A week has passed before graduation, I have only 1 person left to heal our relationship back into one piece.
Yukinoshita.
[ Flashback ]
During Wednesday, I decided to come up with a plan to heal my relationship with Yuigahama. It is extremely risky because I don't know how she will respond to it.
But I will let all you know that it will take place when I ask her if I can walk her home.
Not that I am in love with her or anything. It's the perfect situation and it's in private.
Ring!
And so the bell that has told everyone in the building that school has ended, I peered towards Yuigahama who was walking up to her friends at the time.
If she decides to hang out with Ebina and Miura, the plan will 100% be unable to operate at any safe levels. Simply put it, mission failed.
10 seconds later, they left without her.
Great start indeed.
As she watched her friends leave, I could see her stare at me for a couple more seconds.
"Yuigahama."
Me calling her name seemed to startle and surprise her.
"Y-Yes, Hikki?"
I could tell she was both mentally and physically unprepared to talk to me. It is indeed awkward to talk together after what has happened between the Service Club.
But in order to leave Chiba, I must clean and heal the wounds I have purposely committed.
"Wanna walk to your house?"
Her face was even more bewildered, a hint of red color rising more and more on her cheeks.
"Wh-What is with that statement? This has never occur before, so why now, of all times?"
"I need to talk to you about something in private. Talking to you in school property isn't the safest option. You don't want any gossips or rumors."
As soon as I said the last sentence, she quickly got the wrong idea.
"Hikki, I-I think it's too soon and too sudden for you to-"
"It's about my enlistment to the USMC (United States Marine Corps). Nothing else."
Her small delightful expressions regressed slowly and was replaced with a frown.
"Sure.. I guess so."
...
Wednesday is when there is no club for after school. High schools are very busy with homework and work so we get a time off.
"What did you want to talk about your enlistment? Are you having second thoughts or anything?"
"I signed up with no hesitation. I am dead serious about the military. And I just... I just want you to understand that I am left with this only choice."
Yuigahama tends to suggest impossible solutions whenever a problem occurs.
And a problem had occurred.
She learned her friend that she really cared about is signing up to the military and might possibly die in combat. And so she finds the most unrealistic solution to that problem.
"But you could find a different job. Me and Yukinon will help you."
You see what I mean?
My first step to the plan is to make her know that it is confirmed that I will be gone from Chiba. And then make her more comfortable with it. But that doesn't guarantee that it will work.
"I have my passport in my room. I've already packed all my things inside the luggage. I donated my useless belongings to others now. It's too late."
The last 2 were lies.
But they will happen in the future. It's too early to pack things in my opinion.
Her expressions that told me that she was desperately fighting for a solution, an impossible one once more. But then as her mature self begin dominating, she stopped walking and looked down.
"Hikki... I just want you to know that a lot of people care about you. Me, Yukinon, your little sister, and many other people."
I am aware of that.
But Yukinoshita caring about me? I find that nearly impossible, next to people having super powers.
"We are all sad because you didn't tell us. You actually intended to leave Chiba without telling any of us. Do you know how devastating that would be to me, and Yukinon? We both would contact your parents whom we haven't met. Everyone will be on the lookout for you. And while that is happening, you are... you might die.. You need to know that you're not some unknown person in society. You need to know that your actions affects others. Me, Yukinon, and your whole family will be affected by this. We all care about you."
I was not aware of this.
I just thought people would tend to forget me eventually.
Yukinoshita is a very beautiful girl with perfected talents. She's got all the money in the world and has nothing to worry about. She can have a fulfilling life. And eventually, I assumed she would forget me a few months later considering how much she despises me sometimes.
I imagined the same thing with Yuigahama. She would have a great time doing her job. And would probably forget about me in years.
"That's why I am here to reflect on my mistakes. By talking to you, my friend, and making it up with you."
At last, it has finally worked.
Her eyes widened as I said those words. In that moment, she couldn't help but wrap her arms around me.
Holy crap, is this what it feels like to be hugged by a girl? And it'll probably be the last time.
"Hikki... I'm gonna miss you so much!"
"I'm not even leaving yet. Why are you crying?"
"Because I can tell how much development you have had. Our first time meeting, you called me a 'bitch'. And now you finally called me your 'friend'."
