Gozu Tenno is the deity enshrined at Yasaka Shrine.
To put it bluntly, he wasn't exactly a nice god. More like the one you blame when everyone starts getting sick and the year goes downhill. In simple terms, he was a god of plagues and calamities.
Naturally, people hated him and because people hated him, they decided to worship him at Yasaka shrine.
As for why this is, this is because of the religion of Goryou Shinkou. To put it simply, Goryou Shinkou is where the evil-accumulating god of pestilence is worshiped as a "deceased spirit", and by appeasing this god, one can avoid being cursed. Through worship and appeasement, they can shield themselves from calamities.
In other words, instead of fixing the problem, you negotiate with it.
People spend most of the year cursing these things, avoiding them and pretending they don't exist. Then, when things get bad enough, they bow their heads and say, "Please don't hurt us anymore." Honestly, the emotional whiplash alone should be exhausting. This isn't even unusual. Sugawara no Michizane got blamed for disasters after his death, so people decided the safest option was to turn him into a god.
So, hatred and divinity aren't opposites. One just turns into the other over time.
In other words, those who are shunned are the ones who are closest to the gods, and if we shift this perspective around, can we not consider them as proof of those who have surpassed the human realm?
...Huh.
So that's how it is.
'I see, so I was a god after all...'
-----0-----
Before he could spiral any deeper into the contents of his essay—
particularly the field trip study report he had finished in advance for some reason, despite the minor detail of not even going there—
"—ni—han."
For a moment, a voice drifted up from somewhere deep, as if it were coming from the bottom of a well, and he felt briefly detached from it all.
"—nii—chan."
Then something sharp pinched his side tightly. "...Huh?"
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Stop it! That hurts!"
The bicycle wobbled as his body jerked on instinct, the sudden motion sending the handlebars swaying and catching him off guard. His hands tightened immediately on the handlebars as he quickly corrected the balance, steering them back into the centre of the road.
"Oi—don't do that all of a sudden! I almost lost my balance,"
The bicycle steadied a moment later, the rhythm of the pedals returning. He let out a slow sigh of relief and turned his head slightly.
"What was that for—"
"Onii-chan!" a familiar voice protested right behind him. "You were totally spacing out!"
He glanced back to see his "darling" imouto Komachi was looking at him with a mix of genuine annoyance and that signature "my brother is a lost cause" expression.
"I called you, like, five times! Were you seriously muttering to yourself about being a god or something? I heard that last bit, you know."
He cleared his throat feeling a little embarrassed and looked ahead. "I—I wasn't muttering anything! And I definitely wasn't spacing out. I was just... deeply contemplating the nature of existence."
Komachi snorted. "Yeah, sure. Deep thoughts while nearly crashing us into the guardrail. Real divine of you, Onii-chan."
"Honestly, you finally snapped, didn't you?" she sighed, leaning her chin toward his shoulder. "What's with you? You're so weird today. Don't tell me you were daydreaming about some chunni nonsense again this early in the morning. That's creepy, even for you."
"Hey, what do you mean 'even for me'? Don't say it like I'm always like this," Hachiman grumbled, adjusting his grip on the handlebars. "And for the record, it wasn't daydreaming. It was a cognitive reflection on the socio-religious parallels between ancient deities and modern social outcasts."
He shifted gears, the bike chain clicking as he leaned into the explanation.
"Think about it. If the shunned are the ones closest to the divine, then being a loner isn't a flaw it's a form of spiritual ascension. I'm basically just optimizing my existence for a higher plane of being."
There was a moment of pause and he could practically feel Komachi's deadpan expression burning into his back.
"...Yeah, really I have no idea what you're talking about," she said flatly. "But considering you always talk like this when you're being dumb, I'm deducting Komachi points. You're in the negatives now, Onii-chan."
"Hey, wait! There's no need to go that far!" Hachiman protested, "Don't just strip away my Komachi points like that. I'm already running on a dangerously low balance. I won't say that kind of thing again, okay? I'll keep the 'ascension' talk to a minimum."
The points were a completely fabricated currency with zero exchange value in the real world, yet they were the only social credit Hachiman actually cared about.
Komachi hummed thoughtfully, "Hmm... well, I suppose since you're asking that so nicely, I could show some mercy."
"But!" she interrupted, "I'll only agree to not take away your points for ignoring me if you can tell me exactly what I was talking about just now. If you were really 'concentrating,' this should be easy, right?"
"...Um...uh You were," he started and trying to remember.
Thinking back, there was a moment earlier that felt strangely thin or something, as if it hadn't fully settled in his mind.
Komachi raised an eyebrow.
"...asking me something," he finished weakly.
"Wow, you really weren't there at all, were you? That's a total failure!" Komachi laughed, giving him a playful nudge. "I was asking you about the upcoming field trip. You know, the one to Kyoto?"
"The field trip?" Hachiman repeated. "I see, it's that time of the year already huh."
"Yep! Field trip," she said brightly. "Don't tell me you forgot about it. You are going, right?"
Hachiman swallowed once, then opened his mouth.
"Well... I mean—" he said, the words coming out quieter than he intended. "uh...Probably."
Komachi glanced at him with a quiet look of understanding at his hesitation. The kind that didn't need to be explanation.
"...It'd be nice if you went," she said gently. "It's a field trip, after all. That's kind of the point."
Then she added more lightly, "Plus, Komachi could get some souvenirs. And you'd earn lots and lots of Komachi Points. Sounds like a good deal, right?"
"...Yeah. I'll try, maybe" he said.
The answer stayed deliberately vague, and somehow, that seemed good enough for both of them.
For a while, neither of them said anything.
The wind began to pick up as the bicycle reached the crest of the hill, the resistance in Hachiman's legs vanishing as they prepared for the long descent.
"I could never get tired of this view," Komachi murmured, her grip on his waist tightening slightly as the bike began to pick up speed. "Even after watching it for so many years, it's still... something else."
