Miura had originally decided to avoid Yukinoshita for the time being.
Junko and the others used to tease her for being a worrywart, saying she acted like some overly concerned mother. She was naturally afflicted with a "savior complex" whenever she saw someone caught in pain or distress, she simply couldn't help but reach out.
Even during the times when she had the most issues with Yukinoshita, Miura had never harbored real malice toward her. The worst she ever did was get into childish arguments whenever they ran into each other and she never won those arguments anyway.
It was this same quality that made Miura, despite her reputation for flouting school rules, one of the most respected members of the disciplinary committee.
Yuigahama was not only kindhearted she was the sort of genuinely nice person who didn't know how to say no, who couldn't bring herself to act cold. And it was always people like her, the ones who looked easy to push around, who were most vulnerable to bullying in school.
Miura had always known: even at Sōbu High, a school with a decent reputation, the darker sides of human nature never really disappeared. Those quiet, insidious bits of malice accumulated little by little over time until they began to feel like the norm.
But ever since she brought Yuigahama into her friend group, those lurking tendrils of cruelty had all but vanished.
And now, were they beginning to reappear among the first-years?
The next day during lunch break, Miura was planning to ask around among the first-year students she knew, hoping to get a sense of what was going on. But before she could, someone unexpected stopped her at the bottom of the school building.
Miura, notebook in hand, ended up following Hikigaya Hachiman to an unused classroom the one that housed the so-called Service Club.
She'd heard of the club before. After all, it had been started by her classmate Hikigaya. But as a full-blown social butterfly, Miura had never had a reason to rely on such a club for help.
As she sat down, she couldn't help but mutter, "Honestly, it's hard to imagine you of all people starting a club like this, Hikigaya."
He had this intense presence and a knack for stirring up conversations in class, yet always acted like he couldn't care less about anything. Frankly, Miura had always suspected that this guy's life dream was just to eat, sleep, and coast through life.
Hikigaya scratched his unruly hair with a sluggish look. "That's because Ms. Hiratsuka forced me into it."
Yeah, right. That was total nonsense.
Back in their first year, when Ms. Hiratsuka had suggested that Yukinoshita start a club like this, that haughty, sharp-tongued blonde girl had flat-out refused. So the teacher turned to Hikigaya, since they were both considered "problem children" at the time.
And Hikigaya had also rejected her. Without hesitation.
He only took on the responsibility later because he wanted to use the excuse of public service to pull that girl out of her spiral.
But in the end, it had all gone terribly wrong.
"So, is there something specific you wanted to talk to me about?" Miura asked, setting her notebook down. "Make it quick, will you? I've got club duties later."
Hikigaya rested his chin on his hand. "Actually, it's about the thing that's been bothering you lately."
Miura paused.
"I saw you today asking some first-years about Nishimiya Shoko," he said.
Just then, there was a knock on the door of the clubroom. A beautiful girl with chestnut-colored hair stepped inside.
She wore a bright, easygoing smile the kind you'd expect from someone used to being in the spotlight.
"Hikigaya-senpai, Miura-senpai," she greeted them with a graceful bow.
"I'm Iroha Isshiki."
Miura gave a small nod. "Ah, I've heard of you."
As a member of the disciplinary committee, Miura was well aware of the school's most prominent students.
This girl Iroha Isshiki had quickly become a beloved figure among the first-years thanks to her pretty face and approachable charm.
"Actually, Isshiki-san came to the Service Club yesterday with a request," Hikigaya said in a calm voice. "It's about Nishimiya Shoko."
Miura quickly put the pieces together. Isshiki was in Class 1-D, the same as Nishimiya.
Isshiki gave a small nod as she sat down. "Nishimiya-san transferred to our class just recently. By now, most of the cliques have already formed, so she's having a hard time fitting in. And…"
And, she's a little... "different."
Miura added the words silently in her heart.
Nishimiya Shoko had a severe hearing impairment. She relied on hearing aids just to catch snippets of conversation, and she needed a lot of support with sign language to truly understand what people were saying.
Her sudden appearance at Sōbu High made her stand out like a misplaced shadow awkwardly out of place in every group.
And teenage kids, at that age when the world revolves around themselves, rarely had the patience to wait for others to catch up.
On the contrary her strange accent when she spoke, her gestures that no one could decipher they only drew more hushed laughter behind her back.
A few days ago, someone's wallet went missing in class. At the time, Nishimiya was the only one who had skipped gym and stayed behind in the room.
At first, it was just quiet suspicion. Then someone demanded an explanation loudly, confrontationally.
Nishimiya's eyes were red as she tried to speak. Her voice was soft, hard to understand, and she waved her hands in sign language only she could follow.
Some students watched with judgment in their eyes. Others just looked on lazily, like it was all some amusing show.
"But I don't think Nishimiya-san would do something like that," Isshiki said softly.
After making her request, she left the room, leaving only Miura and Hikigaya inside.
"I thought you'd ask about it," Hikigaya said, watching her out of the corner of his eye. "Why Isshiki didn't speak up for her, I mean."
Miura rolled her eyes.
She wasn't stupid.
When an entire class unites in silent consensus to target someone, even someone like Isshiki would feel conflicted. She might not like it, but she wouldn't openly challenge that consensus.
In that sense, Isshiki reminded Miura of Hayama.
And then, inevitably, her thoughts drifted to Yukinoshita.
Back then had Yukinoshita faced the same kind of unspoken consensus? Had she been cornered, struggling to defend herself? Had she once stood there with reddened eyes, trying to explain, only to be dismissed?
That morning, she'd told herself firmly to keep her distance from Yukinoshita for now. To cool off.
But right now, more than anything, she wanted to run to Yukinoshita and just hold her.
Even if it was just for a moment.
Even if all she could do was hold her gently, for a while.
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