Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatte Iru - Volume 10 - Chapter 2

2

As usual, Haruno Yukinoshita stirs things up.

Looking up at the clear winter sky, I saw the monorail running above.

Komachi, standing beside me, followed my gaze. Then she blew a tired, white sigh. “Agh.”

“Sorry for making you come with me,” I said.

“Seriously,” Komachi replied with a rough snort. She sounded just like our family cat, Kamakura. He reacts like that when you call his name, too. Maybe he’s copying his master…

“Well, Komachi wanted to buy a present, too, so I don’t mind,” she said, and another white puff rose in the air. “…Besides, this might be the last time I’ll be going out with you.”

“When you say that with a sad smile, it’s like I’m gonna die…”

She sounded as if she was making the final memories of a lifetime with someone with a fatal illness. If this were made into a movie, I’d definitely bawl like Nobita saying his final farewell to Doraemon. But actually, even if I’m not sick, Big Bro can’t live on if Komachi hates me…

“That’s not what I mean… It’s ’cause I’m not coming next time,” she warned with a little glare.

No, I understand, Komachi…

I got that the “next time” Komachi mentioned was coming. I don’t know if I can call it a promise, but I had basically meant it to be. The problem was when, and where, and in what way, and what I should say. When you don’t have much experience with the whole socializing thing, you don’t know what to do at times like these. How do people make invitations when they go to hang out?

Well, whatever.

Anyway, first today.

After coming back from the shrine visit the other day, I’d gotten a text from Yuigahama about shopping for presents.

We would be meeting in front of the big ad screens at Chiba Station. You couldn’t get any more clear than that. Once she came out of the station, she’d be able to see us right away. The reverse was also true. The white puffs from my mouth started coming faster as I thought about it.

Eventually, Yuigahama came over from the ticket gates. When she noticed us, she waved her hands wide. “Yahallo!”

“Hey.”

“Yahallo to you, too, Yui!”

“Sorry I’m a little late!” Yuigahama’s beige overcoat was flapping restlessly, the soles of her boots clopping along as she ran. With every flutter of her coat hem, I could see the long knit sweater that went nearly to her knees and her slim jeans.

“So where are we going?” I asked.

“I figured we’d wander a bit to pick something,” Yuigahama said, and while pointing all around the station area, she started walking.

“Yeah, where should we go first?” Komachi followed after her, and I followed Komachi.

Chiba is a shopping paradise.

And the standard shopping site for high school kids is the PARCO.

Ah, PARCO—the most powerful ally of the youth of Chiba city. I think the hip, fashionable youths of modern Chiba have got to be divided into two conflicting sects when it comes to where to buy clothing: You’ve got the PARCOists and the LaLaportists. And even among the PARCOists, I’d bet it’s an ugly battle between the Chiba PARCO faction and the Tsudanuma PARCO faction.

Stop it! Everyone, be friends! We’re all the same citizens of Chiba city! Though Tsudanuma is in Narashino city!

After a little walking, Yuigahama pointed. “Oh. Then let’s start with C-one!”

C-one. I know that one. It’s that place with the Ichiran ramen.

I’m familiar with Ichiran for its flavor-focus system that enables you to devote your concentration to eating, thanks to the counter seats being partitioned from each other. By the way, this flavor-focus system is patented. If you’re going with that logic, that means loners are equipped with a life-focusing system. Hurry! I’ve got to patent that right now!

The C in C-one is probably the C in Chiba. In other words, it’s an initialism. This is clear in the naming of the local superhero, Captain   C. By the way, Chibatman is not the local superhero, just so you know.

When we walked in, the inside of the mall was done up in New Year’s decorations with lines of shops along the way. Since it was making use of the roof over the narrow lane, the long, straight road went on and on. Perhaps because of the New Year’s / Christmas sales or whatnot, the avenue was busier than usual.

Even with such noisy crowds around, it seemed girls shopping together would chatter a little bit too loudly as they excitedly discussed the latest fashion. Of course, a boy couldn’t join in on that, so I stood about three steps back, immediately feeling very much that I was going to get left behind.

“Komachi-chan! Look at this! Isn’t it cute?!”

“Oh, it really is! You can take off this fur, so it can go with all kinds of things!”

“Right! So then maybe you could wear it in the spring, too!” The two of them picked up this or that item of clothing as they chattered away enthusiastically.

Not like I care, but we came here to buy a present for Yukinoshita, right? You’re not shopping for yourselves, right?

But watching them, I felt like I was watching girls in their natural habitat.

Yuigahama was busy putting on a furred parka, spinning around in front of the full-length mirror.

Being a boy, I just couldn’t bring myself to go into the shop, so I decided to watch over them from a distance.

Komachi ambled over toward me then. Her expression seemed somehow more relaxed than usual. “It’s so easy to go shopping with Yui…”

“Well, compared with Yukinoshita…” When the three of us had gone out to buy a present for Yuigahama before, I’d been surprised at how out of touch Yukinoshita was with modern high school girl sensibilities.

“Yeah, it really was just as bad as when I was just going out with you… Well, that side of her is supercute, too, though! Right?” Komachi examined my face.

“Yeah, that side of me isn’t cute, huh?”

“Hmm, you hinedere…”

Leave me alone.

Well, and besides, it would be rude to treat me and Yukinoshita the same way.

At the very least, Yukinoshita seems to have a grasp of what looks good on her, and it’s not as if she’s totally disinterested in fashion. So maybe the reason she’d still struggled when we went to buy a present for Yuigahama’s birthday was because it was choosing for someone else that she was bad at.