From this vantage point on the slope, the city didn't look like a place where people lived; it looked like a massive, silver-plated circuit board.
"Yeah," Hachiman agreed, his voice caught in the rush of the wind. "It's New Tokyo-3, Afterall. A city built as a shield. It's the ultimate expression of human paranoia turned into architecture."
They began to glide down the slope, the rhythmic whir of the wheels becoming a steady hum. The fortress-like buildings stood tall, their shadows stretching across the valley.
"Everything looks so calm from up here," Komachi continued. "Like nothing bad has ever happened here."
"...Well looks can be really deceiving," he replied.
"Hey, Onii-chan... was Second Impact really as bad as everyone keeps describing? I mean, we see it in textbooks, and the teachers talk about the 'Great Calamity' all the time, but looking at all this... it's hard to imagine the world ever being different."
Hachiman didn't answer right away.
"...I don't know," he said finally. "I wasn't there."
After a pause, he added, "...But I guess if people still talk about it like that, it probably left something behind. Even if everything looks fine now."
Komachi only hummed, her gaze following the city as it grew larger while they coasted down toward it.
Hachiman kept his eyes on the road as the slope carried them downward, the city opening up little by little beneath them.
This was... nice.
Nothing about the morning stood out, and that was exactly why it felt right. He didn't need it to mean anything more than that, at least for now.
'...I hope things remain peaceful like this,' he thought.
"We're almost at school," she said, voice light again. "Don't space out when we stop, okay? I don't want to fall because you're busy being a god again."
"Oi, why are you still bringing that up?" Hachiman grumbled, "Forget I said anything. It was just a weird thought."
"Ehehe, no way!" Komachi chirped. She leaned to the side, looking past his shoulder just long enough to catch his sour expression before sticking out her tongue.
"Bleeeh! It's way too good to let go. You looked so serious, too. 'So, I was a god after all'... pfftt!"
Hachiman sighed, adjusting his grip on the handlebars as the corners of his mouth twitched into a faint smile.
'This brat.'
-----0-----
The cicadas outside the window were still screaming like it had been paid to annoy the entire class.
Same endless buzz, every single day no matter what month the calendar said.
Thinking about it now, a lot had already happened.
The school festival ended and the sports festival finished without issue. The year will be at its end in a little less than two months.
As usual, the summer heat lingered. It never really went away. These days it was a little lighter, but still not what anyone would call refreshing.
In Tokyo-3, that was simply how things were. At least, that was what people said.
Hachiman rested his chin against his hand and stared toward the classroom window, the heat pressing faintly against the glass. It had been like this for as long as he could remember, summer that never really ends.
He had read that it wasn't always supposed to be this way.
Old books. Pre–Second Impact records. Stuff no one really talked about unless they were reminiscing or lecturing. According to those, this was supposed to be the time of year when the air started cooling down. They talked about things like 'Autumn leaves' and 'Winter chills.' Apparently, by the time December rolled around, the air would turn so sharp it would bite your skin, and water would literally turn into ice in the streets.
Adults talked about it like it was obvious. Like the world used to just... do that. To be honest, it sounded like a total fantasy or a horror story.
The idea of the world becoming "freezing cold" just seemed like a massive pain in the ass. Imagine the sheer effort required just to exist normally.
Still, as he watched a cicada buzz pointlessly against the glass, he couldn't help but wonder.
'What must it have felt like to notice the year changing in the air, not just on the calendar?'
As he wondered about it, the thought left him distracted in a way that felt familiar, he glanced back at the classroom which was bustling with light-hearted and refreshing conversations today as well.
"Beh, whacha gonna do on the field trip?"
"Kyoto, right? Then obviously it's USJ. U–S–J! U–S–J!"
"Ain't tha' in Osaka-III?"
"There it is! An authentic comeback, I'd say!"
...Wow.
Yamato replied in a low Kansai imitation while Tobe messed around. Pretty sure an actual Kansai native would've thrown something by now if they had heard them.
For Hachiman, it was something he was completely unaware of, but those three continued to talk happily. Occasionally, they'd turn to the girls and give them a look with wretched grins as if to say "we're talking about some good stuff here, ain't we?".
"You know, though, going all the way to Osaka sounds like a huge pain."
"Ain't that the truth."
"...Then you can just go by yourself, Tobe."
"Huh?! Hold on a sec! You're seriously gonna ditch me like that? That role's supposed to be for Somethingtani-kun~!"
A sudden burst of laughter.
Hachiman watched the whole thing from his seat as he let out a tired sigh.
On closer inspection, the nearby two guys were trying to hold in their laughter, shoulders trembling as they played on their phone; "pfufufu".
'...Seriously? This was the funniest thing they'd heard all day? Also, my name isn't Hikitani, dammit.'
Well, that's the treatment he is getting these days. They trudge along the limit of what they think they can say, adding a joke in one after the other.
By the way, at our school, the only bullying that exists comes in the form of jokes. It was something along the lines of "we're not bullying him"~ or we're just teasing him~. Regardless of how cruel their words or conduct were, "it was a joke" would settle things for good, super convenient.
The reason for this behavior is simple: it's their usual way of accepting things.
When something doesn't fit, they defuse it by turning it into a joke. Laughing it off is how cliques deal with irregularities they don't know what to do with.
Class F was a good example. Right after the sports festival, a small army of Sagami sympathizers sprang up, loudly declaring how "pitiful" she was. The way they glared at him while bonding over their shared compassion was almost impressive.
But high school trends don't last.
By the time the dust settled, the "Sagami is pitiful" phase had quietly ended, replaced by the much more sustainable "let's make fun of Hikitani-kun" boom.
'I really am the child of the century.'
Well, they'll get bored of that soon enough too. For now, though, excitement for the upcoming field trip in class was at its peak.
