my help, personally!
So here I am.
Watching from the shadows was Matsuba Haruto, the Demon King of Sōbu who now lurked around the Service Club.
I thought of Yukinoshita Yukino.
I thought of Yuigahama Yui.
I thought of Hachiman.
That tired look of his, believing he could handle everything and that everything would turn out fine.
No.
I clenched my teeth.
"Easy, Hachiman", I muttered to myself. "The Dragon of the Cursed Eye is watching."
And if Matsuba Haruto thinks he can get close to the heroines without anyone noticing…
Then let him prepare himself.
Because even Demon Kings die.
"How much are you muttering, creepy!" Kanzaki shouted from the back.
Zaimokuza jumped from his seat in surprise.
"A-Ah, nothing!" he said as he straightened himself in his seat.
When they stopped looking at him.
He returned to his monologue.
"Don't worry, Hachiman, I'll help you defeat him… once I get out of this damn place…"
Chiba-eki, Chiba Station (千葉駅)
10:56, AM
"Etto…" Yuigahama, a little hesitant, began to want to start with the request. "So, how will we sit?" Yuigahama spoke to her companions again.
Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, Hayama Hayato, and Tobe Kakeru.
Hayama spoke up.
"Anywhere is fine", the boy replied.
Miura immediately picked up her pink suitcase.
"Ah, I want the window side", she said happily as she watched Hayama take the suitcase so he could put it away for her. "Thanks, Hayato", Miura replied with a certain hint of embarrassment.
Yuigahama watched the situation.
"This isn't working!" she screamed to herself. "Why didn't Hayato-kun help me put Hina-chan next to Tobe?"
Yuigahama had really been expecting Hayama to help her. He had been in the club when Tobe made the request.
"Mmmmmmh", the frustration was evident in Yuigahama.
Miura, immediately noticing, saw her friend's face.
"Yui, are you feeling okay?" Miura's simple words pulled Yuigahama out of her little trance, but even so, Miura sounded genuinely worried. "Come sit down. Ebina, you too."
"Ah, I know!" Yuigahama thought.
"Hina, there", Yuigahama pointed, but Ebina pushed her aside. "And Tobecc—"
"Yes, yes, Yui. Over there", Ebina replied with her usual smile. "And me here. And Kawasaki-san will sit across from us."
Kawasaki Saki, the girl who had been mentioned, was startled when she heard her name. She was grabbed by the arm.
"Hey! Wait, no! I'll choose another side."
But Ebina was incredibly faster and grabbed Kawasaki.
"Come on, come on", Ebina said as she sat her down across from her.
Six seats, three on each side.
Miura looking at Hayama, Yuigahama looking at Tobe with a forced smile, and finally, Ebina looking at Kawasaki.
Everything was being observed by Hikigaya.
It did not bother him how inefficient Yuigahama had been, what did bother him was that Hayama had not helped her. He knew about his friend's request. So why not make the group go in that direction?
He very well could.
But it was more than obvious to the loner.
He did not want it to happen.
He had known it from the moment he left for his club and left Tobe to his own devices.
What friends.
If that's what it meant to have them, Hikigaya would rather not have any.
"He's lying", he remembered saying when he saw him leave the club.
"Where should we sit, Hachiman?"
An angel speaks.
He said… Totsuka Saika.
Whatever, the scene changes, and the train moves forward.
Now Hikigaya was not really interested in Tobe's request itself.
Tobe did not interest him.
What kept him in constant stress was that guy.
Matsuba.
Hikigaya had been trying to read him, as he did with everyone.
What was he looking for?
Why did he want to join the Service Club?
It couldn't be something as stupid as the Sagami situation.
Yes, Hikigaya had made all the mockery that was supposed to be directed at Sagami come toward him instead.
Was that why Matsuba decided to go to the club…
What did he want from Yukinoshita?
Why was he like that with Yukinoshita…
Looking at Yuigahama like that sent a shiver down him.
Why did he indulge Yuigahama? He gave her more cookies. That had to mean something… Right?
"Those cookies were the best I had eaten in years…" Hikigaya still remembered the taste of the ginger.
Back to the loner's thoughts. Matsuba. He embarrassed her just to irritate Hikigaya. He watched him, watched every time Hikigaya twisted his mouth, and his dead-fish eyes seemed even deader.
It even got to the point where he asked Zaimokuza for help. That's how desperate the loner was. He tried to look for Hiratsuka-sensei, through the trip, but she was on another decline. So he decided to go to her when they arrived in Kyoto.
"Besides, why did his class leave earlier? They shouldn't have all the same schedules. Damn Sōbu. What is that guy after?"
But he did not plan to find out today or tomorrow. First, he had to solve Tobe's situation, after that…
He would deal with Matsuba.
And the club would return to normal.
"This is very difficult…"
Yuigahama pulled Hikigaya out of his thoughts as he heard her and saw that she was walking to the seat on the other side of the aisle near Hikigaya.
"Is it really that bad?" the loner asked.
"It's just…" Yuigahama began to explain. "Tobecchi is scared of Kawasaki-san. So the conversation isn't flowing."
"Flowing… what a stupid word" Hikigaya thought.
"And Hina-chan is more daring than ever", Yuigahama concluded.
"I see I'm not the only one having a hard time" Hikigaya thought.
"This is going to be more difficult than I thought. It'll be difficult to leave them alone", Yuigahama said dejectedly.
"Don't worry, leaving them alone probably wouldn't solve it either", Hikigaya replied.
"You're right, Hikki", Yuigahama nodded.
"We'll solve it when we get to Kyoto", Hikigaya replied, resting his head against the backrest.
"Tobe-kun…" a third person's voice made Hikigaya and Yuigahama turn toward the seat.
"Sai-chan, are you listening?" Yuigahama asked the boy.
Totsuka shook his head in response to Yuigahama's question.
"He said it on the trip to Chiba Mura Park. Right, Hachiman?"
"Y-Yes", the loner still was not used to being called by his first name, so he simply nodded.
Hikigaya remembered the moment they had been in that cabin. Tobe had confessed that he thought Ebina was cute.
"Oh, Hachiman, look at Mount Fuji!"
Totsuka pulled Hikigaya out of his memory.
Without thinking, Hikigaya approached the window to see Mount Fuji.
"Eh, I want to see it too", Yuigahama leaned against Hikigaya's shoulder to see the mountain through the window. "Mount Fuji, it's beautiful."
Hikigaya tensed when he felt Yuigahama's hand, but it no longer bothered him.
He felt the slight warmth of the girl's hand, Hikigaya felt the heat of blood slowly rise to his cheeks.
"That, a pretty girl doing this may seem cute, but it isn't. It can lead to misunderstandings" Hikigaya spoke to himself, trying to think quickly to lessen his embarrassment. "You understand, Yuigahama, avoid physical contact. Even if I don't mind it as much now, you should avoid sitting next to men."
The internal monologue gnawed away at Hikigaya.
"Yuigahama, you're very close."
When Yuigahama realized how close she was to Hikigaya. She jumped backward.
