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[-Continuation-]
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[Third Person View]
Finally, it was Hikigaya Hachiman's time to shine.
The long-promised date plan had been pushed back more times than he could count.
Fixing a 'date' for the date, getting cancelled, and repeat…
That's how the past few days of the week have been for our two main leads.
Right after the Cultural Festival, Hachiman had his fair share of 'work' that he had pushed back, so he was the first to break the deal.
Next, it was Yukino.
Then it is now the Sports Festival, which will leave both of them busy for the coming few days, so it is now or never for them.
After the Sports Festival was a no go, Yukino had planned to spend some time with her only best friend to make up for her previous neglect….
And after that comes the Field Trip.
So after much deliberation, the date was decided to be set in stone for today.
Hachiman was happy with it. He has been feeling a bit grumpy these days, and more so after he decided to attend an 'event' he had initially planned to skip only to witness something he thought he wished for, but it was too soon for him.
So, even though he didn't sleep much last night and is feeling like he would be set to sleep mode if he blinked, he arrived on time.
….
.
Now, the sun over Chiba was shining as brightly as it did in the morning, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink.
Hikigaya Hachiman stood beneath a blossom tree, its leaves dancing in the gentle breeze.
His eyes darted nervously, scanning the park for any sign of Yukinoshita Yukino.
His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, a rare display of anxiety from the usually stoic loner.
"Hikigaya. You are here." The familiar voice cut through his thoughts.
"Ah, yeah. Hello." He replied, his tone attempting casualness.
Yukino approached, with her usual characteristic grace, her long black hair swaying gently.
Their greetings, though brief, carried an undercurrent of anticipation.
As they walked together, a small, cozy-looking building came into view.
The sign above read - [Neko Haven : Cat Parlor and Café]
Upon entering, they were greeted by an enthusiastic staff member.
"Welcome to Neko Haven! Would you like to order any drinks before entering the cat area?"
Hachiman glanced at Yukinoshita. "Your usual?"
Yukinoshita nodded. "Yes, green tea would be nice."
"Coffee for me." Hachiman added, his voice carrying a hint of relief from the familiar routine.
As they waited for their drinks, Yukinoshita turned to Hachiman. "I am curious, Hikigaya. When did you discover this place?"
Hachiman scratched the back of his head. "Komachi mentioned it once."
"Ah, I see. Your sister's insight proves valuable once again." Yukino said it with a slight smirk.
Their drinks arrived, and they made their way into the main area. Cats of various colors and sizes lounged on cushions, cat trees, and shelves.
Yukino's eyes sparked, a rare display of childlike wonder crossing her face.
"There are so many of them…" She murmured, a hint of excitement in her voice.
Hachiman couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Any catch your eye?"
"You shouldn't discriminate like that, Hikig-!?"
Before Yukino could finish answering, a sleek black cat sauntered up to her and rubbed against her leg. She kneeled down, extending her hand.
"Hello there." She said softly, her usual cool demeanor melting away.
Hachiman watched, amused. "Looks like you've made a friend already."
Yukino glanced up at him. "Don't worry, I am sure there's a cat here who is antisocial enough to match your personality."
"Oi, oi." Hachiman grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in his voice.
They found a comfortable spot to sit, surrounded by several curious felines.
Yukino gently stroked the black cat that had followed her, while Hachiman tentatively reached out to pat a nearby tabby.
As the evening progressed, Hachiman took a sip of his coffee and ventured, "You're familiar with Schrödinger's cat, right?"
Yukino's eyes turned curious as she answered. "The quantum mechanics thought experiment? I didn't expect you to bring up physics on a... date."
Hachiman's cheeks reddened at the word 'date', but he pressed on. "Yeah, that one. I was thinking… Our relationship is kind of like that cat in the box."
Hachiman did not elaborate on the 'relationship' part, and he believed neither Yukino wanted him either.
"How so?" Yukinoshita asked with a doubtful tone.
"Well…" Hachiman started, absently petting a tabby that had wandered over. "Until you open the box - or in this case, until you actually... explore the possibilities - you don't know what's inside, if it's alive or dead. If it will work or not."