That overserious awkwardness is very like her.

The question here was what to do in a situation where Miss Awkward was the one receiving a present.

“I’m gonna go look around.” Leaving Yukinoshita and Komachi, I decided to wander aimlessly around the area. If I thought about it while actually looking at the options, then maybe I’d get a few ideas.

A present for Yukinoshita, huh…?

What could I get…?

Yukinoshita is a straightforward person. You could call her Yuki-no-sweetness or Yukinon-sugar, but what to do with her? She’d prefer practical things if it’s outside of her personal tastes. Or more like, with her tastes, books are something she can get on her own, and she lives alone, so she can probably handle household items and cooking tools herself. I mean, she’s got a cutting board as standard equipment on her chest.

What, what, what should I get…?

As I was wandering around, a Destiny merch store caught my eye.

Hmm, Grue-bear… But she would know way more about that stuff than me, so strike that.

Farther down, there was a pet supply store.

A cat…is not something she actually owns… She doesn’t have a cat, huh? She should just get one already. Are cats not allowed at her apartment? I could give her something like a cat photo book, but I bet she’d already have a lot of them…

But then there’s that accessory-shop sort of place over there, but I don’t know what to get…

While I was busy doing circles about the shops in the area and groaning to myself, I wound up right where I’d started.

And there was Yuigahama, a bunch of clothing in her arms and looking all around. “Huh? Where’s Komachi-chan?”

“Wasn’t she with you?”

“I thought she was with you, Hikki…” Leaning over a bit, Yuigahama examined my face to see what was up.

Ahhh, she’s done it again…

I was very aware that when Komachi got like this, there was no use calling for her. I was grateful that she’d just come with me at all, so it was fine, but I wished she would’ve at least said something. I need to emotionally prepare, you know. Don’t suplex me to the ground and then just leave me lying there.

With a hmm, Yuigahama seemed to consider for a bit, but then she adjusted her grip on the bundle of clothes in her arms and tilted her head to examine me. “I couldn’t really make up my mind… I wanted Komachi-chan to take a look for me, but…can you, Hikki?”

“If you don’t mind me not being useful.”

“Okay! …Oh, I want you to be useful, though…”

“I’ll do my best,” I said, and Yuigahama headed over to the full-length mirror at the back of the store. I followed after her.

“A sweater or a cardigan you could wear over top of a blouse, so I was thinking maybe she could use this one even at school,” Yuigahama said, taking off her coat and then the sweater she wore underneath that.

I kind of felt like I shouldn’t watch, so I immediately averted my eyes. Use the changing room… Do you just, like, not worry about that sort of thing ’cause you’re wearing a shirt underneath? Still, please don’t. I worry about it.

Though I knew there was background music in the shop, the sound of clothes rustling was weirdly loud, and I couldn’t block out the sound of Yuigahama’s breathing.

“There we go… So?” she said, and finally, I could turn around.

It was a fluffy, warm-looking warp-knit cardigan.

“I dunno… Well, I think it’s fine…”

It wasn’t just fine. It looked really good on her.

But if there was one problem, it was that this was not for Yuigahama but a present for Yukinoshita. If Yukinoshita put on that cardigan, I think there might be too much fabric… Um, well, though I won’t say where.

“You don’t have to consider Yukinoshita’s size, though?” I said.

The basics of choosing clothing is to wear a size that fits you. Silhouette and stuff is important, too, but, well, that’s just me repeating what Komachi has told me. By the way, my clothes that day had also undergone a thorough Komachi fashion check. The clothing I’d chosen had been reviewed harshly: “I’ll stomp on it!” No, that was Piiko, wasn’t it? Or wait, was it Osugi? Well, whatever.

“Size…” Repeating that word, Yuigahama grabbed at a fold of her own stomach area. “Maybe I’m too big…,” she said with a look of despair. Then she moved her hand from her stomach area to her upper arm, and her expression grew even darker.

It’s okay! You’re not big! I mean you’re big, but you’re not! You’re just not small.

“No, um, you’re fine. Actually, you’re just right, like…”

This wasn’t much of a defense, but I did basically make a haphazard attempt at smoothing that over. But it seemed all my suspicious behavior won me was a suspicious glare from Yuigahama. Agh, geez! What’s the right way to answer at a time like this!

“Well, it looks good on you, so I think it’s fine,” I somehow managed to say.

“…Eh-heh-heh, thanks.” Yuigahama finally smiled, taking off the cardigan to cheerily begin folding it up. There was no way I could just watch her, so I was turning away in embarrassment—and then suddenly I realized.

“But Yukinoshita normally dresses to regulation, so I doubt she’d wear something like that at school.”

Our school regulations were really bare-bones, but we did have them. And of course, part of that was rules about clothing, and there were school-designated sweaters and cardigans. There weren’t many students who dutifully stuck to those rules, and it wasn’t something to worry about—but some more conscientious students, like Yukinoshita, did follow those rules to the letter.

“Oh. Yeah, of course. So then…” Yuigahama still held the cardigan under her arm as she pondered, but this time, her feet took her over to a shelf that featured small articles like scarves and gloves.

As she rummaged over the shelf, she called out with a quiet ah. “So cute! It might be fun to play with Sablé using these,” she said, pulling out a pair of mittens designed to be like cat paws—and another pair that were designed in imitation of dog faces.

