Chapter 7 - Chapter V: What Is It That We Want?

Arc I: The Demon of Sōbu

Chapter V,

What Is It That We Want?

Hikigaya Residence

7:30, AM

"So…" a small, soft voice was heard in front of Hikigaya as he ate. "Did something happen?"

He raised his gaze.

His dead fish eyes settled on her, his sister, Hikigaya Komachi.

And a sigh escaped him.

Ever since he had returned from Kyoto, he had been quieter than usual. His sister had noticed. Of course she would notice. Fifteen years living under the same roof weighed on you.

His eyes were lower than usual. His posture even more hunched.

But he did not want her to carry his problems.

"Not at all", Hikigaya answered naturally. "It's always the same. My life is like watching a painting dry, boring", he tried to form a smile, but only a somewhat unpleasant grimace came out. "They say no news is good news", he finished.

Komachi's expression changed.

She tilted her head, listening to her brother, but he was not the same.

He sounded tired.

"What's wrong, Onii-chan?"

"Nothing, like I said", Hikigaya answered again. "Nothing's wrong."

Komachi lowered her plate. "Hey, do you know something…?"

"Nani? (what), about the peas? Yeah, they're a little dry…", Hikigaya replied, hoping to evade the subject.

Komachi furrowed her brow.

"Onii-chan, you're always prone to saying the stupidest things", Komachi spoke without taking her eyes off her brother. "But you're even stupider when you're feeling bad…"

Hikigaya smiled at the statement, somewhat condescendingly. "Oh, yeah?"

"Hey… Did something happen with Yui-san and Yukino-san?", Komachi asked what she had really wanted to ask from the beginning.

Hikigaya lowered his spoon. "Did they tell you something?"

Komachi shook her head. "I just thought it might be that."

"Mmh", Hikigaya managed to murmur as he brought his plate to his lips.

"Then what did you do?", Komachi asked again, with more insistence.

"Isn't it strange that you assume I did something?", Hikigaya replied, slightly annoyed.

He knew what his sister's opinion of him was.

She could call him a fool, disgusting, Gomi-chan, a Hachiman. But that did not mean it did not hurt him. He endured it. She was his sister. He would do anything to make her happy. But having her accuse him without knowing anything irritated him more than he would have liked to feel.

Komachi continued. "There's always a chance that you did something bad without knowing it, Onii-chan", Komachi looked directly into her brother's eyes. "Well, I'm listening. You can tell me everything."

Komachi moved closer to the table, resting her elbows on the white wooden table, while showing a smile, mixed with tenderness and the abstinence that characterized the Hikigaya women.

However, Hikigaya was not going to fall for that trick so easily.

"It's easy to say…", he murmured, remembering the moment. But instantly he raised his voice, changing the words. "No, better not."

Komachi did not seem to care about the discomfort her brother was showing, so she continued insisting.

"Come on, tell me. Don't be shy. Tell me what happened."

Hikigaya felt an itch on his neck.

The same one he felt when he looked at that guy's smile.

Then she went to his arms.

His jaw tensed.

He wanted to get rid of that itch.

So he did not think about it.

"Enough. You're being annoying."

Hikigaya's words were enough to make Komachi open her eyes.

The little girl furrowed her brow. "Do you have to say it like that?", Komachi's annoyance was reflected in her words.

Hikigaya's eyes shifted away.

"How else could I say it", he replied while continuing to eat. "You're being annoying."

Komachi's eyebrows showed even more anger.

"Ah, I see", Komachi got up from the table. "I won't ask again."

"I'd appreciate that", Hikigaya replied, turning his eyes back to his food.

The door opened.

"I'm leaving. Close the door when you leave", Komachi's words simply echoed through the room.

Hikigaya nodded. "Mmmh."

Komachi closed the door.

A few seconds later.

"See? Something did happen!"

Komachi shouted from behind the door.

Another sigh escaped Hikigaya.

Sōbu High School

8:03, AM

Hikigaya watched the usual group.

Hayama, Miura, Ebina, Tobe, the other two, and Yuigahama.

"So this is what he protects, huh?"

Hikigaya said to himself, watching the blond. Seeing him converse so naturally. Confidence, and an almost perfect smile. Talking about the trending topic of the day.

He could not find it more pathetic.

While Hikigaya was immersed in his inner monologue, someone interrupted him.

"Good morning, Hachiman", Totsuka spoke.

Hikigaya moved his head at the sound. "Mmh, good morning."

Totsuka gave him a surprised look.

"What happened?", Hikigaya asked.

"Ah, n-no, it's nothing", Totsuka replied. "I'm surprised you greeted me in a normal way."

Hikigaya nodded at what he said. "Yeah, well. I guess", Hikigaya's eyes traveled back to the group. "Normal…"

The words came out without him thinking.

He opened his mouth slightly to continue, but the sound of the door came first.

"All right, class, everyone to your seats", the teacher spoke as he entered the classroom, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt and leaving his briefcase on the desk in front of him. "Take out your books, page twenty-two…"

The noise of moving chairs deafened him.

And as always…

Everything returned to normal.

3:57, PM

The day ended, classes were over, it was time for the students to go to their clubs.

Hikigaya did not wait for Yuigahama this time. He did not want her to go through another uncomfortable moment with him.

He did it for him… or for her.

He did not even know.

Yuigahama noticed this, her eyes lowered. She waited, unsure of what to do, but only watched as he crossed the door without doing anything.

A few minutes later, Hikigaya walked through the school hallway. Students were talking among themselves, a couple ran past him. Others were getting in the way on the stairs as he went up to the second floor.

He looked at his phone, and the time read sixteen thirty-two.

Another sigh, this time more exhausted, escaped him.

Hikigaya was in front of the door. He had deliberately taken a few minutes.

He really did not want to come this day.

When his hand reached the handle, he heard voices clearly from behind the door.

"I hope you like them."

He heard Matsuba's voice.

The itch returned.

"Thank you, Matsu-kun!", Yuigahama shouted.

He had already arrived.

"Mmh, yes, thank you, Matsuba-kun", Yukinoshita spoke this time.

Hikigaya noticed a certain polite tone from Yukinoshita, which seemed so strange to him.

It was like seeing the sun rise in the west instead of the east.

"Did you know there's a place near Inagekaigan Station that also sells very delicious crepes?", Yuigahama happily commented.

"Oh, yeah!", Aisaka answered. "They're delicious. We know the owner, right, Haru-kun?"

Matsuba nodded, bringing his cup of tea to his lips.

While Hasegawa nodded.

"Mmmh."

"We should go together!", Yuigahama shouted excitedly.

"Yes! It could be a club activity", Aisaka commented. "Let's help Tamayo-san sell crepes."

"Yes, what a great idea, Aiko-chan!", Yuigahama's voice spoke again. "Yukinon, you should come too."

"Sure", Yukinoshita commented.

"You'll come too, Hajime-kun", Aisaka said.

"Of course", Hasegawa replied.

"Matsu-kun, you…—"

The sound of the sliding door interrupted the atmosphere of the room.

Hikigaya slid the door closed behind him.

A muffled silence rose in the room.

The corners of Matsuba's lips rose.

Hasegawa looked at the table uncomfortably.

Aisaka ate as quietly as possible.

"Oh, Hikigaya-kun", Matsuba's mocking voice made itself present. "I didn't think you'd come."

Hikigaya only looked at the floor with a slight furrow of his brows, without answering the obvious mockery.

Yuigahama noticed that everyone was eating.

"A-Ah, Hikki, do you want some—"

"No, no, no, Yuigahama-san", Matsuba stopped her. "I brought something else for Hikigaya-kun."

Hikigaya watched Matsuba go toward what appeared to be a pair of wine-red sofas. It looked like a small living room.

"How did he get them in here?" Hikigaya said to himself.

Matsuba returned with a brown box.

"It's for you", he handed it over, lifting the corners of his lips in front of him. "Taiyaki for the one who fulfilled the request." [1]

Hikigaya looked at the plate, and then at Matsuba.

"I'm really starting to hate him."

But Hikigaya accepted it anyway. "Arigatou… (thanks), Matsuba", Hikigaya took the plate. "Free food. It's free food."

Matsuba widened the corners of his lips.

"Mā, honno kimochi dosu e (It's nothing)" [2]

Hikigaya withdrew, ignoring Matsuba, and took a seat next to Yuigahama, opening his small book.

The sound of birds was the only thing heard in the clubroom.

Yukinoshita finished wiping the corners of her lips with her handkerchief. Yuigahama finished her food. Meanwhile, Hasegawa only had a few bites left to finish, and Aisaka wiped herself with some napkins.

Meanwhile, Matsuba had his back to the group, serving himself more of the tea Yukinoshita had made.

His smile reflected pure satisfaction as he looked at the light brown liquid.

Because of the situation, and he hated to admit it, but also because of Yukinoshita's tea.

It was delicious.

The exact balance between bitterness and sweetness.

The ticking of the clock was the only thing that could be heard.

Yuigahama looked from side to side, but no one did anything, so she decided to speak.

"By the way, everyone is acting normally, aren't they?"

Aisaka saw how Yuigahama tried to change the atmosphere. "That's a good thing, isn't it, Yui-san?"

Yuigahama nodded with a stoicism that died seconds after she looked away. "Yeah, well… uh, they—"

"Yes", Hikigaya replied, interrupting her. "From what I could see, nothing out of the ordinary happened."

Yukinoshita's eyes were reflected in her tea. "It's good to know", she replied.

