"I still find it unreal, Hikigaya-kun. I never thought that one day you would take the initiative to invite a poor senior like me to hang out with you," Haruno expressed, her tone both playful and incredulous. Although Haruno and Hikigaya often spent holidays together, it was always Haruno who extended the invitation, which led her to voice this complaint.
It was early October, and the weather in Chiba City had yet to turn cold. Haruno wore a blue jacket that Hikigaya Hachiman thought complemented her beautiful shoulder-length hair.
"However, the first time I took the initiative to ask you out was to attend a book signing event for another beautiful young writer. That sounds a bit strange, doesn't it, Senior?" Hikigaya countered, reminding her that he had already explained the purpose of the trip, which earned him a disapproving glance from her.
"I think you have the potential to be a scumbag, Hikigaya-kun. But I admit that your disciple, Kasumi Shiko, writes really well. Her novels perfectly capture the half-dead and immature feelings of junior high school love." Haruno's unique way of praising others made Hikigaya feel acknowledged, even if it was mixed with criticism.
"Senior, I actually have some ideas. Would you like to listen to them so you can go back and create your own works? That way, I can directly attend your book signing event," Hikigaya suggested.
However, he received yet another cold shoulder from Haruno. "You should keep your ideas to yourself, junior. Don't casually give away such important things. Many ideas that you come up with through hard thinking can't be conceived by your peers, no matter how hard they try." Haruno believed that this talented junior didn't take inspiration—the most precious resource for creators—seriously. Was he not afraid that his inspiration would one day run out?
The signing event started at nine o'clock, and with half an hour left, they decided to line up. However, they underestimated the enthusiasm of the ACG (Anime, Comic, and Game) community. When they arrived, the line was so long that they couldn't see the end. Both could only smile at each other and wait patiently at the end of the queue.
Standing together in line, Haruno and Hachiman stood out among the crowd, both possessing a temperament that was distinctly different from those around them. Moreover, as a pair of opposite sexes attending such an event, they were quite noticeable; most attendees either came alone or with groups of boys.
Once the book signing officially started, the line moved swiftly. Most attendees were able to get their books signed and leave quickly, while a few who lingered to chat often walked away with guilty expressions after being gently reminded by Teacher Kasumi Shiko to keep things moving.
As the number of people in front of Hachiman decreased, he was finally able to see the true appearance of Teacher Kasumi Shiko. She was indeed beautiful—although her full figure wasn't visible, it was clear that her body was more developed than Haruno's, who was two years older.
Noticing Hachiman's gaze, Haruno felt a wave of anger and stretched out her left hand to twist the soft flesh on his waist. He shuddered in pain and turned to look at her with a hurt expression.
Finally, it was Hikigaya's turn. He opened his book to the title page and handed it to Kasumi Shiko.
"It's very well written, Miss Kasumi Shiko," he said sincerely, despite the somewhat formulaic nature of the compliment.
"Thank you for your support! I will continue to work hard," Kasumi Shiko replied, signing his book at lightning speed before handing it back. There was a hint of fatigue in her smile.
Kasumigaoka Utaha sensed something unusual about the way Hikigaya looked at her. While other fans displayed excitement and admiration, there was something in the young man's eyes that suggested... relief?
Kasumigaoka didn't have time to ponder this feeling, as another female reader, one with an outstanding presence, came forward. After signing her book, she quickly caught up with Hikigaya.
"Two strange people..." Kasumigaoka thought to herself, but she continued with her work, undeterred.
————
"Hahaha! It's finally out! The book signing event feels just like this. Why are other people so excited?"
Haruno clenched her fists and raised them above her head, then stretched her body lazily. This kind of lazy movement was something she would only do when she was alone or with Hikigaya Hachiman.
"You can't say that, Senior Sister. Everyone has their own favorite things. If you didn't know me and were just one of the countless ordinary fans of 'Writer Hachiman', would you not come if I held a book signing event in Tokyo one day?"
Hikigaya wanted to correct her view, but Yukinoshita Haruno pressed her slender index finger against her lips.
"The assumption is invalid, Hikigaya-kun. Don't play games with me. Let me tell you the only truth: I not only know you, but I will often be by your side like today. I can always get your autograph that ordinary fans can't have, and I can read the chapters that other fans will only see long after waiting."
Haruno admired Hachiman's blushing face and continued, "This is our current relationship, Hikigaya-kun. Don't you think it's too cruel to assume that we don't know each other?"
Haruno lowered her finger, and Hachiman looked a bit unsatisfied, his lips twitching slightly.
"It's just a hypothesis... Never mind. Since you don't want to listen, I won't tell you. It's still early. Is there any place you want to go next?"
Hikigaya Hachiman quickly changed the subject, feeling that the atmosphere had become a bit awkward.
"Eh? It was Hikigaya who asked me out, but it feels lame to let a girl make the decision. Today, it's my turn to listen to you. I'll go wherever you take me."
Haruno pushed the responsibility back to Hikigaya Hachiman, who now had an excellent solution.
Fifteen minutes later, they stood in front of a venting house.
"...Junior, have you been under a lot of pressure recently? You actually came to a place like this."
A venting house is a store that displays various old and discarded objects, waiting for customers to come and smash them. It is undoubtedly a good place to relieve stress.
"Of course I don't have any pressure, Senior Sister. But I think you should be aware of how much pressure you've been under recently."
Since the second half of the summer vacation, the frequency of their meetings and phone calls had decreased significantly. Hikigaya guessed that Haruno was dealing with many family matters and also had to review for her entrance exam, so her stress must be substantial.
"You figured it out, Hikigaya-kun. In that case, I won't hold back."
After saying that, Yukinoshita Haruno raised the baseball bat in her hand.
-----