Chapter Text
"They're gone again..." Yukino mumbled to herself.
Although she came to the school lockers early to get her indoor shoes before someone stole them, it seemed that even getting there early wasn't enough.
Today was another ordinary day in Yukino's elementary school life. The theft of her indoor shoes was nothing new to her; this was already the ninth time it had happened.
Of course, this wasn't the only thing Yukino had to endure every day. You could say it was just the warm-up to start her day. She knew that many more challenges awaited her.
She kept staring at her locker, not knowing how she'd do without indoor shoes. But that was until a boy called her out.
"You don't have your shoes, Yukino?"
Her gaze followed the sound of the voice, and she found herself facing a boy with golden blond locks framing his face and a pair of brilliant blue eyes looking at her with a sincere warmth and cheerfulness.
This boy was none other than Hayato Hayama.
"No they're... I've lost them," Yukino said, looking back inside her locker.
She lied to Hayato, why? Because she didn't want him to know about all the bullying she endures. Hayato is one, if not the most popular boy of the school. If he found out about all the bullying Yukino had been enduring, he would try to interfere and stand for Yukino.
But that would mean deepening all the frustration and hatred the girls have for her.
She was also one of the most popular girls as well, but she wasn't like Hayato. Nor, she was like the other beautiful and popular girls in the school.
Her cold persona is what has made her isolated from others. Not only was she cute, and thus attracted most of the boys, but she was also someone who was hard to get along with. The only one who managed to befriend her was Hayato, but this was only thanks to the closeness their families shared.
"I see. There, I brought those in case. Since you tend to lose yours often." Hayato pulled a pair of indoor shoes from his school bag and offered them to Yukino.
"T-Thank you..." She took them and quickly changed. "I promise I'll return them to you."
"You're welcome. Shall we?"
"Go ahead, don't worry about me. I won't be late."
"I see... Then see you there."
Hayato walked forwards, leaving Yukino alone. She put her previous shoes inside her locker, but when she tried to settle them inside, her hand touched what felt like a piece of paper.
She already had an idea of what it was about, but she still took it.
"Go to hell"
It was the only thing written on the paper. Only a quiet sigh resulted from it.
Yukino closed her locker and threw the paper into the trash. The clock on the wall indicated that the bell would ring in five minutes. Yukino had to hurry to her classroom before it was too late.
The little girl walked silently through the corridor, the sunlight streaming in through the windows casting long shadows along the hallway. Despite the pleasant weather outside, her expression was anything but cheery. Deep shadows darkened the skin beneath her eyes and her shoulders sagged, as if weighed down by invisible weight.
On the way, a girl deliberately bumped into Yukino's shoulder, causing her to hit the wall. She would have hit her head if she hadn't stopped herself in time.
"Oups, sorry." The girl fake apologized, but her giggle still managed to reach Yukino's ears.
Yukino stood silently as she watched the girl run towards her friends to greet them as if nothing had happened. She held her left arm, feeling the pain reverberating through it, and bit her lip lightly.
She picked up her pace, being late wasn't an option for her.
...
"Good morning, Yukinoshita," the teacher greeted her as she entered the classroom.
She was directly welcomed by the glares and gossips from the girls. The only compliments overheard were from the boys whispering to themselves about how cute she was.
She took her seat and eyed Hayato for a second. She noticed that some of the girls in his group of friends were the same ones who bullied her. Her last remaining hope to integrate Hayato's group was dead. Now that even her bullies were friends with him, it would be harder for her to socialize with Hayato's friends.
The teacher started the lesson.
As usual, Yukino was the girl with the best grades. She was very appreciated among the teachers. Well, that's what we could believe.
Of course, her grades are not denied, but her family name is also one of the main reasons why the teachers give her a special treatment. A very good pretext that added to the weight of the jealousy against her.
"Today, we're going to need some books that are in the library. I'll choose one of you to go take them."
Each child's eyes lit up, hoping to get picked by the teacher.
"Yukinoshita, will you?"
"Yes." Yukino stood up.
She could hear the loud sigh and feel the frustrated expressions of her classmates. But she ignored them and headed toward the door of the classroom.
"Wait, someone else should accompany you." The teacher looked around, her eyes landed on only one boy. "There, Hayama will go with you."
The classroom was divided into two distinct groups of people. The first group consisted of boys, their gazes filled with envy and longing as they looked at Hayato. On the other hand, the second group was made up of girls, who glared at Yukino with a mixture of jealousy and suspicion.
Their eyes were clearly saying, 'It should have been me!'
"N-No, it'll be fine alone." Yukino suddenly retorted to calm the heavy stares of her classmates.
"Are you sure?"
Yukino nodded.
"Alright, then go. I think you remember where the library is?"
"Yes, of course."
Yukino then walked out of the classroom. The sighs and murmurs finally gone, she made her way to the library.
Fortunately, Yukino appeared to have the library to herself at the current moment. She weaved through the rows of bookshelves, searching for the volumes her teacher had tasked her with retrieving.
The quiet and isolated atmosphere of the library provided an unexpected solace, allowing her to carry out her errand undisturbed.
Only three books were needed, and Yukino found them quickly enough. She counted them and assured herself once more that the books in her arms are the right ones.
A small smile spread across Yukino's lips. The peaceful atmosphere of the library enveloped her in a comfortable tranquillity she couldn't find anywhere else.
The tranquillity of the space allowed her shoulders to soften and her mind to slow, the outside world seemingly a million miles away. For just a moment, she allowed herself to fully immerse in the peaceful atmosphere, letting it soothe and rejuvenate her weary spirit.
She wished she could spend more time here, reading literature.
