My elite romantic comedy is wrong, as I expected.

VOL 3 Chapter 8 Exercise

I did my best to keep the class harmony stable, now it's up to them to manage everyone, while I collect some extra profits.

Horikita: We understand.

Kikyo: Be very careful, don't hesitate to rest your body as much as necessary.

Yousuke: Leave the rest to us.

With that I leave for the forest, I don't want to talk to anyone else for the moment. When I lose sight of the camp, I start running, my joints feel stiff, the life of a libertine in a way is not so easy, or it must be because I wasn't one at first.

While continuing to run I come to a board. It's on a hillside that would make a good campsite, so all the dots are possible campsites. After marking with the card, I continue to my next target, where he arrived and again I mark it, so successively I mark several positions, I calculate that the first point will be available in 4 hours, in this lapse of time I managed to mark 6 places out of 8 possible, the two missing ones were already marked by class A and C, I think it is because it is close to their camp that they were able to take them, if we take into account the places that the classes use as camp and the ones I just marked, there are more than 10 points on this island, Koenji marked about thirteen points, plus the routes where they are easier to move, this way I was able to achieve so much in such a short time.
The right choice is to return to the camp to rest and recover the stamina I used.
While I take the path to return to the class. I can see a figure in the trees. No, she is on top of one of the tree branches, passively observing the panorama.

It's a girl with familiar blonde hair.

Hachiman: Furinji-san?!

Hearing my loud tone of voice, she turns to me.

Furinji: Huh? Hikigaya-kun? What are you doing here?

With that he jumps off the branch and falls, he manages to land perfectly, he looks more like a monkey than a person, is it the same case as Koenji? Although I can't complain knowing that I've done crazier things.

Hachiman: Exploring this island.

I answer briefly.

Furinji: Isn't it dangerous for you to go alone?

Hachiman: I prefer to be alone, I've never been much for camping with a lot of people.

Furinji: Sounds like something you would say.

You created an image in your head about me, I don't know if it's positive or negative, in a way I'm afraid to ask.

Hachiman: Now it's my turn, what are you doing?

Furinji: Also observing possible places to have food.

Hachiman: You seem to be good at climbing trees.

Furinji: My grandfather used to make me climb them, so it became a habit for me.

Damn, what a terrible grandfather.

Hachiman: Out of curiosity, how old were you when he made you?

She places her delicate finger on her chin, creating an air of innocence.

Furinji: This..... I think I was about five years old.

Scary, extremely scary, weren't you worried that something would happen to you?

I don't ever want to meet that guy, if he does that to his granddaughter I can't imagine what he'll do to the poor devil who dispossessed her.

Furinji: You're pretty sweaty, Hikigaya-kun, why don't you rest for a while in our camp?

Hachiman: Is that all right? We are rivals after all.

Furinji: That's right, you still look pretty tired, I wouldn't forgive myself if I left you in that state. Besides, our class is allied with yours.

I don't think I'm in that bad of shape, but it would be rude for me to deny myself that much.

Hachiman: I guess I could hang out for a while.

Furinji: you are not honest, Hikigaya -kun.

With that I follow her towards the camp, there's something I have to ask her what's been bothering me.

Hachiman: Hey, Furinji-san, you mentioned your grandfather before, what about your parents?

No sane parent would leave their child in the hands of such a scary grandfather. Or so I think, though I'm not one to talk.

I can see Furinji's composure stiffen. For the first time I see that this cheerful girl is surrounded by an aura of sadness. I have stepped on a mine.

Furinji: They ..... They are dead, my grandfather was the one who raised me since I was little.

Hachiman: I'm sorry, I made you remember something painful.

Furinji: No, don't worry, I was too little to have memories about them, I just feel lonely sometimes.

Damn, I'm a complete fool, where my position was different I would tell you she wouldn't be lonely, but right now we're just acquaintances, yeah a lot of good acquaintances.

Think Hachiman, think, I'm completely trapped, I'd like to offer her a trace of comfort but I can't. There is only one thing left to try.

Hachiman: That doesn't matter Furinji-san, your parents will always occupy an important space in your life, even if they are gone, I'm sure they love you and want you to move on, plus you also have your grandfather who watches over you.And your class friends, It's a fact that no matter where you go you won't be alone.

I say my thoughts, it's a different kind of loneliness than what I'm used to, somehow it makes me feel bad for my parents, from this life and the last, I guess I never appreciated them enough.

My words surprise Furinji-san, her beautiful face covered in astonishment changes to a smile capable of melting the coldest ice.

Furinji: I never thought you would cheer me up, Hikigaya-kun, Thank you.

There are doubts whether it was the right decision to say something or to keep quiet, but her smile makes me glad that at least I left that kind of thought.

Hachiman: I know we are nothing more than acquaintances but I wanted to tell you that.

Her expression changes back to one of surprise.

Furinji: Huh? Hikigaya-kun aren't we friends?

Huh? I don't think we ever gave that impression, to be more precise it would be based on my friend's friend. Even though we talked a couple of times I don't think we have narrowed that distance, am I wrong?

What's all this fuss about friendship? I thought that with my first friends I understood a little bit about the term friendship, however I notice that I have a long way to go.

Hachiman: I thought we wouldn't be, after all we've only talked a couple of times.

I tell her my sincere thoughts.

Furinji: It's not fair, I think we were friends, just like you did with Honami-chan.

To be fair, Honami is someone very clingy who would befriend even a slug.

Hachiman: There are special circumstances.

Furinji: Oh yeah? Like what?

It seems like she won't let go of the subject until we are friends, what a strange way to make friends, was I wrong all my life?

It's quite illogical for her to ask me this now, every time I tried to form a bond I ended up getting hurt, I guess I'll just let her lead me on this time, to see if she's less insistent this way.

Hachiman: I understand, I understand, I was wrong in my own perception, are you sure you are my friend?

She puffs up her cheeks angrily.

Furinji: Of course I am, it bothers me that you won't think like that.

Hachiman: Then let's start from now.

I stretch out my hand, I guess this would be the ritual for us to be friends, right?
Furinji looks at me in surprise until an amazed and joyful look forms on her face.

Furinji: I'm counting on you Hikigaya-kun.

Hachiman: Me too.

Look at me, a loner without a cause forming a peculiar friendship, it's a feeling I've never felt, yet I'm glad that at least I'm moving forward.