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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
Bidding farewell to Senior Meguri, I made my way toward the Service Club room.
As I quietly pushed open the door with the familiar creak, announcing my presence, though it seemed to go unnoticed by the room's occupants.
Yukino and Yuigahama were already inside.
Yukino was in her customary spot by the window.
But today, her book was left open and forgotten on the desk.
Instead, her full attention was captured by Yuigahama, who somehow managed to position herself closer to Yukino than I had ever seen before.
Her chair was practically attached to Yukino's - their heads almost touching as they engaged in what looked like an intense, hushed conversation.
Yuigahama's animated whispers filled the space between them, her hands moving in small, excited gestures as she spoke.
But what truly caught my attention was Yukino's expression.
A look of rapt attention that I had rarely seen outside of her most passionate discussions about Panda merchandise or cat-related topics.
This wasn't their usual dynamic at all.
Typically, Yuigahama would chatter away about whatever crossed her mind, while Yukino would offer occasional nods, her eyes never leaving her current reading.
Their serious conversations, if any happened at all, were reserved for moments outside my presence.
Even then, those usually involved Yukino patiently explaining concepts to Yuigahama for the umpteenth time - her voice carrying that particular mix of exasperation and fondness she had developed over time.
But now?
The roles had reversed entirely.
Yukino hung on every word Yuigahama spoke, her eyes focused and alert, her body language speaking volumes about her investment in the conversation.
I didn't need to activate my [Deductive] skills to guess the topic at hand.
After all, it wasn't some random gossip or rumor about a stranger.
No, this was much closer to home.
It is definitely about the aftermath of the little performance Yukino and I had put on during lunch.
First in my classroom, then in front of her own classmates...
We had essentially confirmed every rumor floating around about us in the span of a few minutes.
Yuigahama was most likely updating Yukino on the fallout.
And it seemed, for once, Yukino, for all her usual indifference toward such trivial matters, was quite invested in this particular piece of gossip.
As I fully entered the room, a fragment of Yuigahama's whispered conversation drifted to my ears -
"...and now everyone's completely sure about it. I mean, after what you two did today, there's really no other way to interpret..."
Yukino's brows furrowed slightly, her lips parting as if to respond, but she stopped when she noticed my presence.
Her words died unspoken as our gazes met, a moment of silent recognition passing between us.
Yuigahama, still unaware of my arrival, kept looking at Yukino with a stared eye for the brave act she had conducted.
"...ahem." I cleared my throat softly, like someone trying to politely interrupt a private moment – which, I supposed, I was.
The effect was immediate. Yuigahama whipped her head around, her eyes widening in mild panic.
"H-Hikki!" She squeaked, her voice reaching new heights, waving her hands defensively, trying to cover up her earlier excitement -
"W-we weren't talking about anything weird! Really! Just normal club stuff!"
Yukino, on the other hand, remained composed, her gaze shifting toward me with a more restrained expression.
"Hachiman." She said, my name carrying a weight that suggested she was choosing her next words carefully. "Your timing is... unexpected."
"...the door wasn't locked." I offered lamely, shuffling toward my usual spot - attempting to downplay the situation that I had just walked in on.
Yuigahama, still visibly flustered, exchanged a quick glance with Yukino, and in that silent exchange, I could almost guess the context of the telepathic conversation.
Their expressions, their body language, it all screamed one thing.
Yup.
Definitely gossip.
And it wasn't just any gossip, it was about us.
Hmm, so this was why Yuigahama had been so eager to ditch me earlier with Senior Meguri.
Now it all made sense.
"Still." Yukino's voice sliced through the air, sharp and deliberate, snapping me out of my thoughts. "-one would think that you have the basic courtesy to knock before entering a room where ladies might be engaged in private conversation."
Her eyes locked onto mine with the kind of intensity that made me feel like a defendant on trial, caught in the prosecutor's closing argument. "Or perhaps that's beyond your capabilities?"
I winced internally at her directness but held my ground. "Well, considering you both left the door wide open, I thought it was an invitation. My bad for misunderstanding."
But I couldn't let it end there.
"And if I remember correctly." I added, raising an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who said I didn't need to knock anymore?"
"That was a mutual agreement between us." Yukino said clearly. "One before Yuigahama became a regular member."
Something in her careful phrasing caught my attention.
The corner of my mouth twitched as I spotted the opening in her logical armor.