But the silence was cut by the loud and disagreeable sound of the door opening. Yukino looked at the entrance of the library to see who was coming.
"Ara, look who's over there. Isn't it Yukinoshita?" A blonde haired girl spoke up as she stepped inside the room.
"Minura-san..." Yukino mumbled, pulling her books tighter against herself.
Minura was a girl from a different class. Yukino was from class 4-A, while Minura was from 4-B. Even though they're in different class, they still knew each other. Some of Minura's friends are in the same class as Yukino.
But that wasn't the most important. The fact is, Minura had a crush on Hayato. She was jealous of the proximity Yukino and her crush shared. She saw her like a rival, or an enemy to take down.
She approached her, then another girl with brown hair and green eyes entered the library. Minura wasn't alone. Actually, her teacher had also sent someone to collect books and as for Minura, she didn't refuse the company of someone else.
Yukino took a step back as the girls kept coming closer and closer.
"What interesting books you've got. Let us see what they're all about!" Minura tried to grab the books in Yukino's arms, but she moved them away from her.
"I have to take them to the teacher. If I don't hurry, I'll be scolded."
Her words were meaningless to them. The brown haired girl moved behind Yukino and grasped her arms. She held Yukino in place and forced her to spread her arms so that her books fell to the ground.
"Let me go!" Yukino struggled against the girl's grip.
Minura bent down to pick up the books, and looked at their covers. After a few seconds, she put them back on the ground.
"I've got a great idea." Minura smirked mischievously.
"What are you thinking about?" Her friend asked.
"We should force her to trample on the books."
Yukino's eyes widened in disbelief. If she brings the books in a bad states to the teacher, she will be punished severely.
"No, you can't..."
"Trample on them." Minura ordered.
"No. The teacher will punish me if I-"
"Close that ugly mouth of yours, I said trample on them and I know you will do so."
Yukino persisted. The blond girl knew that she'd need more than to yell at her to make her do it.
"If you keep on doing this to me, I'll report to the teacher!"
"What would be the proof of your words if the prints on the books are the same as your shoes?"
Yukino knew Minura was right. She had no way to escape from this.
Her heart began to pound faster. She was already imagining the reaction of the teacher to this, even worse, the reaction of her mother if she found out.
"Please, I don't want to-"
*Slap!*
Minura's hand lashed out and connected with Yukino's cheek with a sharp slap. The force of the impact sent a sharp, biting pain rippling across her skin, causing her to gasp in shock and agony.
Her jaw dropped, the realization and intensity of the slap flooding her mind, leaving her reeling and dazed.
"I said do it."
Tears welled up in Yukino's eyes. With a trembling leg, she lifted it and put it down on the books.
tap
tap
tap
She trampled on them softly, the prints were already visible on the covers of the books. But this wasn't enough to satisfy Minura.
"Harder."
"W-What?"
"I said trample harder!" She pulled Yukino's hair tightly.
She bit her lip to hold back her groan of pain at Minura's grip on her hair. Her movement became stronger and faster.
Minura opened the books with the intention of letting the pages be damaged by Yukino's shoes. Some pages were even torn.
"Yes, keep going. Like that!"
Only the sound of Yukino's trambling and sobs filled the air. The papers were starting to wet due to Yukino's tears falling on them.
TAP!
TAP!
sob
TAP!
Once the books were dirty enough, Minura ordered her friend to let go of Yukino.
"Well, I almost forgot the original reason why we came here."
Minura and her friend strolled past Yukino, picking up the books they had been assigned to collect. Meanwhile, Yukino was left kneeling on the cold floor, her gaze fixed on the scattered and damaged books that lay in front of her, their pages torn and crumpled.
They quickly left the library, leaving Yukino alone in this hassle they caused.
Yukino's tears continued to fall as she gathered the books on the ground, knowing she has to give them to the teacher.
An oppressive weight began to settle into her chest, the pain of the physical blow still lingering, but now mixed with a sense of humiliation and vulnerability.
Yukino eventually had to leave the library to present the books to the teacher.
Each step brought her closer to her classroom, the rhythm of her heartbeat intensifying every second. She stood in front of the door of the classroom and opened the door.
"Oh my, Yukino! What did you do?!" The teacher shouted, her eyes widening in shock as she took the sight of the books in Yukino's hands.
"I... I'm sorry. It was an accident, I fell and..."
"Do you know how much they cost??" The teacher continued to shout, grabbing the books from Yukino's hands.
"I... I'm really sorry... I..." Yukino's eyes darted around nervously, trying to explain herself. But she knows she just can't.
She became the center of the attention. Yukino tried her best to ignore all the whispers and mocking giggles directed at her.
"Go take your things and go sit in the back of the classroom next to..." The teacher stopped in her sentence, realizing that the boy she was looking at was sleeping on his desk.
She walked to him, her steps loud.
paf!
"Next to Hikigaya." She slapped the desk, making a loud noise that woke the sleeping boy.
"Huh, yeah we can't divide zero by zero because..."
"We moved past this subject 20 minutes ago..." The teacher sighed. "Anyway, now Yukinoshita is sitting here. Hurry up," she said, returning to her own desk.
"Ehh.. Why? I was so good alone..." Hachiman quietly complained but the teacher somehow managed to hear it.
"No complaints!"
Yukino went to her previous seat and gathered her things.
"Ugh, she'll sit next to Hikigaya... That's the worst punishment she could get."
"Totally deserved though hahaha."
The whispers of the kids didn't go unheard by Yukino. She didn't know what to expect when she sat next to this boy who was known as the creepy guy of the class. She had heard of him before, but had never really paid attention to him, knowing that she was not in a position to judge people by their reputations when she didn't have a clear one herself.