"Oh! Sorry, Hikki", she avoided Hikigaya's eyes and spoke again. "Well, it's time for me to go back."
Yuigahama ran back to her seat. Returning to the group.
And Hikigaya breathed again.
"Are we almost there?" Kuroda asked. "I want to stretch my legs already."
Hikari, who was beside him, replied.
"Fifteen minutes."
The boy sighed.
"Hey, did you hear already?" Shibata stood up with his phone in hand.
Kurosawa, who had her head resting against Renta, spoke.
"What thing? Did a woman touch you?"
Some laughed.
"Ha, ha, ha", Shibata replied, annoyed. "No."
"You don't have to confirm it, Shibata-kun", Hikari replied.
Shibata blushed completely.
"NO! I mean…" the boy tried to formulate a response. "I'm just answering, it's not about that. I mean the Kyoto thing."
Renta responded, controlling the situation.
"What is happening in Kyoto?"
Shibata coughed to clear his throat.
"Dear students of Sōbu", he began reading from his phone. "The institutions Katagiri Senior and Shiritsu Itan High School will be joining us on our trip. Remember to be kind and don't forget to have fun…"
"Something tells me this is going to be annoying", Tachibana replied.
"Oh, look on the bright side, Ren, we'll get to see cute girls from other schools", Kuroda replied cheerfully.
And instantly, a sweet voice rose.
"He, he… he, Boss~" Nishikawa, the girl, raised her arm again. "Important question."
Matsuba, who was admiring the view, turned toward the girl.
"Yes, my self-proclaimed second-in-command?"
Nishikawa puffed out her cheeks.
"Don't put it like that!" the girl said, pouting. "It makes it sound like you don't pay me."
"I don't", Matsuba replied without stopping his smile.
"Details", Nishikawa replied. "I wanted to know if you already know who controls the schools in Kyoto."
The group raised their eyebrows at the same time.
Control, that word made them wonder, what were they talking about?
They knew Matsuba. He was the closest thing to a delinquent in Sōbu. Of course, there had always been someone who was bullied by the others. Those who harassed students with rumors disappeared overnight.
Thanks to him, everything had calmed down.
They knew who made the decisions in Sōbu. That was the only thing they knew.
To everyone, that was something extraordinary.
But this was different. Controlling schools. It couldn't be true, right?
"Mmmh" Matsuba brought his finger to his chin, thinking. Then he rested his elbow on the seat without taking his eyes off Nishikawa. "Control, sounds. Vulgar. I'd say: Guide."
Nishikawa copied Matsuba's gesture.
"Uh-huh", she replied. "And then?"
"Yes, I've already talked with a couple of them", Matsuba answered the question. "They're entertaining guys. We get along well. Their tea. That, though, tastes horrible. But everything else is fine."
"I knew it!" Nishikawa shouted happily.
"Mmmh", Matsuba murmured cheerfully. "Besides, it isn't appropriate to arrive in Kyoto without greeting the hosts. That's what rules are for."
Everyone listened attentively.
"Is that… normal?" Renta whispered.
"No", Kurosawa replied quietly. "But it's Matsuba."
Most of them knew that gangs existed in Chiba, Tokyo, throughout Japan.
But this was already bordering on absurd.
And it all started when he arrived at Sōbu.
Matsuba, Haruto.
"Don't worry. Don't concern yourselves with anything. As long as everyone behaves. Your stay will be peaceful."
That was very specific.
The teacher let out a long sigh, the kind that came from deep in the chest after too many school trips and too many teenagers to keep an eye on.
"Don't separate" the teacher said with a tired voice. As he lowered the list of the students' names. "Alright, you can go to your rooms now, in about twenty minutes the other classes will arrive and—"
"Ah, sensei, excuse me" Hikari spoke.
The teacher stopped, with annoyance barely showing.
"What is it?"
"Matsuba-kun is missing", the girl with the pigtails replied.
"That's fine", the teacher replied.
Hikari, confused, asked a question,
"That's fine?"
The teacher walked toward the hotel exit.
"Go to your rooms and wait for the others to arrive", he said as he left.
Several of them looked at each other, confused by the teacher's complete lack of interest in Matsuba.
"So he really isn't here…" Tachibana said. "We arrived early, and even so."
"He did it on purpose", Kurosawa replied with her usual calm.
"Of course it was", Tachibana replied. "It always is."
"But he said the stay would be peaceful…" Renta spoke. "If he says it, it will be true, right?"
"Nishikawa-san, do you know where he went?" Kurosawa asked.
Nishikawa puffed out her chest, with a confident smile and an assured tone.
"Of course."
Renta looked at her for exactly three seconds.
"She doesn't know", he replied upon seeing the obvious lie.
"Renta-kun!" Nishikawa cried, almost on top of Renta. "Don't expose me!"
The group laughed, relaxing.
Everyone expected the trip to be peaceful.
"Maybe he just went to buy souvenirs…"
The group was still laughing over Nishikawa's little drama when the area in front of the hotel gradually began to fill with noise and movement.
A few meters away from them, some of the students from Class C were animatedly discussing.
"I'm telling you the shrine is ten minutes away on foot", Amano insisted, pointing at his phone.
"Ten minutes according to your sense of direction", Fujita replied, crossing his arms. "The last time you got us lost in the shopping mall."
"Anyone can make a mistake, Fu-kun", Amano retorted. "You'll see, we found an amazing takoyaki shop."
Takeda sighed, looking at the hotel with a clear lack of enthusiasm.
"The teacher said we should go to our rooms."
Okabe was already walking in the opposite direction.
"Yeah, well… the teacher also said, 'Don't separate.' By the way, see you in an hour", he added with a carefree smile.
Nakano and Sugimoto immediately followed him.
"Wait!" Takeda raised a hand without much conviction. "Technically, that counts as separating…"
But the three were already walking away down the street lit by lanterns.
Near the entrance of the hotel, two girls watched in fascination as a small group of women walked along the sidewalk dressed in elegant kimonos of soft colors.
"Look, look!" one of them whispered excitedly. "They're beautiful!"
"I want one", the other replied. "No, wait… I want three."
"One yellow with a rose pattern."
"I want a red one, with a dragon design."
"And I want a black one."
A few steps away from them, two boys from the class were trying to talk to some young women.
"Just… be natural", one murmured.
"How am I supposed to be natural if I've never talked to someone older?" the other whispered.
"Just say something elegant."
"Elegant, like what?"
"I don't know… Something Kyoto-related!"
The boy took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Uh… good afternoon… uh… do you like… Kyoto?"
Silence.
The women looked at him confused.
His friend covered his face.
"That was painful to watch."
Back with the main group, Kurosawa watched the whole scene with a calm smile.
"Definitely, no one is obeying the teacher."
Renta adjusted his glasses.
"As long as Matsuba-kun isn't nearby, I think we'll be fine…"
Kurosawa took Renta's arm.
"Anyway, let's go get some ramen…"
Renta tried to escape his friend's grasp, but it was impossible.
"K-Kurosawa-san, wait, we should—"
Shincho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 600-8001, Japan
11:00, AM
"Yuta!"