Suddenly, his vision went dark. 'What kind of sorcery is this?' was his first thought but when he opened his eyes, he was met with a familiar chest.
No. wait Ahem... A familiar face.
"Yahallo! Hikki!"
Looking down at him from above was Yuigahama, dressed in the standard Tokyo-3 municipal high school uniform. She wore the iconic pale-blue sleeveless school dress over a crisp white short-sleeved blouse, her red ribbon tied a little too loose at the collar.
"Yo"
He nearly tipped forward out of his seat, but managed to hold it in and answered calmly.
"You're going to club today, right?"
"Yeah."
"I see. Then I'll see you in the clubroom later."
She spoke in a low voice. Quite considerate, he thought. She'd chosen the one moment when he wasn't the center of attention to come over and talk to him.
With one hand held near her chest, she gave him a small wave before heading over to Miura. As for Miura, she glanced at him with a puzzled look, then quickly dropped her gaze back to her phone as Yuigahama joined her.
It's likely that she didn't want to look at him, but was more concerned about Yuigahama. It could look like she's protecting her image, but it's more obvious that she's trying to keep me from becoming a target.
In a clique, anything that can be used against you will be. Mistakes, weaknesses or standing out at all.
That's why the safest choice is to do nothing. And to stay uninvolved.
"Hachiman."
That voice was a harmony sent by the heavens, those steps that walked above the clouds, and the figure that truly epitomized an angel.
Totsuka is seriously an angel.
Because Totsuka is too much of an angel, unlike those shitty humans, he came to talk to him, not mindful of the atmosphere.
"So, we're making groups for the school trip during the next homeroom..."
"Well, I'm sure everyone's made groups already."
"Do you really think so?" Totsuka tilted his head slightly. "Because I haven't found a group to join yet."
Amongst the different groups of people who were already settled in and decided where to go, Totsuka, whose group had yet to choose locations to visit which may have been embarrassing, murmured quietly.
"..."
It was a strange silence and having noticed that, Totsuka raised his face and smiled as if trying to fool someone.
'I want to protect this precious smile.'
Hachiman felt the words rise up his throat almost on instinct. 'Of course. I'll do it. Let's be in the same group.'
They were practically screaming to get out. But the moment he opened his mouth, they tangled up instead.
"...Ah—well," he started, then stopped. His gaze drifted away, fingers curling slightly against the edge of his desk. "I'm not really sure about that. I mean, I might—"
"Hachiman."
The quiet way Totsuka said his name made him look up.
"...Would it be a bother?" Totsuka asked, his voice hesitant as he gave him a sad look. "If we were in the same group, I mean."
Something in Hachiman's chest tightened.
It wasn't that. Not even close.
It was just—
"...No," he said quickly, almost too quickly. Then he paused, frowning at his own words. "It's not that. It's just... give me a bit of time, okay?"
Totsuka blinked. "...Time?"
"Yeah," Hachiman said, meeting his eyes. "Can I answer you that tomorrow... or maybe in a few days, if you're not in a hurry?"
For a moment, Totsuka looked surprised. Then his expression softened, the earlier tension easing away.
"...Sure, Hachiman." he said with a small nod. "That's fine."
For now, that was enough.
Just then, the bell rang, pulling the classroom back into motion.
-----0-----
(SERVICE CLUB-ROOM)
The sounds of hissing could be heard from a tea kettle that was brought into this room at some point or another. The tea was in the middle of being prepared.
'Man, I really wish I could read the latest issue of "My One-Hit Kill little Sister" right now instead of having to do this.' Hachiman cried internally as he scribbled through his incomplete math and biology assignments.
He had already missed enough of his school work lately there was no getting out of it. Sooner or later, he had to finish them, and since there wasn't anything better to do and no new requests coming in, it might as well be now.
Still... damn it, he really wanted to read it.
He was still focused on the page when a voice suddenly reached him.
"The tea... it'll get cold you know."
He looked up toward the source of the voice.
"Ah—yeah. Thanks, Yukinoshita. I'll get it."
The fact that Yukinoshita had prepared it for him didn't register at first. Even so, he wasn't shameless enough to refuse something someone had gone through the trouble of making for him.
He reached for the cup, thinking it might have cooled by now. As Yukinoshita passed it to him, her curious gaze lingered on his scribbles before she was quickly pulled away into some meaningless chatter by their other cheerful club companion.
At least that was a relief. His fragile ego wouldn't be able to handle her barbs if she started her usual train of insults over this.
"...Hey, Hikki," Yuigahama said after a short conversation with Yukinoshita, peeking curiously at the papers spread out in front of him.
"Hm?" He took a careful sip of tea, already sensing danger.
"You've been doing your homework here a lot lately, haven't you?"
"...Have I?"
"You totally have," Yuigahama said, leaning a little closer, her eyes scanning the messy stack of papers. "Like, every time I come in lately, you're always writing something. Math... biology... wow, that looks painful."
Hachiman paused mid-scribble, his pencil hovering over the page. He glanced up at her, then over at Yukinoshita, who was pretending to be absorbed in her book but was clearly listening. Great now he had the Resident Ice Queen's interest too.
"Well," Hachiman said, tapping his pencil against the paper, "it's not like we've got anything better to do right now. We're not getting any requests these days, so I might as well make use of the time and finish this nonsense."
Yuigahama puffed out her cheeks a little, clearly unconvinced.
"Ehh—but even so, isn't that kind of sad?" she said. "I mean, we finally have some free time, after boring classes and you're spending it stuck doing boring assignments. You should be relaxing or something. Clubs are supposed to be fun, you know?"
"Plus, if you just did these on time, you wouldn't have to suffer like this in the first place."
It wasn't like he didn't want to finish them on time. If anything, that was the ideal. But wanting something and being able to make it happen were two very different things especially for someone like him.
"Wow," Hachiman replied dryly, "what an innovative solution, Yuigahama. I'm amazed no one's ever thought of that before."