Though, like every other children of her class, she felt reluctant about the idea of sitting next to him.
Hachiman looked at the window beside him. Even though he could hear the whispers and the things they said about him, he was so used to it that it had no effect on him now.
Once Yukino was finally seated, the teacher gave her a long work to do while the others follow the lesson. It was the start of her punishment.
"You have until the end of lesson to write it," the teacher informed her.
Then Yukino began to write.
"What have you done to be here?" Hachiman asked, glancing at Yukino's notes.
"The teacher's desk."
Hachiman turned his gaze to the teacher's desk and noticed the books on it.
"You did that? Really?"
Yukino didn't answer, her focus was mostly on the task in front of her. She knew that if she was seen talking too much with Hachiman, the teacher would scold her.
Hachiman yawned and turned his head back toward the window, his attention already not on Yukino anymore.
Around 30 minutes later, Yukino had already finished her work. She raised her head, noticing that according to the clock the lesson should end in less than 5 minutes.
When she glanced at her side, she saw Hachiman back asleep on his desk. She haven't noticed it until now, all she wondered was how quick did he fall asleep? And how is it possible that the teacher didn't notice it yet?
But, anyway the lessons were over soon.
After a few minutes, the bell rang indicating the end of today's class.
"The lesson is over, do not forget to do your homework tonight. Now you can go," the teacher announced.
Everyone hurriedly gathered their stuff and left the classroom.
Yukino did as well but slower than her classmates. She didn't want to get bumped into by someone on the way out.
As everyone was leaving one by one, Yukino stood up and grabbed her bag. Before her feet moved forward, her eyes landed on Hachiman once more. It seemed that the bell didn't wake him up.
The teacher didn't seem to care about it very much either, she was gathering her own stuff as if she'd leave him here.
Yukino hesitantly placed her hand on Hachiman's shoulder and slightly shook him.
"H-Hikigaya-kun, wake up," she whispered in his ear while shaking his body.
"Ugh, look Yukinoshita touched him! She's gonna get his Hikigerms, we shouldn't approach her too much tomorrow or we'll get some of them too!" Some girls talked to each other as they quickly left the classroom.
Their words caught Yukino's attention.
"Hikigerms? What are they talking about?" She murmured, watching the girls running away from the classroom.
"Did you finish the work I gave you, Yukinoshita?" The teacher asked, taking her bag.
"Yes, there..." She handed the paper to her teacher.
The teacher took it, her eyes analyzing what had been done from top to bottom.
"Everything is correct, except for one." She sighed. "I guess, I should have given something more difficult to someone like you. But this work was supposed to be 5th grade level."
A sudden yawn echoed through the classroom. Both the teacher and Yukino looked towards the source of the noise. It was obviously Hachiman who had just woken up.
"Uh, the lesson is over? Finally..." He said, standing up and taking his school bag.
"Hey, come here one second." The teacher called him out.
Hachiman approached them, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Look at this and solve the issue." The teacher gave the paper to Hachiman and pointed at the exercise Yukino had failed.
Yukino raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the teacher. Hachiman wasn't known for his grades or intelligence at all. It was pretty much the contrary.
"Hum, I don't know." Hachiman handed back the paper to his teacher.
"Obviously, why did you expect him to do a 5th grade level exercise?" Yukino asked.
"Listen, I know you can't wait to get home. But this time, I'd like you to really try to solve it."
Effectively, Hachiman had just read the instruction without bothering to think about it any further. He in fact, didn't even look at the exercise entirely.
"I may call your parents later for your behavior today. Did you forget that sleeping in class is not allowed?"
Hachiman flinched slightly, and sighed.
"Yes... I know."
"So, look at the exercise again and solve it."
He put the paper on the table and grabbed a pencil from his bag.
Yukino watched him, still not understanding why the teacher decided to make him try to solve it. If even she, one of the best students of the 4th grade, failed. Which was no shame since this exercise was supposed to be for the 5th graders. How could someone like Hachiman do it?
"Done."
After a few minutes, Hachiman gave the paper to the teacher. Her lips curved into a small grin.
"Correct, well done. I might not call your parents later finally."
Yukino's eyes widened. She took a look at the paper to make sure and Hachiman did solve it.
"How did you-"
"Can I go now?" Hachiman asked.
"Yes, you're free now."
"Alright, goodbye." He said, quickly walking out of the classroom.
Yukino remained stunned by what she had just witnessed. How was he able to solve such a hard equation by himself while she couldn't?
"Sensei, I didn't know he was so intelligent..."
"Unfortunately if you look at his grades they're quite average, if not below. He's often scolded in class for his lazy behavior, but when he wants, he can accomplish impressive things." The teacher explained.
"Why are his grades so low if he's actually smart?" Yukino asked, her eyes still fixed on Hachiman's notes.
"Because he doesn't care about school. While he doesn't find anything worthy here, he won't put effort into it. He's a troublesome boy. Even socializing with others seems too useless to him."
The socializing part didn't surprise Yukino. Knowing Hachiman's current reputation, she could understand very well why he wouldn't want to socialize with others.
"Now go, I'm going to close the door of the classroom with the key."
"Yes. Goodbye, sensei."
Then Yukino left the classroom.
Despite all the gossips that spread around about this boy, Yukino was intrigued. She wanted to know more about him. She knew that if she tried to approach him, it'd stain her reputation even more that it already was but she didn't care at this point.
Her steps quickened, she desired to talk to him at least one last time before he leaves the school. When she arrived at the lockers, she spotted Hachiman changing his shoes. She decided to take this opportunity.
"Hikigaya-kun." She approached him.
