.
[-Continuation-]
.
[-Hachiman's POV-]
Yukinoshita's gaze flicked between Yuigahama and Hikigaya, her analytical mind clearly processing this new information.
"I see." She said, her voice carrying an undercurrent of something unidentifiable. "So your classmates are finally acknowledging Hikigaya's existence. How... intriguing."
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "It's not like I asked for this attention."
Yuigahama, still excited, chimed in. "But Hikki, isn't it nice to be noticed? Even a little?"
"Nice isn't the word I would use." I muttered. "More like, inconvenient."
Yuigahama, ever the optimist, chimed in. "Be positive, Hikki! Who knows? Maybe this is a chance to make new friends!"
Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow. "Now how will you handle this newfound attention, Hikigaya?"
My mind raced, panic setting in. "Handle it? I am not handling anything. Tomorrow or maybe a few days more, I will go back to being invisible. Problem solved."
"Is it, though?" Yukinoshita challenged, her gaze intense. "You've inadvertently shown a side of yourself that contradicts the image you've carefully cultivated. People will be curious."
I questioned - Is that just curiosity I am seeing in her eyes, or was there also a hint of caution….?
I, hunched over his black coffee, groaned. "Do we really have to discuss this?"
The truth was, I couldn't bring myself to care about this sudden attention. Whether I was gaining popularity or not had never been a concern of mine, and I didn't see that changing anytime soon.
If becoming well-liked was truly important to me, I had had plenty of opportunities in the past. I would always choose not to take them.
Sure, I had enjoyed the attentive looks people gave me when I spoke up, or more like, let them even have a chance to speak, this was especially noticeable during the sports meet.
But for me, that's where it ended. The fleeting thrill of being noticed wasn't worth the complications that came along with it.
Seeing the troubled look on my face, they dropped the topic.
The conversation shifted to Yuigahama as her gaze drifted to the ceiling. "I wish our school had fixed somewhere more exciting for our trip, like Okinawa. Kyoto is pretty lame, isn't it?"
Yukinoshita said, lightly pressing against her temples. "Actually, there is quite a lot in Kyoto. You just don't see the importance of history and its cultural worth at all, do you…"
"I don't think that's why we're really going." I cut Yukinoshita's graceful opinion short.
"Oh. Well, what do you think the field trip is for?" As if she were irritated from being interrupted, Yukinoshita faced me with challenging eyes.
That's a little scary, missy. But I am not backing down here.
I sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It is not that simple. This whole trip... it's just another way the school tries to mold us into their idea of 'functional adults'."
"What do you mean?" Yuigahama asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Think about it." I leaned forward, his voice taking on a lecturer's tone.
"Forced groupings, predetermined schedules, limited choices... It is all just practice for the corporate world. They are teaching us to find small joys in a rigid system, to compromise our desires for the sake of harmony."
Yukinoshita set down her teacup with a sharp clink. "That's an incredibly cynical view, even for you, Hikigaya. Have you considered that perhaps the trip is meant to broaden our horizons, to expose us to our cultural heritage?"
"Oh, I am sure that's the official line." I retorted.
Yukinoshita crossed her arms, engrossed in thought, and stared off to the upper-right. However, my talk wasn't over.
"But the real lesson is in the subtext. It is about learning to navigate social hierarchies, to find your place in a group, to smile and nod even when you would rather be anywhere else."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Yuigahama looked between her two friends, her expression a mix of worry and confusion.
Finally, Yukinoshita spoke, her voice softer than before.
"Even if what you say is true, isn't there value in learning those skills?" She paused, her hand still resting lightly on his arm.
"The world is not always kind to loners, after all."
I met her gaze, and for a moment, something unspoken passed between us – a shared understanding of what it meant to be an outsider.
"Maybe." I conceded. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
Suddenly, Yuigahama's voice broke into their private moment, her cheerful tone a stark contrast to the serious atmosphere.
"Woow." She exclaimed, her eyes wide with a mix of pitifulness and disbelief. "Hikki's field trip doesn't sound like it would be any fun at all…"
I sighed. "Fun is subjective, Yuigahama. Some of us prefer peace and quiet to constant social interaction."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw Yuigahama's eyes light up with a look of amusement.