Yukinoshita closed her book with a soft snap, as if that had been the final straw.
"Yuigahama-san is right," she said coolly. "This entire situation is the result of your own negligence. Assignments don't just come out of nowhere, they're given way ahead of time."
"Ah, right," Hachiman replied without missing a beat. "That's easy to say when you've never pushed a deadline onto future you."
"Future you seems to be suffering quite a lot," she shot back. "Perhaps it's time you showed him some consideration, Hikislacker-kun."
"Don't combine my name with 'slacker' so seamlessly. And for your information, I'm not slacking. I'm doing the work right now. See? That already puts me ahead of not doing it."
Yukinoshita adjusted her grip on the book, her gaze settling on him again.
"It's not exactly something to be proud of," she continued calmly. "It's just the mark of someone who can't manage their own life, properly."
Hachiman felt that one land a little too cleanly. 'Oof.' Yeah, she really didn't need to say it that accurately.
"Wow," he muttered, "You know, you could've stopped at 'not proud of it.' That second part was kind of overkill."
"So you admit it," she said. "Good. Self-awareness is the first step."
Hachiman let out a quiet sigh, the kind that slipped out before he could stop it. In response to that.
Yuigahama let out a small "pfft" despite herself, quickly covering her mouth with her hand as if she could hide the giggle. "Yukinon, you're being super harsh today! Are you may be worried about Hikki too? I mean... it kind of looks like he's been pushing himself too hard lately."
Yukinoshita's book lowered just slightly, her eyes flicking toward Hachiman before she turned her face back to book in her hand.
"Worried? Don't be absurd, Yuigahama-san," she said, "I simply dislike watching incompetence parade itself so openly. Someone has to point it out. It's... irritating."
"Heh... if you say so Yukinon," Yuigahama said, smiling in that way that made it very clear she didn't believe a word of it.
Yukinoshita lifted her book again, a faint irritation crossing her face. "In any case, this conversation is pointless. If he insists on keeping bad habits, that's his choice."
"...That's one way to put it," Hachiman muttered, already lowering his gaze back to the page.
For a moment, the room settled back into its usual quiet, filled only with the soft turn of pages and the steady scratch of pencil on paper.
Then Yuigahama clapped her hands lightly, as if remembering something important.
"Oh yeah, it's almost time for the field trip."
"...Have you decided where you're going yet?" Yukinoshita asked.
"We're going to figure it out soon," Yuigahama said. "It kinda depends on where the guys in my group want to go."
Hachiman listened without looking up or saying anything at first. The conversation carried on without him until, a while later, he felt their gaze on him.
"...Hmm?" He finally glanced up at the other two, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "Yes?"
"Our field trip to the Kyoto. What are your plans for it, Hikki?" Yuigahama asked him. From her side, Yukinoshita looked at him as well. Both were curious about his answer.
"My plans?" he asked. "...For the field trip?"
Yuigahama nodded, and a moment later, Yukinoshita followed with a quiet nod of her own.
"Well... there're still a few days left," he said absently. "Feels a bit early to lock anything in. I haven't really thought about it."
Yuigahama blinked. "Huh? Really?"
She leaned forward, surprise clear on her face. "But almost everyone's already decided! People are talking about schedules and routes and souvenirs and stuff. Aren't you excited at all?"
"Excited is a strong word," Hachiman replied. "Things tend to change. No point deciding too early when plans have a habit of falling apart on their own."
"So you're just... waiting?" she asked.
"More like," he said after a brief pause, "I'll see how things look when we get closer."
Yukinoshita studied him for a moment, her gaze lingering longer than usual.
"...That's an unusually vague answer, Even for you." she asked seriously. "And you've been different lately. Your eyes look more dead than usual, and your schoolwork keeps piling up. You're not the type to let things slide for no reason... so did something happen Hikigaya-kun?"
Yuigahama stiffened slightly. "Hikki...?"
Hachiman gave a small shrug, eyes dropping back to the desk. "It's nothing you need to worry about."
Yuigahama hesitated, lips parting as if she wanted about to say something. But she stopped when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
When Yukinoshita answered, the door opened.
At the door were unexpected individuals. Actually, all the surprising individuals that came here were people who shouldn't come here at all... Whether this was right or reasonable, people of the expected groups were very unlikely to come.
But, right now, at the forefront of those groups were unexpected guys who came to visit.
Hayama and behind him were Tobe, Yamato, and Oooka.
Perhaps used to the room, Hayama stepped in without hesitation. The other three followed more cautiously, their gazes quickly settling on Hachiman.
They exchanged awkward looks, then glanced at him again.
However, he can't blame them for those weird stares. That was because he was doing the same to them as well. 'Why are these guys here?'
"Is there something you need?" Yukinoshita inquired with a cold tone in which Yuigahama nodded.
When asked, Hayama glanced at Tobe as if confirming something. The person in question, Tobe, was pulling at his hair repeatedly while fidgeting and this was oddly revolting.
"Aah, he had something he wanted advice on, so I brought him here, but..."
Hayama spoke with a distant tone and as such, it seems that the consultation didn't have anything to do with Hayama himself, but with one of the fellows surrounding him.
"C'mon, Tobe."
"Out with it."
With the two on the side urging him, just as Tobe was opening his mouth, he closed them and started thinking with a slight groan. 'What's going on, is this an occult magazine?'
"Nah, definitely no way. No way I can talk with someone like Hikitani here."
Hachiman's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. '...Tch, figures. No matter what's going on, I always end up getting in the way.'
Yamato and Oooka were giggling, saying "not much you can do, yeah" while Hayama sighed. Yuigahama opened her mouth in shock while Yukinoshita's lips were tightly shut.
"Tobe. We're the ones that came for help."
"Yea, but see, there's no way I'd talk this over with Hikitani ya know~ Like, he has zero reliability."