The cat-paw mittens were, like, just straight cat paws. But the dog-face mittens featured the face and ears of dogs on the backs of the hands, while the thumb side was the lower jaw. Yuigahama put them on and waved her hands around. “It’s kinda hard to grab things…”

“Well, yeah. They’re mittens.”

Yuigahama gave a thoughtful hmm, then lifted her face like a thought had hit her, and then suddenly, she opened up her closed hands. “Yeah! Chomp!”

Then a mitten doggy came up to bite my hand.

“…J-just messing with you,” she said, as if covering her embarrassment while she blushed.

If you find it embarrassing, then please don’t do it. I’m embarrassed, too. I gently slipped away from the mitten and then fanned at my face a little with that hand. They have the heat up too high in this store.

“Not like it matters, but she’s not gonna wear a design like that outside of the house.”

“…Maybe you’re right.” Yuigahama nodded in agreement.

Based on what Yukinoshita typically wore, I actually did get the impression that she didn’t wear anything blatantly cutesy. Would she even use them if she got them as a gift? …Or maybe she would. If they were a present from Yuigahama, she might actually put on this cool and collected expression, while on the inside, she was all excited to put them on.

“I guess I have to look for something else…” Cat-paw mittens dangling from her hands, Yuigahama mulled and mulled over it, then continued rummaging further. “Oh, this might be good,” she said as she pulled from the shelf some socks that looked a lot like cat feet.

“Socks, huh? Those look kind of hard to put shoes over.”

“They’re indoor socks! You obviously wouldn’t wear these out of the house.”

Using that logic, I think she’d never wear those mittens outside, either… Well, but now that she pointed it out, the sole of the sock had grippy rubber in the pattern of toe beans.

“You wear them at home, so she wouldn’t have to worry about appearances… What do you think?”

“Well, I think she’d like it.” I think Yukinoshita would be glad to receive anything Yuigahama gave to her. The person giving it to you is more important than the gift itself. And who says something is more important than what is said, too.

“Okay, then I’ll go with this.” Gathering up all the things in her arms, Yuigahama headed for the register. Her bundle contained that cardigan and a pair of mittens, too.

So she’s giving her the cat-paw mittens, too, huh…?

Cat hands and cat feet, huh…?

This place doesn’t sell tails, too, do they?

All right, now I’ve got to actually go look for stuff myself. Since that store just now had not sold cat tails.

And so I had come. Sencity Sogo: Chiba branch. The name alone makes it seem like it would have its finger on the pulse of modern trends. Wait, no, that’s sensitivity.

Normally, I’d go to the menswear section, but that day, I’d come to buy a present for Yukinoshita. Naturally, we wound up heading to the floor with the ladies’ things.

But still, it’s not like I know anything about women’s clothing, so Yuigahama was leading the way.

Yuigahama chose a place that sold not only clothing but also various types of accessories and small articles.

“We should check out lots of stuff, right? Gloves and accessories and scarves and…like, all kinds of stuff,” she said, so I went rummaging through a bunch of things in the store.

From nearby, Yuigahama came over to recommend this and that to me, so the staff didn’t keep an eye on me for the time being, and the security guards didn’t even start hovering conspicuously. If I’d gone in there alone, the staff would have asked me, Are you looking for anything? I definitely would have had them trailing close behind me and felt them watching me from behind the register. Source: me, the time I wandered in here before. I understand that a guy alone is unusual, but I would appreciate it if you would, um, lower the security level a little…

I was moving from shelf to shelf, keeping an eye out for looks from the staff, when Yuigahama’s feet stopped. The pop sign on that shelf said eyewear in English.

The hell is ai-uea? Just say “glasses” in Japanese, come on. Spewing katakana words for everything and its dog, it’s like, are you one of those higher-consciousness types or what? And instead of hangaa, you can just call clothes hangers emongake. And calling meat sauce bolognese or calling pasta spaghetti—I mean, good grief. Wait, miito soosu and pasuta were alredy katakana, huh…? What should you call that in Japanese…?

As I was ruminating over this, Yuigahama came over to tap-tap my shoulder.

Turning around, I saw she looked proud for some reason as she pushed a pair of glasses up her nose. “Heh-heh. These make me look kinda smart, don’cha think?”

“The idea that glasses equal smart is already pretty dumb…”

“Oh, shut up, jerk,” she said sulkily, and then she continued to pick up various types of eyewear, checking out their designs.

I copied her and picked something up. Hmm, they’ve got lots of stuff, huh?

Not just in terms of design—they were also functional. They had notes that said they helped prevent pollen allergies or cut blue light or whatnot. Wearing glasses is pretty normalized these days, even aside from the basic goal of vision correction, so the prices were fairly reasonable, too.

As we continued to rummage through them, Yuigahama offered me a pair. “Ah. Here, you try some on, too, Hikki. Like these.”

“Huh…?” This is definitely going to end with me getting mocked…

When I hesitated, she pressed me, shoving the glasses at me. “Come on—do it!”

I resolved myself, psyching myself up to put on these glasses. Per…sona…! By the way, I prefer 3 over 4. I would absolutely prefer to summon my persona with a gun to my head!

“Something like this?” The glasses clicked as I slid them on, and I pushed the frames up with a finger.

Yuigahama burst out laughing. “Wow, that looks bad!”

“Shut up…” This is why I didn’t want to do this…

Annoyed, I removed the glasses, and Yuigahama handed over another pair with a different design. “Then next…here!”