An agitated voice stumbled through the main street. The owner of said voice, a young man between twenty-one and twenty-three years old, made his way through the sea of people in front of him.
When he emerged from the sea of people, two other boys emerged as well, equally agitated.
"Yuta, they saw him!" the boy spoke again as he arrived.
The boy they called Yuta. He wore a completely black uniform. He had a neat appearance, his hair was disheveled and ashen, while his brow was furrowed.
Today, he had no time for so many idiots.
"What the hell do you want?" Yuta said in his bad-tempered tone. "Can't you see I'm about to beat this old man?"
They were playing Shogi. [1]
Yuta was nowhere near winning.
"You couldn't even beat my granddaughter, brat", the man replied.
"Tsk…" Yuta rolled his eyes. "Damn old man, it was luck."
Yuta still remembered that girl's face.
Ridiculously long black pigtails, a shrill voice, and a stupid white hat on her head. [2]
The man laughed.
"Ha, ha", he patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll ask her to teach you later."
Yuta's eyes seemed to have no pupils. And the veins on his forehead were bulging much more than before.
"What the hell do you two idiots want?" he spoke again, directing his eyes toward the boys.
The pair of boys jumped when they saw his eyes.
Several drops of sweat ran down their faces.
"He's here…" the first one began.
"The Demon of Hi—"
Yuta jumped from his seat, standing up.
He had not let him finish speaking.
"Brat!" the man shouted. "What the hell are you doing? I was two moves away from beating you, again."
Yuta's eyes were fixed on the floor, his hands trembling.
Anger?
Fear?
Hatred?
His jaw creaked.
"Haruto…" he spoke to himself. "Haruto is here."
That same one.
That damn bastard.
His memory came back.
The blows felt like tons of weight.
The marks were still there.
And his smile, his damn smile.
"I'm sorry, old man", Yuta said, raising his gaze. "The game will have to wait."
Matsuba walked through the streets of Kyoto. He had not noticed it, but he was lost. He looked at one shop, then another; at one point they all seemed the same. Although he did not care in the slightest. He continued down the streets, the same ones intertwining with each other, making him feel somehow uncomfortable.
It reminded him of his childhood.
He did not like feeling trapped.
While looking at the trinkets they sold. His eyes stopped as he looked at masks of different animals, wooden katanas, several yukatas of different colors.
He would like to wear one.
But what caught his attention was a stuffed animal.
It had a rounded shape, with tiny black dots embroidered as its eyes.
It represented a capybara.
He tilted his head slightly as he looked at the stuffed animal, as if he were analyzing the stitching of the plush.
"It's cute…" he murmured to himself.
After that interruption, he continued on his way. He did not buy it, he did not even touch it. It was enough for him to see it, which made his day a little brighter.
A little farther ahead, the street seemed to have no end.
The smells began to emerge from the food stalls.
A couple of seconds were enough for his hands to become filled with skewers of meat sizzling over the charcoal, rice sweets covered in shiny syrup, fried fish, and steaming bowls of soup.
How did not even a single drop fall?
Then, a small group of girls in the middle of the crowd sent Matsuba small smiles. One of them smiled at him somewhat shyly, and another brought her hand to her mouth to whisper something that made the rest laugh.
Matsuba gave them a smile. He did not want to cause a commotion, yet…
What good would it do to scare a couple of girls?
Where's the fun in that?
One who did not seem to want to scare them.
Even so, a small tingling sensation began to rise.
Matsuba smiled to himself.
It was a sensation he had not felt in the past few months, and unfortunately for him, it would not go beyond that.
First, there was a still figure in the middle of the street, then, by instinct, his neck turned to the side, other eyes that had not stopped watching him, there he was, leaning against a wall. Then Matsuba saw in front of him a fairly large group walking in the opposite direction from the other people.
Straight toward him.
Several students wore different uniforms, some were gray, one was completely white, but others were black with different styles, some longer than others.
And others wore ridiculously wide pants.
Matsuba watched as the people walking in front of him moved away, and his index finger met his chin.
"Mmmh, different uniforms…" Matsuba said to himself. "Erai… (Incredible) [3] you've outdone yourself…"
Kyoto Station
(京都駅 – Kyōto-eki)
11:21, AM
Hikigaya's class finally arrived in Kyoto.
Students took out their phones to take pictures. Large groups of them posed for the cameras.
While Hikigaya watched them.
That had not changed about him. He still hated it.
Superficiality in its purest form.
"Hikki!" Hikigaya heard Yuigahama calling him.
He turned to look at the girl.
"What happened?"
"Help me!" Yuigahama said, barely carrying three suitcases.
"Why does she have so many?" Hikigaya thought to himself. "M-Mmh, sure", Hikigaya replied as he took one of Yuigahama's suitcases.
"Thanks, Hikki", Yuigahama spoke as she sighed from the great effort.
"Y-Yeah", Hikigaya replied. "We should go with the others", Hikigaya pointed out as the group moved away from them.
Yuigahama turned to look at her group, the ones behind them.
"Oh, yeah!"
Yuigahama took his arm with hers and made him run along.
Hikigaya felt Yuigahama's arm pass underneath his. It was obvious that the loner would blush.
"Hey! W-Wait", Hikigaya spoke.
He still hated nice girls.
"Yuta-kun!" Matsuba spoke without taking his eyes off the front, tilting his head childishly. "It's been so long since I've heard from you, my friend…" at an abnormal speed, Matsuba turned to look at him. "You look thin, have you been eating well?"
Yuta took a few steps toward Matsuba.
They were now several meters apart.
"How sweet, you're still pretending to be a yakuza, it's adorable", Matsuba began, moving mockingly around the place. "Remind me, what was your stupid social group's name again, Kuro-neko? No, no. It had nothing to do with cats, Yananoi? Nope, not that one either."
One of them shouted.
"It's Kurokiba, we're the Black Fang!"
Matsuba opened his eyes slightly, hitting his palm.
"That!" he paused. Then he furrowed his brow. "…Kuro… kiba?" he remained thoughtful for a few seconds. "Wait, wait…" he raised a finger. "Wasn't it Kurobuta?"
One of the boys stepped forward.
"That means black pig."
"Like that?" Matsuba once again brought his finger to his chin. "Then it was… Kuroba… Kurobara? Kurobanana?"
Someone behind him growled.
"KUROKIBA!"
Matsuba nodded childishly.
"Ahh… Kurokiba? That sounds familiar. Although, I think I liked Kurobuta more" some clenched their fists. "Because capybaras are also kind of… large rodents, right?" Matsuba continued with absolute seriousness. "So I thought maybe you were some kind of animal club. Are you sure it isn't Kurokuma? No, no… Kuro… Kebab."
One of the boys rushed toward Matsuba with his fist clenched.
Only to find himself on the ground instantly.
No one saw how he did it.
Almost everyone stepped back in unison.
"What the hell?" one spoke while walking backward. "What did he do?"
Another spoke in a trembling tone.
"Did he knock him out?"
"How am I supposed to know? Are you an idiot?"
Footsteps could be heard, small stones bounced across the ground.
