In Hachiman's eyes, Hayama was someone perfect in everything. Back in middle school, no matter what it was—sports, grades, popularity—he was flawless, like a one-man army.
Because of that, Hachiman couldn't understand why Hayama would ever need help, let alone ask him of all people. After all, if even he could help with something, that meant Hayama could easily handle it himself.
So...
This wasn't something that needed him to refuse. The truth was, their relationship had never reached the point of helping each other.
That was a privilege between friends. And the two of them were neither friends nor partners, just people who happened to pass by each other in the past.
Maybe seeing through Hachiman's thoughts, Hayama finally lifted his head slightly.
"Hikigaya, the one who needs help this time isn't me. It's our friend, Yuigahama Yui."
Hayama had always been the kind of guy who couldn't say no. Whenever someone asked, he would go all out to help. Back in middle school, they did hang out as a group.
But to Hachiman, that only made him look like a hypocrite.
"What's wrong with her?"
When it came to Yuigahama, he couldn't ignore it. Maybe it was to repay her for helping him back when he was hospitalized, or maybe it was something else. But after hearing her name, he slowly turned, fixing his eyes on Hayama.
Hayama: "Her cookie shop is on the verge of closing. The shopping street has been declining, and on top of that, new trendy snacks are drawing people away, so..."
Hachiman: "Times change. The weak get swallowed up. Even in the food world, that's normal."
Hayama: "I know. But Hikigaya, you have strong cooking skills. That's why... I want you to help Yuigahama, who's in real danger."
"After we graduated from middle school, she started learning how to bake cookies, even invested a large amount of money into her shop. At first, things went well, but lately business has been going downhill. If this keeps up... she might end up buried in debt."
If someone so young had their life ruined by massive debt, the damage would be unimaginable. Hachiman didn't know how to face Yuigahama again, but now... there really wasn't a way to turn back.
"Just so you know, I can't promise I'll be of much help. But I'll try my best."
At those words, a faint smile appeared on Hayama's face. "Thank you..."
Hachiman turned away, no longer looking at him. "Don't thank me. I'm not helping you. I'm just repaying a debt to Yuigahama."
Hayama: "No matter how you put it, I'm still grateful you're willing to come. Let's set it for this weekend, in the morning. We'll meet then."
....
Time at Totsuki always seemed to pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was already the weekend. Since Totsuki Academy didn't have strict curfews, leaving school wasn't a problem as long as it didn't interfere with classes.
Even though he had set out early, when he stood in front of the cookie shop, a bit of hesitation still surfaced.
He didn't even know why he agreed so suddenly. It would've been easier to just ignore it. Maybe it was Miura's words back then that made him realize some things can't be fixed just by walking away. Or maybe he just couldn't stand by and watch someone who once helped him fall into darkness. That's probably why he took this step.
At that moment, his mind felt blank, leaving his body to act on its own. As he gently pushed the wooden door open, the shop's wind chime rang, followed by a familiar voice:
"Welcome—"
"Hikki?!"
The moment Yuigahama saw Hikigaya, she froze. The cookie in her hand slipped to the floor, and Hachiman noticed her hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Yo, Been a while…"
"Yeah, it really has been."
Hearing the noise, a familiar figure rushed out from the kitchen.
"Yui, are you okay?"
It was Miura. If Hachiman remembered right, wasn't she supposed to be in real estate? Still, since her friend was in trouble, it wasn't strange she would step in to help.
Yuigahama quickly waved her hand with a gentle smile.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Yumiko, don't make such a fuss."
Miura let out a sigh of relief, and only then noticed Hikigaya standing there, looking a bit surprised.
"Hikigaya, are you here to help Yui?"
"Well, something like that."
"You're as blunt as ever, but if you're here, then I can relax. Speaking of which, that fried rice you made back then—still unforgettable."
'That was leftover rice, though…' Hachiman kept that thought to himself, only giving a faint smile.
Just then, the wind chime rang again. Behind him, two more people entered the shop.
Hayama: "Looks like we're late. But it seems everyone's here. Let me introduce…"
"This is Yukinoshita Yukino. She's also here to help us out."
Seeing Yukinoshita again, Hachiman couldn't help but sigh. She was like a fairy who didn't belong to this world. Her skin and face carried a rare elegance, her figure was perfectly balanced, and her clear eyes were like untouched snow.
The name Yukino could only belong to a girl like her.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita's face showed no extra emotion. She just looked calmly at the people in front of her, then turned her gaze to observe the shop's interior.
"This is Hikigaya Hachiman, and these are Yuigahama Yui and Miura Yumiko."
Her expression didn't change. She only nodded slightly at Yuigahama and Miura, as if Hikigaya didn't even exist.
Hachiman didn't mind. Being overlooked was something he was used to. He wasn't sure how Hayama managed to get her here, but judging from the way things looked, their relationship definitely wasn't a close one.
Hayama kept smiling as he said:
"The reason I asked you both to come today is to see if there's anything lacking in the shop."
Yuigahama added, "Hikki, and Yukinoshita too, thank you. The market competition is really tough right now…"
Miura's gaze shifted to Hachiman, clearly pinning her hopes on him.
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