"Hm? Ah, it's you." He put on his last shoes and turned to her.
"Why do you do this?" Yukino asked.
"Why do I do what?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Why don't you use your talent to get better grades? Others would like you much more and make less gossips about you."
"You're the girl with the best grades here, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Then I guess everyone here loves you." He said, his gaze percing through her icy eyes.
Hachiman's words hit Yukino like a knife to the heart. She heard the sarcasm in his tone, and she knew the sarcasm was more than justified. Her lips parted slightly, as if trying to reply but there was nothing to say.
"I guess you get it now. My reputation isn't based on my grades. Everyone sees me as the creepy boy of the school. Why? Because I perfectly have the look of one. I mean, my rotten eyes aren't helping at all." He said, pointing at his own eyes.
"But you aren't trying to do anything to improve your situation."
"We're in elementary school, kids of our age like to base their opinions of people on their appearances and believe in them. So I gave up, let's hope it'll get better in middle school." He shrugged.
"Still... If you'd tried to use your talent, you'd have at least managed to add something to yourself that would make others look at you with more respect".
"That's too late to do it now. And... I feel a little bit lazy to do things that way."
Irritation began to fill Yukino's eyes.
"There are people out there who work very hard to have the same abilities as you. You inherited a natural talent, and all you've done is waste it? Just by laziness?" Her tone became sharper as she glared at him.
"It's not your problem, and you too have a talent."
"Yes but I still work very hard every day to be at this level."
"Hm, good for you. Now mind your own business instead of teaching me a life's lesson." Hachiman said, turning around as he was already thinking about walking away.
"Wait, Hikigaya-kun!" She called out, but he ignored her.
She watched Hachiman walk away, still feeling irritated by his way of thinking. She found it unfair.
Unfair that someone like him treated himself in such a way, and he didn't even care about how he was treated by others either.
"Idiot..."
She mumbled the only word that came to her mind when she thought about him.
She went to her locker and changed her shoes. With Hayato's shoes in hands, she wondered what she'd do with them. Would it be better to let them in her locker or give them back to him today?
As she thought, he showed up before she could take a decision.
"Yukino."
"A-Ah, Hayato-kun... I was thinking about returning them to you..." She handed the shoes.
"It's fine, you can keep them."
"You're sure..?"
He nodded. "Keep them. I wouldn't like your mother to yell at you because of another indoor shoes lost."
"Thank you. I'll repay you that someday."
"Alright. See you, Yukino." Hayato walked away, waving.
"See you..." She watched him leave, and decided that she should leave as well.
"Yukino, care to explain for your attitude today?" Yukino's mother asked in a cold tone.
She received the call from the school a few minutes ago. What Yukino feared the most is now happening.
She was sitting in front of her mother, her fingers fidgeting nervously on her lap. The tension was palpable in the air in the living room. Her mother learnt very quickly about the books incident, the moment Yukino stepped into the house she saw her mother already waiting for her.
Currently, only the mother and her youngest daughter were in the house. The father was still out working, and as for Haruno, she had just finished her day in middle school and was on her way home but wasn't here yet.
Yukino, who was in fact totally innocent had to find something to answer.
"It was an accident... I didn't mean to damage them."
"Because of your foolish action we have to repay them now."
"I"m sorry..." Yukino looked down, she was too afraid of facing the sharp gaze of her mother.
"Not only we've got to repay, but our reputation had also been negatively impacted. Can you imagine the Yukinoshitas having such a careless daughter?" She pulled out her fan and hid her mouth behind it.
"I... I know, please forgive me..."
"Take your cue from Haruno. She has the best grades and her behavior was never criticized. Why is she able to do that but not you?"
Yukino's fists clenched. She was once more, compared to her sister.
Her older sister who was always praised and used as an example everytime Yukino would make a mistake. High expectations were put on Haruno but she always managed to fulfill them.
"I... I try..."
Her fists clenched even tighter, almost shaking. The fact she was punished for something she didn't do was already frustrating for her. The way her mother brought up again how perfect Haruno is compared to her only fueled her anger and frustration.
"I work so hard every day to be at this level... But..." She took a deep breath, trying to hold back the urge of let her emotions explode in front of her mother. "I can't be perfect... You scold me as if all my hard work meant nothing to you!" Yukino shouted.
The mother closed her fan and glared.
slap!
The crisp sound of the fan striking against Yukino's small hand filled the air, followed by a startled yelp from the young girl.
The pain sent shockwaves through her delicate skin. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she instinctively brought her other hand to cup the back of the hand that had been struck. The redness on her skin was already starting to form.
"Lower your tone when you talk to your mother."
The tears in her eyes threatened to spill over at any moment. But she fought against the urge to cry, biting down on her lip and clenching her jaw.
Her throat constricted, and a lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to swallow. She struggled to hold back the sobs that longed to escape and fill the air with their mournful music. With every fiber of her being, she fought to maintain her composure, desperately trying not to break down in front of her stern mother.
"Your hand." Her mother ordered.
"Y-Yes..?"
"Release it, I'm not done yet."
"M-Mother, please not that..." Yukino's voice was shaky, it became harder and harder to contain her tears as the fear filled her.
"And you're still trying to reply to me?" The coldness of her tone and gaze sent shiver down Yukino's spine. She kept her hand clunched.
"P-Please it hurts... You hit too hard..."
Yukino kept fighting against the unfair situation she was in. Her mother was angry against her for something that wasn't her fault. Yukino refused to take a punishment whereas she was the victim here.
The parent put her fan aside.
"Then go to your room now. You're only allowed to leave it for dinner or to go to the bathroom. I will think about your punishment."