"Actually, I was a little nervous", Yuigahama spoke again, wanting to return to the subject so she could weigh it. "I thought something would happen", Matsuba's smile instinctively widened upon hearing her. Yuigahama continued. "But I guess there's nothing to worry about", when she finished, she looked at the others.

Hasegawa nodded. "That's good…" he spoke without giving it much importance, pushing his chair backward and rocking in it.

Meanwhile, Aisaka smiled. "You seem to be good friends."

Hikigaya could not hide his slight furrowed brow upon hearing Aisaka's statement.

"I'm not sure I understand them", Yuigahama's voice filled the room this time.

Her hands went to her legs. Her hands played with her fingers.

Her eyes became lost in the tips of her fingers.

Yukinoshita, who had remained on the sidelines, looked at her clubmate and spoke.

"Other people's thoughts and feelings are things that can never be known", Yukinoshita's eyes looked lower and lower. "And even if we could know them, what would be the point if understanding them would be another matter."

The words made Matsuba stop turning his back to them.

The boy's golden eyes narrowed as he looked at Yukinoshita.

Hikigaya, Yuigahama, and Aisaka looked at Yukinoshita.

They had not expected an answer like that from her.

However, Hasegawa saw this and from the corner of his eye, he saw that smile from Matsuba that made him shudder.

"What is he looking for… what is he doing… what does he want from them…?"

Hasegawa spoke to himself.

"You shouldn't worry too much about that", Hikigaya added without taking his eyes off his book. "After all, we are the ones who pretend to be normal most of the time."

The words came out, he really did not want to say it, but he had to.

Yuigahama lowered her gaze even more this time.

"Are we pretending to be normal too?", she replied, with a certain sadness seeping into her voice.

Her eyes lowered, her smile fell, her liveliness disappeared.

"Normality…", Yukinoshita took the word. "That's what normality means to you, right?", Yukinoshita's words fell. "Deep down, you're saying that you won't change, is that what you're saying?"

Hikigaya did not answer.

His silence entered the room.

"You're—"

Matsuba's hand rested on Yukinoshita's shoulder.

She turned her neck toward him, there was no blush, only surprise.

Hasegawa opened his eyes halfway in surprise.

Aisaka did not know how to react, she was also somewhat astonished.

Yuigahama opened her mouth in surprise.

Matsuba lightly squeezed her shoulder, as if he feared hurting her.

He saw how her hands tightened beneath the table.

Yukinoshita came back to herself. "I…", she spoke.

"Yukinon! Hey…", Yuigahama tried to say something, but she could not.

And the sound of the door once again flooded the clubroom.

"I'm coming in!" Hiratsuka-sensei entered the room. "I have a job for you", she said as she walked in and looked at the two new members. "Oh, look, new faces…" she looked at Hasegawa, Aisaka, and— "Who the hell put all this in here?"

Hiratsuka-sensei opened her eyes upon seeing a dining room inside the clubroom.

Then she looked at Yukinoshita.

Yukinoshita simply sighed and looked at Matsuba.

"Hiratsuka-sensei!", he raised his voice enthusiastically, going toward the woman. "I wanted to make some renovations", Matsuba's charming tone rose. "I felt bad after making someone break a window. So I took the liberty of decorating the place. It was lacking a little color, don't you think…?"

Matsuba was only a few centimeters away from Hiratsuka, leaning slightly toward her.

"Uh-huh…" Hiratsuka-sensei replied uncomfortably.

She did not know what it was about that boy that always made her feel alert.

"Tell me how your car is doing", Matsuba smiled even more. "I hope it's doing well."

Hiratsuka-sensei smiled with a certain annoyance. "Oh, yes. Thank you, Matsuba…"

Hikigaya noticed Hiratsuka-sensei's discomfort. But he decided to address it later.

"And then, what is it that our beautiful teacher desires…", Matsuba spoke, hoping to see the red tint on the woman's cheeks.

"M-Mmmh", Hiratsuka-sensei took a moment to speak. She was thrown off by someone calling her beautiful. "Anyway, Ah, you can come in now!"

Matsuba smiled upon receiving the blush he had been looking for from the older woman.

The door opened again and a girl entered, a girl with gray hair in two pigtails.

"Hello, good afternoon", the girl said, positioning herself in front of them.

Yukinoshita recognized her. "Shiromeguri-senpai."

The girl in question smiled. "It seems I need your help again."

Shiromeguri, Meguri. A few months ago, she had requested the club's help during the previous Sports Festival.

So when she took a few more steps, another girl came in behind her.

"Iroha-chan!", Yuigahama spoke, calling her.

"Yui-senpai!", the girl, Isshiki Iroha, replied. "Good afternoon."

"Yahallo! Long time no see, Iroha-chan", Yuigahama spoke again.

Hikigaya looked at the girl. Her hair was almost the same shade as Matsuba's, but with dull eyes without his sparkle. In fact, the moment he saw her, she seemed like she could be his sister. But when he glanced at Matsuba, he simply smiled at both girls, with an almost normal demeanor.

He did not know them at all.

Hikigaya's eyes returned to the girl.

Isshiki looked at Hikigaya and smiled at him shyly.

Hikigaya returned her smile with annoyance.

"This girl is going to be a problem waiting to happen."

The loner thought.

Now the table was full.

"A candidate for student council president?", Yuigahama spoke from the center of the table.

Yukinoshita was analyzing the request.

Matsuba drank tea, now sitting to her right.

Hasegawa yawned, Aisaka listened attentively, and Hikigaya kept his eyes on his novel.

"Yes", Isshiki answered. But as she did, her eyes traveled to the two boys closest to her. "I know what you're thinking. You don't think I'm a good choice."

Hikigaya, who was looking at the girl, shook his head. "N-No, not really."

"I wasn't thinking about anything", Hasegawa replied with a certain boredom.

But Isshiki continued, explaining it in a way that one might call childish. "I understand, everyone tells me I'm slow or clumsy, all the time."

Hikigaya immediately analyzed the girl.

"This girl must be one of those girls other girls hate. She reminds me of a certain girl from middle school."

But while Hikigaya was lost in his introspection,

Hasegawa spoke.

"Maybe you are", he told Isshiki.

Isshiki opened her eyes slightly in surprise and forced her smile, but a clear annoyance showed through. "D-Do you think so…?", she asked uncomfortably, but did not stop smiling.

Hasegawa could only sigh, glancing at Matsuba from the corner of his eye, who was simply smiling while drinking tea.

He was not interested.

"Well…", Yukinoshita's voice made them turn to look at her. "What's the problem?"

Shiromeguri took the word. "Well, as I said, Isshiki-san is a candidate now, but…", she paused to clear her throat. "How should I put it? We don't want her to win the election…"

Yuigahama nodded with a worried look. "So you don't want to be student council president, Iroha-chan?"

"Yes, exactly that", Isshiki answered.

Yukinoshita simply looked at both of them. "If you don't want it, then why would you be one of the candidates?", Yukinoshita asked.

Isshiki smiled. "The thing is, I didn't volunteer. I was chosen."

Hikigaya, who had only been listening, already had a clear idea of this girl.

"What is she? An idol?"

Isshiki continued explaining. "I think it's because I stand out a lot. I'm the soccer team's representative, and I also get along well with Hayama-senpai and his other friends."

Hikigaya's thoughts returned.

"No… she's just a girl who makes everyone else look perfect. That's something that attracts envy and resentment from the other girls. They probably did this to make fun of her once she lost the election", the loner continued analyzing her.

Isshiki kept speaking. "So I built a good reputation without realizing it."

"That seems like a pretty elaborate plan for a joke", Yukinoshita spoke. "Since more than thirty votes are required to run in the election."

Yuigahama shouted. "That many!", Yuigahama cleared her throat. "I'm surprised."

"I'll have a talk with the culprits", Hiratsuka-sensei spoke, making the students look at her. "Matsuba, I nee—"

At an abnormal speed, Matsuba was already heading toward the clubroom door.

"Of course", he spoke enthusiastically. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I'll go teach my dear kouhai's a lesson."

"Talk", Hiratsuka-sensei gave him a serious look. "I want you to talk to them."

Matsuba raised the corners of his lips, but his eyes reflected annoyance. "Mmmh…" his voice deepened. "It won't be as stimulating anymore", but he quickly returned to his cheerful tone, looking at his clubmates. "All right, don't wait for me, okay? When I'm done talking, I'll go home. I have something important to take care of. See you tomorrow, dearies!"

Matsuba left the clubroom.

Yuigahama spoke.

"Ah, sensei, where is Matsu-kun going?"

Hiratsuka-sensei looked at Yuigahama, and then at Yukinoshita.

"He handles requests in a different way. He'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

Yukinoshita nodded.

Hasegawa, who was looking at the table, furrowed his brow.

"This guy…"

Aisaka gave an understanding smile. Meanwhile, Shiromeguri smiled awkwardly because she knew. Isshiki simply looked from side to side, confused.

Hikigaya noticed the silence that had been caused, so he spoke.

"If you don't want to win, let her lose. I don't see a more obvious solution."

Shiromeguri turned her neck toward Hikigaya. "Technically, yes, Hikigaya-kun. But there's another problem. Isshiki is the only candidate", Shiromeguri replied.

So Yukinoshita spoke. "What you mean is that we have to make Isshiki-san lose confidence."

Isshiki immediately replied. "But if I lose like that, it could make me look bad."

"Do you already know who will give the campaign speech?", Hikigaya spoke.

Isshiki answered. "No."

"Then that makes it simple", Hikigaya concluded.

Yuigahama looked at Hikigaya. "How, Hikki?"

Hikigaya sighed.

