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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
"H-Hikigaya?" Yukinoshita's voice wavered slightly as she adjusted her hair.
Continuing to sip my drink, I simply walked over to her side, her eyes never leaving me.
When I reached her, she stood with her arms crossed, eyeing me warily while I remained in my laid-back position, coffee can in hand.
While I might have looked too casual in my approach, I had no idea what was running through Yukinoshita's mind.
….
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[-Yukinoshita Yukino's POV-]
I slipped into the hotel's convenience store, grateful for the quiet at this late hour.
The cold air made me shiver, and I instinctively pulled my sleeves tighter around me, acutely aware of how it clung to my still-damp skin.
My hair was still damp from the bath, hastily tied back, and I felt oddly exposed in my current state, with the casual attire doing little to ease this sense. I kept thinking about how messy I must look.
However, I needed that souvenir for Komachi, and this might be my only chance to get it without prying eyes.
Focus, Yukino. I chided myself.
I was here for one thing - the limited edition Pan keychain for Komachi.
Determined, I made my way to the souvenir section, my eyes darting across the shelves.
Finally, I spotted it - the keychain I was after.
Of course, it sat mockingly on the highest shelf, just out of reach.
I stood on my tiptoes, silently cursing my lack of height as my collar and top lifted slightly, exposing smaller gaps in my skin than I was comfortable with.
Despite that, my fingertips only grazed the edge of the package.
Frustration simmered as I tried again.
That's when I sensed something….
A familiar gaze was on my back, which made me freeze.
I was stuck, my heart leaping into my throat.
That gaze... Slowly, I turned around, coming face to face with none other than Hikigaya.
How long had he been there? How had I not noticed him?
"H-Hikigaya?" I stammered, one hand clutching and folding my hands, while trying in vain to smooth my unruly hair.
As soon as I called out his name, he got up from the seat and started walking toward me, still sipping his drink as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
I kept my eyes on him, not letting him out of my sight for even a second.
When he finally reached me, he was in that same infuriatingly laid-back pose, but something was different this time. Instead of his usual coffee can, he held a different brand. It was a small detail, but it stood out to me, striking me as odd.
"Quite the coincidence to meet you this late at night." I remarked, my voice carefully balancing between casual and guarded.
He shrugged, those narrowed, indifferent eyes of his revealing nothing, as usual.
"Couldn't sleep." He replied, his gaze briefly flicking to the shelf behind me.
He continued, setting his drink aside with a small smile on his lips. "Need a hand with something?"
A faint blush crept up my cheeks as I quickly glanced back at the shelf.
"I... it's nothing." I stammered, embarrassed by how caught off guard I was.
"Come on." He coaxed, with that same quiet persistence.
"Let's see what caught the eye of the great Yukinoshita Yukino." He nodded towards the shelf.
I crossed my arms, trying to regain my composure. "I am perfectly capable of–!"
But he was already moving past me, easily reaching up to grab the keychain.
He smelled like coffee and something distinctly... Hikigaya. The scent was oddly comforting, familiar in a way I hadn't anticipated.
His arm brushed mine as he reached up, and I felt all tingly.
He was so close I could feel the warmth radiating off him, and I suddenly became all too aware of how underdressed I was, how my hair was still damp and undoubtedly a mess.
"Here." He said, his voice soft as he held out the keychain.
I took it quickly, hoping he didn't notice the slight tremor in my hand as our fingers brushed.
"Thank you." I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Ecstatic." He mumbled, so quietly that I almost didn't catch it.
I tilted my head slightly, curious. "…Umm?"
"Ahem…" He coughed suddenly and awkwardly. "I mean, the keychain looks ecstatic."
"Is it? It's for Komachi." I explained, hating how soft my voice sounded.
Something in Hikigaya's expression changed at the mention of his sister, a warmth I rarely saw.
We stood there for a moment, an awkward silence settling between us. I was hyper-aware of everything – the late hour, our disheveled states, the empty store around us.
