.
[-Continuation-]
…
[-Third Person View-]
Hachiman stepped out of Yukino's apartment to the same hallway they were caught in.
He paused for a brief second, glancing back at the closed door, reluctant to leave that cozy space behind.
…
Inside, Yukino stood quietly by the door, watching through the peephole as he walked away, a mixture of emotions swirling within her.
She returned to her room, plopping down onto the couch, her fingers absentmindedly brushing against the glittering letter Hachiman had received earlier that day.
It was odd, almost absurd, to think that he had left it with her, fully opened and vulnerable, promising to retrieve it the following day.
Who in the world leaves a love letter they received with their girlfriend?
It was ridiculous.
"That's just stupid." She muttered to herself, shaking her head.
…
Meanwhile, Hachiman returned home and dropped his bag by the door.
He dropped his bag by the door and headed to his desk, where his laptop awaited.
Instead of going straight to bed, he made his way to his desk, where his laptop awaited.
He sank into his chair, opening it up and letting the quiet hum of the machine fill the silence.
He had a lot on his mind, especially about that letter and the implications of it.
…
Time passed in a blur of typing and scribbling notes.
Eventually, he shut the laptop, frustration boiling just below the surface, and tossed himself onto the bed.
He stared at the ceiling, knowing he would need to confront the situation tomorrow.
Sleep would have to wait… It seems.
…
The next day dawned, and Hachiman found himself seated in class, the usual hustle and bustle of lunchtime around him, but he remained still, an island of quiet amidst the chatter.
This was strange for him.
He never lingered in class during lunch, preferring to escape to the solitude of quieter places.
But today was different.
Today, he was waiting.
Waiting for the person who had written that letter to show up to deal with the fallout of what he could only assume would be a rather chaotic situation.
The absurdity of proposing in the middle of class made his stomach churn.
He stifled the violent thoughts that bubbled up in response, focusing instead on the need to figure out who this person was.
He swallowed down a surge of irritation, instead keeping his gaze on the door.
–teek!
And then, with a soft creak, the classroom door began to open.
Hachiman's gaze locked on the door as it swung open, his heart beating in an odd rhythm that betrayed his usual composure.
He forced himself to keep a calm expression, though internally he was already bracing himself for whatever drama was about to unfold.
A girl stepped through the doorway, her eyes scanning the room before they landed on him.
She seemed slightly nervous, clutching her notebook a little too tightly.
Hachiman's brow furrowed, trying to recognise her…?
But all he could tell himself was…
'So… she's the one?'
…and nope, he still didn't recognise her.
Just then, a movement behind her caught his eye.
Through the door, he spotted a familiar face peeking in, Fujikura, the school's student council secretary, with her signature dark purple hair.
Truthfully, when the door first opened, she was the first one his eyes landed on, but he dismissed the idea that she could be the one who had written him a love letter.
And for good reason - as far as he could tell, Fujikura was dating Asano, the council's vice president.
They might have been subtle about it, but their attempts at secrecy hadn't gone unnoticed by him.
So, he crossed her off the list immediately.
His assumption seemed correct.
Fujikura's eyes met his briefly, a hint of apology in them as her gaze shifted between him and the girl walking over to his desk.
It became clear to Hachiman in an instant - Fujikura was here as moral support.
Likely, she was the friend who had 'encouraged' this girl, and now she was here to witness the fallout of what she already seemed to think was a doomed confession.
Her expression seemed to say it all - I tried to warn her.
Was that the reason she had been so quiet the other day?
The thought crossed his mind as he remembered her subdued demeanor.
He had initially figured she was just a quiet type.
But the idea didn't quite line up with her position.
A secretary, especially in a school club or committee, typically had to be vocal.
For a reserved girl, it would be an odd role to step into willingly.
What are the odds? He mused, the absurdity of the situation sinking at him.
Meanwhile, the girl made her way toward Hachiman's desk, she seemed to scan everything around her, the floor, the ceiling, the rows of desks, anywhere but at him.
The way she shuffled closer in timidity, it was obvious anxiety she wore like a sign.
Hachiman remained stone-faced, not lifting a finger to help her ease into what she was about to say.
Meanwhile, two seats away, Yui was quietly typing on her phone, hidden just beneath her desk.
She tapped a quick message and sent it off.