"If we want Isshiki to lose the election without being harmed by it, we can have someone write her speech. That way, once she loses the vote of confidence, she can blame whoever wrote her speech. She can distance herself from it and that's it", Hikigaya spoke without taking his eyes off the floor. "One day after the speech, she can point to whoever wrote it, and she won't be affected."

Hikigaya turned toward the others, tilting himself slightly.

Yuigahama looked at him with an extremely surprised expression.

Aisaka looked down, knowing what it meant.

"It could work", Hasegawa replied simply.

So Yuigahama began to speak. "I don't like the way that sounds…", her eyes fell downward. She did not want to see it. She knew the answer. "And who's going to give that speech?", Yuigahama continued.

Hikigaya avoided Yuigahama's gaze.

"Anyone who's willing to do it."

Hasegawa saw the situation. He wanted to intervene somehow, to take responsibility; Hikigaya had already done it once. It did not seem fair to him. So he could, but Yukinoshita beat him to it.

"I cannot approve of this method", Yukinoshita broke the silence.

Everyone looked at her.

"And why?", Hikigaya spoke challengingly.

"Because…" Yukinoshita leaned forward desperately. "There's no certainty that your plan will work. Also, a bad speech could cause Isshiki-san to be harmed", Yukinoshita's words did not seem to have the effect she expected on Hikigaya. "Even so, if she lost for that reason, do you think there wouldn't be another election…? Besides…" Yukinoshita continued. "The others aren't interested in the student council", Yukinoshita's voice began to break. "Interest in the election is so low that, even if the results were published, without counting the actual votes, no one would say a word about it", Yukinoshita's words began to rise. "So, for our objective, there are other solutions…"

She stopped.

She was standing.

At what point had she stood up? Both her hands were spread across the table.

When had it happened?

Everyone was looking at her.

Hikigaya was somehow surprised.

Yuigahama did not seem to recognize her friend.

Aisaka was also looking at her in surprise.

But Hasegawa was not. Now he understood why Matsuba was here. He looked at her, and then at Hikigaya.

"Yukinoshita…", Hasegawa spoke to himself. So his eyes went to the loner's, who did not stop looking at Yukinoshita. "I'll have to talk to him. He has to know."

Everyone still could not stop looking at Yukinoshita as she began to lower herself and return to her seat.

"Yukinoshita", Hiratsuka-sensei's voice sounded throughout the room.

She nodded.

"I'm sorry, that was very inappropriate of me", Yukinoshita cleared her throat. "The only plausible solution I can see is to support another candidate and make them win."

Hikigaya spoke. "If there were someone with that objective", his words made the group turn toward him again, "wouldn't there already be candidates?"

"But…", Yuigahama spoke this time. "What if we find someone to do it for us?"

Hasegawa took the word. "But who would be willing to, really?"

Aisaka nodded.

The silence made Hiratsuka-sensei speak. "All right", she began. "It doesn't look like we're going to find a solution today. We'll resolve it tomorrow."

Shiromeguri and Isshiki had left the clubroom.

"Hiratsuka-sensei", Yukinoshita spoke. "Could you stay for a moment?"

Hiratsuka nodded with a confused look.

Then Yukinoshita spoke again. "I want to know, who won the bet?"

"Bet?", Hiratsuka replied, still confused.

Hikigaya saw his teacher's face. "She forgot…"

"The bet to determine who is more capable of helping others", Hikigaya answered. "The one who can solve the most problems. The loser will have to do whatever the winner wants."

Hiratsuka's eyes widened. She had forgotten about that.

"You made that bet?", Yuigahama asked.

Hasegawa raised his eyebrows.

"Wow…"

Aisaka remained on the sidelines, keeping silent.

"Ah, right!" Hiratsuka finally remembered. "Well, you've both been working well most of the time. And in my opinion, you're both doing well", Hiratsuka looked at Hikigaya and Yukinoshita's faces, unsatisfied with the answer. "Ah, I don't have an answer yet, but if you want, I can give you one based on my own prejudices."

"That seems fine", Yukinoshita insisted.

Hiratsuka sighed. "All right, based solely on the results", Hiratsuka looked at the loner. "Hikigaya. He's one step ahead, but if we take the long-term process into account", Hiratsuka looked at Yukinoshita. "You would be ahead."

"So there is no clear winner?", Yukinoshita replied.

Hiratsuka nodded. "Exactly."

"In that case, is there no problem if our points of view are different?", Yukinoshita asked.

Yuigahama looked at her friend. "What do you mean, Yukinon?"

"He said that he and I don't have to use the same methods", Yukinoshita concluded.

"Yes, that's right", Hikigaya replied this time. "There is no reason to force the other person to use his own methods."

Hiratsuka listened to her student's words.

"Then what will happen to the club's activities while this is being resolved?"

Yukinoshita answered without looking up. "The club members can choose whether to participate."

"That's one way of putting it", Hiratsuka replied with a half-moon smile.

Ever since she had arrived at the club, they had been acting strangely.

Hikigaya continued with his usual cynicism, but Yukinoshita, she had never seen her student act this way. Much less heard her suggest lying in the student council election.

Hikigaya looked at his phone.

"It's time to leave…", he thought to himself.

He stood up and walked toward the door.

That was when Yuigahama noticed. He had been so quiet that she had not realized.

"I thought that…", Yukinoshita's voice sounded in the room. "We hated superficiality more than anything else…"

Hikigaya, upon hearing it, simply stood still for a couple of seconds.

He swallowed.

And even so, he crossed the door.

Hasegawa watched the loner leave.

"I hope he walks slowly…" Hasegawa thought, since he was going to follow him.

Hiratsuka watched as Hikigaya left without closing the door.

"Did something happen?"

Hikigaya turned toward his teacher's voice.

"Something?", Hikigaya replied, stopping. "Something like what?"

Hiratsuka-sensei nodded. "Okay, I see", she took a moment to take him in. To see how he had grown. He had gotten a little taller, his hair slightly longer. But he still had that attitude. "You're a good kid", Hiratsuka confessed. "You've helped quite a few people."

Hikigaya furrowed his brow. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Hiratsuka winked at him. "What can I say? I like favoritism", she replied. "And you are one of my favorites."

"That's not something a teacher should say, don't you think?", Hikigaya replied.

"My policy is to help my favorite students improve", Hiratsuka answered.

"Mmm", Hikigaya replied. "Try not to act according to that, then."

Hiratsuka placed her hand on her student's shoulder.

"Careful", she said. "If you keep that attitude, the only thing you'll take with you is misery. And the day you actually want to help someone, you won't be able to do it."

Hiratsuka caressed Hikigaya's cheek for a few seconds.

When she lowered her hand, their eyes met.

Hikigaya turned his back on her and continued on his way.

Isomaru Suisan Chiba

6:21, PM

"Thank you for your purchase."

Hikigaya heard the girl, to which he simply nodded gratefully.

He began walking through the restaurant to find a seat.

"Oh, a face I haven't seen before."

A feminine and mellow voice spoke, with a charm that could make anyone kneel.

Hikigaya turned around and saw her.

Yukinoshita, Haruno. Yukinoshita's older sister.

She waved to Hikigaya with her hand, to which he could only walk quickly toward one of the seats at the counter, as fast as he could, ignoring the fact that he had seen her.

When he reached his seat, he heard her voice again, closer this time.

"How mean", Haruno said. "There was no need to run away like that, rude."

Hikigaya could only furrow his brow.

"Hikigaya-kun", Yukinoshita-san spoke in her usual probing tone.

Hikigaya, who was holding his book, spoke. "Yes…?"

"Tell me something interesting."

Hikigaya's eyes looked straight ahead with annoyance.

Haruno laughed. "I love that annoyed reaction", she spoke while stretching both arms upward. "I knew you were going to react like that."

Hikigaya inadvertently looked at Haruno's bust, but immediately looked away.

"So…", Haruno spoke again. "How are things going with Yukino-chan?"

"Fine, I guess", Hikigaya replied.

Haruno smiled. "Mmmh, I'm glad to hear that", Haruno moved a little closer. "And what? Have you made any progress?"

"Progress?", Hikigaya asked, confused.

"You know, progress. Didn't you go on a school trip? Didn't anything happen?", Haruno replied.

"You certainly are well informed", Hikigaya answered.

"Yukino-chan sent me a few souvenirs."

Hikigaya, somewhat curious, made a guess. "Did she use a parcel delivery service?"

"I suppose she didn't want to see me…" Haruno said, looking away from Hikigaya.

"But she still bought you souvenirs", Hikigaya spoke. "How thoughtful."

"Oh, I don't think that's it", Haruno confessed. "She hates me, but she doesn't want me to hate her", Hikigaya noticed the small gap her words had left. But Haruno continued. "Oh, perhaps she's very focused on exams and doesn't want to waste time on other things", her voice changed to a more cheerful one. "I suppose you're focusing on the entrance exams, aren't you?", Haruno pointed out as she saw him reading. "Don't you get bored?"

Hikigaya looked at Haruno, then returned to the book she was pointing at. "No, actually not", when he said it, what had happened that day came to mind. In some way, he felt sorry for her. "Maybe she's feeling a little overwhelmed. And then there's also that whole student council election business."

"Ah, I see", Haruno replied, this time showing a smile. "Meguri is finally going to step down…", she said while resting her hand on her cheek. "Knowing her, she asked Yukino-chan to be the next president, right?"

Hikigaya shook his head. "No, she didn't."

"What…? That's boring", Haruno said, changing her tone. "So Yukino-chan isn't going to be the student council president?"