They had acknowledged his existence, and Hachiman was well aware that he was not exactly liked. Still, he hadn't expected that sentiment to surface so openly here, of all places.
"Irritating..."
'Thank you for voicing out the feelings of my heart. But, Yuigahama, why are you looking so restless after saying that?'
"Tobecchi, you didn't need to say it that way, yeah? There're better ways to say it."
"Yeah, but like reeaaally it's Him."
He was grateful they had warned him to watch what he said, but causing trouble here, especially with Yuigahama present, wasn't an option.
Just as Yukinoshita was about to speak.
Hachiman's phone suddenly began to ring. He paused, then reached into his pocket and pulled it out. The moment his eyes landed on the caller ID, they widened slightly.
At the same time, he could feel everyone's gaze settle on him.
Hachiman stared at the screen for half a second longer than necessary, then locked it without another word.
Without a word, he began gathering his papers, shoving the half-finished math worksheets and biology notes into his bag.
Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed. "Hikigaya-kun?"
"Sorry, Yukinoshita" he said, voice flat and clipped as he zipped the bag shut and slung it over his shoulder. "I have to go. Something urgent came up."
Yukinoshita stood up, her eyes narrowing as she studied his face. The coldness she'd directed at Tobe was gone instead of replaced with concern. "Hikigaya-kun? The club hour isn't over. To leave so suddenly without explanation is—"
"I'll tell Hiratsuka-sensei later. She'll understand as always," he interrupted. "You two can handle this without me. Besides..."
He glanced away, a bitter half-smile tugging at his lips. "It'll probably go smoother if I'm not here anyway. They're obviously not comfortable with me hanging around."
"Hey, Hikigaya," Hayama started, clearly caught off guard. "Is something—"
But Hachiman was already heading for the door.
"I'll See you guys tomorrow, best of luck" he added, before leaving.
The door slid open, then shut just as quickly behind him, leaving the room in a stunned quiet.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"...Who do you think it was, Yukinon?" Yuigahama asked quietly, eyes still fixed on the closed door.
Yukinoshita didn't answer right away. She lowered herself back into her seat, her gaze lingering where Hachiman had disappeared.
"...You ask that every time he leaves like this, Yuigahama-san" she said at last.
Yuigahama lowered her gaze. "...Yeah."
"And just like every other time," Yukinoshita continued, her voice calm but faintly strained, "I don't know."
Yukinoshita's gaze shifted slowly back to Hayama's group, her eyes narrowing just enough to make the air feel suddenly heavier. The room seemed to grow colder in an instant, and Tobe, Yamato & Ooka all flinched at once.
-----0-----
That night, Hikigaya Hachiman made his way home long after the sun had set.
He rode his bike through the dim streets, legs moving more out of habit than effort. The air was cooler now, but it didn't do much to help. By the time he slowed to a stop in front of a vending machine, the neighbourhood had gone almost completely still.
The harsh LED lights washed over his dead-fish eyes as he scanned the rows—
...and then he saw it.
The familiar yellow-and-brown can of ambrosia sat there, right where it always was.
"Heh there you are," he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting just a little.
He reached for his wallet.
Empty.
"Oh, come on. Why now?"
The moment lingered, stretched thin as he stared down at the useless thing in his hand. Slowly, his gaze drifted back up to the machine.
The vending machine, naturally offered no sympathy.
"...One addiction at a time, I guess."
He let out a tired sigh and slid the wallet back into his pocket. He rested his forehead lightly against the cool metal for a second, hand still in his pocket, before settling for what was already there.
When Hachiman finally reached home, he took one last detour around the block on his bike.
He slipped inside as the moon had risen above the horizon, countless stars dotting the night sky.
"I'm home," he announced absentmindedly, kicking off his shoes and spitting his chewing gum into the trash.
"Ah—Onii-chan, you're super late!"
The sweet voice of his cute imouto greeted him.
"Yeah, sorry. Club ran long today," Hachiman said. "Onii-chan is truly sorry."
He forced a smirk and even added a wink.
Komachi gave him a long, deeply unimpressed look.
"I don't know what that was but—no. Never again. Mm-mm. Nope. Way too creepy."
"How cruel."
"That alone just cost you a ton of Komachi points."
"With that said," she added, instantly changing tone, "next time try calling. I was getting worried. That would've been huge Komachi points, you know?"
She grinned cheerfully, skipping over to his side.
"So... you recovered the points you lost by calling me creepy?"
"Mou." His imouto really was cute, like a puppy that knew exactly which buttons to press.
"Come on," Komachi said, tugging at his sleeve. "Dinner's already ready."
The siblings made their way to the dinner table.
"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Hachiman said as he took his seat—only to glance down and stand up again a moment later.
"How was school today?" his mother asked, scooping a spoonful of rice from her colorful bowl.
"The usual," He replied absentmindedly, picking up his placemat and bowl. The ceramic had long since faded, and a few dried grains of rice still clung to the inside.
"Tch." He scraped them off with his thumb.
"Come on, Onii-chan, at least try to sound excited," Komachi barged in.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm pumped, for... whatever it is I'm supposed to be excited about." he said flatly as he lifted the lid of the rice cooker.
Empty.
"...Of course."
"Ah, that's because of the school trip, isn't it?" his mother said casually, setting her bowl down. "Komachi was just talking about it earlier. You're going to Kyoto in a few days, right?"
"Kyoto!" Komachi echoed immediately, leaning across the table. "It's, like, the Kyoto, you know? Temples, sweets, souvenirs this is prime Komachi-point territory."
Hachiman clicked his tongue softly, closing the rice cooker with more force than necessary.
"...Why does everyone keep asking me about that, Kyoto this! Kyoto that!?" he muttered, little annoyed. "Can't I just eat in peace, for now?"
The table went quiet.
Komachi's grin faded, her eyes widening just a fraction before she looked away, fiddling with her bowl. His mother paused with her chopsticks halfway to her mouth, her expression shifting from casual to mildly surprised.
