"Ugh… finally done."
In his dorm room, Hikigaya collapsed onto the bed, sighing with exhaustion.
The past two days had been draining. Yesterday, he delivered return gifts to Juke and the others. Today, he delivered gifts to Airi, Huko, Menlai, and even Hiyori. His winter vacation—what little of it he had—was now completely used up.
The rare holiday had ended not with rest, but with social obligations.
The next day, sometime around noon, the persistent ringing of the doorbell yanked him from his much-needed sleep.
"Who now…?"
Grumbling, Hikigaya checked his phone out of habit. No messages, no missed calls. If no one contacted him first, odds are, they weren't here for him. Probably just someone knocking on a neighbor's door.
Still groggy, he tried to ignore the noise and rolled over in bed.
But then, something felt off.
Why had he instinctively checked his phone? Normally, if he heard someone shout "Hikigaya" on the street, he'd assume it was meant for someone else. Yet now, without thinking, he assumed someone really was looking for him. Was he getting… used to people seeking him out?
The doorbell rang again.
His brow furrowed.
Wait… the dorm walls were well insulated. That meant the sound had to be his doorbell. No one else's.
Hikigaya shot up in bed, wide awake.
Throwing on his pajamas, he stumbled to the door and peeked through the peephole. Standing outside was Ichinose, phone in hand, probably about to message him.
Relieved it wasn't some disaster, Hikigaya quickly opened the door.
"Ichinose?"
She smiled brightly. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"It's already noon."
"I've been kind of tired lately," he muttered, scratching his head.
Ichinose nodded understandingly. "That makes sense."
"Uh… did you need something?"
"You forgot already?" She tilted her head, looking puzzled. "We were supposed to go to karaoke. You promised!"
Oh.
Right. He had said that.
Back during the special exam and Christmas rush, they agreed to hang out after everything settled.
"I didn't think you'd actually remember…"
"Of course! I told you before—you have to start integrating with the class, remember?"
Classic Ichinose. Always sticking to her promises.
"Thing is… I'm not really into karaoke, so maybe I'll sit this one out?"
"How would you know if you haven't tried properly?" she insisted, eyes sparkling with determination. "Even if you don't sing, you can just sit next to me. After that, we can do something else. Sound good?"
There was no escaping this.
It felt like arguing would just delay the inevitable—and leaving her at the door didn't sit well with him.
"Alright, alright. Give me five minutes."
He shut the door, leaving Ichinose a little confused. Still, it was reasonable. He lived alone. Letting someone in without tidying up? Not a chance.
Unless it was Huko barging in uninvited…
Inside, Hikigaya quickly freshened up, grabbed his bag, and put on his windbreaker. He had bought it for these kinds of outings, after all. Might as well use it.
He sighed. "Another busy day begins…"
When he stepped outside, Ichinose looked up and blinked in surprise. "Wait, did you get taller all of a sudden?"
"Nope. Just looks like that with a jacket."
"Well, it looks great! You seem more refreshed now."
"Thanks…"
Honestly, he had been working out a bit more. Didn't want to admit it, though.
---
They reached the karaoke booth. Drinks in hand, Ichinose turned and asked, "So, what song are you going to sing?"
"I'll pass. I'll just sit here."
He sank into the sofa, already regretting coming.
"No way!" she laughed gently. "You have to sing at least one. If not, I'm picking for you."
"That's… kinda terrifying."
"Don't worry, I'll go first."
She smiled and walked to the stage, selecting a song Hikigaya didn't recognize.
He leaned back and watched.
As Ichinose swayed gently to the rhythm, her voice rang out—soft, clear, and confident. The dim lighting bathed her figure in a warm glow. It was like watching a scene from a romantic drama. He was stunned.
When the song ended, she turned and asked, "So, how was it?"
"…It was really good," Hikigaya admitted. "Like, actually impressive."
"Phew…" She smiled, but there was a faint blush on her cheeks. "I was nervous, to be honest. Singing in front of just one person feels more intense than a whole room."
Her words lingered in the air. Hikigaya realized… this wasn't just about karaoke anymore. Something unspoken was growing here.
Ichinose sat beside him, close but not too close.
She glanced sideways at him.
He had always been responsible. Kind. Someone who silently supported the class without expecting praise.
Except for his awkwardness, he was… kind of perfect.
But she hadn't noticed it before. Something subtle was blooming in her heart—soft and quiet.
Ichinose smiled. "The song's called Kite. It's about dreams and hope. The tune sounds light, but it has a deeper message."
"Ah…"
"Alright, your turn!"
Reluctantly, Hikigaya took the mic.
He didn't know many songs. Most of them were from anime.
And junior high had taught him that singing anime songs at karaoke made you a social outcast. Still…
He selected Blue Bird from Naruto—a safe, popular choice.
The music started. Hikigaya stepped up, holding the mic nervously. Ichinose watched with an encouraging smile.
He sang. The song was etched into his memory, every word familiar. But under Ichinose's attentive gaze, he felt like he was being judged on stage.
Was this what humiliation felt like?
Would Ichinose blackmail him after this? Use this moment to trap him into karaoke slavery?
Somehow… that didn't seem so bad.
When the song ended, Hikigaya dropped onto the sofa, drained.
Ichinose clapped enthusiastically.
"Don't do that. It's embarrassing."
"No way! That was great!" she beamed. "What's it called?"
"Blue Bird."
"Oh… I liked it."
Hikigaya slouched. "My fourth time at karaoke ever."
He could remember each humiliating moment clearly—junior high class party, school birthday parties… pure regret.
"Well, that explains it," Ichinose nodded. "You're average. But your deep voice has potential. Come here a few more times and you'll be great. It wasn't cringe at all."
"…Thanks."
She didn't hold back.
Which somehow made the praise more real.
"Okay!" she said brightly. "Let's do one more!"
"One more?!"
"You sounded so earnest, trying your best… it was kind of inspiring."
"Y-You're weird."
He looked away, hiding his blush, phone clutched tightly in his hand.
Maybe today wasn't such a waste.
Maybe something really was starting to bloom.
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