"No…", Hikigaya said simply. Haruno remained silent for a few seconds, enough to make him look at her. "Is something wrong with that?"

"No, well. It's just that I was never president", Haruno took a moment to breathe. "How boring", the charming, mellow tone disappeared.

Hikigaya immediately looked at her.

He watched her face change in the blink of an eye.

Her tone of voice, her posture, her… gaze.

Haruno noticed Hikigaya looking at her and turned to face him, only to smile at him.

Hikigaya was now a little accustomed to it, (thanks to a certain brunette), so he did not react and simply returned to his book.

"Huh? Hikigaya?" another female voice. "Oh, it's you! It's been a long time", the girl continued.

Hikigaya looked at the girl.

Her dark brown wavy hair, blue uniform.

"O-Orimoto…", Hikigaya barely spoke.

Hikigaya did not stop looking at the girl, now Orimoto.

"I thought I had managed to bury my middle school classmates deep within the furthest reaches of my memory. But her name, Orimoto Kaori, I said it without thinking. I could never completely erase it… I suppose."

Hikigaya thought to himself, remembering those years.

"Wait", Orimoto spoke. "Do you go to Sōbu High School?"

Hikigaya, who looked away, shrank back into his seat.

"Y-Yeah", he replied.

Orimoto laughed a little. "So you're smart, huh? I didn't know."

"Well, you hardly talked, so this is new to me", Orimoto said without stopping her smile. Orimoto turned to look at Haruno. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No", Hikigaya replied.

His eyes remained fixed on one point.

He did not know where to look.

"Right? I figured. There was no way she was", Orimoto laughed.

Hikigaya moved forward in his seat while giving a fake laugh.

"Why am I forcing this smile… why can't I just… what the hell… I'm pathetic…"

Haruno turned to Hikigaya.

"Is it possible that this girl was a friend of Hikigaya-kun?"

Hikigaya turned to look at Haruno.

"Is it just me, or did she sound surprised that I had a friend?" Hikigaya thought to himself. He took a breath and answered. "She was one of my schoolmates."

Haruno laughed a little, covering her mouth at Hikigaya's answer.

"I'm Orimoto Kaori", the girl said.

Haruno looked at the girl. "Mmmh", she gave a thoughtful smile. "I'm Yukinoshita Haruno", after a couple of seconds, she looked at Hikigaya. "I'm Hikigaya-kun's…", she paused for a moment, thinking. "Hey, what exactly am I to you?"

"How would I know?", Hikigaya spoke.

"Well, it would be strange to say we're friends…", Haruno said, looking upward. "So…", Haruno moved closer to Hikigaya, pressing her body against his shoulder. "Why don't we say I'm your girlfriend?"

Hikigaya moved away from Haruno without feeling embarrassed or anything about the comment. "Wouldn't it be easier to say you're my senpai, or something?"

Haruno still moved a little closer. "Mmmh", she made a fake pout. "You're so boring!" Yukinoshita-san now turned to Orimoto and the other girl beside her. "So, you're an ex-classmate of Hikigaya-kun? Tell me something about him", Orimoto laughed at Haruno's comment. To which Haruno continued. "Something like his love life! That's it! This Onee-san wants to know about Hikigaya-kun's love life!"

Hikigaya's eyes opened with great concern.

His hands began to tremble, sweat started running down his forehead.

An itch arose on his scalp.

He inhaled and exhaled, again and again.

The three girls did not even notice Hikigaya's condition.

"Now that I remember, he once asked me out."

"Really? No way!" the girl accompanying Orimoto replied.

Hikigaya's jaw tensed.

"Tell me more", Haruno replied with even more enthusiasm.

So Orimoto continued. "I remember we hadn't talked, and out of nowhere he asked me out. I was surprised."

The oxygen was cut off.

He tried to control it, thinking.

"Talking… nothing… we texted… out of compassion or whatever, she gave me her number. I used all kinds of excuses to write to her and waited for a stupid reply that was never going to come… but I don't think she knows anything about that… oh, she simply doesn't remember…"

Sweat began to run down.

His words were not working.

His thoughts were not functioning.

His breathing was becoming shorter and shorter.

None of them noticed.

But a new voice arrived.

"Hikigaya", a boy's voice was heard to his left. "Are you feeling okay?"

The loner turned toward the sound of the voice.

"Hasegawa", Hikigaya managed to say, trying to calm himself.

Haruno turned toward the new face. "Hikigaya-kun? You know him?", Haruno's charming tone returned.

Orimoto and the other girl looked at Hasegawa.

Hikigaya tried to speak. "He's… h-he's…", but he swallowed.

"Yes", Hasegawa replied, hearing Hikigaya's difficulty. "I'm Hikigaya's friend. Hasegawa Hajime."

"Oh, Hikigaya-kun", Haruno's charming tone remained. "I didn't know you had friends", Haruno turned back to Hasegawa. "I'm Yukinoshita Haruno, nice to meet you."

Hasegawa looked at Haruno, noticing the resemblance instantly. "So she has a sister", Hasegawa sighed. "Wonderful."

Haruno tilted her head in confusion. "Sister?", Haruno immediately understood. "Ah, you must already know Yukino-chan", her playful tone rose. "Well, be careful, Yukino-chan is Hikigaya-kun's. Onee-san will get angry if you try anything, Hasegawa Hajime-kun."

Hasegawa almost burst out laughing at the direct threat.

"You don't need to worry about me, Onee-san", Hasegawa replied without any hint of fear or intimidation.

When Haruno saw that she had gotten no reaction from him, she burst out laughing.

"Ha, ha, ha", Haruno continued laughing. "Hasegawa-kun, Onee-san likes you."

Hasegawa looked at her with annoyance.

He already had enough dealing with one lunatic.

Two was becoming impossible.

"Yeah, whatever", he replied to Haruno, then turned to Hikigaya. "Hey, we need to talk."

Hikigaya furrowed his brow in confusion. "Talk…?"

"Hikigaya, you have friends!", the girl shouted again, quite surprised. "Woah, how strange! What would our former classmates say, huh?", Orimoto took a few seconds before addressing Hikigaya again. "Oh, Hikigaya! Since you both go to Sōbu, you must know Hayama-kun."

Hikigaya replied out of muscle memory. "Y-Yeah, you could say that…"

"Who…?", Hasegawa tilted his head in confusion.

"Really!", Orimoto replied excitedly. "You heard her, Chika, he could introduce us!" Orimoto told her companion beside her.

The girl smiled suspiciously. "Huh? No, maybe another time."

Hikigaya looked at Orimoto before looking back at the floor. "Hey, look. I don't really know him. We're not friends, or anything like that…"

Orimoto showed a disappointed expression, as did the other girl.

"A-Ah, right, that makes sense", Orimoto said a little uncomfortably. "It would be strange if you were."

"This could get interesting!", Haruno shouted enthusiastically. "All right, ladies, I'll introduce you to him." Haruno placed her phone to her ear and after a few seconds spoke. "Hayato? Can you come where I am, right now? I'm at Isomaru Suisan, near the station."

"What's she up to?" Hikigaya thought.

Hasegawa, who had sighed, spoke again.

"Hikigaya", he said for the second time. "It's important", he clarified impatiently.

Haruno turned to Hasegawa. "Oh, you can stay too. It'll be entertaining."

Hasegawa seemed to hear an echo of himself for a second…

"Entertaining… huh…" Hasegawa shook his head tiredly. "Be careful what you wish for, Onee-san."

"See you, Hayama-kun", Orimoto said as she walked toward the exit of the restaurant.

The other girl said goodbye as well. "Bye-bye, Hayama-kun, I'll message you."

Hayama and Haruno waved back at them in farewell.

Unlike Hikigaya and Hasegawa,

Who were looking at their food.

"Why did you do this?", Hayama changed his kind smile to a serious expression as he spoke to Haruno.

"I thought it would be fun", Haruno replied in her cheerful tone.

Satisfied.

"Again…", Hayama replied. And then he looked at Hikigaya and Hasegawa. "And why are they here?"

"You'll be surprised", Haruno answered. "Apparently, Hikigaya-kun liked the girl with curly hair", when Hikigaya heard those words, he shuddered at the memory, still buried inside him. Hasegawa saw him. He understood the feeling. And it made him clench his jaw. However, Haruno continued. "I'd like to see Yukino-chan's face if she finds out about this", Yukinoshita-san took a breath and looked at the other boy beside Hikigaya. "And apparently Hikigaya-kun has a friend, Hasegawa-kun, he is—"

"I know the blond", Hasegawa immediately cut Haruno off, fed up with her tone of voice.

Haruno was surprised. "Really? But you said you didn't know him when the girls mentioned him."

"I didn't remember his name…", Hasegawa confessed. "I thought he was the other one, it doesn't matter…"

Hasegawa remembered the time he met Hayama and Tobe.

Tobe's anger when he mispronounced Hasegawa's name had made him pay little attention to them, confusing their names.

Hayama sighed and looked at Hikigaya.

Haruno tilted her head, somewhat confused by the last part, but ignored it. "And so, since when have you and Hikigaya-kun been friends? Also since middle school? Do you have stories about Hikigaya-kun too?"

"I've known him for less than two weeks", Hasegawa answered, tired of the meaningless conversation.

"Two weeks? And you're already friends?", Haruno asked again, but this time without actually wanting an answer.

"Men, you wouldn't understand", Hasegawa replied without flinching.

Haruno slightly tilted her head, with a hint of annoyance.

"He's a member of the Service Club", Hayama interrupted before anything happened.

Haruno turned seriously toward Hayama. "Ah, yes…", Haruno smiled again in a way that made the atmosphere change. "Haha, Shizuka-chan didn't tell me anything about that."