...Ah.
'Idiot. Idiot. Idiot! Hachiman, you absolute nincompoop. Why do I always spit out crap like that? They were just worried about me, dammit! I only wanted them to drop the questions, not turn the whole room into a graveyard of awkward silence.'
Komachi shifted in her seat, glancing between them. "...Onii-chan, S...sorry."
His mother nodded, a little too quickly. "Hachiman, I didn't mean to press you about—"
His father's voice cut in before his mother could finish. It wasn't raised. It didn't need to be. "Hachiman. What's with that tone of yours huh?"
"I didn't mean to—"
"That's not how you talk to someone who's worried about you." his father continued, eyes fixed on Hachiman. "Your mother was happy. She thought you were looking forward to the trip."
A brief pause.
"She thought you might finally have the chance to visit your grandmother while you're there. It's been a while since your last visit."
The words landed heavy, not as a suggestion, but as an expectation.
Hachiman's fingers curled against the edge of the table. He lowered his head.
"...Sorry," he said.
He bit his tongue hard to keep the words from spilling out. 'Absolutely not. That woman for sure hates me. I've spent more than enough time around relatives to know where I stand.'
Instead, he forced his voice to stay even.
"I don't think there'll be time," he said. "And... I wouldn't want my presence to bother her."
"Nonsense," his mother said quickly, quickly trying to ease the tension "She'd be delighted. You might even get a chance to introduce her to some friends—like Yoshiteru-kun."
At the very thought of that, Hikigaya Hachiman felt a chill run straight down his spine. Bringing someone like Zaimokuza to meet the family matriarch would be the same as waving goodbye to his inheritance rights. Forever.
"...That's really not a great idea, Mom," he said carefully.
"Don't talk to your mother like that," his father continued, voice calm and unyielding. "She's thinking about you."
"I know," Hachiman said, a little too quickly. "...I know."
No one said anything after that.
He stared down at his plate, curry and no rice.
The silence stretched just long enough for the smell to register before the mistake did.
"Hachiman," his mother said gently, noticing his hesitation. "That curry has peppers and lots of tomatoes You don't like those, right? I made another one without them. It's in the fridge."
He blinked, then nodded once. "...Thanks."
Pushing his chair back, he stood and carried the plate to the counter. He retrieved the covered dish from the fridge and slid it into the microwave.
The microwave hummed steadily in the background.
While Hachiman waited, his father spoke again, this time directing it at Komachi.
"Komachi," Father said, his tone much lighter. "What's with the sour face? Do you really want souvenirs from Kyoto that badly?"
Komachi shook her head right away. "No. That's not it."
"Hm," his father replied. "I figured. It's fine. I get it. We haven't really taken you anywhere in a while."
"That's not it either," Komachi said, a little more firmly now. She glanced toward the kitchen, then lowered her voice. "It's just... Onii-chan doesn't get many chances to go to new places. Or see new things."
There was a brief pause.
"Whenever we go somewhere," she continued, fingers tightening around her chopsticks, "It's always just us three and he stays back. It's always like that. I can't even remember the last time he went somewhere with anyone on trip and actually had fun."
Hachiman exhaled quietly and took the dish out. He returned to the table, setting it down more carefully than before and started eating.
"...It's fine, Komachi," he said as he sat back down. "Really. I'm the one who never feels like going."
His mother glanced at Komachi, her expression softening just a little.
"...You know how your brother is," she said softly "Your brother. He's... a very special child."
His father gave a short nod from across the table.
"Yeah," he said simply. "Very Special."
The words settled over the table like a thin layer of dust. No one said anything after that.
Hachiman took a slow bite, as he continued eating the silence returned, heavier this time not the sharp awkwardness from before, but something deeper this time.
For some reason, the taste didn't settle right. His chest felt tight, restless in a way food couldn't fix, like his body was asking for something it wasn't going to get.
After a few bites, his hand slowed.
"...Sorry," he said suddenly, pushing his chair back just enough for it to creak. He pressed a hand lightly to his stomach, not quite meeting anyone's eyes. "My stomach feels a little off. I think I need some air."
His mother looked up at once. "Are you feeling sick?"
"No," he replied quickly. "Just... a bit uncomfortable. I'll be fine."
He stood, picked up the edge of the plate, then hesitated and set it back down instead. "I'll come back and finish it."
No one stopped him.
Hachiman slipped down the hallway, careful with his steps out of habit, and closed the door to his room behind him without a sound.
The air inside felt stale, like it hadn't moved in a while. He crossed to the window and slid it open just enough before climbing out onto the roof, steady and practiced, making sure it didn't creak.
The night air was cooler than he expected.
He sat near the edge and reached into his pocket his fingers brushed past the useless, empty wallet and found the small, rectangular box tucked into the lining of his blazer.
He turned the box over once in his hand, feeling the familiar weight of it, then slipped out a cigarette and the lighter tucked beneath it.
The lighter clicked. Once. Twice.
The flame finally caught, as he leaned in just enough to light the tip. He drew in slowly, the heat biting at his throat in a way that felt grounding, then let the smoke spill out of his mouth.
Below him, the house was quiet. The soft clatter of dishes, his parents' footsteps, Komachi's voice somewhere inside it all felt distant, like sound traveling through glass. He had been there with them just moments ago, sitting at the same table, hearing the same words.
And yet, up here, the distance felt real.
The cigarette burned down little by little, something fleeting and solitary, and he understood it in a way he couldn't put into words. Even when he was close, even when he was there, sometimes things still felt like they were always out of reach.
"... Very special, huh," he muttered.
Tokyo-3 stretched beneath him, a city of lights that pretended to be permanent.
He took another drag, letting the smoke carry the quiet weight of the night.
-----0-----
The next day, Hachiman arrived at school just as the morning rush was settling in. Still half-asleep, he walked toward the locker corridor as light spilled through the high windows.