"So tell me, Yuta-kun", Matsuba approached the boy. "How have you been? Did you miss me?"
Yuta clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his skin.
"Matsuba…" he murmured, extremely annoyed.
"So you did miss me?" Matsuba's voice took on a different tone.
Yuta clenched his jaw.
"You're a long way from Chiba, don't you think?"
"Do you think?" Matsuba leaned toward him. "I came back home." The smile stretched wider. "Oh, one of them…"
"Kyoto isn't your home anymore, Matsuba", Yuta replied, inhaling.
Matsuba raised his smile mockingly.
"And I thought I'd come visit an old friend…" Yuta's fist landed inches from Matsuba's right cheek. "And I see you're still very slow, dearie." Suddenly, laughter filled the place. "Ha, ha, ha."
Yuta brought his fist back. His left leg stretched at a ninety-degree angle, aimed directly at Matsuba's face.
Dust rose into the air.
And Yuta quickly cleared it with his free hand.
Matsuba was no longer there.
"Where are you?!" Yuta shouted, his eyes widening. "Matsuba! Come out! Damn—"
"Be careful what you ask for…"
His arm was resting on Yuta's shoulder; Yuta had not even noticed. Matsuba's face was beside him, inches from his cheek.
However, Yuta could not have cared less.
In a quick movement, he shifted to his right, attempting to grab Matsuba's sleeve, but missed by inches.
"Ah-ah-ah", Matsuba moved his finger from side to side. As Matsuba's voice began to deepen. "Don't do that. Remember the rules, Yuta. Everyone knows what happens if you lose in a one-on-one fight…" he moved his head from side to side mockingly, stretching the corners of his mouth.
His golden eyes gleamed.
His breathing became ragged.
Expectant.
Desiring.
"I will take your territory."
Some began to murmur.
"Damn… actually…"
Another boy joined in.
"There's no way, Yuta-san can take on that guy."
"Idiot, don't you know who Matsuba is?"
"We could hold him down together", another murmured from behind. "Then he won't be able to escape."
"Imbecile…" another murmured. "If we interfere in a fight against one of Chiba's leaders. The others will come for our heads, you want to die?"
One of them explained from within the crowd.
A small laugh escaped Matsuba.
"I hear you're very well informed", his tone turned cheerful as he once again placed his arm over Yuta's shoulders. "I'm glad to know the student spirit is still alive. In any case, don't worry, my dearest friend. I'm not coming for your territory… yet."
"You couldn't…" Yuta spoke as he removed Matsuba's arm.
Matsuba simply smiled.
"Anyway", Matsuba moved backward. "I only came to warn you."
Yuta put his hands into his pockets.
"Warn us?"
"That's right!" Matsuba raised the corners of his mouth. "As many of you already know, I now belong to Sōbu High School", he mentioned as he adjusted one of his cufflinks. "So, if I see one of yours trying something with Sōbu's female students. Taking them to some stupid karaoke room. Oh, yes, if I see you intimidating a boy. I'll come back and your stupid gang will cease to exist." Matsuba raised his hand toward the sky, clenching it, then lowered it and pointed his index finger at Yuta. "Just like I did with the others…"
Some let out murmurs.
"Damn…" one said from the back.
"He thinks he can come here and give orders", another replied beside him.
"The others?"
Another one from the crowd asked.
"You don't know?"
He shook his head.
"Matsuba defeated the previous leaders of the biggest gangs in Chiba… no one has seen them since."
His smile grew as he heard the murmurs.
He began taking steps backward, turning his back to them.
"Oki, doki. That's all, my friends", he raised his voice. "It was good catching up."
A clean laugh escaped Matsuba.
Yuta, who still had his hands in his pockets, could only murmur.
"This isn't over, Haruto…"
Upon arriving at the first temple.
Hikigaya admired a monolith. He appreciated what the writing on it said. The stone stood alone, somewhat abandoned among the entire place.
Students walked past it, ignoring it.
Somewhat ironic.
Honestly, he did not expect anything.
Yuigahama was with Hayama's group. Yukinoshita was inside the temple, from what he saw out of the corner of his eye. Hasegawa was nowhere to be seen, and Aisaka was taking countless pictures of a cat that was climbing a tree. As strange as it sounded, Hikigaya found it adorable. Aisaka's attitude reminded him of his sister Komachi.
"But not cuter than Komachi" but immediately Hikigaya, as if thinking otherwise were a sin, looked around and observed that most of the classes were already here, along with other students in different uniforms. Then he turned and saw Zaimokuza, making deliberate and completely baffling gestures with his hands. "This idiot is going to get himself killed", Hikigaya said as he looked at the ground, wondering whether he had really done the right thing by asking Zaimokuza for help.
So if his 'not friend' is here, that means Matsuba is here.
Zaimokuza finished moving like a mating animal and gave Hikigaya a thumbs-up.
And that means—
"Did you hear? Matsuba-kun is friends with Ryūji-kun."
Hikigaya heard a girl speaking in a far too shrill tone.
"Damn that guy, he's even popular with girls… and who the hell is Ryūji, sounds like the side character of a badly written plot" Hikigaya said to himself.
"Yeah, that's so cool. Matsuba-kun knows an Idol. Maybe he studied here with Ryūji-kun in Kyoto. That's why they know each other."
"Transferred… from Kyoto… Mmh, maybe" Hikigaya thought, but as he did, he caught the end of the girl's dialogue. "Ah, so he's an Idol, this Ryūji guy."
"Hikki!"
The approaching voice of Yuigahama made itself known to our loner.
Hikigaya turned toward his companion and then turned back again.
"What happened?"
"You have a minute?" Yuigahama spoke with a smile on her face.
Hikigaya twisted internally.
"Mmmh, maybe later, Yuigahama."
At this moment, he did not want to work on Tobe's request.
"Mmmh, Hikki!" Yuigahama puffed out her cheeks. "You just want to avoid the work." The girl took Hikigaya's arm. "Come on, I already called Tobecchi and Hina-chan", Yuigahama clarified as she dragged Hikigaya along.
"Mmmh", Hikigaya murmured as he was dragged away.
While Hikigaya composed his stride, removing Yuigahama's hand. He mentally prepared himself for the situation. Both students passed among the others.
Students like them, tourists, and people avoided them as they walked.
When they arrived, Hikigaya saw who had gathered.
Tobe, Ebina, just as Yuigahama had said. But she had never mentioned Hayama and Miura.
Hikigaya simply rolled his eyes.
Yuigahama approached Hikigaya's ear to whisper to him.
"I chose this place so Tobecchi and Hina-chan could be a couple. That way, they'll have some time alone, right?"
Hikigaya moved away when he felt Yuigahama's warmth.
Sensitive ears.
The loner raised himself slightly to see the chosen place.
"It's dark inside", Hikigaya commented. It wasn't that Hikigaya was afraid. It was just that it could be dangerous. He wasn't used to being in places with little light.
"Yeah, that's why if we go in at different times, we can give them a chance to be alone", Yuigahama replied.
"Will it?" Hikigaya wondered.
