[Option 1: Leave quietly.
Pretend you saw nothing.
After all, sticking your nose into other people’s business only brings trouble upon yourself.
(Reward: Skill “Self-Preservation (Basic)” — Slightly reduces the probability of getting dragged into troublesome incidents)]
[Option 2: Mutter to yourself at a volume neither too loud nor too soft: “Ah, shouldn’t the security here be stepping up patrols?
I heard there have been a lot of outsiders harassing students lately.” (Reward: Yuigahama Yui’s Initial Notice & Small Chance of Diverting the Delinquents)]
[Option 3: Step forward and intervene.
No matter what, you can’t just turn a blind eye.
(Reward: Yuigahama Yui’s Favorability & Unknown Trouble)]
Staring at these three options before his eyes, Hikigaya Hachiman felt his stomach begin to ache faintly again.
Option 1 was the safest, perfectly aligned with his creed for living.
Option 2 carried his usual roundabout sarcasm along with a tiny sliver of hope—maybe it could work?
But that “small chance” filled him with doubt.
His gaze ultimately settled on Option 3.
Step forward and intervene?
‘What a joke.
This was practically the textbook example of inviting disaster.’ Reason shrieked at him to stay away, yet another figure flashed through his mind—that cool, clear presence, along with the words “the Service Club’s purpose is to help others”…
And then there was the girl before him, Yuigahama Yui.
That frightened, helpless look on her face.
He couldn’t truly, with a clear conscience, just turn around and walk away.
He hated trouble, but he hated seeing this kind of bullying even more.
“…Tch.” He clicked his tongue, as if trying to drive away the hesitation in his heart.
The next moment, his feet were already moving toward that corner.
“Hey, you guys.” Hikigaya’s voice wasn’t especially loud, even somewhat low, but it was enough to make those bleached-blonds stop harassing Yuigahama and turn their heads toward him.
He tried his best to keep his expression calm, even though inwardly he was already bracing for the worst possible outcome of a confrontation.
“Cornering a girl from our school inside a supermarket—doesn’t look too good, does it?”
His appearance clearly caught the delinquents off guard.
The one who seemed to be the leader sized him up from head to toe, his gaze unfriendly.
“Hah?
Who the hell are you?
Mind your own damn business!”
“I’m just an ordinary student passing by.” Hikigaya answered evenly, simultaneously stepping slightly sideways, placing himself between Yuigahama and the group.
“The supermarket has surveillance cameras, and security should be here soon.
If you don’t want trouble, I’d suggest you leave now.”
His tone carried no particular force, but his stance was clear.
The blondes exchanged glances, seeming somewhat wary of the cameras and security he’d mentioned—or perhaps they simply figured it wasn’t worth tangling with this sudden interloper with the somewhat intimidating eyes just for the sake of one girl.
The leader spat on the floor, cursed a “You got lucky,” and slunk off with the others in tow.
Only when their figures disappeared beyond the end of the shelves did Hikigaya secretly exhale in relief, his tense shoulders relaxing just slightly.
“Um, um…
thank you!” A tearful voice of gratitude came from behind him.
He turned around to see Yuigahama Yui bowing deeply toward him, her bun bobbing gently with the motion.
She lifted her head, her eyes a little red around the rims, but filled with earnest gratitude.
“Really…
thank you so much, Hikigaya-kun!”
She remembered his name.
That surprised Hikigaya a little.
“It’s nothing.” He averted his gaze, not used to being thanked so solemnly.
“I just happened to be passing by.”
“It’s not nothing at all!” Yuigahama shook her head vigorously.
“If it weren’t for you, I really don’t know what I would’ve done…”
As she spoke, she hurriedly took out her phone, her face still bearing traces of lingering panic but her eyes earnest and eager.
“P-Please, let me add you on Line!
At least…
at least let me have a chance to thank you properly!”
Hikigaya had meant to refuse, but seeing that expression of hers—the kind that said she’d feel guilty forever if he said no—the words that had been on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.
He silently took out his phone, and the two exchanged Line contacts.
“Really…
thank you so much!” Yuigahama looked at the newly added contact on her phone and thanked him again, a relieved smile finally appearing on her face.
“You don’t need to keep thanking me.” Hikigaya waved a hand.
“Just head home earlier after school from now on.
I’m going.”
With that, he didn’t linger any longer.
He turned and headed toward the fresh produce section, as if he’d just done something utterly trivial.
Watching his retreating figure, Yuigahama Yui remained standing where she was, clutching her phone tightly.
Her heart was still pounding from the earlier fright and lingering fear, but the sense of reassurance that had come with Hikigaya’s appearance was just as vividly clear.
He always seemed like a loner, a little antisocial, never especially polite when he spoke.
She never imagined he would step up at a time like this.
“I really have to thank him properly…” she murmured to herself, beginning to earnestly consider how to express this gratitude.
Treat him to something to eat?
A small gift?
Or maybe…
….
Hikigaya bought the chicken breast Komachi wanted along with the other ingredients and returned home, shopping bag in hand.
He had barely slipped the key into the lock when the door swung open from inside.
His little sister Komachi’s energetic voice immediately rang out.
“Welcome back, Onii-chan!
Did you get the chicken cutlet?”
“Yeah.” Hikigaya responded, bending down to change his shoes.
Komachi took the shopping bag from his hand, blinking her big eyes and watching him with concern.
“Onii-chan, how was school today?
Was the new semester club activity fun?”
‘How was it?’ Images flashed instantly through Hikigaya’s mind—Yukinoshita Yukino’s cool, refined face; the awkward yet delicate atmosphere in the Service Club; and that scene just now at the supermarket where he’d stuck his nose into someone else’s business.
It was all complex and chaotic, far from something that could be summed up with the word “fun.”
He straightened up, habitually using a flat tone to mask the ripples within, and answered, “Nothing special.
Same as always.”
Komachi watched her older brother’s back as he headed toward the kitchen.
The lively smile on her face dimmed a little, a flicker of concern—barely perceptible—passing through her eyes.
She remembered it clearly.
After middle school, her brother had grown more and more silent, more and more accustomed to brushing off every expression of concern with “nothing” and “same as always.”
That brother who had once been a little more direct seemed to have been wrapped up in something.
She let out a soft sigh, but quickly rallied herself and followed him into the kitchen.
“Then I’m leaving tonight’s fried chicken cutlet to you, Onii-chan!
Komachi will help out!”
“Mm.”
The sounds of cooking gradually rose in the kitchen, the warm lamplight pushing back the deepening twilight outside the window.
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