Yukino stood up and sighed quietly in relief. At least, she won't be physically punished this time.
She went straight to her room and closed the door behind her. Once she was finally alone, she let her tears drop. Her sobs slowly filled the air as she let herself cry.
"Unfair..." She whispered, her tears travelling across her face.
As she lay on her bed, her eyes landed on her Pan-san stuffed animal. The urge to grab it and hold it was too much. She took the plushy in her arms and hugged it tightly.
"This is so unfair..." She said in a low tone, not wanting her crying to be heard outside of her bedroom.
"I did nothing wrong..." Yukino continued, squeezing her plushy even more.
She buried her plushy's head into her chest as her tears couldn't stop.
She went through a truly awful day and yet, unfortunately, she had no one to turn to at that moment. Her only solace was the solitude of her bedroom, where she could weep alone and let her tears fall freely.
'If I open up to Hayato-kun, maybe he'll help me...' She thought. Among everyone close to her, the only one she could trust was certainly him. Each day became harder for her to live, she knew she needed help. Going on this alone would be unbearable.
She lifted her Pan-san plushy and held it above her.
"At least, I still have you..." She murmured, as if she were talking directly to the stuffed animal.
While looking the small panda, she noticed that its eyes looked like the ones of one of her classmates.
"Hikigaya-kun and Pan-san's eyes are quite alike..." Yukino giggled, finding the resemblance between the two kind of cute.
But that would be the only giggle Yukino would make tonight. After the few seconds Yukino spent giggling, the door of her room opened. Her mother stood behind it.
"M-Mother..?" She sat up and turned toward her mother.
The woman looked directly at the plushy in Yukino's arm, her mind already made.
"Give me the cuddly toy."
"W-Why?"
"As your punishment, I have decided to confiscate the toy you're holding right now. I'll return it to you when I see that you have demonstrated an improvement in your behavior." She explained, her gaze still as cold as the ice as she approached the little girl.
"No... Not my Pan-san, he's all I have left..." Yukino pleaded, squeezing her plushy tighter against herself.
"It's just a toy, You can live without it. Now give it to me or I'll take it myself." She showed the palm of her hand, waiting for her daughter to give it.
To the mother, the toy was nothing more than a simple, insignificant, inanimate object. But to Yukino, the plushy held a precious place in her heart. It was her refuge and her soothing presence, a source of comfort and warmth whenever she felt down.
Every day, when Yukino faced her troubles, Pan-san was there on her bed, a silent and steady presence, always ready to listen to her words and allow her to hug it and feel its soft, plushy arms for comfort.
Tonight was the first time her mother would confiscate it. The worst in it was that Yukino didn't know when she would retrieve it. It could be in a few days, weeks, or even months. She was not ready to sleep one single night without it at all.
The seconds ticked by one by one as Yukino and her mother continued to stare at each other. The mother's eyes held a steely, icy gaze, filled with cold determination. On the other hand, Yukino's gaze was wrought with fear and a desperate will to hold on to what was precious to her.
"You're seriously getting on my nerves, Yukino."
Suddenly, the mother grabbed the plushy, forcing it away from her daughter's arms. Yukino wasn't expecting such a sudden move from her mother. She almost let it go, but she reacted in time and managed to keep holding onto its arm, using all her might to not let go of it.
"Mother, please I wanna keep it!"
"Stop that, Yukino. You're just making it worse!" Her grip tightened, about to use even more strength to tear her plushy from her hands.
The battle intensified. None of them were ready to give up. The strength used only got stronger and stronger until....
Crac!
The cuddly toy's arm was torn from the rest of its body. Yukino's mother held in her hand the now one-armed Pan-san, some polyester fiberfill left its body and fell to the ground.
"You can't help but damage everything that gets in your hands, huh? If you had accepted to give it to me directly, it wouldn't have been torn apart. But I guess, that's what you got for your stubbornness." The mother spoke harshly with a disappointed look on her face.
Yukino's jaw just dropped. She stared at the lifeless arm of Pan-san in her hands. It was like her whole world just collapsed before her eyes. She lost a companion that had been here for years. She didn't just lose her favorite plushy, she lost her source of comfort. Her heart shattered bit by bit as the seconds she spent staring at its arm.
"Now it's good to be thrown in the trash." The mother walked away, Yukino could see the way she was holding the rest of the cuddly toy's body. Its head was aiming down like a dead body ready to be put in its grave.
The mother left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Pan-san..." Her voice broke, tears fell on the fabric of the arm, wetting it.
She squeezed it, her tears couldn't stop falling. Her hands shook. A tourment of emotions swirled in her mind; sadness, anger, and tiredness. She lost a precious belonging, and she will take time to recover from this incident.
"I'm sorry... Pan-san..." Her shaky voice filled the air, accompanied by the sobs that left her lips.
"I didn't want you to die... I.. I tried to prevent Mother from taking you away from me... But I ruined everything..." She talked to the arm, as if apologizing to the plushy.
Pan-san wasn't just a toy to her, it was a friend. It was like a member of her family. But now it's gone.
And who knows when she'll get another one.
Yukino lay on her bed, clutching the remnants of her plushie to her chest as sobs wracked her body. Tears she'd held back all day now spilled freely, dampening the torn fabric in her hands.
The once-cheerful plushy had been torn apart, its stuffing spilling out and its soft material ripped, leaving only a tattered remnant of what it once was.
The coldness of the air slowly envelopped her, the absence of Pan-san having its effect on the little girl. She was cold, she needed warmth. Something to cling to.
It could be anything.
But she had nothing.
So she continued to cry alone in her room for countless amounts of minutes.
But she wouldn't remain unheard by the people present in the house for too long.