But Yuigahama had already devised her plan in advance.
"Then, let's go in pairs!" she shouted, turning toward the group behind her. "Okay, etto… first Yumiko and Hayato-kun", Yuigahama spoke somewhat nervously from her excitement at seeing that her plan was going well. "Tobecchi and Hina-cha, Hikki and I will go last", Yuigahama finished.
However, Hayama spoke.
"Since we don't have much time…" however, it seemed that Yuigahama's plan did not matter to Hayama, since he had taken the initiative. "We shouldn't wait too long between each pair, don't you think?"
To which Ebina replied.
"You're right", supporting Hayama's idea.
Miura simply watched both of them, waiting for Hayato to make his decision.
"Yes, but I don't think it'll take much time", Tobe, the one in love, spoke. "So there's nothing to worry about."
Hayama simply smiled at Tobe's refusal, accepting it. There would be no point in contradicting him.
"Fine, but it's better to return as soon as possible", Hayama replied to Tobe.
"But why?!" a male voice intoned from behind. Like a symphony. "We're on a school trip. We should create memorable memories for posterity, why not let ourselves go…?!"
The atmosphere grew heavy, mouths went dry.
Breathing became difficult for some of those present.
"Tsk…" Hikigaya's tongue clicked this time, but the sound did not come from him.
"Matsuba-san!" Tobe spoke with great joy.
Hikigaya watched as Matsuba approached them from behind.
"Since when has he been there?" Hikigaya thought. But at least, he hoped his presence would do something useful for the request.
Although Hikigaya did not know what it meant that he might be of help to Matsuba.
Hayama turned toward the speaker. His smile overwhelmed him. It immediately surpassed his own.
He only knew him through rumors. Now he had him right in front of him. He needed to know him.
What was he like? Who was he?
And what if he became a problem in the future?
So the Prince Charming of Sōbu spoke.
"Matsuba…"
It was useless.
"Haruto", he replied instantly. He had not realized it, but Hayama was no longer the owner of his hand. Hayama's breathing briefly stopped, but he recovered instantly upon feeling Matsuba's grip. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm absolutely delighted" he shook his hand as if it were a slot machine lever. "I finally get to meet the face of the famous Hayama Hayato." Matsuba let go of his hand and shamelessly, in front of everyone, shook his own hand up and down, cleaning it against himself. "However, you're much shorter than I expected."
Matsuba made the gesture of measuring Hayama with his two fingers.
Matsuba's smile grew wider as he watched Hayama's reaction.
Watching his face with that uncomfortable smile.
His eyebrows trembling slightly.
His voice muffled.
It was delightful to him.
Hayama was having a hard time. The comment bothered him. Or rather, Matsuba's entire attitude did, but he could not say anything. And when he wanted to strike back, Miura raised her voice.
"And who are you?" Miura asked without the slightest fear.
Her question was challenging.
To which Matsuba smiled even more.
"I suppose disappearing for six months makes you fade from the collective memory", Matsuba thought. Before answering, he analyzed the girl. Blonde, and haughty. This girl was not afraid of him.
"And then?" Miura took a step forward.
But Matsuba was faster, leaning toward her.
"Didn't you hear, pretty?" he tilted his head briefly. "Matsuba, Haruto. Surely you've heard of me."
Miura blushed briefly when she saw him so close, but tried to control it, only to pretend to have her usual attitude.
"M-Mmmh, no", Miura replied as she looked at Matsuba.
He noticed that small hint of embarrassment. She surely had more reactions.
"Well, in that case. Now you do", Matsuba spoke again, ignoring Miura's attitude. "I'm the vice president of the Service Club."
Miura thought of Yukinoshita at that last word. Which only made her annoyed.
But before she could say anything, Yuigahama immediately spoke.
"Matsu-kun, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be with your group."
Yuigahama was genuinely worried about Matsuba. She was afraid he would be reported for not being with his class. She was afraid Matsuba would be forced to help with the request.
And forced to sneak away from his class to be with them.
Yuigahama could not have been more wrong.
Matsuba noticed the tone of Yuigahama's words, which only made him smile wider.
"Why else would I be here, Yuigahama-san, dear?" Yuigahama blushed, but endured it. "Obviously, I came here to support my friend, Tobe Kakeru." He turned to Tobe with a smile. "Isn't that right, friend?"
To which Tobe simply nodded happily.
"Kakeru", he called him by his first name, earning a panicked reaction from Tobe upon hearing it. "Why don't you go ahead, friend? We'll follow you." Matsuba turned his head a few centimeters toward Ebina. "Ebina-san, pretty, could you do me a favor and accompany Kakeru? You know how he is. He's afraid of the dark."
"Haruto-kun!" Tobe immediately became familiar with Matsuba simply because he had called him by his first name. "Don't reveal my secret, friend!"
But Matsuba only smiled and winked at Tobe the moment Ebina turned to look at Hikigaya and Yuigahama.
To which Tobe nodded in surprise and gave Matsuba a thumbs-up.
Hikigaya did not take his dead-fish eyes off Matsuba.
Tobe and Ebina began walking toward the place.
Hayama took Miura by the arm, which made her blush.
"Alright", Hayama spoke. "Let's go—"
But he immediately turned around to be confronted with...
"Where do you think you're going?" Matsuba placed his foot in front of Hayama, preventing him from walking. "You two are going last", the brown-haired boy said without stopping his smile.
Matsuba turned toward Yuigahama at an incredibly fast speed.
"Yuigahama-san, Hikigaya-kun", Matsuba walked toward them, extending both arms and placing them at the ends of both their shoulders. "Come on, we don't want to waste time on such a wonderful day."
Matsuba guided both students into the dark tunnel, leaving Hayama and Miura behind.
Hayama did not know what to do. He had never experienced this kind of situation before.
He had never been trained to deal with someone like this.
"Matsuba. He isn't normal", he spoke within himself. He could not believe it. What would he do? He needed to do something. "Hikigaya… we need to… be able—"
"Hayato!"
Miura's voice pulled him out of himself.
"Y-Yes", Hayama barely replied.
"I'm talking to you, and you're not answering", Miura complained as she held Hayato's sleeve.
"Y-Yes, sorry, Yumiko." Hayama had not heard Miura. The situation had affected him so much that it had distracted him to this point.
"Are you feeling okay?" Miura asked without taking her green eyes off Hayama.
Her tone was so genuinely concerned that it made Hayama feel guilty.
So guilty.
"N-No, no. I'm fine, Yumiko." This time Hayama straightened up and took Miura's arm. "Come on, surely the others are waiting for us."
Miura, of course, blushed because of how Hayama took her arm.
Hayama responded with a smile that only made her blush even more.
Miura looked away from the boy, staring at the ground with her eyes wide open. Hayama knew she would react that way, which was why he did it. Just to have a few more seconds to think.
Hayama furrowed his brow slightly.
He was thinking.
What was he going to do?
He did not want his group to fall apart because of this.
Hayama thought. He would need help from him.
The only one who could help him.
Hikigaya.
Matsuba, Hikigaya, and Yuigahama walked through the darkness.
