The Final Week of April

Hikigaya's Route to Senior High Is Not Normal, As I Expected

"If you're going to be an entrepreneur… It's not all textbook. It's gut feeling, its intuition, it's a feeling you have that you can do this and make I happen. I think you have to have a personality." - Wayne Heizenga

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Hachiman's POV

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Once Hachiman had finished his shift, he decided he needed to speak to Sae, considering her behaviour.

Perhaps he was being a bit petty, but considering everything and the circumstances that were involved, Hachiman knew that something was up.

He needed to get to the bottom of this with why Sae was giving him unwarranted attention. They often said that the eyes were the gateway to know the true person.

But for Hachiman, the eyes were the primary decipher of what made human though and emotion unique.

Sort of like the hidden determinant as to what may hold the true intentions of an individual. For Hachiman, the eyes were a source of scorn. His fish eyes made it incredibly difficult for people to see him as respectable in appearance.

It was funny, despite him having a respectable body overall, as soon as his eyes were shown, he was bumped down, a wasted potential in the eyes of many and almost everyone.

Those who didn't see a problem usually were few and vary between.

Regardless, Hachiman learned that the eyes were the source of true emotions. If somebody saw something disgusting, the eyes would be the thing preceding a comment.

If humans can think and rationalize what they say, then their eyes were the irrationality.

Hachiman had learned that in numerous ways. Whether during sparing with Aoki, when he had to learn to anticipate movements coming towards him, one of his special skills he had held close to him, for Hachiman, eyes were the thing that preceded impulse of the human mind.

And as Hachiman ended up heading to the office where Sae and Chie were likely. For some reason, it was the place Hachiman would always find the two teachers. As for their overall personalities, Hachiman could see a lot of similarities between Chie and Sae, and his former homeroom teacher, Hiratsuka.

Hachiman continued on as he felt the temperature get a bit colder when he approached the office.

"Of course these two have to remind me of my former homeroom teacher, who was a single middle aged and hot woman…" Hachiman sighed, wondering how the romcons had gotten himself in such a situation.

Alas, he was focused on a couple of things.

For one, Sae had given him the same look as she gave to another student in their class: Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

Although Hachiman had never spoken to Kiyotaka, he had technically had a one-side remark from Suzune, pretty much Kiyotaka's female dog, but Hachiman had pretty much ignored her, not really seeing the point in arguing with someone he's never met nor spoken to before.

He much preferred her brother over her.

Regardless, as for Kiyotaka, Hachiman didn't really see anything in him. He seemed disinterested at a first glance.

However, what Hachiman had originally thought was disinterest, was actually nothing.

It was a deficit of anything.

The face Kiyotaka was showing was complete nothingness. And that terrified Hachiman.

Even with all his apathy, Hachiman only showed a face of disinterest most of the time, he showed emotions. As much as a monster of logic he was, he was still human.

But this individual seemed emotionless, or at least not caring for the stuff that happened around him.

Maybe there was something Sae saw in him that Hachiman didn't at the time.

But to give Kiyotaka some unwarranted stares, which was now going to him? Hachiman was unsure.

However, that was when Hachiman had a thought as to why Sae could be doing this.

May was coming up in a couple of days, which would be when the first allocation of private points would go ahead. Everyone in Class 1-D was probably assuming they would get 100,000 private points at the beginning of May.

But Hachiman knew better.

He had spent an entire three weeks determining the rules of this school, and by communicating wih some key individuals who were also somewhat influential, Hachiman knew the system better.

He may not know the entire picture, but he would say he knew more than his peers.

Enough to assume he wouldn't get 100,000 private points.

Who knows? Maybe they will even get no private points at all just to spite the class for their poor behaviour.

Nonetheless, Hachiman knocked on the office door, clearly wondering what was going on. Sure enough, Sae was smoking as always, whilst Chie was likely wasted away.

"What is it? You again?" Sae asked as she blew out a puff of air. Hachiman placed a hand over his noise, and another right on the cigarette before flicking it away from Sae.

