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[-Continuation-]
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[Hachiman's POV]
July, August - The much awaited holidays were gone in a blink of an eye.
September rolled around, and with it, school reopened, shattering the brief illusion of freedom.
…..and as a student, I, Hikigaya Hachiman, was bound by the shackles of norms once more, leaving me no choice but to attend.
But alas, the start of a new semester also signaled the arrival of a new event on the horizon - the Cultural Festival.
The school building buzzed with the hysteria of an overturned beehive, students darting around like frantic worker bees preparing for the Cultural Festival, which was now just a month away.
It was actually very chaotic, noisy, and just a bit entertaining if you liked watching people freak out.
In a cruel twist of fate, just like in the show, I was pushed into the role of a male committee member from our class - Nonetheless, I accepted the responsibility with as much grace as I could muster, which, let's be honest, wasn't much.
I mean, any duty, no matter how tedious, was better than being subjected to the unholy dramatic chimera brewing in class 2-F.
Our class project was a drama directed, produced, and written to death by none other than - the BL freak - Ebina Hina.
As of now, the thought person, Ebina Hina, was going on a crazy rampage, completely losing it over her latest script changes with Toutska and Hayama as the main leads.
She cast Totsuka as the Little Prince and Hayama as the Narrator, and the whole thing was spiraling into some kind of over-the-top epic disaster.
..…*gulp, you know, being a member of the Planning Committee isn't that bad, actually.
I thought as I nearly escaped my way out of my class to the conference room and began my stride to where the first committee meeting was planned to be held.
Yep. First meeting.
The same meeting where the Chairman for the Cultural Festival will be selected.
…..where nobody has the balls to take up the challenge.
Well, I guess I had to be the sacrificial lamb and jump in.
I wondered about the text conversation between Yukinoshita and me just a few minutes ago during break time.
Hope she is excited.
…
[Yukinoshita's POV]
I was seated alone in my classroom during the short break, as was customary for me.
The disarray hum of fellow classmates' animated chatter filled the air, fading into the background noise I had learned to tune out long ago.
Tuning them out, I occupied myself by reviewing some notes when my solitude was interrupted by the buzz of my phone.
–buzz(:mobile notification)
I glanced down at the screen, slightly irritated at the disruption.
A new notification? Who could be texting me now? With a mix of curiosity and resignation, I saw it was a message from Hikigaya.
Receiving a message from him was something I was still getting used to in recent days.
It all started the day I gave him my number... along with a 'good night' message which, surprisingly, I didn't mind.
Since then, he has made sure to send me at least one message every single day, like he was saying my day wouldn't be complete without hearing from him. And for some reason, I felt obligated to reply so I didn't come across as rude.
But why did I start caring about seeming rude or not?
Anyway, coming back, what could he want now?
Hikigaya was many things- annoying, stubborn, and occasionally insightful- but predictable was not one of them.
My curiosity piqued, and I opened our conversation.
====================
[Hikigaya] : Yo!
I released a small sigh. Always so lax with his greetings.
[Me] : "Hello...what is it?" I typed back pointedly.
[Hikigaya] : Did your class choose you to be on the committee for the Cultural Festival?
A valid inquiry, I suppose.
[Me] : Indeed, they did. Why are you asking?
[Hikigaya] : ...thought so…
I frowned slightly at his curt response. He was clearly going somewhere with this.
[Me] : I see. And your point is?
[Hikigaya] : Do you have any plans to become the Committee Chairman?
I felt a small rise in my brow. An odd question.
[Me] : No. Why are you asking all of this?
[Hikigaya] : Well, actually, I am also a Committee member.
Wait, what? Him on the Committee? That was...unexpected, to say the least.
[Me] : Never thought you could be one.
[Hikigaya] : The truth is, our class 'nominated' me for the position out of the blue.
I blinked slowly, struggling to process that ridiculous statement. I also couldn't help but notice how he typed the word 'nominated' in a slightly odd manner, as if trying to emphasize it somehow. Just what was he implying?
[Me] : But why would they pick you of all people?
His response came with a hint of playful indignation.