"Oh?" I leaned in slightly, keeping my voice light but letting a teasing edge slip in.
"So what you are saying is…" I paused, watching her expression closely for the telltale shift. "It doesn't matter if I stumble upon something as long as it is you?"
Her eyes narrowed fractionally. "You are deliberately missing the point."
"Look, you are overthinking this." I said, leaning back in my chair with affected casualness. "My [Luck] stats aren't nearly high enough for the universe to give me such a golden opportunity. You can rest assured on that front."
Yukino's expression didn't change, but her eyebrow did twitch ever so slightly. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she processed my words.
Then, in a voice so deadpan it might as well have been a flatline, she repeated, "Opportunity?"
Completely oblivious to the warning signs, I charged ahead like a fool rushing toward certain doom. "Yeah, you know… walking in on something interesting."
"And what, exactly, would you define as interesting, Hachiman?" Yukino's voice dropped several octaves, and the room's temperature seemed to plummet along with it.
The air grew heavy, thick with unspoken threats, and I could practically hear the ice cracking underfoot.
Ah, I shouldn't have said that out loud?
Yuigahama's face had taken on the shade of a ripe tomato, caught between mortification and barely suppressed amusement at my predicament.
Yukino lips pursed thoughtfully, like she was weighing my words, or maybe deciding just how much she should scold me.
"Uh… maybe I misspoke?" I offered weakly, hoping for a miracle.
Yukinoshita crossed her arms, her cheeks tinged with a faint pink. "...you have truly outdone yourself in foolishness today..."
"Geez, Hikki…" Yuigahama finally broke her silence with a nervous laugh. "You really know how to make things super awkward, don't you?"
I rubbed the back of my neck, resigning myself to the fact that this was just another day at the club room. "Yeah, well... old habits die hard."
Yukinoshita gave me one final, measuring look before turning back to Yuigahama, effectively declaring the matter closed.
I had survived another self created minefield, albeit with some scratches to my dignity.
As the dust settled, I noticed Yuigahama's gaze darting between me and the door I just walked in - clearly expecting another presence.
But the door behind me remained closed.
Yukino, in contrast, didn't bother with such pretense - her eyes remained fixed on me, calm yet somehow knowing.
"She left." I said quietly, dispelling Yuigahama's expectations.
"Oh… she did?" Yuigahama echoed, as if confirming her suspicions.
"Yeah… she did." I repeated, not entirely sure why I felt the need to confirm it twice, but somehow it felt necessary.
Yuigahama's brows furrowed, her curiosity not yet satisfied. "Why didn't she drop by the club?" She asked.
Feeling the weight of the explanation I would have to give sooner or later.
"Senior Meguri mentioned she had things to take care of. Something about..." I paused, knowing the impact my next words would have. "-the presidential candidate being decided today."
Yuigahama blinked again, taking a moment to process before responding.
"You should have led with that information." Yukinoshita's voice cut through the quiet with surgical precision.
"I would have, if someone would give me a chance to explain…" I shot back, irritation creeping into my tone.
Unfazed by my retort, Yukino's eyes met mine, sharp and analytical, already connecting dots I hadn't even laid out yet. "So, Isshiki has decided to accept the nomination?"
I nodded, watching her reaction carefully.
Yukino's face remained largely impassive, but the subtle shift in her posture told me she had already anticipated this outcome.
"Yeah…" I confirmed, sliding my hands into my pockets in a gesture of forced casualness. "She's going for it."
"Wow..." Yuigahama leaned back, her mouth forming a perfect circle of surprise. "Isshiki... That's... I wonder how she is handling it?"
"Probably terrified out of her mind." I said bluntly, earning a small laugh from Yuigahama that seemed to break some of the tension in the room.
Yukino, however, remained contemplative, her eyes drifting toward the window for a brief moment before settling back on me.
There was a pause.
The topic was simple enough, Isshiki Iroha becoming the new student council president wasn't exactly the end of the world, but Yukino's focus on it seemed sharper than normal.
Yuigahama, though, broke the silence with her usual energy, leaning forward with her arms resting on the table. "Isshiki... I mean, I guess she's got that kind of personality, right? And hopefully she will..."
"She will figure it out." I interjected, letting my head fall back as I stared at the ceiling -
"Not like she has much choice now anyway."
.
….
[To be continued…]
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