"Mmmh… having this guy behind me gives me the creeps", Hikigaya thought.
Yuigahama, meanwhile, rose slightly to see Tobe and Ebina.
"Oh! It really is dark in here", Tobe could be heard from far down the tunnel.
"Yeah, right?" Ebina replied from equally far away, but it seemed she said something else, though the distance prevented Yuigahama from hearing her.
"Looks like they're doing well", Yuigahama said, taking a breath.
"I-I guess", Hikigaya replied. Still giving occasional glances backward.
Matsuba was only smiling.
"Mmmh", Matsuba played with the ends of Yuigahama's hair. "And I suppose this great idea was yours… right, Yuigahama-san?"
"Y-Yes. I… Hikki helped me" Yuigahama almost jumped when she said it.
Hikigaya furrowed his brow. Hikigaya was not used to Yuigahama lying. And why would she lie about something like this?
"Oh, please, Yuigahama-san, don't be modest. I saw it, you don't have to pretend with me", Matsuba smiled and wrapped his arm around Yuigahama's shoulders. "It's good to be modest, but it's better not to be."
Yuigahama blushed at being acknowledged.
"T-Thank you, Matsu-kun."
Hikigaya furrowed his brow as he watched Matsuba deliberately move closer to Yuigahama.
"It's good to see that someone" Matsuba emphasized the word just to annoy Hikigaya even more. "Really cares about helping his companions."
"A-Ah, Hikki helped me too, Matsu-kun."
Hikigaya briefly blushed when he saw Yuigahama trying to get Matsuba to acknowledge him too, but it only made Matsuba smile more.
"Oh, I believe you, Yuigahama-san", Matsuba said as he lowered his hand from Yuigahama's shoulder while smiling and shamelessly glancing at Hikigaya with an even wider smile.
"Tsk…" Hikigaya clicked his tongue. "Go rot."
How he wished he could say it to Matsuba's face.
"They say you have to turn the stone to make a wish", Yuigahama explained.
Both Hikigaya and Matsuba looked at the stone, both with different expressions. Hikigaya looked at it with boredom, and some annoyance at hearing Yuigahama seemingly believe in those legends. Meanwhile, Matsuba, with both hands in his pockets, simply smiled at the situation.
"Have you already thought of a wish?" Yuigahama asked both boys.
Hikigaya opened his eyes slightly, he had not expected to make a wish, so he answered quickly without thinking.
"Yes…"
"Oh, I'm afraid I can't, Yuigahama-san. I don't believe in any of this", Matsuba spoke with a smile. "But it's fine, I'll wait for you. Go ahead."
"A-Ah, of course, Matsu-kun", Yuigahama replied. "Hikki, help me turn it together", Yuigahama immediately said as she placed both her hands beneath the circular stone.
They both turned the stone, Hikigaya on the right and Yuigahama on the left, while Matsuba stood between them.
When they finished, Yuigahama closed her eyes and clasped both hands together.
Hikigaya took a moment to breathe, then briefly looked at Yuigahama.
She seemed to be taking her wish seriously.
However, Hikigaya could not make his wish, he had not thought of one.
He could not even close his eyes, Matsuba prevented him from doing so, so when Hikigaya glanced at the brown-haired boy, he was looking at the ground to his right with a calmer smile, less wide and expressive.
He even seemed normal.
"Done!" Yuigahama spoke.
Hikigaya quickly turned toward her.
"Y-Yeah", he replied, shaking his head.
"Okay, let's go, let's go", Yuigahama said, taking Hikigaya's arm, and Matsu— [4]
"No, no, an-san (dear)" [5] Matsuba had moved without Yuigahama noticing. "I'm going behind you."
"O-Oh", Yuigahama tried to formulate some words. "Okay, Matsu-kun."
Hikigaya saw something.
He saw how Matsuba prevented Yuigahama from touching him. He dodged her so quickly.
He could barely see it.
"Doesn't he like being touched?"
Hikigaya said to himself.
He had already discovered two things about Matsuba today, and with what Zaimokuza would tell him, that made three.
This was becoming easy.
Hikigaya smiled without realizing it.
The three students began walking back outside like that.
"Hikki, you have that creepy smile again!" Yuigahama shouted in surprise.
"A-Ah, sorry."
It was the only thing the loner could say.
"Mmh, I don't have good luck…"
Ebina spoke in a dejected tone while holding her fortune.
Tobe immediately noticed.
"Well, but you know what they say", he began while standing beside her. "From here on out, the only thing that can happen is good things…"
His words were hoping to work.
"I guess…" Ebina replied without anything more.
Hikigaya, seeing the situation, discreetly approached Tobe.
"Hey", he called Tobe. "They say it's better to tie it at the highest point to receive more blessings."
Tobe opened his eyes in surprise. A second later, he gave Hikigaya a thumbs-up.
"Why does he always do that?" Hikigaya said to himself.
Tobe snatched the paper from Ebina, who, somewhat surprised, could do nothing but watch as Tobe began tying it at the top.
"There", Tobe said as he made the final turn around the paper.
Ebina smiled kindly.
"Thank you, how chivalrous."
The atmosphere was calm, comfortable. But Matsuba's eyes were somewhat disappointed. He had heard all of Hikigaya's chatter to Tobe.
Hikigaya began walking away from Ebina and Tobe, only to see Matsuba standing in front of his path with a simple smile and his head tilted, his eyebrows showing confusion.
"What?" Hikigaya spoke.
A moderately annoyed tone rose.
"Mmh, nothing", Matsuba replied, returning to his smiling attitude. "I expected something more."
After that, he turned around and began walking ahead of Hikigaya.
When they were several meters apart, Hikigaya furrowed his brow.
"Something more? Like what?" Hikigaya said to himself, confused.
A few minutes passed, and the group had dispersed. Now each person was in a different place in the line formed by several classes. Hikigaya looked at the uniforms of the other students. He had heard murmurs that boys and girls from other schools would be participating in this trip.
And yet, Matsuba managed to get Ebina and Tobe through before everyone else.
Hikigaya saw firsthand how he did it.
"Poor guy" he thought of the person managing the line. He saw how the guy in front of Matsuba paled when Matsuba simply smiled. "Besides, where did he go? A second ago he was right next to us."
While the two of them waited in line, Hikigaya caught sight of Hayama and Miura several meters away.
Just as a sigh was about to escape Hikigaya, Yuigahama interrupted him.
"It's good that Matsu-kun got Tobecchi and Hina-chan through first."
Hikigaya coughed to clear his throat.
"I guess…" he barely said, inhaling.
Yuigahama smiled. She thought the request was going well.
"I hope they get some good time alone."
"Yeah…" Hikigaya murmured. And from a distance, he could see Tobe talking to Ebina without any difficulty. "He really is trying hard."
Yuigahama nodded happily.
"I hope it can stay like this and he succeeds."
Hikigaya nodded.
"Mmmh", a murmur escaped him.
A small silence rose between them.
"I wonder if everyone…" Yuigahama began, moving closer to Hikigaya. "…is here to have good luck in love?"