[Hikigaya] : Such little faith... (hurt emoji)
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his unimpressive attempt to turn this into some sort of drawn-out game between us.
[Me] : Incorrect. It is because I have faith in you that I can't see a way to wrap this information around my head.
[Me] : Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Anyway, did you have any plans to try and become the Committee Chairman?
[Yukino] : No.
[Me] : Are you certain?
Why did he insist on belaboring this point?
[Me] : I am putting off my phone.
A blunt dismissal of his pestering. Surely even he would take the hint and abandon this line of questioning. But, of course, I should have known better.
[Hikigaya] : ...then you leave me no choice. See you.
I frowned at the cryptic message. Leave 'you' no choice? For what exactly?
[Me] : What are you trying to imply?
[Hikigaya] : You will know. I am off.
====================
Thoroughly vexed now, I set my phone down with a huff. That insufferable Hikigaya, always speaking in riddles just to get a rise out of me.
Just what did he mean by that? Surely he couldn't be seriously entertaining thoughts of….
Before I could finish that errant trail of thinking, a minute later, another message came through that made my eyes widen.
====================
[Hikigaya] : Hint - I am thinking of 'making a move'.
====================
My heart stuttered in my chest as I read those words again.
Making…..a move?
Is he referring to the Committee Chairman position he spoke of earlier?
Surely he didn't intend to actually go through with that ludicrous idea!
…..unless his phrasing implied a different meaning entirely - one that simultaneously made my cheeks flush and my pulse quicken ever so slightly at the thought.
No, don't be ridiculous, I chastised myself. This was the Hikigaya Hachiman I was thinking about. He wouldn't dare to be so bold as to...or would he?
Just then, I remembered my day during the fireworks festival and the happenings….
No, if it is the current him, there is a chance.
I found myself at an uncharacteristic loss, my usual poise cracking ever so slightly in the wake of Hikigaya's brazen implication.
Just what exactly did that insufferable man have planned?
I sighed, closing my notes and slipping my phone into my bag.
Whatever this was, it was bound to be more interesting than re-reading the same old pages.
I stood up, smoothing down my skirt and glancing around the classroom. My classmates were still engrossed in their own worlds, oblivious to my departure.
…
.
I walked through the corridor as the time for the meeting neared, with the intention of heading towards the conference room.
Soon, I reached my destination.
Just as I was about to enter, I felt a familiar gaze on my back.
But knowing him, he would take his sweet time getting here so it might not be him….
"Speak of the devil." I muttered under my breath.
But I was soon proven wrong.
Hikigaya appeared around the corner. His typical slouched posture and hands-in-pockets look were somehow comforting in their familiarity.
"Hey, Yukinoshita…" He called out.
He quickened his pace only to slow down and stop in front of me, lifting a hand to run through his hair self-consciously.
Seeing him face to face, for some unknown reason, my mind drifted back to his last message.
My heart picked up its pace as his eyes met mine, that familiar, intense look sending an inadvertent shiver down my spine.
"Actually, I am glad I ran into you." He said, his voice surprisingly serious.
"There is something I wanted to ask…." He trailed off, leaving the unspoken words to hang heavily in the air between us.
My palms grew slick with sweat as I watched him, anticipating whatever he was about to say next. Could this be what his 'move' alluded to?
Hikigaya took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. "....Are you fine today, Yukinoshita? I mean, are you feeling unwell or something?"
His words hung in the air as I felt my composure slipping.
At first, I thought he might be joking, but his gaze was anything but - it held a sincerity I couldn't ignore.
"Why do you ask?" I questioned.
"....well, I am worried, of course." He spoke, the obvious tone in his voice catching me off guard.
I could only stare at Hikigaya wordlessly, a mix of emotions swirling inside me.
Just what had I gotten myself into by letting that infuriatingly unpredictable loner worm his way under my skin like this?
"I am fine." That was all I could muster to speak, because any more than this it would be a dead giveaway.
"Let me know if anything is up." He said, his eyes holding mine for a tense moment.
Desperate to regain some control, I gestured towards the conference room. "Should we go in?"
"After you…." Hikigaya replied, that familiar crooked smile on his face.
.
[To be continued…]
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