Gosh I was such a rude bastard. I didn't even remember calling her that until she reminded me.
"Are we okay now? Will there be no more awkward moments in our possible last times talking to each other? I want this to be genuine like you always said."
She stopped hugging me, and starts looking at me straight in the eyes.
"Yes, I am sure enough."
"Then have you talked to Yukinon about it first?"
"Not really... I went to you first."
Yuigahama is much more easier than Yukinoshita.
Yukinoshita is on a whole different level. And it's gonna take a lot more than just words to heal our relationship back together.
[ End of Flashback ]
And now it's Friday, and I've come up with a plan after 2 days.
The place where I decided it to be taken..
Knock!
Knock!
"Come in."
This was the perfect plan in the perfect setting.
Yuigahama had decided to gone out to hang with her other friends as she promised them.
"Hikigaya-kun? I thought you said you weren't going to come to club anymore. What could you possibly be needing to talk to me about now?"
Haven't seen her in a week and her appearance seemed to have changed a bit. Especially her face. Her eyes were barely red but showed signs of something fatigued.
She's eating healthy, just her eyes has changed.
And I can tell she still asserts some hostility towards me. And I cannot blame her.
"I want to talk to you about something. Something really personal, that only you should hear out."
Ignoring her small glare, I brought up a chair and sat in front of her.
"Is it a request? A request about being genuine again? Or maybe a diversion to cover-up your disappearance."
"Not exactly. But I just to let you know that I was left with no choice but to join the military. It's really beneficial once you learn the perks of becoming a soldier."
I could list them all if I wanted to, but that isn't the time right now.
"There are way more better offers than retiring 20 years later. You could take classes on how to learn how to invest. I'll even ask my parents to find any wanted jobs in their companies. You've been working out, right? My father can make you a construction worker."
Just like Yuigahama, she tried to bargain with me.
Now I need to establish that it was already too late.
"I'm already enlisted. My travel plans are covered by the USMC. I'm already a US citizen."
"You're what?"
I did not mean to leak the last sentence. I mean it should already be known but even Yukinoshita doesn't know everything.
"I.. I am already a US citizen."
From bargaining, to disbelief.
"I cannot believe this. You are still hiding secrets, Hikigaya-kun? The man who has always wanted to be genuine to each other, is hiding secrets? After all my efforts and Yuigahama-san, you decided to choose the most dangerous path?"
I was pinned down, not literally.
"Hikigaya-kun, even when we are all genuine, I still despise the way you do things. In the end, you've haven't changed a bit. You still use yourself as the sacrificial pawn, and this time, it's literally a sacrificial pawns to governments."
Please don't make me use it...
"I cannot believe after 2 years of this. Why are you even trying to convince me that this was the only viable option? And I am confident that was your plan from the very start. And I suppose Yuigahama-san fell for it? She was more happier yesterday on Thursday than usual. Did you... Did you lead Yuigahama-san into believing a lie?"
Instead of answering, I just stared at her.
"This is absolutely unbelievable. I'm going to leave. Going to the clubroom without Yuigahama-san was a mistake."
As soon as she grabbed her bag, I stopped her arm by grabbing it. Of course, she never would've thought of this situation.
She stayed there, in that position.
Ironic how she said she would kick my ass if I laid a finger on her.
"I need you to listen."
I calmly tell her.
I guess she's the only person I have to confess to.
"What is there to listen, if it is all a complete lie?"
"2 months ago, I almost died."
Her struggle to get out of grip died down. Her glare turned into a shock of disbelief and worry.
"Wh-What? You almost died? And you didn't tell any of us? How?"
She was bombarded with vast amounts of questions which I expected.
"I was walking during the night, after failing one of the interviews. A man offered me $50 to deliver some stuff. Like the desperate idiot I was at the time, I forfeit my life for $50."
"Hikigaya-kun..."
As I experience and feared death, it made me realize how much I should've appreciated life. And then I thought about the lives of people in different countries under different governments, different dictators...
And now I would enlist in the USMC to fight for other people's freedom and lives.
"I looked into the contents of the boxes. It was drugs. And at that moment, I received a huge gash on my forehead."
The bandage that wrapped my forehead for weeks, she has now found out the real cause of it.