Hikigaya did not know what to say at first, nor could he look directly at Yuigahama, he would blush. So he would rather spare himself and her the embarrassment of saying something so careless.
"A-Ah, I don't know…" Hikigaya replied barely, taking a deep breath.
Suddenly, a loud commotion that seemed to come from a girl… or a boy… invaded the place.
"Komi-san! You have bad luck!"
Out of instinct, Hikigaya turned to see who it was, a student.
What he saw was a girl with pink hair, a navy-blue uniform, and a red skirt. Very distinctive of them.
"Another school…" Hikigaya said to himself.
The girl called Komi-san caught everyone's attention.
Most of the people there were from Sōbu, and many boys began to murmur about the girl in question.
Hikigaya looked at her. She was taller than most. Perhaps Hikigaya beat her by a couple of centimeters. She had pale skin, similar to Yukinoshita's, her face was slender and defined. In fact, just looking at her reminded him of her somehow.
"Nee (hey), Hikki, it looks like that girl needs help", Yuigahama said in a concerned tone.
Hikigaya nodded at Yuigahama's words.
"It's not my problem", he wanted to say, but that would only make Yuigahama angry, so he refrained. "It looks like it", he replied.
The girl in question was staggering, it was more nervousness than anything else.
"She looks scared", Yuigahama commented with slight concern.
Hikigaya looked at the other students from his school.
He already knew the answer.
Suddenly, the sound of a new voice emerged.
"Th-This isn't so bad, Komi-san", a boy spoke with what looked like a flower in his hairstyle. "That doesn't mean anything."
"That's fatal! Fate has decided her downfall!"
Another dramatic girl's voice added, one that reminded Hikigaya of Zaimokuza.
Then a dark green-haired girl.
"Komi-san, you can take my good luck", someone else replied timidly, trying to keep calm.
More murmurs came from the crowd. The group of boys was far too conspicuous. And the girl seemed to be staggering even more.
"Hikki, we should help them", Yuigahama spoke this time in a pleading tone.
Hikigaya took a deep breath.
"Damn…" he said to himself.
Again, the girl who had started the commotion spoke.
"I'm sorry, Komi-san", she said, pretending to shed tears from her eyes. "We'll miss you."
Komi jumped in fright.
"Don't scare her, Najimi", a somewhat short-haired brown-haired girl emerged from the crowd. "Don't worry, Komi-san, it's nothing, right, Tadano-kun?"
The boy nodded.
"Yes, it's nothing, Komi-san, Onemine-san is right."
However, her companions' words had no effect on Komi.
"Hikki", Yuigahama spoke as she tugged on Hikigaya's sleeve. "Let's help her."
Hikigaya twisted briefly.
"Yuigahama-san, I don't think—"
"Hikki", Yuigahama called Hikigaya again, but this time a little annoyed.
Hikigaya sighed.
"Fine…"
Hikigaya left the line to approach the boy with the flower in his hair.
He seemed like the most normal one.
"It's surely nothing, Komi-san", Tadano spoke as he approached her. "Look, I had bad luck too."
Hikigaya finally arrived and spoke in the friendliest tone of voice he could.
"Hey", he addressed the boy.
Tadano turned toward the voice.
"Yes?"
"If you got bad luck, tie it up above."
"Huh?" the boy tilted his head in confusion.
Hikigaya tensed his jaw, not expecting to say more than one sentence.
"The higher, the better, it's like making the bad luck stay inside the temple."
Tadano looked at his paper and briefly glanced at Komi. It took him a couple of seconds to realize.
"Ah! Yeah, thanks!" Tadano immediately took Komi's paper and tried to tie it as high as possible. His arm stretched, more and more. "A little higher…" he murmured.
"Wow, what a tall hero", Najimi spoke. "You almost got it, Tadano-kun."
"Najimi", Onemine sighed. "Don't make fun of him."
Tadano stretched even further, even standing on his toes, but nothing.
"T-Tadano-kun, maybe you could climb onto something", the dark green-haired girl suggested.
"Onto what, Himiko-san?" Najimi asked her.
"On… on…"
Himiko froze.
The situation had dragged on longer than Hikigaya had expected.
He already wanted to return to the line with Yuigahama, being in the middle of all this crowd was overwhelming, and even more so being surrounded by such a noisy group.
"Let me do it", Hikigaya spoke as he approached Tadano and took the paper. It took him little time to tie it. "There…"
"Thanks…" Tadano bowed.
Hikigaya also bowed briefly.
"It's fine…"
As he was about to turn around, he saw the boy starting to move his body toward him.
"Don't do it, don't do it!" Hikigaya turned away to himself.
He did not expect the boy to introduce himself.
"My name is Tadano Hitohito, nice to meet you", he said as he bowed again. "I'm from Shiritsu Itan High School."
Upon hearing the introduction, Hikigaya's smile tensed, but he coughed first to clear his throat.
"Hikigaya Hachiman", he spoke quickly, hoping that would be all. "I'm from Sōbu."
Then the brown-haired girl bowed.
"Onemine Nene, nice to meet you, Hikigaya-kun."
She was followed by the other girl with dark green hair.
"A-Agari Himiko."
When Komi was about to take out her notebook, Najimi interrupted her with a shout that made her flinch.
"I'm Najimi Osana! Nice to meet you, Hikigaya-kun", she spoke enthusiastically. But she quickly brought a finger to her chin, confused. "Sōbu, you said?"
Hikigaya nodded.
"What's wrong, Najimi?" Onemine spoke this time.
"They only have children of prominent politicians there, right?"
Hikigaya did not understand enough. That sounded more like a statement than a question.
"I don't know."
When Hikigaya was about to turn around, he met the eyes of the protagonist of this situation, Komi. She had a pair of dark violet eyes that did not stop looking at Hikigaya.
The girl in question began to tremble.
Hikigaya moved away briefly.
"What's wrong with her?" Komi did not stop trembling, trying to open her mouth. Suddenly, all her companions looked at her. Immediately, their eyes turned toward Hikigaya, which made him widen his eyes. "I didn't do anything!"
Just like Komi, Hikigaya could not get the words out either.
"A-Ah, Hikigaya-kun", Tadano spoke. "Komi-san is trying to thank you."
Hikigaya opened his eyes in surprise.
"Thank me?"
Tadano spoke immediately upon seeing that Hikigaya did not quite understand.
"Ah-Ah, it's just that Komi-san isn't good at communicating."
(Author's Note: He said it, he said it)
Hikigaya nodded, not entirely believing Tadano's words.
"Sure", he murmured.
Once Komi no longer felt everyone's eyes on her, she took a deep breath, preparing herself. And she began writing in a notebook.
"ありがとう,比企谷くん" (Thank you, Hikigaya-kun)
It was written with perfect spelling.
When Hikigaya read it, he nodded. Even so, he thought it was stupid that the girl could not communicate.
"You don't have to…" Hikigaya replied.
Hikigaya resumed walking, but when he was about to turn around, the girl began writing again.
"友達に…なってくれますか" (Will you be my friend?)
When Hikigaya read it, he could not believe it.