Hayama nodded. He did not want to talk anymore. It would only add fuel to the fire.

The blond did not want that.

Hikigaya still did not stop looking at the table in front of him.

He was completely exhausted. He felt like his muscles were not responding. His eyes blinked several times, more than usual. His throat was dry. Everything about him felt wrong.

And the night was not over yet.

"Well!", Haruno stood up with her usual smile. "It was nice spending time together somehow. So I'm going to head out", after finishing that sentence, Haruno moved close to the side of Hikigaya's face. "Thank you…", she whispered. "For going out with me, Hikigaya-kun", although the words were spoken directly into Hikigaya's ear, Hasegawa could hear them. Their eyes met, and she smiled. "It was nice meeting you, Hasegawa-kun", she winked as she straightened up. "This Onee-san likes you."

Hasegawa simply tilted his head and nodded, without giving it much importance.

Haruno turned around with a certain elegance, now leaving the three students in silence.

It was not long before she crossed the door.

"Well, woman", Hasegawa finally spoke.

Hayama remained on the sidelines as always, closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, Hikigaya inhaled, somewhat tired.

"Seems like Haruno-san likes you", Hayama said, looking at Hikigaya. "Both of you, actually. It's impressive… I've never seen it before…"

Hasegawa glanced at Hayama, who kept his gaze still, and could only sigh.

Hikigaya furrowed his brow. "What? Are you an idiot? It's obvious she's just messing with me."

"Even so", Hayama replied. "She doesn't bother people she's not interested in", Hayama took a moment and spoke again. "She's good to those she likes, and ignores those she doesn't, and destroys those she hates…"

Hasegawa smiled with the slightest hint of amazement in silence upon hearing Hayama's rambling.

"That sounds…", Hikigaya spoke. "Terrifying…"

Hearing that, Hasegawa could only smile ironically.

"Yeah, that's terrifying. I don't want to think about what they'll say about him…", Hasegawa spoke again, standing up and continuing. "All right, Hikigaya, come with me."

Hayama watched as Hasegawa stood up.

"You mean Matsuba-kun? Right, Hasegawa-kun…", Hayama asked seriously. Hasegawa simply nodded, unconcerned. Hayama sighed. "What does he want?"

Hikigaya turned to look at Hayama, somewhat surprised. This time his tone had changed. His gaze had changed; he no longer seemed like Sōbu's charming prince.

But Hasegawa could not care less.

"Why don't you go and ask him?", Hasegawa replied. "I'm sure he's eager to hang your head somewhere in Sōbu."

Hayama's condescending manner at the question annoyed Hasegawa.

It was normal.

For Hayama, having other people run his errands was normal.

He asked, and the others brought it to him.

"Come on, Hikigaya", Hasegawa said as he walked toward the exit of the restaurant.

Hikigaya, upon hearing this, simply nodded, ignoring both of their words.

Now the only one left in the restaurant was Hayama.

"Shit…", was the only thing the blond could say.

2-chōme-15 Shinjuku, Chuo Ward, Chiba, 260-0021, Japan

6:43, PM

"She really was a bitch", Hasegawa spoke, breaking the ice.

Hikigaya opened his eyes at how naturally he said it.

"Yukinoshita-san?", he asked, replying in surprise.

"What?", Hasegawa thought of Yukino instantly. "No, I mean the other one, Orimoto", he replied, laughing. "For the eldest Yukinoshita, there's another kind of word", he commented with a slight smile. It became contagious, as Hikigaya smiled too. However, he saw that Hikigaya was having difficulty smiling. "Hey, relax", he spoke, placing his hand on the loner's shoulder. "You can laugh. No one will chase you with torches or throw you into a bonfire."

Hikigaya nodded, however, his eyes did not stop looking at the ground.

"They would if they could", he joked, giving a small smile.

Both laughed at the comment.

Hasegawa lowered his laughter, returning to his natural voice. "That Orimoto…", he spoke this time a little more seriously. "She's the girl from your stories… the one with the messages, the phone, and all that."

Hikigaya looked away, but he knew it would be useless to lie. So he resigned himself.

"Y-Yeah…", he replied.

Hasegawa nodded understandingly. "Don't worry. I've had bad streaks too", he gave him a small hit on the shoulder. "No one is exempt."

Hikigaya certainly felt a pinch of pain, not much, but enough for it to hurt a little. And a slight blush grew on his cheeks. Talking about these kinds of things with another man… or human being, had never happened before.

So he simply forced a grimace.

"I-I guess", he replied. So he spoke, trying to evade the subject, continuing, "And what did you want to talk about?"

Hasegawa put his hands in his pockets, letting out the fresh evening air.

"Everything", he replied generally. "About the club, what's happening. How uncomfortable it has become", he took a second to breathe and continued. "And about Haruto…"

Hikigaya nodded. He understood, things had become uncomfortable. But he really did not want to talk about the club. And as for Matsuba, he did not fully understand that either.

What could they talk about regarding Matsuba?

About how annoying he was…

"Nothing is happening with the club", Hikigaya turned his eyes back to the road in front of them. "It's just that Yukinoshita and I don't agree, nothing special", he replied without giving it much importance. "And what's with Matsuba?"

Hasegawa clearly saw that he was avoiding the subject, so he simply nodded, perhaps he would bring it up again another time. So it was better to prioritize Matsuba.

"You saw it, at the club", Hasegawa said.

Hikigaya furrowed his brow, not understanding what he was referring to.

"What thing?"

Hasegawa noticed the confusion, so he continued. "When you and Yukinoshita had that exchange of words", he reminded Hikigaya. "Before that teacher and the other two came in."

Hikigaya nodded. "Ah… yeah…", he remembered how Matsuba touched Yukinoshita's shoulder. Nothing he had not done before coming to the club.

"You saw it", Hasegawa repeated without taking his eyes off Hikigaya. "You watched Haruto put his hand on Yukinoshita's shoulder."

"Yes…", Hikigaya replied doubtfully, still wondering where he was going with this.

He remembered that moment, it had been strange.

He did not mention it, but he did not pay much attention to it either.

Matsuba always ignored personal space… with everyone.

What was strange, to Hikigaya, was that Yukinoshita did not push him away.

Hasegawa looked at Hikigaya, but this time his eyes became deeper and more serious. One that made him tense up instinctively.

"He's never done that before", Hasegawa confessed. "Ah, to anyone."

Hikigaya furrowed his brows even more this time.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?", Hasegawa replied. "He's planning something."

Their footsteps slowed between them.

Hikigaya did not know how to understand the situation. "Planning something? With Yukinoshita? Like what?" Without meaning to, he swallowed. "Planning something…", Hikigaya replied, confused. "Something like what?"

Hasegawa shook his head.

"I don't know…", he answered honestly. The crosswalk made them both stop. A green light made them barely visible, along with the lights from the cars. "But it has to do with Yukinoshita", Hasegawa continued. "Ever since I've known Haruto, he's never been interested in someone for more than two days, although Aiko-chan is an exception", Hasegawa continued explaining. "So when the time comes, you'll have to do something…"

"Wait… What? Do something…?", Hikigaya asked, bewildered. His thoughts overwhelmed him. "Something… like what? What could Matsuba do to Yukinoshita?"

Hasegawa, somewhat surprised to hear Hikigaya's reaction, replied.

"You'll have to help… protect her", he answered without taking his eyes off the road ahead. "She likes you…"

Hikigaya blushed at how easily he said it.

"Y-Yukinoshita, liking me", his stutter was more pronounced than before.

The traffic light changed to bright red.

Hasegawa smiled at the sight of his companion's red cheeks. "Oh, please, you didn't realize?"

"I-I, she doesn't like me", Hikigaya choked on his saliva.

"Of course she does", Hasegawa replied, somewhat understandingly, seeing Hikigaya's denial. The loner quickly shook his head. Hasegawa sighed at his clubmate's naivety. "What? Didn't you hear her when she said it wasn't necessary for you to be the scapegoat?", Hasegawa spoke incredulously. "She even mentioned committing election fraud."

Hikigaya, still reluctant to Hasegawa's words, reasoned it out, and without meaning to, stopped changing the subject.

"That was to make the request more efficient."

Hasegawa turned to look at Hikigaya. "Sure, and what about the last thing? The last thing she said when you left", now both of them were standing on the sidewalk without walking.

Hikigaya remembered what she had said before he left the clubroom.

"I thought we both hated superficiality…"

Yukinoshita's words echoed in his head.

"Hate superficiality?"

Hasegawa nodded, a small smile forming on the brunette's face.

"That, my friend, is practically a confession", Hasegawa smiled warmly at Hikigaya. "A strange one, but it is", Hikigaya blushed again. Hasegawa saw a bench and a vending machine nearby. "Come on, I'll treat you."

The two students sat on the bench, each drinking a different beverage.

Hasegawa drank his black coffee, and while doing so, he glanced at Hikigaya's drink.

"Isn't it too sweet?", Hasegawa asked as he looked at Hikigaya's drink.

A can of MAX COFFEE.

"Life is bitter", Hikigaya looked at Hasegawa. "At least coffee should be sweet…"

Hasegawa smiled. "What a mantra…"

Hikigaya relaxed the corners of his lips as he sat on the bench across from him.

When he took his third or fourth sip, the memories came back.

He could not remember the last time he had felt comfortable with another human being.

Except for his little sister.

So many years had passed.

"Mmh", Hikigaya cleared his throat. "So, Matsuba, what does he want with Yukinoshita?"