The door opened slowly, the light from outside penetrating the dark bedroom. The noise caught a hint of Yukino's attention. Expecting her mother once more, she eyed her door, but at her surprise, it was not her mother.
Her sister, Haruno was the one who opened the door.
When she heard the sound of her little sister sobbing from inside the house, a sense of worry immediately washed over her. As she entered the room and saw the tears streaming down Yukino's red, tear-streaked cheeks, she knew that something significant had taken place, something serious enough to cause her sister great distress.
"Nee-san... Leave me alone. I've been mocked enough today..." Yukino said, turning away from her sister.
Haruno could catch a glimpse of what Yukino was holding. She recognized the arm of her little sister's favorite cuddly toy. There was also the polyester fiberfill still on the ground. A small idea of what could have happened here came to her mind.
She used to tease her sister a lot, but seeing her in such a state triggered her protective older sister instinct.
Haruno sat down next to Yukino on the bed and gently placed her hand on Yukino's hair, caressing it caringly.
"Hey, Yukino-chan, what happened?"
Feeling the gentle touch of Haruno, Yukino couldn't help but be honest. "Mother..."
Haruno quickly understood what that meant.
"I see..."
"This is so unfair, Nee-san... What did I do to deserve this?"
Yukino's trembling voice was too much for Haruno to bear. She could feel her heart pounding with every sob Yukino made. Without waiting another second, she wrapped her arms around Yukino's small and shaky body.
"Hey, come here. It's okay, cling to me as long and tight as you want tonight." She said, pulling Yukino closer to her.
Yukino's eyes widened at Haruno's move. She looked at her, her face still filled with surprise.
"Y-You're for real..?"
Haruno nodded, and pulled her little sister close to her. The warmth and comfort she provided to Yukino had no equal.
It's so rare that Haruno acts this way with Yukino. All the little girl could do was wrap her arms around Haruno and hug her tightly, letting her tears fall and stain Haruno's shirt.
"Pan-san is gone..."
"Shhhh... I'm here." Haruno patted and continued to stroke Yukino's long black hair.
Tears continued to flow down Yukino's face as she clung to Haruno, her body shuddering with each gasping sob.
She let out all of the emotions she had held back. It came as a surprise, for she had never expected to find solace in Haruno's embrace. But as the night went on, she found it was exactly what she needed. Haruno served as a source of comfort and support, someone for her to lean on and find refuge in for the rest of the night.
"Good morning everyone, I hope you're all having a wonderful day. So today we're going to review the subject we studied yesterday...." The teacher spoke loudly as the children all listened intently.
Yukino still had to seat in the back of the classroom next to Hachiman like the previous day. It was kind of the next of her punishment.
The after-effects of the previous night still lingered on her. Dark circles were visible around her eyes because, since she lost Panda-san, she hadn't been able to sleep well. So, unsurprisingly, some of her classmates had made fun of her.
It wasn't very long before Hachiman let out his first yawn. Hearing it, the teacher directly questioned him so he participates instead of sleeping.
"So, Hikigaya, what do you remember from what we did yesterday?"
He scratched his hair, pretending to think. Then he glanced at Yukino with a look of 'Huh, what did we do yesterday?' but she ignored his plead.
"Hum...."
"I see... Then Yukinoshita may tell?"
"As I recall, yesterday we talked about..." Yukino explained the topic they had studied.
"Thank you, Yukinoshita. So as she said..." The teacher continued in her speech.
Yukino couldn't help but send a slight glare to Hachiman.
"You could have answered it by yourself, couldn't you?"
"That would have cost me too much energy and I'm tired today."
"You're impossible..." She looked away, her focus turning back on the lesson.
The lesson progressed at a frustratingly slow pace. Despite Yukino's usual tendency to be diligently attentive in class, today she was struggling to keep her focus.
Her attention to the lesson was sorely lacking, mirroring Hachiman's level of disengagement. She tried her best to stay focused, but her dour mood was getting in the way, the sleepless night she had suffered the night before taking its toll on her.
When the lunch finally came, she preferred to eat in the library room, a place more peaceful than the courtyard or the classroom. In the morning, her sister had cooked a lunch for her. It's not often she does that but with the previous events, Haruno had wanted to be nice with her.
She took a seat in the library room, her lunch box and a book she had borrowed a few days ago on the table.
As Yukino was settled into her seat, she was enveloped by the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded her. She savored the tranquility of the environment, the absence of noise allowing her to fully enjoy her meal while reading. It was a welcome respite from the usual distractions, and she relished the ability to eat and read in peace, without any fear of being interrupted by noisy disruptions.
This was what she would desire, to have a quiet, peaceful space where she could immerse herself in the literature she loved. No distractions, no noise, just the soothing presence of a good book. However, a fleeting thought crossed her mind, imagining a scenario with good company. But she quickly discarded the idea of having someone to share it with.
She was used to being alone, to being isolated. The thought of having the company of another person was both enticing and frightening. But quickly, she dismissed the notion, convinced that it was nothing more than wishful thinking, an impossible dream that could never come true for her.
Yukino took her last bite of her meal, finishing it. Looking at the clock, she saw that she still had some time left before she'd have to go back to the classroom.
The sound of the door opening and a group of noisy boys entering changed her mind. She put her lunch box into her school bag and stood up.
The moment she stepped out of the library room, she was already missing its calm ambiance. With the library no longer an option, and lunchtime nearly over, she had no choice but to head to the classroom.
As you might have expected, her way back to the classroom couldn't be as peaceful.
"Ara ara, I see you again." A feminine voice echoed through the corridor, reaching Yukino's ears.
