….
[-Continuation-]
.
[-Hachiman's POV-]
"That's fine with me, Tobe. Let's ride it together."
"Hayato…."
Look at those eyes, they are completely looking at him as an eyesore. They were clearly not pleased to see Tobe weasel his way in.
Tobe…
How could he be so tactless?
…
So there I am, stuck watching Isshiki lay out this ridiculous plan of hers.
"What kind of shitty plan is this?"
The words slip out, my voice carrying that familiar mix of exhaustion and disbelief.
"What! This is so perfect…" Yuigahama chimed in, giving Isshiki a thumbs-up.
Isshiki's face lit up, her pride showing as she puffed up slightly.
"See, even Senior Yui thinks so!" She said with a grin.
Was she seriously taking Yuigahama's seal of approval as some sort of divine blessing?
The thought bounces around in my head as I resist the urge to massage my temples.
Agh, I don't even know anymore. Do whatever you want.
So about this master plan of hers - that brought us to this moment is exactly the kind of scheme you would expect from someone who has watched too many romantic comedies.
Isshiki wants to confess to Hayama - simple enough in theory.
But no, she has turned it into this elaborate drama production.
She had meticulously planned - the timing, the location, and crackers that are supposed to go off at just the right moment - as some sort of 'symbolic flourish'.
The whole thing sounded like a desperate mix between a romance movie and a prank gone wrong.
As she basked in her pride, she suddenly turned to me, her eyes big and hopeful.
"So... Senior Hikigaya..." She drags out my name like she is trying to hypnotize me or something.
"Nope." I cut her off before she can launch into whatever speech she's prepared.
"Find someone else." My hand waves vaguely toward where Tobe stands, completely absorbed in his conversation with Ebina. "Like… that guy over there."
Isshiki let out a disappointed huff. "I didn't even get to say what I wanted yet…"
"Doesn't matter. Whatever it is, the answer is still no." I replied, not missing a beat.
Look, I have been around long enough to know where this is going. She probably wants me to run interference, and keep Miura distracted while she executes her grand romantic gesture.
The mere thought makes me feel tired.
"Geez, Senior. You are supposed to be supportive." She crosses her arms, throwing me one last disappointed look before her attention drifts back to the others.
I didn't bother responding to it.
"Right, well, I will go talk with senior Tobe, then…" She shuffles off, probably to rope the poor soul into her plans.
As she walked away, I turned to Yuigahama.
I turn to Yuigahama, who's been watching all this go down. "You know, Yuigahama... you are surprisingly good at betraying your friends."
Maybe not the nicest thing to say, but hey, truth hurts sometimes.
Next thing I know, there's this sharp pinch on my shoulder, and I yelped.
"Ah–!"
It's Yukino, looking like she's finally recovered from our roller coaster adventure earlier.
Her face is calm, but her grip on my shoulder suggests otherwise.
"You are being mean to Yui, Hachiman." Each word carries the weight of a judge's gavel.
"Wrong. I am not being mean. I am just stating the truth." I defended myself, rubbing my shoulder as I tried to shake off her hold.
Her eyes narrow dangerously. "That is what you always say when you are justifying yourself. Playing with words won't get you off the hook."
"Fine." I let out a defeated sigh. "But it is not like I was lying."
"..." I glanced over at Yuigahama, who had gone noticeably quiet.
Her usual bright expression had softened, a slight hesitation flickering in her eyes as she looked between us.
"Come on, Yuigahama." I said, easing my tone. "You are not actually upset, are you?"
She let out a small, nervous laugh, waving her hands in a flustered manner. "N-no, it's fine! I just thought, you know, it would be kind of cute to see Isshiki's plan workout…"
"See?" Yukino gave me a pointed look. "She was only trying to support her friend."
"Yeah, then what about the other friend? Like Miura." I said, not bothering to soften the edge in my voice.
I don't spell it out further - I don't need to.
Sometimes what's left unsaid speaks louder than words, and right now my silence is doing all the heavy lifting.
Sure, Miura hasn't made any grand declarations about her feelings for Hayama - at least none that I am aware of.
But you would have to be blind not to see it.
The way she interacted with him, the way her eyes lingered, there was no denying it.
It was far beyond mere friendship.
The signs were there, even if they weren't being vocalized.
Yuigahama mumbled, her tone uncertain, almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.
"It's not like Isshiki will actually succeed… I mean, there is always a chance, I guess. But if Miura had asked me for help, I would support her too... it's just that she didn't."
"..." - "..." Yukino and I didn't stop her.
"This is really getting complicated, right?" Yuigahama murmured, frowning slightly. "To be honest, it feels confusing for me too. Why does helping someone have to be this hard? Isn't it supposed to be simple?"
The tension in Yukino's shoulders melts away as she reaches out to Yuigahama, her hand settling on her friend's shoulder like a gentle anchor.
"In an ideal world, it might be. But people's feelings are rarely straightforward, and trying to help one person can easily mean hurting another, even if it's unintentional."
"I want to help Isshiki, but not if it's going to end up hurting Miura..." Yuigahama's voice carries the weight of someone trying to balance on a tightrope. "It's not fair to either of them. It's like... no matter what I do, someone is going to end up feeling bad."
She hesitated, then continued. "So, I decided to keep it simple. If Isshiki succeeds and Miura feels down, I will be there for her. And if Isshiki's plan doesn't work out and she is upset, I will help her too. That way, I can be there for both of them… doesn't that make sense?"
Hey… Idiot.
Simple?
That's what she calls simple?
She is setting herself up like a human safety net, ready to catch everyone who falls.
But who catches the net when it finally tears?
She can't keep stretching herself thin forever, no matter how elastic her heart might be.
"That's craz–!" The protest barely leaves my lips before Yuigahama interrupts, her smile bright and determined.
"And if anything were to happen to me?" She turns to Yukino with a playful glint in her eye. "I know that Yukinon will be there to help me, no matter what. Isn't that super simple?"
That is just sick….
But the words die in my throat as I watch Yukino's transformation.
Her usual ice-queen facade cracks just enough to let warmth seep through, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Of course, Yui. I will be there when you need me, no matter what."
At that moment, the both of them looked really close.
Like real close friends.
Yukino tilted her head slightly, as if considering something.
Then, with a touch of her usual cool composure, she added. "...and Hachiman will be there too. Of course, if I am involved, it will automatically drag him into whatever happens next."
"Oh yeah..."
The words come out flat and resigned, because really, what else can you say when you have just been drafted into emotional support service without so much as a by-your-leave?
Somehow, I have become the safety net for the safety net.
In the end, I am the last domino in this elaborate chain of mutual support.
Yukino shoots me this look, eyebrow raised like she is enjoying this way too much. "Well, if you are going to be 'around' anyway, Hachiman, it only makes sense to be useful."
"I will say it again, this is seriously nuts. Especially you, Yuigahama." I exhale.
Shouldn't Yukino, the most practical one of the three of us, be the one putting a stop to this madness?
Yuigahama beamed at me, rubbing the back of her head with a slightly flustered smile. "You are welcome, Hikki! It's nothing worth mentioning!"
I narrowed my eyes.
"...I am not praising you." I said, flatly.
Yukino's lips quivered into a smile at my response, her laugh was light and almost imperceptible, but it was there.
She wasn't even trying to hide her amusement anymore.
I watched them both for a moment, Yuigahama, with her usual bright and innocent smile, and Yukino, composed as always, with a touch of understanding in her gaze.
Their friendship had its quirks, no doubt.
I couldn't help but admire their friendship, even if it was a bit of a mess sometimes.
I just …really hoped that it would stay like this, for as long as possible.
.
….
[To be continued…]
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