"That was so... it just sounded so... Hikki-like." She said, a hint of a giggle in her voice.
I raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to be offended or amused.
"Whatever." I muttered, attempting to brush off her comment.
However, Yuigahama's expression suddenly shifted, a look of concern crossing her face.
"Yeah... But... Yukinoshita is in a different class." She voiced, her tone growing more serious.
I leaned back in my chair, a slight smirk playing on my lips. "Yeah. But we get to do whatever we want on the third day, so I will contact you, and we will have fun in Kyoto!"
Yuigahama's eyes widened, her face lighting up with unexpected joy. "Hikki! Do you really mean that?"
As I opened my mouth to respond, there was a knock on the door that ate up my words before they even came out.
The sound echoed in the room, causing all of us to turn our heads towards the source.
"Come in."
When Yukinoshita answered, the door opened.
Revealing some 'unexpected' visitors. Hayama stood at the forefront, his usual perfect smile in place.
Behind him, peering curiously into the room, was Tobe.
"Hikitani, you are here too… Man!" Tobe exclaimed upon seeing me, his voice filled with surprise.
I suppressed a sigh. How many times did I have to tell this guy that my name was 'Hikigaya'? It seemed like a lost cause at this point.
It might have been because Hayama had stopped by this room several times that he entered it without hesitation, but the other one filled the room curiously.
And then Hayama's gaze stopped on me for a second.
As I observed the interaction, I noticed Yukinoshita's attention fixated on the long-haired boy.
Her behavior was different - a palpable annoyance that stood out from her usual exasperated reactions towards me. This was a genuine, raw irritation.
Her blue eyes narrowed slightly, and a small crease formed between her brows. It was subtle, but to someone who had spent as much time around her as I had, the signs were clear. Something about this boy's presence genuinely bothered her.
But what for?
"I am sorry, but... who are you?" She asked, her tone betraying genuine confusion.
What the?
I felt my own eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Since when was Yukinoshita the type to forget people she had met?
I mean, we met him at that Christmas celebration, though it was brief.
While Tobe might not be the most memorable person in the world, he certainly wasn't forgettable either.
...and even if by chance that was the case, Yukinoshita's memory was razor-sharp. She was not the type to forget even the most unremarkable face.
This apparent lapse was completely out of character for her.
Tobe's reaction was immediate and comical. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth agape.
"It's me, Tobe." He finally managed to sputter out, visibly startled by her lack of recognition.
Desperately trying to jog her non-existent memory, he added. "We met during Christmas, remember? You were with Hikitani!"
"Oh..." Yukinoshita's expression shifted, a flicker of recognition passing across her face.
For a brief moment, Tobe's shoulders relaxed. But then, without missing a beat, she added. "I am afraid I don't recall."
"Hahahha…." I couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange, the sound escaping me before I could stop it, earning a sharp glance from Yukinoshita.
She continued, her voice cool and composed. "And I certainly don't know anyone by the name of 'Hikitani'."
I raised an eyebrow at her, sensing the subtle jab.
Oh, is she getting personal now?
Tobe, oblivious to the underlying tension, jumped in. "Right, right! It's Hikigaya, isn't it? Sorry about that, Hikigaya!"
But Yukinoshita remained adamant, her gaze flicked between Tobe and me, her expression unreadable. "...My apologies. I do seem to remember you."
"Heee…." Yuigahama, who had been watching the exchange with growing amusement, finally let out a soft giggle, but Yukinoshita again chose to shoot me a look that was part exasperation, part amusement.
Hey, that's plain discrimination.
No, or is it a step above and beyond that?
Hayama cleared his throat, drawing our attention. His smile was strained as he addressed Yukinoshita. "I am sorry about this, Yukinoshita. I didn't realize it would bother you so much."
Hayama hit where it hurt the most.
….
.
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
[Author Reminder : 5+ chapters advance in Patreon.]
-->patreon.com/WrightBrothers