She turned to the source of the voice, it was Minura accompanied by two other girls. One of them was in the same class as Yukino and she belonged to Hayato's group of friends.
"What do you want, Minura-san? I'm not, really not in the mood to deal with you today."
They approached her, giggling mockingly.
"I hope the class enjoyed the books you brought to them." Minura said, laughing.
Her laugher triggered Yukino's cold glare. Everything that had happened because of that incident resurfaced in her mind. Her fist clenched, her eyes were burning with anger and hate.
"You and your friends are..." Yukino said, trying to find the courage to vent her anger on them. But she wasn't in a good position to hope she could stand up to the girls.
"Are what? I'm waiting," Minura said in a mocking tone, trying to provoke Yukino. Seeing her struggling to talk made her and the whole group laugh.
"Are you gonna say something or cry like the last time?" Another girl said.
Nevertheless, Yukino was determined to stand.
"You're all a bunch of immature idiots. Do you seriously think Hayato-kun would like a girl like you?" She said loudly, looking at them as equals.
Yukino's words hit a nerve, their egos taking a blow at her pointed criticism. Irritation and frustration bubbled up inside them, but particularly within Minura, as her voice echoed in her mind, exacerbating their feelings of annoyance and indignation.
She suddenly grabbed Yukino by the collar and pinned her against the wall causing the girl to gasp.
"Who do you think you are? Just because you're cute and smart doesn't put you above everyone else!" Minura shouted.
Taking a closer look to her face, the blonde girl smirked.
"What happened to your eyes? They're almost as rotten as Hikigay's!" She mocked soon after noticing the state of Yukino's eyes.
"I think I know, yesterday I saw her touch Hikigay's shoulder. She probably caught his hikigerms that made her eyes rotten like his." Minura's friend came with an explanation.
And this was enough to convince her.
She burst out laughing. "Is that so, Yukinoshita?"
"Hikigaya-kun has nothing to do with it!" Yukino retorted.
She hated how they were making superstition using another boy. It was like they were saying that her dark circles was just a consequence of her touching Hachiman and not due to how much she had suffered from their actions last night. The way they talked about Hahciman as if he was a parasite irritated her as well.
Talking trash about someone who possesses far more value than they give them credit for is nothing short of infuriating.
"Shut up!" Minura punched Yukino's stomach as she was starting to speak too loudly.
Yukino yelped, holding her abdomen with her hands. The strike was hard, she could feel that Minura used more strengh than last the time.
The moment the fist struck her stomach, she realized she was vulnerable. What chance did she stand against three of them? It was clear that she was unable to even defend herself against one of them, let alone three.
In the corner of her eyes, she spotted what gave her a glimmer of hope, someone who was able to help her and put an end to this. She saw her close friend walk at the opposite side of the corridor with another friend of his. She hoped that he'd see her.
He just came out of a route that intersected with the corridor where Yukino and Minura's group were located. As he walked forward, there were two possible paths he could take: he could either keep going straight without turning, or he could turn to veer off into their direction.
Then their eyes met, the plead in Yukino's eyes was strong. She tried her best to get him to help her. After all, he was the only one she could trust in that moment.
Her lips moved slowly, 'Hayato-kun... Help me...' was what we could read on them.
Minura and her friend haven't noticed he was there at the opposite side of the corridor.
Hayato looked at Yukino with an hesitant look, analyzing the situation. Then he looked back forwards, and kept going straight, totally ignoring the scene he was just witnessing.
Minura was a popular girl, not only was she a close friend to Hayato, but she also has most of the girls on her side. Defending Yukino, the loner who was cold with most people and standing against Minura the girl loved by others would stain his image. So, doing as if he hadn't seen anything was the best choice to keep his character clear.
Yukino's eyes followed Hayato's silhouette walking away and disappearing from her sight. Her pupils trembled, her only last hope of getting saved just erased.
The boy she considered as the only one who would save her, who was worthy of her trust, completely ignored her plead. Hayama Hayato, the only one Yukino saw as her friend in this school. The one who had helped her before, abandoned her to save his image.
Truly disgusting.
Yukino's heart pounded painfully faster, she had lost two friends since yesterday. Now that she truly was in a bad position, at the mercy of the girls, she could only imagine what fate awaited her.
She was hopeless.
"Aw, the crybaby is back," Minura mocked, pointing out the tears welling in Yukino's eyes.
"Please... I can't take it anymore..." Yukino beg, but that was useless now.
"Are you kidding me? You've just tried to speak against us and now you suddenly become all weak? You could have entertained us much better."
"..."
Yukino knew it was over for her, how long was it before the next bell? Enough time for them to make her suffer.
She closed her eyes tightly, expecting a slap, punch or any other kind of hit thrown at her.
Minura raised her hand and then...
"Oi, what the hell is wrong with you?" A voice emerged from someone seeming to stand less than 10 meters away from them.
Minura's attention shifted to the source of that voice.
"What do you want, creep?"
Yukino opened her eyes after getting no hits. Seeing that Minura was paying attention to someone else, she also looked where Minura was looking. When she saw the boy standing there, her eyes widened in shock.
"Hikigaya-kun...?"
A strange sense of hope stirred within Yukino. She couldn't explain why, but she felt an odd desire to believe that this boy would be the one to turn the situation around for her. Despite everything, she clung onto the hope that he would bring change to the dire circumstances.
"Ah, sorry if I sounded rude. It's just that..."
"What? Speak quickly!"
"I'm getting surchaged in hikigerms and I really do want to share some with someone. Who would be willing to accept them? I can take anyone." He said, walking toward them and faking a creepy look in his eyes.
Disgust filled the girls' faces.
"Ugh, you gross. Stay away from us, we don't want your hikigerms!"