“No.”

“Come on—take them!” she said, shoving them onto my face.

Agh, obnoxious… Adjusting the glasses that had only halfway hooked over my ears, I turned back to Yuigahama, ready to protest.

And then Yuigahama stared at me, mouth hanging open dumbly.

“…”

“Uh, silence?”

She can’t just not react when she’s the one who suggested this… I looked over at her, wondering what I should say.

Noticing that, Yuigahama panicked and waved her hands. “Ah, no, it’s nothing… I’m surprised. Those kinda actually suit you…”

“…Well, thanks.” I didn’t know how to react to that compliment from her, either.

But she’s surprised, huh?

There are a lot of things you’ll think you know but then find you actually don’t. Like how Yuigahama, who normally doesn’t wear glasses, looks surprisingly good in them when she does try them on.

Yukinoshita had once regretfully said that she still didn’t know Yuigahama at all.

The same went for me.

I’d never really tried to find out before.

And I think not just about Yukinoshita but about Yuigahama, too.

The three of us had spent time together now, though. I obviously can’t claim to understand them, and it’s far from ideal. Just over six months is not much time at all. But I did know them a little more now, compared with before.

The Yukino Yukinoshita I know…

She’s someone who will crumble when Yuigahama needles her, and she loves cats, and on weekends, she cuddles a Grue-bear cushion while she looks at cat videos on her computer.

I know more than I thought.

If Yuigahama was going to give her cat-paw indoor socks, then I’d give her something that would match that.

In hopes that the time she spent alone would be warm and peaceful.

We finished shopping, and since we’d been on our feet for a while, we decided to go to a café where we could take a break. We could’ve gone to the Starbucks outside, but this time of year was really cold. Also, I didn’t know how to order there, so I really didn’t want to go that day.

So I decided to go to a place I had gone to a few times before and was used to.

“Can we go here?”

“Sure.”

Once Yuigahama agreed, we went into a café that was inside the Sogo. It was deep inside the mall, so maybe that was why it was calm and not too busy.

“For two.” I told the server the number of people, and we were shown to a four-person table right by the window where you could see out to Chiba Station below. I yielded the window seat to Yuigahama and gazed out at Chiba Station behind her.

I could also see the monorail running along, too, and it kinda seemed like Chiba was developing a lot. Chiba really is the city of the future.

When I visually traced the path of the monorail, my eyes met with those of the person sitting at a diagonal from me.

“Oh, it’s Hikigaya.”

That person also had her back to the window, sitting on a sofa.

She wore a mostly white frilled shirt with a gold chain necklace dangling over her chest. She was sparkling as if she’d gathered the light from outside into her body, but her gleefully smiling eyes were a darker black than the sky after dusk. And to pull her whole mismatched appearance together, Haruno Yukinoshita brought her vivid red scarf over her shoulders as she called my name.

When she called out to me, Yuigahama’s eyes also slid to the side, calling out her name in surprise. “Haruno…and…”

Then Yuigahama’s gaze shifted to the person in front of Haruno. The guy there wore a gray shirt and a black jacket. Under his brown, nearly faint gold hair were eyes that were surprised but still smiling—it was Hayato Hayama.

“It’s Hayato.”

“…Hey,” Hayama called out briefly. A wristwatch that shone dull silver peeked out from his slightly raised cuff.

I responded with a casual nod. We didn’t exchange any other words, and all we could hear was the faintly playing jazz. And the sound of a chair pulling back.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you in quite a while, Gahama-chan,” Haruno said, sliding over to our table like it was a natural thing. In response, Hayama breathed a short sigh, and with the order slip in his hand, he came to sit down next to me.

“A date, huh? Ohhh, you rascal! You guys are close, as usual, huh? Yukino-chan isn’t with you?” After giving Yuigahama a couple of elbow jabs, Haruno looked over toward the entrance of the café.

“Oh, today we just came out to buy a present for Yukinon…”

“Ahhh, it’s almost her birthday, huh? …Ohhh, I see.” Nodding and murmuring “Mm-hmm,” Haruno listened to Yuigahama but then slid out her phone and started making a call.

Watching her, Hayama offered hesitantly, “…She might not pick up.”

“No, I think she’ll probably pick up today,” Haruno said, her smile filled with certainty.

In the quiet café, you could just barely hear the call sound from her phone.

It rang twice, three times, and then a few more, and eventually she got through, and a quiet voice could be heard.

“Hello…”

“Ah, Yukino-chan? It’s your big sister! Can you come over now?”

“I’m hanging up.”

That was fast!

Yuigahama and Hayama heard the immediate comeback from beside Haruno and smiled awkwardly.

But Haruno must have been used to that sort of reaction, as she continued her teasing unperturbed. “Ohhh? Is it a good idea for you to hang up?”

“…What?”

Haruno smirked. “Actually, right now I’m with Hikigaya!”

“You and your ridiculous lies… You need to cut this out.”

“Here, Hikigaya.” And before Haruno even finished speaking, she pushed the phone at me.

“Wait—huh?” I looked between the cell phone in my hands and Haruno, but she hid her hands behind her back, feigning ignorance. It seemed she had absolutely no intention of taking it back. On the other side of the receiver, I could hear Yukinoshita’s voice calling for Haruno.

What can you do…? Guess I’ll just talk to her…

“Uhhh…hello,” I said for now, not knowing what else to say.

On the other end, I heard a little gasp.