He stopped at his locker and slid his key into the lock and opened the door without much thought. He took out his indoor shoes, then paused as something shifted against his pocket when he bent down. He pulled it out, letting it catch the light for just a second in his palm before he could tuck it away.
Out of nowhere, a loud voice called out to him from behind.
"Yo—Hikitani!"
Hachiman jumped, his hand hitting the metal locker door. The object slipped from his fingers and hit the floor. Before it could roll away, he immediately stepped on it, hiding it under his shoe.
He kept his foot planted there and leaned back against the lockers, trying to look like he hadn't just panicked.
He straightened slowly and glanced over his shoulder.
Tobe was already there, rubbing the back of his neck with a loud, sheepish laugh that echoed too much. "Ah—sorry about that! Didn't mean to jump-scare you, man."
"You failed."
Standing just a step behind him was Hayama. He didn't have Tobe's loud energy instead, he just stood there with his hands at his sides, his expression uncharacteristically heavy.
Hachiman adjusted his weight, making sure his shoe was still firmly covering the object. He just wanted them to leave so he could pick it up.
"So?" Hachiman asked, his voice flat. "What is it you want from me?"
Tobe blinked, his grin fading a bit. "Uh, nothing really! I just wanted say sorry."
Hachiman looked at him, "Sorry for what exactly?"
Tobe scratched the back of his head, "Y'know. For saying all that stuff. Yesterday. And, uh... before that too."
For a second, Hachiman just looked at him.
Then it clicked. "...Ah," he said. "That."
Hachiman waved a hand lazily. "Don't sweat it. It's not like it was anything new."
'honestly, there was nothing to forgive, I wasn't annoyed.'
Tobe frowned. "Huh? Really?"
He glanced at Hayama, then back to Tobe.
"...But," he added, "what's with the sudden change of heart?"
Tobe laughed nervously, glancing at Hayama for a second before looking back. "Well, I mean—"
"Actually," Hayama said, "After you left the clubroom yesterday, Yukinoshita-san was pretty upset. She told us that the Service Club wouldn't even consider our request unless we went back, reflected on our behaviour, and apologized to you properly."
For a moment, Hachiman didn't say anything.
"...Upset?" That was unexpected. Tobe's behaviour must have really annoyed her. Enough to draw a line. Why else would she bother making them do this?
Tobe stiffened. "Yeah. Like—really upset. Scary upset."
"So, uh... sorry. Again. For real this time."
Hayama followed with a small, deliberate bow. "I'm sorry too. I should've stopped it earlier."
"Okay, I hear you."
"But I—
"...Enough, already" he interrupted. "I get it."
Hachiman let out a slow breath. 'For real leave already Riajuus. You have been absolved by my supreme authority, besides, it's not like Tobe had meant any real harm. Malice required awareness. He was just careless. A bit dull, maybe, but not cruel'
Both of them looked up.
"I already said it's fine," he continued, tone flat but not sharp. "You don't need to keep stacking apologies like bonus points. It's starting to get uncomfortable."
Hayama laughed weakly. "Ah—sorry about that too."
"Stop apologizing, dammit," Hachiman said immediately. "You're just making it weird. Go try seducing someone else."
Hayama stiffened, a flash of surprise crossing his face before he quickly masked it. Beside him, Tobe's grin stalled, leaving him looking unsure whether to laugh or stay quiet.
"Alright...thanks for hearing us out," Hayama said quietly.
"Whatever floats your boat."
Hachiman shrugged, then shifted his weight and crouched down, as if adjusting his shoe. The small object vanished into his palm before either of them could catch a glimpse of it. His fingers closed tightly around it, his knuckles turning pale for a moment.
Tobe leaned forward despite himself, his eyes following Hachiman's hand. "Huh? What's that?"
Hachiman straightened up, "Nothing...nothing that concerns you."
The words were dry and clipped. They seemed to echo in the hallway longer than they should have.
Finally, Hachiman adjusted his grip on his bag and began to turn away. "I'll tell Yukinoshita you apologized."
Tobe's shoulders finally loosened. "Oh—thanks!"
"If you guys have a request," Hachiman added over his shoulder, his footsteps already pulling him down the hall, "Come to the clubroom after class."
He didn't look back as he blended into the flow toward class.
-----0-----
The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day.
Hachiman gathered his things slowly, letting the usual rush of students pass him by. He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder, when he noticed Yuigahama making her way toward him through the thinning crowd.
She stopped in front of his desk, "Hey, Hikki. You're coming to club today, right?"
"Yeah," he said, nodding once. "But you should go ahead. I have to stop by the guidance room first. Hiratsuka-sensei called me in."
"Oh... okay, odd, we didn't have essays recently," she said after a pause, her brow furrowing just a little.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Hachiman argued, crossing his arms.
"You know. Sometimes Hikki is like... ugh you know, particularly Hikki in his assignments and—"
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Probably is going to be about that," he sighed.
Honestly... even Yuigahama had figured it out by now. That was probably the most humiliating part. Somewhere along the line, his reputation had crossed the line from 'subtle' to 'obvious.'
She gave him an awkward laugh. "Well... good luck then! Don't be late, okay?"
"I'll try."
With that, she waved and headed off toward the clubroom. Hachiman watched her go, then made his way down the hall toward the guidance room.
The guidance room felt quieter than usual.
Hiratsuka-sensei didn't look up when he entered. She was flipping through a thin stack of papers, a half-finished cup of coffee beside a full ashtray.
"You're late, Hikigaya" she said.
"You literally called me five minutes ago, sensei."
"And yet you had the time to get a coffee," she added, finally looking up and pointing at the can in his hand.
Hachiman simply nodded and closed the door behind him.
She reached into the stack, pulled out a specific sheet, and slapped it onto the desk between them. "What the hell is this, Hikigaya?"
Then she read aloud, flatly. "So, I was a god after all..."
