The restaurant lights dimmed once again. The hum filled the air, steady and heavy.
The voice spoke.
"Next question: How many people here have imagined a future with Hachiman Hikigaya?"
The table erupted instantly.
"Eh?!" Yui squeaked, her face bright red. "T-that's—! You can't just ask stuff like that!""Imagined a future?!" Iroha shrieked, nearly falling over. "That's, like, marriage talk! Way too heavy!""Scandalous!" Ebina declared, clapping her hands in delight. "Future projections! Domestic bliss! YES!""Ridiculous," Yukino said sharply, though her grip on her glass was tight.Haruno chuckled. "Ohhh, now this is the good stuff.""…This is psychological warfare," Hachiman muttered, massaging his temples.
One by one, guesses flew.
"Two," Yukino said curtly."Three," Hayama offered."Ten!" Zaimokuza bellowed. "The dark knight has captured countless fates!""…One," Kawasaki muttered, looking away."Zero," Hachiman grumbled. "Obviously zero."
The voice interrupted.
"Wrong. Correct answer: Five."
The room went silent.
"F-FIVE?!" Yui squeaked, her voice cracking."No way, no way, no waaay!" Iroha screeched.Ebina nearly swooned. "Five future routes unlocked! This is a full harem game!""…Shut up," Hachiman groaned.
The projection began.
A cozy living room. Yui knelt on the floor, hugging Sable as the dog wagged happily. Behind her, Hachiman sat slouched on the couch, flipping lazily through a magazine. Yui looked over her shoulder at him, smiling softly, her cheeks pink.
"…I knew it was silly. But I wanted this. A quiet life. A home where he's there, even if he's grumbling."
Yui's face in the restaurant turned crimson. "Ahhhhhh nooooo, why are you showing thattttt?!"
The scene shifted.
A window overlooking the city at dusk. Yukino stood there, her arms folded. Behind her, Hachiman leaned against the wall, silent as ever. She glanced back at him, her lips twitching faintly into a smile.
"…I pictured it. Against my will. A future where I turn, and he's always there. Where the silence between us is enough."
Yukino's hands tightened in her lap. She said nothing.
Another flash.
The prom hall. Hiratsuka stood with Hachiman, dancing slowly. She laughed softly, her eyes gentle in a way no one had ever seen before.
"…It was foolish. But I wanted just a moment of being seen. Of being held. Even if it could never last."
Hiratsuka groaned loudly in the restaurant, covering her face. "Why are they STILL showing that?!"
Another vision.
The school rooftop. Hachiman sprinted past, shouting recklessly: "I love you, Kawasaki!"
Saki froze, her heart slamming in her chest.
Later, at home, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
"…I told myself it was an accident. A mistake. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. About him. About what if."
Saki's face burned red in the restaurant. "…Kill me now."
The last image.
A notebook, doodles scattered across the page. Hearts, stick figures, clumsy sketches. The words "future husband" scribbled, then crossed out.
Iroha slammed the book shut, her face pink.
"…It was dumb. I knew it was dumb. But… maybe. Just maybe."
In the restaurant, Iroha screamed, "NO FAIR! That's from the future! None of that counts!"
The projection faded.
The voice declared:
"Five individuals have pictured a future with Hachiman Hikigaya."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then—
Ebina collapsed into laughter. "Ahahahahaha! Domestic routes! Future routes! THIS IS GOLD!""…Shut up, Ebina," Hachiman muttered, slumped forward."Five futures, huh?" Haruno smirked. "Hikki-kun, you're more irresistible than you think.""Please stop talking," Hachiman groaned.Yui hid her face. Yukino stayed silent. Hiratsuka rubbed her temples. Saki crossed her arms, glaring at nothing. And Iroha shrieked, "It's fake! Totally fake! I'm suing!"
The voice cut through once again.