Then after a brief silence, there was a sigh. “Agh, I’m amazed… Why are you there?”

I would have liked to ask that myself. I’d thought I would just be going shopping… Why am I here?! Why am I here?! Dowa-ha-ha-ha! It’s because of youkai. It’s not my fault. It’s because of youkai.

“Uh, I just happened to be out, and she kind of caught me…” I flicked a glare over at said youkai as I tried to explain, but I was cut off by the sound of another sigh.

“Fine. I’m coming now, so give the phone to my sister.”

“…Okay. I’m sorry,” I apologized for some reason.

After wiping the screen with a moist towelette, I returned the cell phone to Haruno, who exchanged a few remarks with Yukinoshita, telling her where we were, then hung up the phone.

“Yukino-chan says she’s coming,” Haruno said with a satisfied smile.

Then Yuigahama hesitantly cut in. “Um, why did you call her out here? She seemed like she didn’t want to come…”

“Hmm? Ah, our family is going out to eat later, and Yukino-chan refused. But if I say all of you are here, then she has to come, right?”

“You’re making us hostages…,” I muttered.

“Oh, that’s such an ugly word. But isn’t it a nice story—rushing over to save your friends who were captured in your place?”

“If we’re going with that story, then just who here is the wicked and ruthless king?”

“Ohhh, we have a little literary enthusiast here,” Haruno said gleefully, like she was teasing me.

Yuigahama tilted her head like, Hmm?

Hayama smiled a little at her. “It’s ‘Run, Melos!’”

“Oh, ohhh, um, that one, yeah. Uh-huh, I know it. I’ve heard of it before; it’s superfast, huh?!”

Does she really know what it is…? It’s the one that’s like…Melos raaan…Melos and Selinuntius aaare…the bestest of friends!!

When I showed doubt, Yuigahama avoided my look by hurriedly changing the subject. “But anyway, a family dinner, that’s nice! Everyone all together! Um…” Yuigahama looked over at Hayama.

Sensing what she meant by that, Hayama picked up where she left off. “Our parents have always been close… They were talking about us all having dinner together, while they were out doing New Year’s greetings. I’ve just been dragged along.”

“Oh, huh…” Yuigahama accepted the explanation.

Haruno stroked the rim of her teacup with a little sigh. “On New Year’s Day, they’re all occupied with family matters, and work starts up again on the fourth, and the day before that is also quite busy, so this is the day they go around to pay New Year’s respects to acquaintances.”

It seemed this was a customary event for the Yukinoshita family. But if they were about to go have dinner, then were Yukinoshita’s parents nearby? …I kind of wanted to see them, just a little.

Pretending to stretch a little, I checked out my surroundings. But Haruno, sitting diagonally from me, just giggled. Bet she saw right through my little trick.

“Our parents are doing their social rounds elsewhere right now. We’re waiting for them.”

“Ohhh, I see…” That made sense. When the parents have something going on, the kids usually get left behind together. Back when my mom was working with a co-op, the mommy friends would get together, so then their children would all be lumped together, too. But you know, Mommy, just because you’re friends doesn’t mean your kids will be… Those times were really uncomfortable.

Yuigahama gave an impressed ohhh. “Going around to do New Year’s greetings… That sounds tough.”

“They do it every year, so we’re used to it. Well, sometimes I do feel it’s a real hassle, though. Those sorts of customs and traditions are more alive than you think, you know.” There was an indescribable resignation in her voice.

For both Yukinoshita and Hayama, who hadn’t come to the New Year’s shrine visit, there were social expectations.

I’m sure the distinguished families, good households, are under all kinds of constraints. It might not feel truly real to us commoners, but it is, and there’s nothing you can do about that. Well, it’s not unusual for some families to have close relationships with extended family. I think it’s just that I’m not familiar with such things myself, and there are actually a lot of families that have their own unique communities.

Even us common people have to deal with similar issues. So then, add titles onto that, and the constraints will increase correspondingly.

As if to dispel her sigh just now, Haruno smacked the table and straightened her posture. “Anyway, what presents are you going to give her?” she asked, inching toward Yuigahama, who was sitting on the same sofa.

With a wince as she inched away from her, Yuigahama showed her the bag, rustling it. “Um… I got her some indoor socks and stuff…”

“Hmm, the floors are cold around this time of year, after all.”

“Yeah! And the living room at Yukinon’s place is hardwood floors, and when I went over the other day, I thought, Huh, it’s kinda cold.”

“I tend to be cold a lot, too, so I get it.”

While they had their girlish conversation, we guys were just listening to them talk.

But Hayama must have felt at loose ends, as he muttered quietly, “Birthday presents, huh…?” Then he glanced over at me. “What did you get?”

“Oh, well, stuff.”

“I see.” He added nothing more, his gaze sliding away. After that, Hayama continued to listen to Haruno and Yuigahama’s conversation, occasionally nodding along. The second hand ticked slowly along on his wristwatch as he held his cup.

I just tracked it with my eyes.

Always ticking out the same perfect rhythm, the needle moved in its fixed pattern. It did one circle, then two, returning to the same place to create a similar face. But not exactly the same. Even if the second hand never changed, the time it pointed to continued forward.

Suddenly, Haruno, who had been looking at the present’s wrapping, said, “Maybe I’ll give her something, too; it’s been a while.” Then her gaze jumped. “How about it, Hayato?”

“…Yeah.” Hayama gave a little shrug, then looked out the window. I think it probably wasn’t the streetlights he was looking at.