"Hey, I was smoking that." Sae commented, looking sternly at Hachiman.

"I know, but I will do this again if I have to." Hachiman explained as he stared at Sae.

Sae for her part was half angry, half confused, "What did he mean by again? Oh whatever, is this becoming a regular? Always coming here to ask a question he knows he won't get?"

Hachiman looked on before he bluntly asked. "How come you were giving me a smirk when I was writing the test?"

Sae turned clearly entertained already. She really liked how Hachiman always asked these questions. Even if he knew he wasn't going to get a direct answer, he still managed to find a way to get it answered, and then coming back to reveal it to her until she just gave him a nod of approval.

It was somewhat unique, but Sae digressed.

"Seems you saw that? I thought you were focused on your test?" Sae asked, clearly gently taunting Hachiman.

Hachiman shrugged, "I finished the test early, and when I looked up, I saw you staring at me, even smirking slightly."

Sae looked on, "Perhaps I should penalize you for not focusing on the test."

Hachiman stared at Sae with his deadfish eyes before he had an idea. "How about I make a small bet with you?"

Sae looked on, interested in such a bet. "Go on." She crossed her arms in her typical serious fashion.

"Let me predict my test scores. Have you already finished marking them?" Hachiman proposed before asking Sae something to ensure that it would work.

"Not entirely." Sae commented, admitting she hadn't finished marking all the tests.

"I see. Well besides the last math question on the test, and maybe the last chemistry question, I think I got full marks on the rest. Therefore, I scored between 90 and 95." Hachiman slouched more forward as if to ensure confidence, all the while Sae stared at Hachiman.

"You sure are confident for someone in Class 1-D." Sae responded.

"And with that attitude and angle you are going at it, you said that test was not contributing to our grading report, right?" Hachiman asked, just to clarify what Sae had said was correct.

"Yes, that is correct." Sae nodded as she waited for what Hachiman was getting at.

"But you never said that this test had no worth in any way shape or form. Could this test possibly be a test of our merit as a class?" Hachiman asked Sae as he now glared at her with full intent on getting an answer.

The sheer intent from his look made Sae somewhat surprised, before she smirked, "Well then. You are catching on. To make this short, yes. The mock test was a test for your merit as a class."

Hachiman nodded, clearly content his question was answered. But then again, why would Sae do it now? Even when he glared at her beforehand, she hadn't folded then.

Therefore, Hachiman knew that perhaps whatever he did or learned, it wouldn't make a difference.

Simply put, there was no reason for Sae to hold onto a front. Whatever she did, it would not change anything.

Hachiman could see that as he had gotten his answer, "You still hadn't asked my question before hand. Not only did you stare at me while I was writing my test, but you also stared at another student during the first week of school."

Sae looked very surprised at that, "You actually remember such a detail back then?"

Hachiman nodded, "Yes, I remember a lot."

Sae hummed as she clearly didn't want to answer. Hachiman knew at this point he wouldn't get an answer, so he pressed on.

"Is there something you see in me?" Hachiman asked curiously, before his eyes narrowed, "You don't seem like the type to care until someone intrigues you."

"And why do you say that?" Sae asked wanting Hachiman to explain.

Hachiman eyed Sae's own eyes, "I can see your intentions on your eyes, Chabashira. You have some malicious intent with me, especially when you smirked at me."

Sae remained silent at that as if she was trying to think what to say. "Let's just say, you are one of the more unique student's I've had in my homeroom class."

Hachiman raised an eyebrow, "Now you will have to explain how."

Sae began to speak, unaware she was now speaking, "It's very simple. Everyone in Class 1-D has been reckless and stupid. Any instance of student's being curious and wanting to figure something out, and even making progress in it? It makes me eye this student with intrigue."

Hachiman hummed, as he pondered, "So why now? Why tell me all of this now?" Sae's eyes widened as she realized she had spoken somewhat just now.

But as Sae was going to just not reply, Hachiman answered with his own skeptic remark, "Let me guess, it's because nothing will change the inevitable, right?"