Hasegawa sat down beside Hikigaya, adjusting his jacket.

"Honestly, I don't know", he replied, leaning forward. "Lately, Haruto hasn't been acting the way he should. He's different. He's leaving a lot of things to chance. And ever since he was absent those six or seven months, he's been acting strange", when he turned to look at Hikigaya, he was met with a puzzled look. "I mean stranger than he already is…", he clarified, while both nodded in unison, as he took a sip of his black coffee. "And add the whole Kaihin thing."

Hasegawa mentioned the institution. Hikigaya looked at him in confusion. He did not know much about other schools, but he did know about Kaihin High School. Almost all of his former schoolmates had gone there. Orimoto, for example. That blue jacket and skirt were from that school.

"Kaihin?", he asked without giving it much importance. "What's going on with that school?"

"You didn't know…", Hasegawa turned to look at him.

Meanwhile, Hikigaya, still drinking his beverage, shook his head.

So Hasegawa replied. "Haruto took control of Kaihin a while ago, before disappearing", Hasegawa replied, massaging his temple. "And as if that weren't enough, Sōbu, now Kaihin, and not to mention half of the Yurinoki-dori neighborhood."

Hikigaya furrowed his brow, lowering his drink.

"Seriously…? W-Wait, what you're saying sounds ridiculous. Controlling Kaihin? Is he in a gang? Is he a gangster?"

Hasegawa went blank for a second.

"Hikigaya, how much do you know about the gangs here in Chiba…"

He lowered his gaze to the can in his hands.

"Ah, well, not much… as far as I know, I don't think there are any…"

Hasegawa's face was almost blank, his brown eyes replaced by a pair of black dots.

"I see", Hasegawa nodded.

Hikigaya slightly furrowed his brow. "Why is he looking at me with pity?" the loner thought.

Hasegawa straightened up and returned his face to normal.

"Okay, I'll simplify it. There have always been gangs here in Chiba, Kyoto, Tokyo, anywhere in Japan. For some time now, they've stopped being called gangs", he clarified.

"I understand…", Hikigaya replied lightly, paying attention.

"Good…", Hasegawa nodded, continuing. "Currently, there are eight leaders in our prefecture. Counting Haruto. That's what they're called. Leaders."

"Matsuba… a gangster. No. A leader, sounds even more stupid in my monologue. I think I'll stick with: Thug," Hikigaya thought. He brought his can to his lips again, but before doing so, he replied. "There aren't many."

Hasegawa nodded, looking straight ahead with a distant gaze.

"That's partly thanks to Haruto", he commented, turning back to Hikigaya. "There used to be many more."

Hikigaya lowered his can upon hearing the statement.

"What do you mean? Did Matsuba do something to them?", he asked, confused.

Hasegawa picked up a wooden stick and began drawing a map of Chiba Prefecture.

He began marking the largest wards.

Mihama-ku, Narashino, Yotsukaidō, Inage Ward, Wakaba-ku.

"Back then, the gangs were spread out by the hundreds. Some were small, others weren't. Each one had its piece of the city. It all started at Higashi High School. They said that a brown-haired boy who never stopped smiling began challenging the leaders of the largest gangs in Chiba. The ones who controlled bars, clubs. But no one took him seriously. And before we knew it, the leaders began disappearing without a trace. People thought it was the police acting this time, but it wasn't."

Hikigaya could hardly believe it. He wondered whether to ask, but thought he knew what the answer would be.

"Was it Matsuba?"

Hasegawa nodded, letting out a long sigh.

"Yes…", he brought his hands to his face, rubbing it. "Haruto was the reason the gangs were reduced. When he arrived in the prefecture, everything changed. He did whatever he wanted here in Chiba, and turned Higashi into his kingdom." Hasegawa stamped the concrete beneath him. "This ground, this place", he pointed with his hands. "Mihama-ku. It's part of Haruto's territory. The fact that nothing ever happens here is thanks to him. Haruto doesn't belong to a gang or group. He has always acted alone. Entire gangs, smaller ones, or those just starting out, never come here out of fear of Haruto. And the gangs that already have their bases don't come here because of a pact between them…"

Hikigaya furrowed his brows even more.

Hearing Hasegawa's words seemed surreal to him, or, to put it another way, fanciful.

Thinking about it seemed ridiculous to him.

"When he arrived, everything changed…" he repeated to himself.

Hasegawa lowered his can.

"I used to belong to one…", his words came out almost as a murmur. "It was a gang, it was one of the old ones, it doesn't exist anymore… but I managed to get out before Haruto arrived…"

Hikigaya turned toward him, he was not really impressed.

It was obvious to him.

"Sounds like it was rough…", he replied.

Hasegawa nodded, grateful for Hikigaya's understanding.

"It's not something I'm proud of, Hikigaya. I needed money, you know… my father had abandoned us. My mother… my sisters…", he lowered his head, letting his irises fall to the cold ground. "I wish I had done things differently, but I don't regret anything…"

Hikigaya nodded, he could only listen.

He could not say that he completely understood him, but there was something they could agree on.

"Regret… I know the feeling…" he let out a sigh. The vapor-filled air dissolved in front of him. "So Matsuba controls all of this…?"

"I'm afraid so…", Hasegawa replied, nodding as he brought his can to his lips.

Hikigaya himself could not believe it. He knew Matsuba could be a headache. Worse, not at this magnitude. Since if what Hasegawa was saying was true, he would have to warn Yukinoshita who she had let into the club.

"If Matsuba forces Yukinoshita to do something…" his thoughts spoke before he did. "What if he hurts her…?" He immediately felt something in his stomach, a hollow ache for some reason he did not understand. "It will be my responsibility…", but he knew how stubborn she was, and all she would do was call him: Hikki-exaggerated-kun. He would have to come up with a way to keep him away from her. "If that's the case", Hikigaya spoke. "What do we do?"

Hasegawa shook his head. "Nothing, you can ignore that."

"A-Ah, but you said he controls this place, right? We have to warn the others… the police or something… right?"

Hasegawa smiled slightly at how innocent that sounded.

"I see you don't have as black a heart as you make yourself seem", he replied with a smile.

Hikigaya furrowed his brow in annoyance. "Go to hell…"

Hasegawa let out a smile and placed his hand on Hikigaya's shoulder, shaking him amicably.

"Calm down, that's not our problem", he turned his eyes toward the loner. "What we should be worried about is Yukinoshita… and the deals."

Hikigaya furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Deals?"

"That's right…", Hasegawa nodded slowly. "Haruto always seeks that from someone. To make a deal", he clarified. "If Yukinoshita has caught his attention, then…", Hasegawa looked at Hikigaya. "You have to do everything you can to make sure she doesn't make a deal with Haruto."

"I-I", Hikigaya stammered. "Don't… don't think…"

"Yes", Hasegawa affirmed. "Listen, Haruto takes deals very seriously. If he makes one with Yukinoshita and she refuses, or cannot fulfill it, he'll hurt her", his eyes went to the ground. "Listen. I wasn't told this, it's not some stupid rumor, I saw it myself", Hasegawa turned to Hikigaya. "I saw him break a boy's fingers for not holding up his end of the deal", Hasegawa looked back at the ground. "He broke his legs, Hikigaya. I saw the boy being taken away by his mother in a wheelchair. If there is one thing Haruto hates, it's people not respecting agreements. This is serious, Hikigaya."

Hikigaya took some time to process it.

He swallowed.

He never thought Matsuba would do such things.

A thug, yes… but breaking someone's legs over a deal…

No.

Would Matsuba really be capable of hurting Yukinoshita?

"Why are you telling me this?", Hikigaya spoke, looking at Hasegawa. "Aren't you his friend?"

Hasegawa coughed. "Friend? Why do you think I'm here? Mmh…", Hasegawa took a deep breath. "Why do you think I attend the club? Kindness? No, no", Hasegawa leaned back in his seat. "I owe him…"

"You owe him…", Hikigaya repeated, clearing his throat. "What do you owe him…?"

"Isn't it obvious? I made a deal…", Hasegawa confessed. Hikigaya nodded, and a few seconds of silence passed. "I'm sure you found out…" Hasegawa began. "It was the re-admission for third year. But I did something stupid", he turned to look at Hikigaya. "You have no idea how much I regret it. Sōbu was about to expel me. I was screwed, there was evidence, testimonies, and other stupid things", Hasegawa looked at the sky.

"Then a few hours later, he arrived, Matsuba Haruto", he continued. "The most feared person in Sōbu. I thought he was just an idiot with a stupid smile… and he said: Don't worry, I'll make it all disappear…" Hasegawa remembered that moment as if it had been yesterday. Matsuba's smile made his blood boil, but even more so his own naivety for accepting so easily. "I accepted without hesitation", Hasegawa continued. "And he just smiled", remembering that smile made his blood run cold. "I really thought he liked me…"

Idiot, pathetic, naïve…

Those were the only words that described Hasegawa.

Hikigaya's thoughts moved as fast as they could, analyzing Hasegawa's words.

"I'm sorry", Hikigaya barely said.

He spoke, the loner not expecting anything.

Hikigaya observed Hasegawa again.

The small gestures, like the way his hands played with the can, his pauses.

His breathing.

"No, I can't do much now…", Hasegawa spoke. "As long as I owe him, he'll do whatever he wants with me. I won't always be able to help you…", Hasegawa replied. "The three of you…"

Hikigaya moved his head in confusion. "The three of us?", Hikigaya clarified. "What about Aisaka-san?"

Hasegawa smiled. "Aiko-chan will be fine. Haruto appreciates her in some way."