I looked over at Hayama’s reflection in the glass as well, and then suddenly, I couldn’t stop wondering about what present Haruno had given her long ago.

We spent an uncomfortable span of time together.

About thirty minutes had passed since Haruno had called Yukinoshita. If she was coming from her apartment, she’d probably take a little longer. And since Haruno had called her over, we couldn’t just decide to leave now.

The coffee I’d been slowly sipping at had long gone empty, and the black teapot that had been steaming before was now completely cold.

I wasn’t the only impatient one—Yuigahama seemed rather antsy, too, looking all round. Then she noticed something and made a noise, and I followed her gaze to see Yukinoshita striding briskly toward us.

“Yukinooon, over here, over here!” Yuigahama said, waving.

Noticing her, Yukinoshita came over to the table where we sat. “Yuigahama…you’re here, too?” she said, sounding surprised. Haruno hadn’t mentioned that on the phone after all.

“Yeah, yeah. Um…it’s like, I was shopping with Hikki, when she kind of caught us…” Yuigahama spoke vaguely, like she was unsure as to whether she should say that we’d come shopping for a present for Yukinoshita.

Hearing that, Yukinoshita looked between me and Yuigahama, her expression questioning. “Shopping… I—I see…”

“Anyway, sit, sit,” Yuigahama said, getting up from the sofa to make a person’s worth of space there and inviting her over.

Inevitably, Yukinoshita sat down in a position where she wouldn’t be facing Haruno. Then she bowed her head to Yuigahama. “I’m sorry my sister’s bothering you.”

“No, it’s totally okay.” Cheerfully, Yuigahama gave a casual wave in reply.

Yukinoshita breathed a sigh in mild relief. Turning back to me, she looked up at me searchingly. “You too, Hikigaya, um…”

“It’s fine. I had nothing better to do anyway.” I actually hadn’t had any plans for after this shopping trip. In fact, maybe this was easier on me, since Haruno roping us into things had kept me from winding up alone with Yuigahama. But still, if you asked me if this was for the best, the answer would absolutely be no.

And as for the cause of this disaster, she was wearing a provocative smile. “Yukino-chan, you’re late!” she said teasingly.

“You called me here out of nowhere. You’re shameless…” Yukinoshita glared at her out of the corner of her eye, and Haruno took that with composure. Yuigahama, sandwiched between them, was smiling uncomfortably. Please, no Yukinoshita Sisters Melee here…

“Come on, Haruno, it looks like Yukino-chan hurried over pretty quickly…”

It was a familiar and charming voice, softening the tension. Its use of an unfamiliar form of address made me automatically turn around. And then the owner of that voice, Hayato Hayama, scrunched up his face like, Oh, damn, then immediately covered that up with a smile.

“…”

Yukinoshita seemed surprised, looking at Hayama wordlessly.

Hayama shrugged. “What do you want to drink, Yukinoshita?”

“…Black tea, then.”

Accepting that, Hayama swiftly got the ordering done, and when the tea came, Haruno let out a little ohhh.

“It’s been a long time since we all had tea together, huh?”

“It has.”

“…”

Though Hayama replied with agreement, Yukinoshita’s eyes remained closed, cup in hand.

When the conversation trailed off, Yuigahama grasped for a way to get it started again. “Ah, um…you’ve known each other for a long time, too, huh, Hayato?”

“Yep, yep,” said Haruno. “Hayato’s family just has the one boy, you know? So his parents have always doted on us. Isn’t that right, Yukino-chan?”

“Not really me.”

“That’s not true. Everyone doted on you, not just our parents.”

Even with Haruno addressing her and Hayama’s smiles, Yukinoshita’s attitude didn’t change.

But Haruno didn’t seem bothered, gazing softly into the distance. “This takes me back… When we were little, whenever our parents had some business together, I’d babysit the two of them.”

Yukinoshita’s brows twitched and came together. “Are you sure you don’t mean forcing us to follow you around? It was awful.” She set her cup down on her saucer with a click, letting Haruno feel her quiet tone and chilly gaze.

That made Hayama react. “Ahhh, like that time at the zoo, huh…? There was that awful experience in the amusement park zone…”

“And at the seaside park. She would leave us behind or shake the Ferris wheel…”

As they recalled days gone by, Hayama’s and Yukinoshita’s expressions both darkened.

Only Haruno was nodding along cheerfully. “Oh yeah, yeah. Then Yukino-chan would basically always cry, huh?”

“Hey…stop fabricating memories,” said Yukinoshita.

“I’m not fabricating anything. Right, Hayato?” Haruno turned to him.

“Ah-ha-ha-ha… I don’t know,” Hayama said noncommittally with a smile, and Yukinoshita nodded without a word.

This nostalgic conversation among the trio made me suddenly feel something quite keenly.

Clearly, they had spent time and built memories together, and those memories couldn’t be touched by outsiders.

Yuigahama didn’t really look like she could join their conversation, either. And of course I couldn’t.

I don’t know what their relationships had once been like. And even if I did, I couldn’t change them.

All I could do was occasionally bring my bitter coffee to my lips and let the reminiscing go in one ear and out the other as I made listening noises. And imagined.

Someone had once asked me how things would have gone if I’d gone to the same elementary school as them.

How had I replied, then?

I was deep in thoughtful recollection when I heard the sound of a cup being set down. Looking over, I saw Haruno leaning her cheek on her hand, watching Hayama and Yukinoshita with eyes that lacked any warmth.