Sae, after hearing that then smiled, "Seems that you continue to impress me more and more, Hikigaya."

Hachiman sighed as he now decided to ask now. "I demand to know everything now. You already are admitting that nothing will change."

Sae however, smirked and turned the question back onto him. "Why don't you answer? You already know it by the looks of it."

Hachiman deadpanned, clearly not liking the conversation he was involved in.

As if the world wanted him to suffer more, Chie seemed to have awoken from her drunken sleep, clearly wasted as she eyed Sae and Hachiman speaking.

"Oh! Sae! You brought him back I see!" Chie blurred her words, but it was coherent enough for both Sae and Hachiman to understand.

"Uh, what?" Hachiman looked on confused, "You talk to her about me?"

Sae for her part finally spoke, "I certainly did not. Chie is just being a drunken mess." Sae sighed as she walked over to keep Chie down. "You should remain lying down, or else you will want to puke."

Chie however, grumbled, "Don't treat me like a baby! I am a grown woman, a teacher!"

"I can see why these two don't have a significant other, yet…" Hachiman watched with a deadpan expression, wondering how these two were even allowed to teach.

One smokes, and the other drinks until she falls asleep.

Maybe Chie wasn't that much of an alcoholic…

Hachiman almost blurted out laughing at that attempt to downplay Chie's obvious issue. But moving on, Hachiman knew better, that whatever he had done had caught the attention of Sae, as she was clearly eying him up as seen during the mock exam.

"Oh, I don't feel so good…" Chie mumbled, as she was clearly up, but wobbling, and needing Sae to act as crutch for her.

"See, I told you. Moving too quickly will make you dizzy and wanting to barf." Sae sighed, clearly a bit upset Chie had not followed her advice.

"Hikigaya, can you use a towel over there to clean the mess Chie had? Thank you!" Sae called out to Hachiman as she led Chie to the washroom.

Hachiman could only wonder what Chie had done, as he already had an idea.

Sighing, he gathered the towel and went near the couch where Chie had been sleeping, and thus waken to even earlier.

Only to find that she had indeed, puked as soon as she stood up, right on the ground next to the couch.

Hachiman stared for a bit before he looked up, cursing whatever supernatural leader that had control over this, asking them why he was placed in such a situation.

And so, after Hachiman cleaned up the area, he quickly left the office, not wanting to put up more with Sae and Chie's adventures.

He sighed, as he made his way over to the library. He had been late and knew Nao might be a bit upset with him.

Therefore, he quietly jogged across the halls trying to make it to the library as quickly as possible. He hoped Nao wasn't too upset with him because of his apparent tardiness.

However, thankfully, Nao did not look upset with Hachiman even as the boy jogged into the library, being a bit loud in his entrance.

Nao instead looked confused before she began to chuckle slightly.

Hachiman's ears her Nao's giggling causing him to look at her with a deadpan expression. Hachiman hated the little teasing Nao would do to him, but alas, it never did any hard to him, so there was no real reason to comment on it.

Regardless, once Hachiman explained the little conundrum, he had gotten himself in with Chie and Sae, Nao laughed even more, causing Hachiman to silently groan at the circumstances he was put into.

In the meantime, Hachiman got to work despite Nao allowing him to take it easy, especially after learning of the battle he had endured.

Nao also smiled, "Also, you need to learn to check your phone!"

Hachiman sighed after Nao laughed and walked away, not realizing Shiina was behind him.

"Oh, Hiyori, I didn't see you there." Hachiman sighed as now he was being brought from one person he spoke to, to the next.

"Aren't you going to check your phone as what she asked you to do?" Shiina then asked Hachiman, as he nodded.

"Right, forgot." Hachiman responded as he went to see what was on his phone. To his surprise, he had gotten a message both from Shiina and Nao.

His eyes widened slightly as he realized that both Nao and Shiina had messaged him, the former around ten minutes ago, telling him it was alright to come in a bit later, while the latter texted Hachiman last night wanting to speak on a supposed exciting part of the book she had been reading, the same book Hachiman had given Shiina.