Hachiman continued to come closer, this time he even added his creepiest smile in his face to accentuate the act.
"But I really, really want to give a lot to people. Don't worry girls, they won't bite." His steps quickened.
Seeing him getting closer, the girls were starting to fear that they would really be affected by his hikigerms. They looked at each other almost panicking as Hachiman got quicker.
"Come here, everything will be fine." He said, moving his hand to touch Minura.
And that was too much. She immediately moved out of his reach, letting go of Yukino by the way.
"Don't be shy." Hachiman continued.
"D-Don't touch me!" Minura ran away, leaving her friends behind her.
The other girls stepped back in fear.
With a great speed, Hachiman ran making them tense at his unexpected movement.
"Kyaa!"
"Kyaaa!"
They both ran away where Minura went as fast as possible in intent to preserve themselves from his so-called 'hikigerms'.
Now there were only Hachiman and Yukino alone in the corridor.
Yukino watched as Hachiman nonchalantly shoved his hands back into his pockets. Her heart was still palpitating, but her breathing started to steady and slow down. The tears that she had shed earlier, fueled by fear and uncertainty, now ran down her face for a different reason entirely - relief.
The sight of Hachiman standing there, seemingly calm and composed, was all it took to melt away the anxiety that had gripped her just moments before.
He turned toward her.
"You're not afraid?"
"I'm not stupid enough to believe in this 'hikigerms' stuff." She wiped away her tears.
"Does it hurt?" Hachiman asked, approaching her and placing his hand on the area that had gotten hit.
"N-Not anymore..."
Hachiman then removed his hand.
"The bell will ring soon, and we're going to be late for class if we don't hurry." Hachiman said with a casual tone.
He extended his hand towards Yukino, offering it to her with a sincere and caring gesture. "So, shall we?"
The simple act carried no hidden agenda or malice, only a sense of earnestness and goodwill. His eyes met hers, filled with a quiet understanding and a determination to help. In that moment, she felt a palpable sense of reassurance, as if everything was going to be alright knowing that he was there with her.
With a nod, Yukino took Hachiman's hand. He walked forwards with Yukino walking behind him, hand in hand.
"Why do you do that? You have nothing to earn from this...." Yukino asked.
"It seems that my kindness took over my laziness."
"It can't be just that. You always make yourself discreet, why did you step in now?"
Hachiman stared down, thinking about a reason that would have made him act like this. But only one answer came to his mind.
"There was no way I could let you suffer alone there."
Yukino's heart fluttered at his words, touched by the realization that there was someone who genuinely cared about her and went out of their way to save her. Out of all the people who could have come to her rescue, the fact that it was someone she least expected.
The contrast between this unexpected savior and the person she had once trusted, who had left her vulnerable and alone, was not lost on her. It was a bitter realization, but it also gave Yukino a strange comfort.
"But why me..? I mean... you took that risk to save someone like me. Who knows what would have happened if your act didn't work..."
Hachiman suddenly stopped its pace, his hand still holding Yukino's. He looked at her and let his honesty speak.
"It might sound weird what I'm about to say but, I think we're both kind of alike."
"W-We're alike?"
"You're a loner, just like me."
"No, I still have-"
Yukino stopped in her sentence. Hachiman was indeed right, Yukino was as alone as Hachiman.
"I don't think you'd call Hayama a friend."
"You're right."
Hachiman and Yukino got closer to the classroom, the door was already in their field of view and fortunately they wouldn't be late.
Yukino wanted to ask something to Hachiman so she took a deep breath and decided to try.
"Hey, Hikigaya-kun..."
"Yes?"
"You and I... Can we be friends?"
Hachiman felt a slight tremor in his chest when he was asked this. In fact, it was the first time in a long time that someone had asked him to be their friend. A smile appeared on his face without him realizing it.
"Yeah, I don't mind being friends with you."
Hachiman accepted Yukino's offer, a joyous smile spread across her face, lighting up her features and infusing her expression with a newfound sense of happiness and hope. In her heart, an unexplainable sense of joy and contentment welled up.
"Thank you, Hikigaya-kun... That means a lot to me."
They stood in front of the classroom door when Hachiman turned to Yukino once more.
"I should let go of your hand, others might make fun of you if they see you holding mine." Hachiman explained, letting go of her hand.
But Yukino disagreed with him.
"You know what? I'll show them much more than that."
Yukino sidled up to Hachiman and clutched his arm, their bodies now pressed close together.
"W-What are you doing?" Hachiman stuttered, her gesture caught him off guard.
"It's fine, if they see us like this they will never want to bother us anymore. So, we will be alone together." Yukino said, her idea seeming to be convincing.
The action was quick and without any warning, causing Hachiman to jump slightly in surprise. But he didn't pull his arm away, instead letting her hold onto it.
"I... I guess that makes sense. Alright, if you wanna keep this way, then so be it. It's not like I really mind either, though." Hachiman agreed to her plan.
A small, joyful giggle escaped Yukino's lips as she realized that she had finally found the companionship she had longed for. A friend who won't mistreat her, who will stand by her side and support her through both good and bad times. It was a feeling she had longed for, and she savored the moment, holding onto Hachiman's arm tighter.
She always thought it was impossible for her to have something like this, but now she found out that there was this boy with his signature dead fish eyes. A loner like her who could understand and support her.
Together they opened the door leading into their class and stepped inside, the sight of them surprising everyone present in the classroom.
Here was the begining of a great friendship who will go through many hardships and difficulties but eventually end up supporting each other during the hard time. This friendship that may evolve into something deeper...
Something that goes beyond the concept of friendship itself.
Something genuine...