"The feeling of a gun pointed at your head. It was tremendously scary. My old motive was that I hated society for what it was. But now it made me thankful that I had the ability and freedom to talk about and criticize society."
People under dictatorship who speak against the government, disappear.
I was thankful that I had the ability to do that. Therefore I wish to fight for other people's freedom and equality.
"Then I was saved. I felt so relieved that I could live another day. Could you just imagine someone important disappearing in your life and you didn't get a chance to hear their last words to you? They could be gone in a blink of an eye."
Suddenly I felt something soft, caressing and touching my cheeks.
There were tears coming out of my eyes. But someone's hands were wiping those tears.
Yukinoshita's soft and delicate hands.
The woman who threatened to sent me to the hospital if I laid a hand on her, was now laying her hands on me.
I also begin to realize how close our faces were. It was like the same event when me and her were in the nurse room. She was helping my wounded knee and once she looked at my face again, it was at a range closer than expected.
And now was that same exact situation.
But this time, it was different.
The first one, it was just a bit sudden.
This one, had all times of feelings and emotions impacted into it.
And this was the first time... I was having second thoughts..
Was joining the military really the most viable and only option for me? What if I just let Yukinoshita help me more?
SLAM!
The loud noise startled the both of us.
We both turn to see the absolute despicable person in the whole world, which in my opinion, stinks.
"Hayama-kun, what is it that you need?"
Usually he goes around the school building and shows a smile. But this particular time, he showed a bit of hostility and frustration.
"I heard from Haruno... that you're enlisting in the military."
What? Who told her that...
And my mind absolutely turned into the only person who is close enough to contact Haruno.
Yukinoshita.
"Yes, that is indeed true."
Hayato walks up to me, looking down upon me with still the same hostility and frustration. He really looked like he was about to break and escalate the situation into a worse one.
"Do you have any idea how absolutely insane that is?"
Of all people, why should he care about me?
"It is. But I'm still doing it."
"Do you realize what is around you? You're surrounded by so many things you can have in the future. Yet you choose to forfeit your life over them?"
Wouldn't be the first time I forfeit my life.
"First of all, why do you care? What does my future have to do with yours?"
"Do you know how infuriating it is to see you blow your opportunity with her? Do you see how much she cares about you? Are you that dense?"
What on earth was he talking about? The only females to care about me very deeply is Komachi and my mother.
"Hayama-"
"Do you even know that she keeps a photo of you and her? I saw it. Haruno sent me a picture of it."
I am utterly confused on what he is talking about. What kind of person who keep a photo of me beside my family pictures? And me as well.
"Calm down. I need to know what you're talking about-"
PUNCH!
Something extremely painful and hard hit me on the face.
Yukinoshtia covered her mouth in shock on what she witnessed.
I originally was sitting on the chair, but fell to the floor as soon as that fist landed on my cheeks.
"Wake up, Hikigaya. You need to realize the grasp of this situation."
Instead of listening to his sentence, I was mildly filled with an emotion for the first time in forever.
Anger.
I've never really been in anger for a long time. And times I show it, it's just pure annoyance.
It was a bad time to punch me, after I had just recently filled with sad emotions such as crying.
And now I was gonna kill this bastard.
I got up and instantly tackled him to the ground.
A loud thud was emitted from the impact between hard floor and a person's back.
PUNCH!
My fist connected with his face just like he did to mine.
I would say we were even but then my mind brought back to the time where he pushed me against the wall during the school event.
I had little to no physique back then. But now I've changed. I have the ability to change and establish my superiority once and for all to this fake person.
It's about time this pretty boy learns that in the adult world, people don't care about your goddamn rank in society.
"Don't you ever punch me like that! I'll do even worse if I have to! I'll even wipe that pretty boy face off to the point where even a donkey finds you unattractive!"
Now we were even.
I took a quick look at Yukinoshita.
Taking a huge sigh of frustration, I grabbed my bag and quickly leave the clubroom before I get into trouble, ignoring the 2 of them once and for all.
I give up.
I wasn't gonna fix my relationship with Yukinoshita. Not anymore.
I shouldn't have done all of this. I should've only done it for Komachi, not the other 2.
My instincts were correct...
Joining the military is the only viable option I have.
And I have nothing to lose.