“You two were so cute then… Now…you’re kind of boring.”

As beautiful as her well-formed, glossy lips were, they spoke cruel, cold words. Everyone there was speechless.

Yukinoshita made a fist just slightly on the table, while Hayama clenched his teeth and looked away. Yuigahama gave me a lost look.

When the table went dead silent, Haruno giggled. “Well, but now I have Hikigaya. I guess I can just give him my attention instead.”

“Uh, I get the sense you mean that like a drill coach…”

“That’s just the sort of thing that makes me want to pamper you. What a good little Hachiman you are! Good Hachiman!” she said, reaching out to attempt to pet my head. I bent myself backward to smoothly avoid her hand.

“Oh no, he ran away,” Haruno said, smiling brightly like a good-natured big sister. Being smiled at by a pretty older woman isn’t something I get to experience all that often, and it didn’t feel bad. I even didn’t completely mind if that smile was a lie. Anyone can play the duplicitous game of pretending to be cute. Iroha Isshiki does it, too. It’s not anything to be scared of.

But the way Haruno Yukinoshita showed that unknown something that lurks beneath was scary.

But it seemed she didn’t intend to say any more right now, and she changed the topic, still grinning. “Speaking of drill coaches, your school marathon is coming up, isn’t it?”

“Oh. Yes. Around the end of the month,” Yuigahama answered.

Haruno looked somewhat surprised. “Huh, so it’s not in February this year.”

“I heard from our club teacher-advisor that it’s being moved up a little due to how the calendar happened to work out,” Hayama replied with a soft smile as if nothing at all had happened.

Alas, our dear Miss Yukinoshita seemed to abandon all hope at that. Well, she has no endurance… I get the impression she’d be really bad at marathons.

But regardless, the atmosphere brightened once again.

This was fine, but the four of them chatting pleasantly together really did tend to gather attention. It wasn’t like they were especially obnoxious, but they had an attractive aura. These people really do stand out…

For a while now, I’d felt glances coming at us from the entrance area.

Well, this was partly because they were being a little loud right now, but they were all attractive people. If you saw them walking around town, you’d find yourself turning your head.

Thanks to these four, I felt like my presence had faded even more. I am a shadow… But the thicker the shadow becomes, the more prominent it makes the white of the light…

There wasn’t particularly anything for me to do, so alone, I decided to commit to being a behind-the-scenes support, like one of those stagehands dressed in all black. No, I will be even darker than black…

As I avoided joining the conversation and was a machine that lifted my cup to my mouth, I drank down the coffee. Since I’m here, one more…, I thought, searching for a server, when I saw a woman in a kimono coming over toward us.

Her glossy black hair was in an updo, and she had a collected air about her. She seemed a bit younger than my own parents. Her proportions were symmetrical, and the way she walked, every moment was soft and silent. But something about her composed expression gave me an odd sense of déjà vu.

I thought instinctively, They look alike.

The lady came straight over to our table without hesitation and called out, “Haruno.”

Even among the voices of chatting customers and the faintly playing background music, her voice carried well, drawing the attention of those who heard it. It reminded me of a certain someone.

Haruno turned around. “Ah, you’re done talking?”

“Yes. We’re going to eat after this, so I came to call you. Sorry for making you wait, Hayato.”

“Oh, no, don’t worry. Everyone kept me from being bored,” Hayama replied in a sociable manner as he looked over at us, and the lady scanned us, too.

Yukinoshita’s presence must have been quite unexpected. “Oh my,” she said in a breathless little murmur. Then she put on a meek smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Yukino. I’m so glad…”

“Mom…,” Yukinoshita muttered. Stunned or possibly despondent.

Now that the woman had been identified, I noticed that she resembled Yukinoshita in her air and her appearance. Once Yukinoshita was older, she would surely be this woman’s spitting image. But I hadn’t noticed that at first because her mother had a coercive force to her. It was hard to speak to her casually—maybe the word for that force was dignity. My back automatically straightened.

Yukinoshita swallowed, hugging herself with her hands to her elbows and looking away like she had no place to put herself.

What must her mother have thought? She was smiling peacefully.

Beside the silenced Yukinoshita, Yuigahama quietly whispered with surprise, “Yeek, she’s so pretty…”

Yukinoshita’s mother bowed slightly at us, and she turned to Haruno. “Your friends, Haruno?”

“Yeah. Hachiman and Gahama-chan.” Either Haruno was rolling with her unpleasant joke from before, or she just thought it’d be a hassle to explain, as she introduced us in an incredibly lazy manner.

“Oh, I’m Yui Yuigahama, Yukinon’s friend.” Yuigahama hurriedly bobbed her head in a bow, and I bowed as well.

Introducing yourself to a girl’s parents makes me a little nervous… As I hesitated to introduce myself, Yukinoshita’s mother latched on to something Yuigahama had said.

“Yukinon…” She touched her hand to her chin and narrowed her eyes, looking between Yukinoshita and Yuigahama. “Oh, I’m sorry. You were Yukino’s friend, hmm? You looked mature, so I mistook.”

“Mature…eh-heh-heh.”

Yuigahama seemed glad, but I felt there was something a little off about what she said.

I think Yuigahama is more the innocent-looking type, if anything. She doesn’t exactly act the most put together.

But it seemed that error was naught but a trifle, and Yukinoshita’s mother put her hand to her cheek. “My, I see… Hayato is the only one of Yukino’s classmates I know, so… Please continue to stay close with her,” she said gladly to Yuigahama.

