Career Choice || Hachiman x Yukino || (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

"How come you're still here? Don't you have classes?"

"My parents right now are strict because of the incident. I'm not allowed to leave their house unless it's for something urgent. The university agreed with this and let me take online classes which are easier than going to university itself. How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain?"

I went straight for questions after making sure he knew that I was safe.

"I feel nothing right now. Where is Yuigahama?"

"She had her parents call for her. She told me to say that she is glad, grateful, and thankful to be saved by you. She is fortunate enough to be alive."

Memorizing the exact sentence is crucial to this part,

"No problem, I guess. Are you also hurt?"

"Not at all. Thanks to you."

My brain still cannot process the thought.

The thought that Hikigaya-kun had saved my life, risking his own.

"I see. Well that is fortunate."

He went back to laying on his hospital bed, with nothing to say. I did say that he wanted to make sure that me and Yui were safe. And we were in fact safe.

Now he has nothing to say because he accomplished his mission.

"Thank you."

"Hm?"

He seemed very confused by my sudden out of the blue words.

"Thank you for saving my life."

"Oh. Don't mention it. It's my job."

"Please do not compare your job to our friendship or my gratitude. I want to actually be thankful to you. I'm so fortunate and lucky to be alive... I-It was scary. I don't know how you are so calm at this. You are so calm when bullets pass by you, when you walk past corpses, when you shoot a gun, and being hit by a piece of shrapnel."

"I guess that is what war is all about. It isn't portrayed well in movies. They think it's all about loud firearm noises, constant moving around and having the government on your side. Real war is all about ambushes, sneaking, hiding, and shooting your distance from far away. And most of the time, the government isn't there to help you. You are sometimes on your own. I've dealt with this for 4 years. And I got 16 years to go until I can retire."

He... He was going to do more of this?

Why?

Why does he choose to risk his life once more? He doesn't know that there are people who love him, who care for him.

I suddenly grab his hands with both of mine, wrapping it very tight but with soft comfort.

A crimson shade overlaps my pale cheeks.

"Please... Please don't do that again.."

"Do what?"

"Please do not go out there and risk your life. I know saving lives is important... But I still want you to notice that you have people who care about you, who cherish you, who l-love-like you."