In recent days, Hachiman noticed that he was a little stuck with their current relationship. He was sure he wasn't being friend-zoned, that much was clear. But that alone did not suffice for him.
Yes, he wanted to give her time to organize her thoughts and figure out her own feelings, but he also needed her to understand something crucial.
Until one of them made a move, their relationship would remain in this uncertain state- dead or alive- unknown.
Yeah, he wasn't being a brain-dead idiot when he brought up a purely 'academic' subject on a date. He had a purpose.
...and he believed he had achieved his goal.
Hachiman trusted that Yukino was smart enough to grasp his underlying meaning, and as he assumed, she sure did get the message clear.
Yukino considered this, stroking a black cat that had curled up next to her. "An interesting analogy. So, in this scenario, are we the scientists or the cat?"
Hachiman chuckled. "Maybe both? We're observing, but we're also the ones being observed. By ourselves, by others..."
"By cats…." Yukinoshita added with a small smile, gesturing to the felines around them.
…..
.
After the small, cryptic academic discussion, Yukino and Hachiman mostly remained silent, apart from a few random and occasional small talks.
As such, Yukino was in the middle of explaining the different breeds of cats when she noticed Hachiman's eyes starting to droop.
"Hikigaya, are you listening?" She asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Mm? Right, of course." Hachiman mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open. "Something about... cats... and... breeds..."
She continued, unaware of this. "Yeah, about cats…."
But her words fell on deaf ears. Hachiman's eyelids grew heavy; the warmth of the cat café and the soft purring lulled him into a drowsy state.
He blinked slowly, once, twice, before his eyes for what he thought would be just a second, his head leaning back against the wall, legs stretched out on the floor, mouth slightly open, as he drifted off into an impromptu nap.
Yukino, mid-sentence about the merits of different cat breeds, noticed the sudden silence, looked up from the cat in her lap.
"Hikki-!" She began, her voice trailing off as she took in the sight before her.
Hachiman's usually guarded face was relaxed in sleep, his perpetual frown smoothed away.
A lock of his messy hair fell across his forehead, and Yukinoshita felt an unexpected urge to brush it aside.
She caught herself, a faint blush coloring her cheeks at the thought.
"Honestly….?" She murmured, her tone a mixture of exasperation and something softer, unfamiliar.
"Falling asleep in a public place like this... How careless can you be, Hikigaya?" She muttered, but decided to let him rest for a few minutes.
"If you're so tired as to fall asleep on our... outing, you could at least have the decency to warn me first." She sighed.
Despite her words, Yukino found herself watching him for a few moments longer.
The gentle rise and fall of his chest, the slight twitch of his fingers as he dreamed - it was a side of Hikigaya Hachiman she rarely saw. Vulnerable. Unguarded.
Finally, she decided it was time to wake him up. Gently, she lifted the contented tabby from her lap, her fingers lingering in its soft fur.
"Excuse me." She whispered to the cat, who blinked lazily at her before curling up on the floor.
Yukino hesitated, glancing around the empty café.
Without quite knowing why, instead of standing, she lowered herself to her hands and knees.
She began to crawl towards Hachiman, her movements as graceful and quiet as the cats around her.
The tabby, intrigued by this new game, padded alongside her.
Halfway to Hachiman, Yukino paused, suddenly self-conscious.
What was she doing? This wasn't like her at all.
Yet, she couldn't bring herself to stand up, as if breaking this spell would shatter something fragile and unnamed between them.
It was at this precise moment that Hachiman's eyes fluttered open.
?...? For a second, he thought he was still dreaming.
There, bathed in the soft light filtering through the café windows, was Yukinoshita Yukino, the Ice Queen herself, crawling on the floor like a cat, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders and her blue eyes wide with surprise.
A cat sat beside her, mirroring her pose, creating an image so surreal that Hachiman had to blink several times to assure himself he was awake.
"Yu-Yukinoshita?" He stammered, his voice husky from sleep, his eyes widening in disbelief.
….
.
[To be continued…]
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