“I will!”

Hearing Yuigahama’s cheerful answer, Yukinoshita’s mother dipped her head slightly. I’d missed the opportunity to offer my own name, but it didn’t seem like she was particularly interested in me anyway, and I doubted we’d meet again. Whatever.

Then Yukinoshita’s mom turned back to Haruno and Hayama. “Then shall we get going?”

“Okay!” Haruno stood, and Hayama followed, the order slip in hand.

But Yukinoshita, seated in front of me, didn’t move.

Yukinoshita’s mom noticed and asked in a peaceful voice, “Yukino, you’re coming, too, aren’t you?”

It was both a question and not one at all. There were a number of implications in that short sentence.

“I…”

When Yukinoshita trailed off, her mother added entreatingly, “This is also your birthday party.”

Her gaze was warm and affectionate, her tone kindly remonstrating. But there was a force to it that wouldn’t let you say no.

“…” Yukinoshita bit her lip, looking down, and then her gaze flicked over at me.

Hey, don’t look at me…

Haruno spotted it. “Don’t, Yukino-chan,” she chided with a savage smile. Gleeful emotion wavered in her cold eyes, and Yukinoshita’s shoulders twitched.

A silence went on for a while.

Haruno continued to stare at Yukinoshita, and Hayama looked at the both of them with concern. Yukinoshita was shrinking away like she had nowhere to go. I let my gaze escape out the window, breathing a faint sigh that I made sure nobody would notice.

No words were exchanged in the meanwhile, as I passed an uncomfortable time.

And I wasn’t the only one.

Yuigahama, too. And Yukinoshita.

Or maybe everyone there was feeling it.

Yukinoshita’s mother tilted her head as if at a loss, putting her hand to her temple. Then she glanced over at me. “Oh, I know. Why don’t your friends come with us?” She smiled brightly at me and Yuigahama.

“I’m sorry, I can’t stay too long…” With that, I stood. Our attending a dinner that was only for family would just be awkward.

Most of all, I’m not so blind to social signals that I would overlook such a straightforward one.

“I see. I thought it would be nice if you could, but…,” she said, though of course it seemed she had no intention of stopping me.

“…See you later, then.”

“P-pardon us!” Yuigahama bobbed her head in a bow, and I gave a little nod myself as I stood from my seat. Hayama offered a casual farewell, and Haruno fluttered her hand with a wave and a smile.

And then, when Yukinoshita stood up after us, her gaze slid over to her mother. Her mother drew her jaw back slightly, responding with a nod.

Yukinoshita followed us to the front of the store to say good-bye, then looked down at the ground. “…I’m sorry for making things uncomfortable for you,” she said.

Yuigahama waved her hands emphatically. “Not at all! I’m actually glad I got to see your mom!”

“I see. As long as you don’t mind…,” Yukinoshita replied, lifting her chin, but her expression remained dark.

Yuigahama’s face clouded a bit, too, but she immediately started rustling around in the bag she held under her arm like she’d just thought of something. “Oh yeah, and here. It’s a little early, but tomorrow’s your birthday, so—” Yuigahama handed the bag with Yukinoshita’s present over to her.

If she was giving her present, then I should be able to give her mine, then, too. “Happy b-day.”

“Th-thank you…” Yukinoshita froze, staring at the bag for a while, taken aback, but she finally managed to stammer a reply. Then she squeezed the bag to her chest, her face breaking into a smile.

At Yukinoshita’s reaction, a smile slid onto Yuigahama’s face, too. “Let’s have a proper party at school!”

“See you, then,” I said.

“Yes…see you.”

We said our farewells to Yukinoshita, who did a little wave with a half-opened hand, and then we headed for the elevator.

I pressed the down button, but there was a bit of a wait before it came to our floor.

As we waited, Yuigahama breathed a deeply emotive phew. “So that was Yukinon’s mom, huh? They really are alike.”

“…Yeah.”

It was true that Yukinoshita resembled her mother. At least superficially, in their appearance and air. But in terms of the sense I got from her, she was more like Haruno. I got the feeling I kind of understood what Haruno had said about their mother before.

“…But she’s kinda…,” Yuigahama began, as if waffling over whether to say it or not, but then there was a ding, and the elevator opened.

The both of us got in, and after pressing the button for the first floor, Yuigahama once again opened her mouth but most likely to say something different. “But, like, Hayato and Yukinon actually are childhood friends, huh? I had basically heard they’d known each other for a long time, but…”

“Actually? It’s not like they were lying.”

“Yeah, but, like…you don’t really get that impression, right? If they’ve known each other for a long time, they could at least talk a little.”

“Everyone has their stuff. You’re not necessarily going to talk just because you go to the same school.”

“Hmm, well, I guess.”

The past is an inviolable territory open only for those it belongs to. I’m sure it’s not only beautiful and warm things, either, but includes ugly and cold memories, too.

A shared past creates a wider gulf when that link is severed. Building up something together is totally different from building your own thing alone. Even if what they built is the same height, their peaks are different, and they’ll rise to different summits. That difference will change many things—position, environment, and even how you address someone.

The elevator kept moving without any stops.

In the silence, all that came to our ears was the low sound of the cable carrying us down. Its slight vibrations made the floor at our feet sway.

Down, down, oh so quietly, it sank deeper and deeper.

I was just a little scared to see what would appear beyond the opening doors when it stopped, and we arrived.