He glanced at it, recognizing his own handwriting. "It's the initial field trip report. Yasaka Shrine and the Religion of Goryou Shinkou."
"I know what it is," She set it down with an annoyed huff. "But have you ever actually been there?"
Hachiman straightened his back, trying to play it off. "Well, uh... technology has advanced a lot these days, so, you know... between VR, street-level mapping, and detailed historical archives, the physical act of actually standing in a location is kind of redundant for a proper analysis—"
"So that means never, right?" she interrupted, cutting through his nonsense.
"Then why the heck did you write this when we haven't gone there yet? This is something that's supposed to be written after the field trip. Not only that, you even submitted it early."
"Didn't you and everyone else tell me I should do my assignments in advance so they don't get delayed as usual?" Hachiman said, shrugging slightly. "I figured if I got it done early, it would be fine to submit it ahead of time. Saves me the hassle later, right?"
Hiratsuka-sensei just hummed, staring at him for a long moment. She didn't look convinced.
"Doing work in advance is one thing," she said, leaning back in her chair. "Writing a reflection on a trip that hasn't happened yet is another. What is going on with you these days, Hikigaya? Acting strange is nothing new for you, but you're being way too weird lately."
"Fine" he said, irritation finally surfacing. "You wanna know it, I'll tell—
"Shh" Sensei whispered softly, throwing an inquiring look behind him.
He followed her eyes until the wall's clock.
'It's because I know this field trip's going to get canceled anyway.'
Hachiman whispered, suddenly finding himself bowing next to Hiratsuka sensei.
His face was close enough to her ear that he could smell her hair a peculiar mix of floral shampoo and tobacco.
A few months ago, it would've bothered him. Now, he didn't mind in the slightest.
'That's why I did it.'
Then Hachiman's stepped back. Blinked a few times as if trying to wake up.
'Huh? Wait! Why did I say it like that.'
Hiratsuka-sensei paused, her hand stopping over the ashtray. "What? Why on earth would you think that?"
"You'll find the answer to that soon enough," he answered simply.
She looked at him for a long moment, clearly seeing that he wasn't going to say anything else. He didn't look like he was joking, which only seemed to bother her more.
She let out a heavy sigh and leaned back. "Is that so? hmm..."
Hachiman glanced toward the door. "If that's everything, I need to head to club. I'll take care of the essay later."
"That's not all I wanted to say. I wanted to let you know that we'll soon be having another transfer student."
Hachiman looked at her, his expression shifting from neutral to something a bit more focused. "Okay. Good for them. But why are you telling me?"
Hiratsuka-sensei leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she searched his face.
"It seems like you really don't want to talk about it right now, do you?" she noted, her voice dropping into a more serious register. "Huh. Fine. If you're going to be like that, I won't push."
She leaned back, "Let's leave that part for now, more importantly—how is she these days?"
Hachiman frowned slightly. "...She?"
"She hasn't been coming to school for a few days," Hiratsuka-sensei continued. "Did she catch the flu or something?"
Hachiman opened his mouth. "Uh... are you talking about—"
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
Immediately, a heavy, rhythmic siren began to wail through the school. It wasn't the standard fire drill or the bell for the next period it was a deep, mechanical roar that seemed to vibrate the very floorboards beneath his feet.
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
The intercom crackled to life with a static pop that was sharp enough to raise goosebumps on his arms.
[A STATE OF SPECIAL EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED FOR THE TOUKAI REGION AND THE SURROUNDING REGION OF MID KANTO AREA.]
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
[ALL RESIDENTS MUST IMMEDIATELY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THEIR DESIGNATED SHELTER FOR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY.]
Hiratsuka-sensei froze, her eyes widening as she stared at Hachiman. The siren's wail seemed to echo louder in the small room, but her focus stayed on him, shock clear in her expression.
"Is this what you meant?" she asked, her voice barely above the noise. "When you said I'd find out soon enough?"
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
Hachiman let out a long, tired sigh. He didn't look at her, choosing instead to stare at the half-empty coffee can in his hand. The resignation in his posture was enough of an answer.
"The timing was a bit more dramatic than I expected," he muttered, his voice flat. "But yeah. This is it."
She kept looking at him, her surprise shifting into something more thoughtful. "'So, I was a god after all'... Maybe you weren't just being a smartass in that essay huh?"
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
"C'mon sensei this isn't time for that?" Hachiman shook his head slightly. "Isn't there something else you should be focused on right now?"
"...Right. Yeah. You're right." She straightened as the weight of the situation finally settled in. "I need to start the evacuation."
She grabbed her lab coat from the back of the chair and moved toward the door. "Follow the announcement. Head to your designated shelter immediately. Don't wander, don't overthink it and don't try to be clever."
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
She paused with her hand on the door, glancing back at him one last time, "Take care, Hikigaya. I'll see you there."
With that, she stepped into the hallway, already calling out instructions as she hurried off, the siren drowning out the rest.
The room fell empty.
WEEEUU—WEEEUU—WEEEUU—
Hachiman looked down at the coffee can in his hand, then sighed and set it on the desk.
[I REPEAT—A STATE OF SPECIAL EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED FOR THE TOUKAI REGION AND THE SURROUNDING REGION OF MID KANTO AREA.]
"...Well. There goes the field trip."
________________________________________________________________________________
Author's Note
Hey everyone, this chapter is finally done by yours truly and 'CacciaFulmini'. We hope you enjoyed it or at least found it intriguing so far. While nothing particularly explosive has happened yet, this chapter is meant to set the groundwork for what's to come, and the overall tone will remain similar to Neon Genesis Evangelion.
For now, that's all we wanted to share. Thank you so much for giving this story a chance and sticking with it. We will do our best to work on the upcoming chapters and get them out as soon as we can.
Please feel free to leave your thoughts below. We will look forward to hearing from you all.
Stay tuned for more!
—Raijinmaru_K2