['It started…']
Within seconds, a reply from her best friend popped up.
['On it.']
After that, there were few messages back and forth between them.
Yui sneaked another glance, stifling a giggle as the girl finally neared Hachiman's desk, her face visibly flushed.
Finally, standing just in front of him, the girl took a deep, shaky breath, her gaze momentarily flicking up to meet him before dropping back down.
"U-Um… Hachiman Hikigaya… right?" Her voice was soft, and she looked like she was seconds away from bolting.
"Yeah, that's me." He replied, keeping his tone as neutral as possible.
There was a brief, uncomfortable pause as she struggled to find her words, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her notebook.
He let the silence stretch, hoping she'd say something coherent soon.
"I… I wanted to… well, I mean…" She looked away, her face turning a deep shade of red. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her uniform, and her voice dropped to a near whisper. "The letter. I–I just wanted to know if… you would, you know… consider… it."
Seriously?
Hachiman fought the urge to sigh.
There it was - the awkwardly phrased, roundabout confession.
It was so much more straightforward in the letter, and now, watching her squirm, he was half-tempted to brush it off entirely.
But Yukino's voice echoed in his mind- Treat people with sincerity.
….also, by now the situation between the two of them has become clear to the students in the room.
Or more like to Hachiman classmates and a few, very few friends.
The reaction to this was visible, a few mummers and shocked faces…
The class, which had been whispering and shooting glances since she first spoke, fell into a stunned silence.
A low murmur rippled through his classmates as the meaning sank in.
Yamato leaned over to Takahashi, eyebrows raised. "Dude, did he just get a confession?"
"Looks like it." Takahashi whispered back, casting a surprised look at Hachiman.
Meanwhile, Sato, sitting two rows behind, exchanged a shocked glance with her friend, her hand partially covering her mouth. "Wait, didn't he already have a girlfriend?"
And near the window, Tobe, who usually had something cheerful to add, looked uncharacteristically quiet, scratching his head as if trying to figure out what he had just witnessed. "So… Hikitani dating her was the real deal, Huh…"
Even Hayama's calm expression showed a flicker of surprise as he watched the scene unfold, crossing his arms as he studied Hachiman thoughtfully.
Clearing his throat, Hachiman spoke up, his voice even.
"Name…" Hachiman asked.
That's when it stuck to the girl she had yet to introduce herself first, she didn't write her name on the letter, she wanted to tell this personally and to also avoid some unnecessary thing until now….
"...its Nao Yamamoto."
"Look… I appreciate that you went out of your way to say something. That takes guts." He paused, catching her hopeful gaze, then continued. "But… I am with someone already."
Her face fell, though she tried to keep her composure, managing a wobbly smile. "I… I see so it was true… I thought as much."
Hachiman glanced away, the tension in the air strangely heavy.
He could sense her struggle to keep it together, and though he knew this was part of life, he couldn't quite shake the discomfort gnawing at him.
"Still." He added quietly. "It was brave of you. I am sure… someone else would appreciate that. More than I can."
She looked at him, offering a weak but genuine smile.
"Thank you, H-hikigaya." And with a last, awkward nod, she turned and slipped out of the classroom.
As the door closed behind her, Hachiman let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Just then, he caught sight of Yui and Totsuka lingering in the back of the room, both watching him with curious expressions.
Yuigahama rushed over, eyes wide with excitement and a smirk on her face. "Hikki! You actually turned her down that gently? I am impressed!"
Hachiman scowled. "What was I supposed to do? It's not like I can just tell her to buzz off."
Totsuka nodded approvingly, smiling. "You did the right thing, Hachiman."
Rolling his eyes, Hachiman let out a sigh.
But as he glanced at the door once more, he felt a strange sense of relief settle over him.
Whatever chaos tomorrow brought, at least he could be honest about where he stood.
But just then, the door to the classroom swung open with a bit more force than usual, not enough to seem rude, but enough to pull everyone's attention.
Hachiman's eyes narrowed, expecting yet another student, but he stopped short.
Standing in the doorway was Yukino Yukinoshita, her gaze level and unreadable as she scanned the room.
Right behind her stood Nao Yamamoto and Fujikura, the two girls from earlier, their expressions a mix of expectation and curiosity.
.
….
[To be continued…]
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