Hachiman clearly was surprised as Shiina tilted forward to see his reaction.

"You really made me sad that you didn't answer back, but I chalked it up to you being asleep." Shiina commented, all the while Hachiman looked on.

"Sorry, I guess I'm not used to responding back to people…" Hachiman mumbled clearly feeling a bit bad that he was doing exactly what he thought others would do to him.

Hachiman looked on, especially as Shiina looked at him with a downcast expression. Hachiman looked on, realizing he had unintentionally hurt someone with his lack of commitment, especially considering Hachiman had always expressed his disinterest in communicating with others in contacts, due to them never responding to him.

And yet, he did the same thing to Shiina.

And he, surprisingly felt bad. Sure, he could have made the excuse that he fell asleep early, but he didn't want to.

Shiina looked on clearly trying to understand Hachiman, "I thought you left me on read or that you fell asleep, but seeing your surprised expression makes me realize you hadn't even checked your own phone."

Hachiman nodded, as he too made his own comment, "She is surprisingly in depth with her deductions." Hachiman thought to himself as he eyed Shiina.

Hachiman sighed, "Sorry, I'm just not used to people speaking or texting to me, so I don't usually turn my phone on to look at what others are saying."

Shiina looked at Hachiman, as she quickly asked, "So you've never had people to speak to?"

Hachiman shook his head, "It's not that, it's more of only here. In other schools…" Hachiman didn't have to say much as he just remained silent.

Shiina seemed to get the message, "Did somebody hurt you?"

Hachiman flinched slightly, before he did his best to ignore it, "It doesn't matter anymore."

"But it certainly does if it impacts you." Shiina commented to Hachiman's clear attempt to downplay something that clearly was impacting him.

Hachiman sighed, "Well, we are isolated from the rest of the world, so I have three years hoping to not have to deal with it."

Shiina looked on, a small sad look in her face, "Well, I've never really had friends until you came up. Nobody really wanted to befriend the nerdy, book girl. You're really the only one I have and can consider a friend."

Hachiman gave a small surprise at that, "You consider someone you've known for like, 3 days a friend?!"

Shiina then sighed, "But perhaps maybe I don't know what it means to be a friend." She looked down, making Hachiman cringe at the sad look Shiina was giving. "I mean, maybe I'm being too clingy, or I don't exactly know what it means to be a friend."

Hachiman shook his head, "I'm not good at this neither, so don't put the blame on yourself for my actions…" Hachiman breathed out as he didn't want Shiina to blame herself for this.

"Seriously, you put the blame on yourself because I didn't check my phone?!" Hachiman asked himself internally.

Shiina's frown went away as she turned to a more neutral expression. "Well then, how do you say we go at this?"

Hachiman sighed, "I'll make sure to check my phone more often, it's a first for me as well."

Shiina's eyes turned to her pocket as she pulled out the book, a small smile returning on her face. "Well then, to make up for it, you'll give me some of your time later, okay?"

Hachiman nodded in agreement. "Sure, I'm fine with that."

As he looked at Shiina's more happier expression, he couldn't help but feel a bit sick of himself.

"Man, first I make someone's first friend a terrible one, especially considering she already considers me a friend after three days, but I do the same thing of not committing to actions and speaking to her… She put in the effort, which was what I said I wanted people to do…"

Hachiman sighed as he returned to his own working station before he had one thought on his mind, feeling bad for how he was treating Nao and Shiina.

"I'm a massive, hypocrite…"

…

Got some comments regarding the questions I've asked, and I certainly don't mind using characters not really used a lot of the time in manga, light novel, or anime. I am fine with using characters like Yuki, Ibuki, or Kamuro as some characters Hachiman could slowly "befriend," and even major characters we can assume he'll have a problem with, like Suzune, Kushida, and Ichinose, it will be more complex than that.

As for the question last chapter, it pretty much has a unanimous opinion to pretty much drag Hachiman under the bus completely. What a great option because let's just say the majority of Class D will now have a negative view on Hachiman, which is fun to write!