Friend…?
Impossible.
Hikigaya opened his mouth, with a certain hint of fear of getting it wrong.
Maybe he had read it incorrectly.
He had misunderstood it.
"I-I…"
"Hikki!" Yuigahama's voice interrupted him. "Why are you taking so long?"
Komi immediately turned the notebook toward her, hiding it.
Hikigaya blinked a couple of times. Now Yuigahama was standing in front of him.
"Yuigahama…"
"Hikki?"
"When did she get here?" Hikigaya said to himself.
Yuigahama's eyes did not leave him.
"You're taking too long", Yuigahama said with a slightly forced smile. "I was worried."
It showed in her voice.
Tadano was the first to speak.
"Ah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry", he began as he nervously scratched the back of his neck. "It's just that he was helping us with this." He pointed to the paper tied to the wood.
"So, so (yeah, yeah)", Najimi interrupted, taking a few steps toward Yuigahama. "Hikigaya-kun is pretty useful!"
"Najimi", Onemine sighed. "Don't put it like that, will you…"
A couple of seconds passed in silence before Najimi spoke again.
"We're sorry for taking your boyfriend!" he said, putting both hands together in apology.
Upon hearing that, Yuigahama also opened her eyes in surprise.
"What?! Hikki isn't my boyfriend?!"
Najimi was delighted.
"Oh… you even have nicknames", he said to his group. "We should have nicknames."
Hikigaya, who was still lost in his own thoughts, snapped out of it and realized the small commotion.
When he coughed to clear his throat.
"She isn't my girlfriend", Hikigaya clarified with a slight hint of embarrassment.
A second later, the hand of the light-brown-haired girl landed on the head of the person who had made that statement.
"Najimi, stop it. You're bothering them", Onemine scolded her again. She turned back to Yuigahama and spoke. "Are you Hikigaya-kun's friend?"
Upon hearing the question, Yuigahama nodded briefly.
"A friend…"
He had never really known how to define their relationship.
"I-I'm Yuigahama Yui, nice to meet you", she briefly bowed, dodging the question.
Onemine spoke.
"My name is Onemine Nene. We're sorry you're still not with him, Yuigahama-san. Hikigaya-kun was helping us with a problem."
Tadano intervened again.
"Yes, you really helped us a lot, Hikigaya-kun… without you, Komi-san would be even more nervous." Tadano turned toward Yuigahama and bowed. "I'm Tadano Hitohito."
"I would be too… this is very… a lot of people…" she added in a trembling voice. "N-Nice to meet you, my name is Himiko Agari."
Najimi jumped in again to introduce themself.
"It turns out Tadano-kun couldn't stretch far enough, he's very short."
Tadano blushed fiercely.
"Hey!" Tadano shouted.
Najimi ignored him and introduced themself to Yuigahama.
"By the way, I'm Najimi Osana, everyone's friend. Literally."
Yuigahama tried to keep up with the boy's… or girl's… enthusiasm, but couldn't.
"H-Ha-Ha, ha…" her awkward laugh escaped her. "Hikki", she addressed Hikigaya. "It's almost our turn."
Without realizing it, Yuigahama grabbed Hikigaya's arm, pulling him toward her.
Hikigaya, a little dazed, nodded.
"Sure…" he murmured, feeling Yuigahama's slight squeeze.
Hikigaya bowed again, this time saying goodbye to the group.
But Tadano stopped him.
"Hey, Hikigaya-kun…" he called out, making him stop. "Thanks, seriously."
"It was nothing."
But Onemine did not agree.
"For us, it was."
"Exactly!" Najimi shouted. "You earned points! Whenever you want to come to Itan, let me know, Hikigaya-kun. We'll welcome you with pleasure!"
"Najimi…" Onemine sighed again.
Hikigaya smiled with a certain annoyance. She was like an amplified Yuigahama, but it felt good to know that his help had been appreciated in some way.
However, those violet eyes fell on him again.
For a second.
Yuigahama noticed and pulled him toward her with more force.
"Hikki", a slight hint of annoyance escaped her. "Quick, let's go."
Hikigaya could only follow Yuigahama's steps.
"They're weird…" Hikigaya murmured.
Yuigahama, this time walking a little more calmly, agreed with him.
"A little", she replied.
A couple of seconds.
Hikigaya felt tension rising. He did not know why, he only knew it was there.
"Yuigha—"
"Hikki."
Yuigahama interrupted him.
"Nani? (What?)" his question came out faster for some reason.
"That girl…" a long pause appeared. "She was very pretty, wasn't she?"
For some reason he could not explain, Hikigaya swallowed.
He felt that if he answered quickly, he would be wrong, but if he took too long, she would say that he had been thinking about it.
So he played it safe.
"I suppose…"
"You suppose?"
Yuigahama replied quickly.
Hikigaya did not expect her to respond so quickly, nor did he understand why he felt suffocated. As if the answer he had given was the wrong one.
"What?" Hikigaya looked at Yuigahama, reading her as best he could.
"Nothing", Yuigahama replied quickly.
They both continued walking, following the line.
Silence returned.
Hikigaya noticed the slight furrow of Yuigahama's brows; it was unusual.
It couldn't be possible.
"Are you angry?"
Yuigahama did not answer.
Her head turned toward him, and she looked directly into his eyes.
"Hikki", Yuigahama spoke, this time with a smile and a more natural tone. "Next time. Let me know before you go off with other girls, okay?"
Hikigaya could not believe what he was hearing.
"First of all, you were the one who told me to go help her, I was doing perfectly fine in line without bothering anyone" Hikigaya said to himself. "Besides, why are you being scary, Yuigahama-san? You're supposed to not be that kind of character." [6]
Out of nervousness, Hikigaya began stammering inside himself.
For a second, Yuigahama remembered a certain demonic Onee-san.
"Sure", he murmured, but not before adding. "But you told me to—"
"I know", Yuigahama interrupted. "I just said…"
Hikigaya did not understand.
Seriously, he did not.
The line moved forward again, and just when he thought he could finally rest…
"Hiratsuka-sensei! Careful, you're going to slip!"
Hikigaya watched as several students pulled their teacher away.
Three students, two boys pulling at her coat, and a girl pushing her from the front.
"Sensei…" Hikigaya murmured.
But she resisted.
"Let go of me!" Hiratsuka-sensei protested. "I need that water!"
But the girl in front of her spoke.
"Sensei, you can't do that!"
Then the boy pulling at the right side of her coat continued.
"Stop, sensei, that's not going to help you get married!"
Then the one on the left followed.
"And it's dangerous!"
Hiratsuka-sensei would not give in.
"I have it under control", she said as if nothing had happened.
The girl spoke again.
"You don't!"
A boy from behind took the plastic bottle Hiratsuka was holding.
"Give me that bottle!"
The boy, with courage that would not last long, replied.
"Never!"
Hiratsuka-sensei's fist began to clench.
"I won't get any rest in this life, will I, Buddha?"
Hikigaya said to himself as he quickened his pace.
He should be grateful. Today he would save more than two lives and perhaps lose his own.