"Are they friends?", Hikigaya cleared his throat. "Ever since you guys joined the club, Aisaka has been somewhat strange. She acts like Matsuba's servant… So, are they friends?", he asked again.

"No idea", Hasegawa answered honestly. "She was already with him when I met Haruto…", Hikigaya nodded. There was silence for a second, but. "So that's why…", Hasegawa returned to the main topic. "You have to stop Yukinoshita from making a deal with Haruto. You don't know what he'll ask of her or what he'll force her to do…", Hasegawa took a breath and looked at Hikigaya again. "And I'm telling you this because I like you."

Hikigaya opened his eyes in surprise.

"Y-You like me", Hikigaya replied, somewhat incredulous and nervous.

"Of course", Hasegawa nodded. "You, and those two girls, seem like good kids."

Hikigaya cleared his throat upon hearing that. "But what can I do…?"

Hasegawa sighed.

"Make Yukinoshita see reason", he said while taking a sip of his drink.

"B-But, that's almost impossible", Hikigaya replied. "Especially now."

"They care about you…", Hasegawa replied.

Hikigaya turned to look at him. "Huh?"

"They both care about you", Hasegawa replied immediately. "Yukinoshita and Yuigahama."

"I-I, n-no—"

"Friend. They do", Hasegawa immediately interrupts him. "They care about you, both of them", he takes a moment to clarify what he means. "Look, if you really think they don't. That's fine", it takes Hasegawa a second. "But at least think that they feel a little appreciation for you."

Silence falls again.

Hikigaya still does not believe it, he wants to say something, contradict him, or use what he knows best.

"Mmmm…", his silence becomes unbearable, even for him.

He tries to use his logic.

But it does nothing.

"If you can't think it…", Hasegawa continues. "No one will do it for you…"

And silence falls again.

Hikigaya Residence

7:06, PM

Hikigaya crossed the door of his home.

As he closed it, all he could hear was the sound of the lock. It seemed like the house was completely empty, but the light coming from beneath the door of his sister Komachi's room said otherwise.

He sighed.

How much longer would this last…?

His sister was no longer speaking to him.

Yukinoshita would not let him use his methods.

Yuigahama continued with her smile, avoiding the subject.

And now Matsuba…

"What have I gotten myself into?", Hikigaya remembered Hasegawa's words. "…Sōbu and Kanin, leaders, gangs… this is ridiculous… even for me…" He thought about what he would have to do. The first thing would be obvious, as Hasegawa had said. Make sure Yukinoshita does not make a deal with Matsuba. "But, …How? How am I going to stop Yukinoshita from doing it?"

Hikigaya reflected when, out of the corner of his left eye, he saw the white light sticking out.

It was his sister Komachi leaving her room. Her brow now furrowed, she walked toward the bathroom, completely ignoring her brother.

Another sigh escaped Hikigaya.

Sōbu High School

7:03, AM

Hikigaya walked and was greeted by Yuigahama.

The moment she looked at him with the animosity that characterized her, she addressed him.

"A-Ah, Hikki", she said with a slight stammer. "Good morning."

Hikigaya looked at Yuigahama for a moment.

"Apparently, yesterday's thing is still fresh…"

He thought to himself.

So after a few seconds, he spoke. "Good…", but as he said it, he kept walking.

It was not because he wanted to ignore Yuigahama, Hikigaya had a lot on his mind. And although the loner would not want to admit it, going to Yukinoshita was his priority.

Yuigahama noticed Hikigaya's disinterested manner. Her face fell a little, but that did not stop her from following him.

"Will you come to the club today?" Yuigahama asked. Her voice sounded discouraged, with small hints of hope. "It's just that…", Yuigahama's voice stopped for a few seconds. "Matus-kun and Hasegawa-kun said they won't be able to attend…"

Hikigaya opened his eyes a little in surprise without losing sight of the hallway he was crossing.

"Hasegawa isn't coming…?", Hikigaya thinks, "Why? Does Matsuba know about the conversation we had? No. That would be impossible."

Hikigaya inhales deeply before speaking. "Why?"

"A-Ah, Matus-kun said he was going to look for the people who pulled that cruel prank on Iroha-chan. And a date… or something like that. And Hasegawa-kun said he was going to pick up his sister from her school…"

Hikigaya's thoughts flooded his mind.

"A date… Hasegawa has a sister, ah, right. He mentioned it last night…" Hikigaya clears his view. "He's also an older brother, perhaps that's why we get along… I guess."

His imagination clouded his mind, but he quickly shook his head.

He could use this to make Yukinoshita see things differently, but he needed Hasegawa's help.

But it could also hurt him.

"Hikki?", Yuigahama's voice pulled Hikigaya from his thoughts.

Hikigaya reacted to the sound of Yuigahama's concerned voice.

"Yes…", Hikigaya answered, evading the question Yuigahama was going to ask about his condition. "I'll go to the club."

Yuigahama's expression changed in an instant. "O-Oh, that's great!", the joy was more than obvious. "Hey, today I talked with Iroha-chan and Yukinon, and we came up with a plan", when Yuigahama was about to say what came next, her voice dropped several notes. "But I don't want you to think we're doing this behind your back."

"Don't worry", Hikigaya speaks again. "I'll go and listen."

Yuigahama's smile returned to her face.

Service Club

4:32, PM

Hikigaya once again looked at the door of the Service Club.

This time he felt more comfortable, perhaps it was because he knew Matsuba would not be there.

"It's been a while since the last time I argued with Yukinoshita. But now this is beyond me. It's not the same anymore. All I have to do is make Matsuba stay away from Yukinoshita, or vice versa. But between her and me, if nothing has changed, that's perfect for me."

The words came to Hikigaya as he moved his head up and looked at the sign of his club.

"Perhaps Hasegawa is right in telling me that she may feel some kind of appreciation toward me, but love me… no… I know she doesn't…"

The words kept coming, sprouting from his mind without stopping.

"Me, having Yukinoshita like me, the most beautiful girl in Sōbu…" until the sound of the door was heard thanks to him.

"What an idiot…"

Upon entering, he saw Yukinoshita at the head of the table as always. Yuigahama at her side, and to her left Aisaka, and on the other side of the table Isshiki.

"You came!", Yuigahama shouted, being the first to react.

Aisaka quickly went to the table where the teapot was and poured tea into a plastic cup.

Hikigaya ignored this and went to sit in his seat without saying anything.

"Here, Hachiman-kun", Aisaka's voice made him turn around.

Hikigaya showed no blush or anything equivalent. He just felt it. "Thank you, Aisaka-san", he replied as he brought the cup to his lips and enjoyed the sweet taste of the tea.

"Wow, it tastes really good, and it's sweet…"

The loner thought to himself.

Without looking at the newcomer, Yukinoshita arranged the papers in her hands. "Well, let's begin."

"First, the best option we have, Iroha-chan, is to make someone else want to become the student council president", Yuigahama spoke. "That way you could lose the votes without it harming you."

"Mmh…", Isshiki nodded. "That would be nice, but I would like the person I lose against to be incredible."

Aisaka nods. "Yes", she answers. "That's why we made a list of names that could help us."

Yukinoshita takes a sheet of paper and hands it to Isshiki. "Also examples of what she can say and promise during the opening speech and—"

"The fact that you're running a campaign implies that your supposed candidate is going to be nothing more than a puppet…?" Hikigaya could not help but speak. Hikigaya's words made the four girls in the room turn to look at him. "And we're supposed to believe that's better than my method…" he speaks to himself. The four girls remained silent, and seeing this, Hikigaya spoke again. "Imagine your candidate wins", he continues. "What will she do with all the responsibilities she'll have?"

Yuigahama hesitates.

"T-That's why we have to look for someone capable."

"That only makes things more difficult", Hikigaya immediately counters. "Your plan loses its meaning if it doesn't take the future into account", the loner inhales. "It won't work."

"Then what's the point of your method…?"

Yukinoshita speaks. Her words make the sound in the room fade away.

Hikigaya looks at her, just like Yuigahama, Isshiki, and Aisaka.

"Strictly speaking, it could avoid the worst possible scenario", Hikigaya answers. "If she loses the vote of confidence, she could step down. Without being harmed by it", Hikigaya's words echo throughout the club. "She only has to blame someone, in this situation…"

"In this situation…", Yukinoshita repeats, annoyed. "No, you're wrong", Yukinoshita's blue eyes look directly into Hikigaya's. "You always try to avoid the problem."

Hikigaya is reminded of the memories.

Kyoto, Tobe's request, and his fake confession.

"What's wrong with that?", Hikigaya replies.

"I seem to recall that you called it a meaningless superficiality…", Yukinoshita replies, annoyed.

The room falls silent.

"Etto…", Yuigahama tries to say something, but there is nothing she can say.

Aisaka remains on the sidelines since she does not know how to act in this kind of situation. She did not understand why Hikigaya was like this. Throwing himself out as bait so that the other students would insult him. All for a request.

What was the need to sacrifice himself for a stranger?

"Hachiman-kun…", she could only say with pity.

Aisaka did not understand him.

"I'm leaving…", Hikigaya speaks as he gets to his feet.

The four girls watch as the boy leaves the room.

The sound of the door was the only thing that could be heard.

EXTRA: Matsuba Haruto's Important Date, Part 1

Matsuba Residence

8:45, PM

Three days after Matsuba joined the Service Club.

Matsuba was in the comfort of his home, sitting on the engawa. [3]

His eyes were closed, his posture was straight.

His legs crossed over each other.

He inhaled and exhaled.

And the smell of freshly baked pastries reached his nose.

His smile widened.