"It's quite late." I said, my voice a blend of silk and steel, trying to regain some composure. "Why are you still up?"
He gestured to the emptied coffee tin in his hand. "Just needed a late-night caffeine fix. You?"
I looked up at him. "I couldn't sleep. I thought a walk might help."
"And souvenir shopping?" He raised an eyebrow.
A small smile played on my lips. "An unexpected detour."
"Your detour always seems to be expensive." He laughed. "I should probably be more cautious in the future."
"Expensive? 350 yen?" I asked mockingly, displaying the price tag to him.
"...not this one. I am speaking in general. Moreover, is it your ploy to get me scammed into a forever promise or what?" He asked, his tone teasing.
"You don't want to?" I replied, tilting my head slightly, feigning curiosity.
Why did I ask that? What do I want to hear?
"I never said that." He replied smoothly.
"You sounded like you didn't wish to." I pressed.
"Nonsense. I would be glad to." He answered, his tone sincere.
"Good then. I will take your word." I said, meeting his gaze.
"Uh-hum." He nodded, a small, content smile tugging at his lips.
"...." - "...."
We fell into a brief silence, the air between us charged with unspoken words, the atmosphere shifting from playful to something more... unexplored.
"What about you? Why are you here? I mean, the real reason, according to you?" He asked, with a flicker of something in his eyes.
I sighed, feeling suddenly tired. "My classmates pulled me into their discussions. Why do they like talking about those things so much?"
Hikigaya looked curious but didn't press. Instead, he said. "Well, you should consider getting into it yourself if you are going to get asked about it. Not a bad thing, right?"
"You talk like it has nothing to do with you." I retorted. "In the first place, during the Culture Festival, you..."
I trailed off, my glare turning sharp as memories surfaced.
"M-Me?" He looked genuinely confused. "Wait. How am I at fault here?"
Of course, you wouldn't know it.
As it seems, you are announcing something personal to everyone except me.
I pressed my temples, closing my eyes briefly. When I opened them, Hikigaya was watching me with an unreadable expression.
"It's nothing." I said finally, resignation in my voice. "So, what are you really doing here? I mean, the actual reason?"
"Well, would you believe me if I said I was waiting for you?" Instead of answering directly, he said something absurd, something that left me momentarily speechless.
It was hard to believe, especially since I hadn't been sure I would come here until the last minute. But the smug, confident grin on his face was enough to make me want to ignore it altogether.
I averted my gaze with a slight sigh.
"Aren't you buying any souvenirs?" I asked, trying to talk about something else.
Hikigaya's eyes flicked towards me, then away.
He shrugged one shoulder. "It will just get in the way if I buy them now. I will buy them on the way home."
"I see. Have you already decided what to buy?"
"Pretty much. Well, it is basically just the stuff Komachi wanted me to get. Ah, any places with a god of studies around here?"
That was definitely a spliced idea from Komachi, rather than allowing him to directly select them.
We both walked over to the nearby couch, which he had been occupying before. Hikigaya sat down first, then gestured for me to join him.
Standing and talking was growing tiresome, so I followed his lead, seating myself beside him. The couch, however, was smaller than I anticipated, designed to fit two people quite closely. I tried to ignore that fact as I settled in, attempting to make myself comfortable, or at least appear so.
As soon as I sat down, I became painfully aware of the small distance between us. The fabric of his sleeve brushed lightly against mine, a barely-there touch that nonetheless made my heart skip a beat.
I shifted slightly, trying to create a little more space between us, but the couch was too small to allow for much movement. I managed to inch away just enough to maintain a semblance of composure.
"So." I said, clearing my throat. "How's the request going?"
I was referring to the club's current task, and Hikigaya's face scrunched up like he'd tasted something sour.
"Should I say it's a disaster...?" He gave a thoughtful look.
"You really don't care about this, do you?" I said, a little annoyed.
….
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[To be continued…]
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