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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
When Yukinoshita ended the call, she handed the phone back to me with a slight nod. "He is on his way."
As we settled in to wait for Hayama's arrival, the atmosphere in the clubroom shifted.
There was a sense of anticipation, of pieces being moved on an unseen chessboard.
Whatever came next, it was clear that our carefully constructed equilibrium was about to be put to the test once again.
Yukinoshita's gaze turned more scrutinizing, her eyes searching for answers. "You know something about this situation, don't you?"
Her question hung in the air, laden with unspoken implications.
"What makes you say that?" I deflected, my eyes drifting, searching for an escape from her relentless scrutiny.
Yukinoshita's lips curved into a slight, knowing smile. "Your reaction to Tobe's request was... rather intense. More so than usual, even for you. And then, Ebina's visit just now only made things clearer."
Yuigahama leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "Yeah, Hikki. You seemed really upset. Is there something going on that we don't know about?"
I sighed, feeling as though what I was going to say would weigh heavily on them.
Especially Yukinoshita.
"Look, it is not that I don't want to tell you, but whatever I say... I am pretty sure you are not going to like it."
"Isn't that how things are always? When was the last time I appreciated something you said?" Yukinoshita replied dryly, raising an eyebrow.
This woman, always finding a way to get one over me, even when I am trying to be serious for once.
I met her gaze, seeing the challenge there.
Screw it. Whatever happens, happens. It is not like I could keep this hidden for long anyway. I was just hoping Hayama would be the one to break it.
"Fine." I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I think... Ebina knew about Tobe's feelings all along." The words spilled out, heavy with the truth I had been reluctant to voice.
Yuigahama's face lit up like a firework. "Really? But that's great, isn't it?" She exclaimed, her optimism shining through.
Before I could burst her bubble, Yukinoshita's cool voice cut through the excitement.
"I don't believe it's that simple, Yui." She said, her analytical mind already at work.
She turned to me, silently urging me to continue.
I took a breath, to gather my thoughts. "From the way Ebina spoke just now, it's pretty clear that she's not interested in this whole thing."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Yuigahama's earlier excitement had faded, replaced by a look of confusion and hurt.
"So why didn't you say anything earlier, Hikki?" She asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of disappointment and curiosity.
I shrugged, not feeling even a twinge of guilt. "It wasn't my place. And I thought... I thought Hayama would handle it. Convince Tobe to back off or something."
Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed as the pieces fell into place. "But he didn't. Instead, he brought the problem to us."
"Exactly." The frustration in my voice came out as a low growl, the irritation bubbling up again. "He is trying to pass the buck, make us the bad guys if things go south."
The room fell into a tense silence as we all digested this information.
I watched Yukinoshita closely, knowing that her mind was already working through the problem, analyzing every angle, every possible outcome.
"This... complicates things." She finally said, her voice measured.
Yuigahama nodded, her usual cheerfulness dimmed. "It's like... we are being asked to solve a problem that isn't really a problem? I mean, if Ebina already knows and isn't interested..."
"Then why go through with this charade? Why not just reject him directly?" I finished, the frustration in my voice betraying my thoughts.
Now it was time for the final wall to be broken.
Yukinoshita's eyes lit up with understanding.
"Perhaps…" She began, her tone careful and measured. "The real issue here isn't about Tobe's feelings or Ebina's response. It's about group dynamics. The fear of change."
The volume in her voice continued to decrease as she herself understood the weight of her words.
As soon as she finished, Yukinoshita turned her gaze to Yuigahama, her eyes holding an emotion that was difficult to describe, but one thing was certain - she wasn't happy with the situation.
And, of course, she wouldn't be.
This situation felt all too familiar to the three of us.
Yukinoshita must have recognized the parallels here, between our group and theirs. Two different circles, with one common thread: a 'conflict' that no one wanted to confront head-on.
A group of friends, too afraid to be honest with each other, risk everything falling apart because no one wants to rock the boat?
But our situation, while complex, is one we are actively addressing, or at least one of us is trying to, and the irony is that person was the least expected to take on the job.
Yeah, in the end, it was - Yuigahama Yui, a timid, awkward girl who's always trying to keep the peace, who has to take matters into her own hands and come up with a solution.
A solution she isn't even sure is the right one, not knowing what consequences it might bring for herself or for the rest of us.
Hayama's group, on the other hand, seems content to let things fester.
And now they want us to clean up their mess.
It's rich, isn't it?
We can barely sort out our own issues, and they expect us to fix theirs?
In many ways, Yuigahama is actually a lot braver than the 'Prince Charming' himself.
The irony of our own recent struggles with friendship and relationships wasn't lost on me, and I could see the same realization dawning in Yuigahama's eyes.
I nodded slowly. "Hayama doesn't want to rock the boat. He's trying to maintain the status quo, even if it means prolonging an uncomfortable situation."
"I... I guess I can see what you mean." Yuigahama admitted softly.
"Everyone's trying so hard not to hurt each other, but they're just making things worse."
The room fell silent, the weight of my words settling over us. Yuigahama fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, her eyes darting between Yukinoshita and me.
"That's so sad." Yuigahama murmured.
That's all, huh?
I watched her closely, surprised by her subdued reaction.
I had expected more anger, more frustration. But then again, this situation must have stirred up memories of her own recent choices, forcing her to question her decisions.
That feeling of not wanting to hurt others due to our selfish desires.
At the very least, I could understand it.
We three could actually.
I mean, we had to.
When you wanted to get your thoughts across, it wasn't always the correct choice to lay bare your entire life story.
I mean, I bet her mind is currently running at full speed with questions like - Did I make the right choice?
Was I too hasty?
Should I have sought help, like Hayama's group is doing now?
A relationship where you couldn't move forward. A relationship where you couldn't forgive others for stepping over into your domain. A relationship where you couldn't forgive the person for trampling all over you.
In the end, a choice had to be made.
…and we did make it.
Now, all that remained was to see it through to its conclusion - whatever that might be.
….
"So what do we do?" Yuigahama finally asked, her voice small.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "We had to do what we always do. We assist. But this time, we need to be clear about our limitations."
Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what limitations would those be, Hikigaya?"
"We can't solve their problems for them." I said firmly. "We can create a situation where they have the opportunity to be honest with each other, but what they do with that opportunity is up to them."
Yukinoshita leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled under her chin as she considered my words. "I see your point, Hikigaya. But isn't it our duty as the Service Club to fulfill requests to the best of our abilities?"
I shook my head slightly. "Our duty is to assist people. Sometimes that means fulfilling their requests, and sometimes it means helping them see why their request might not be in their best interest."
Yuigahama looked between us, her expression was a mix of confusion and hope. "So... we're going to help them, but we won't really help them?"
I couldn't suppress a wry chuckle.
"Something like that, yeah." Then, my expression hardened slightly, I added. "But I am not going easy on Hayama right now..."
The thought of putting Hayama through the most uncomfortable ten minutes of his life brought a grim satisfaction.
Before we could delve deeper into this plan, a knock at the door interrupted our(:my) plotting.
Hayama entered, his trademark charismatic smile firmly in place. But I could see the strain in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. As he took a seat, the air in the clubroom grew thick with anticipation.
As we sat there, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the room, I realized the real task wouldn't just be helping Tobe or doing what Ebina wanted.
It was about how to handle the complicated game of teen relationships, of growth and change, and the painful process of learning to be honest – with others and with ourselves.
….
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[To be continued…]
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