"Haru-kun~ Would you like something sweet? I need help! I think I made too many~", a feminine voice came from the right side of the hallway.

"Of course!" Matsuba shouted as he stood up in one motion, slightly breaking the wood beneath him. "I live to help, Shiori-san."

Matsuba Shiori, Matsuba Haruto's stepmother.

A woman with a kind face, her hair was dark brown. Compared to Haruto's, it was different. Her smile was contagious, making you feel loved just by looking at you.

Matsuba lowered his head slightly.

Shiori was not particularly tall, but neither was she that short. But she did not hesitate to stand on tiptoe so that her stepson would not slouch. When she saw him eating the cookies, she was surprised to see a certain joy in Haruto's smile.

Something different.

Ever since she had known him, he had always smiled.

She could not remember the last time she had even seen him sad or cry, if ever.

The first time she met him was when he was six or eight years old.

She had moved into his home a week after divorcing her husband, Matsuba Satō.

She had only heard very little about him from his father. "A very cheerful child", she managed to remember from her time as his secretary.

His father, compared to his son, was completely different.

So Shiori had made it her mission to detect every smile her stepson made.

To know when he was happy, euphoric, which were not the same thing. Excited, his eyes would shine. Serious, he would not show as many teeth. When he was annoyed, the corners of his mouth would widen and his eyes would become half-moons pointing downward.

And now he was showing excitement.

"So, did something happen at school?"

Shiori asked as she set the tray aside and took a handkerchief to wipe Haruto's cheeks. She was curious. Lately, Haruto had only been coming on weekends or some weekdays like this one. Since he stayed with his maternal aunt because it was closer to his current school. The last time she went to drop off some documents, she walked with him down the hallway, and some whispers worried her a little. 'Dark Prince', but surely they were just teenage things, a new manga, or anime, right?

Haruto widens his smile as he takes the handkerchief to clean himself.

"I joined a club."

Shiori's eyes light up with genuine excitement.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Haru-kun!" She gives a few little hops and soft claps. "And what club is it? Sports? No, no, you don't like touching other people… Oh, right! Kendo Club, it must be that." Shiori speaks too quickly, even for Haruto, who only smiles, waiting for a chance to speak. "It makes me so happy, Haru-kun, that you're participating in school activities."

She inhales nostalgically, wiping away a few tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Finally! Some good news", Shiori thinks. "I was afraid changing schools would affect him and that he'd become withdrawn and not make any friends… although that wouldn't be entirely bad, he'd come home more often… Ah, what are you thinking, Shiori!" Her eyes wandered over Haruto's face as she spoke again.

"Would you like me to pack those tamagoyaki rolls you like so much?" she asks again in her usual cheerful tone.

Haruto shows a somewhat confused smile.

"Sure", he replies. "And it's not the Kendo Club, by the way…"

"Oh…" Shiori blinks, somewhat confused. Her head tilts slightly. "If it's not kendo, then what is it?" she wonders to herself. "Ah, Haru-kun doesn't like being touched, reading, Literature Club? No, that bores him, Soccer? No, sports are too easy for him, Debate Club…? No, he'd scare everyone with his ideas… Tea Club?" [4]

Unconsciously, she brings her index finger to her chin.

"So… So what is the club you joined about, sweetheart?"

Haruto's eyes light up.

"It's called the Service Club."

Shiori's eyebrows slowly rise. She had never heard of a club called that.

"Service Club, huh…" she remains thoughtful. Thus, a brief image of Haruto helping someone came to her mind. "Helping… that sounds wonderful, Haru-kun. Will you help the community? Or will it be something like the student council?" Shiori speaks enthusiastically.

"HAHAHA" a pronounced laugh comes from Haruto. "Not at all, it's about helping the students."

"A-Ah… So, is it something about advising the other students?" Shiori relaxes without knowing exactly why. "That's good too, Haru-kun~" she comments with a slight smile. Then she briefly tilts her head. "You can help them kindly, right? Like a good senpai~"

Her words come out with her contagious cheerfulness, but there are tiny contractions in her face if one notices the dense cloud of nervousness.

She knows that Haruto can sometimes be…

Different.

"Hahaha" Haruto's laughter answers her. "Of course, I love helping."

Shiori sighs gracefully.

"That's good to hear… I thought—"

"It is a great delight to watch them fall repeatedly into the same pit of humanity's misfortune, and admire their faces in despair when they fail" for some reason, Haruto's voice deepened, and the rays of the setting sun hit his golden irises directly.

"There it is…" Shiori thinks.

She knew her stepson.

She was used to him expressing himself that way.

When he did it during his childhood, she found it amusing, she would even say adorable.

She never tried to correct him during his childhood, she never felt worthy of correcting him.

When she worked part-time at a daycare while she was still a student, she had a motto.

'Never leave a child alone', that one was not hers, it belonged to the daycare. Hers was: Never correct a child if it doesn't hurt anyone. Shiori was certain that her stepson was a good boy. Once, while buying food for lunch, she saw Haruto buy food for a stray cat with his own allowance.

"Haru-kun…" she says softly. "I know you can be a little different sometimes", Haruto instinctively tilted his head to the right, stretching his smile, narrowing his eyes. "A-Ah, I said it", she clears her throat. "I mean, why do you like watching your classmates fail so much?" Her question was asked tenderly, trying to understand the reasons behind her stepson's behavior.

"Isn't it obvious?" Haruto speaks in a cheerful tone. "They are participants in my world. And my world, is a WORLD of entertainment…"

Shiori sighs, resigned this time.

She brings her hand to Haruto's locks, stroking them.

"Haru-kun", she complains with some childishness. "That's a little cynical…"

She knew what her stepson was like.

Cynical, arrogant, conceited.

But in the end, he was a kind-hearted boy.

She tried to believe it.

And now the only thing she could do was stroke his head.

"By the way, Haru-kun", Shiori speaks again. "Do you have club activities tomorrow?"

She forgot to buy some groceries. That way, she could spend more time with her stepson.

"Why?" Haruto asks with a slight smile.

"Well, I just wanted to know. I thought maybe we could go grocery shopping together, like before. Of course, only if you don't have anything important to do", Shiori gestures with her hands with a certain shyness.

"Of course, Shiori-san", Haruto replies cheerfully.

"Oh, that's great, Haru-kun!" she comments while clapping with her skill. "Then I'll wait for you at the school entrance at four. We can stop by for the tea you like…" she winks. "But only if you behave yourself at the club. No psychologically torturing your classmates", but a small grimace forms at the corners of her mouth. "But, are you really sure it won't bother you to miss it? I don't want you to get kicked out of the club because of me…"

"HAHAHA, don't worry, Shiori-san, I'm the vice president, I can do whatever I want…"

Haruto's smile widens in an almost abnormal way.

But Shiori does not even notice.

"Oki-doki", she says, bringing her hand to Haruto's locks and stroking them. "It's a date."

Chapter 5 Note: What Is It That We Want?

Let's start with the end at the beginning.

Introducing Matsuba Shiori, Haruto's stepmother.

Appearance, slender, fair skin, light honey-colored eyes, dark brown hair, kind face, height, 1.68 m, measurements—Do you really think I'm going to tell you?, Moving on, she is a simple woman, she married Haruto's father after he divorced (but she was not the reason for the divorce) a few weeks later. The story was like so many others. An aspiring office worker falls in love with her superior, and they lived happily ever after.

She is a woman who could be described as simple.

She does not have any great ambitions, the only thing she wants is to have a family. That was her dream when she was a student. She achieved it, so what comes next?, Only she knows. Perhaps it will be explored in season two, but I'm not sure.

Now, let's talk about Hachiman.

I have not added his internal monologues for two reasons. The first is that I feel they would interrupt the flow while reading. If you have noticed, this is more dialogue than explanatory paragraphs. And between the dialogues, I add the stage directions (descriptions). However, there will be some when there is a change of scene.

Hachiman and Hajime: Their relationship. I originally had this as an idea. The fanfic was going to focus on them, and on how Hachiman gets a real friend. Of course, I changed that later for reasons that I still won't reveal. Continuing. The purpose is to make them friends. As it was originally. Hajime, as you may have noticed, will be a great ally for Hachiman in the future. You know Hachiman is not very good with others, he always tries to read between the lines. And he is good at it, but lately he has not been able to read the new characters. His ability will become more refined as the chapters go by. Like in this one. Hachiman never tried to read Hajime's intentions.

And I feel this is for the best. A simple friendship is what Hachiman needed to keep his feet on the ground and see that not everything needs to be solved.

Haruno: Here our lovely college-aged Onee-san with plenty of free time makes her first appearance. She meets Hajime, a short and quick introduction. I wasn't looking for them to talk that much. There will be time for that later.

Hayato: He now feels more pressure. Now, speaking hypothetically, it is believed, or rather, one could say that Hayama likes Yukino. Now this is the case in this work. The blond is in love with her. And of course, a person in love will do whatever it takes to protect the person he loves.

End of the note,

TRIVIA

[1] - Taiyaki: Traditional Japanese pastry shaped like a fish

[2] – 「ほんの気持ちですが」 (Honno kimochi desu ga) is a Japanese expression of false modesty used when giving a gift. It literally means "it's just a small something" and is used to downplay the gift being given to the recipient.

[3] – Engawa (縁側): An exterior wooden corridor that runs around or along the front of a traditional Japanese house.

[4] – References to the anime: Amagami SS

In said anime, there is a club dedicated to tea. I want to imply that Shiori attended that school in her youth. Thus, the events of that anime have already taken place. And perhaps one of the characters may have a slight crossover.