A Mistake Cleared Up. Time For A Summer Vacation?

Shiori sits alone in a tree with her wings wrapped around her as she continues to sob. She lays her head on her arms crossed upon her knees as a rustling in the bushes around is heard. Hikigaya comes stumbling out of the woods and towards the tree she's sitting in. He looks up and smiles when he sees her.

Hikigaya "Ah! Shiori! I finally found you! Now, you've got to explain to me what's going on??"

He asks as Shiori gives him a glare. Her wings open up as she swoops down and grabs hold of Hikigaya before flying quickly away. Soon they come to the clearing the group carved their names into. She drops him hard before landing herself. Hikigaya groans in pain a bit before getting up and dusting himself off.

Hikigaya "Okay, that was a little uncalled for."

Shiori "I have to explain?"

He looks at her as she turns around with tired and hurt eyes filled with anger. 

Shiori "You're the one who needs to explain."

He looks at her confused as her wings raise around her just a bit.

Shiori "So what? Are you working for the Devil's Syndicate? Did Drake put you up to this? Or maybe it was Amy? Was she ever my friend? Was… was anyone else?.."

She asks angrily as tears begin to flow again. She stutters and sobs between her words.

Shiori "Please, just explain to me what you could've possibly meant. How could this have been a misunderstanding? Please, just tell me anything that means this wasn't all fake! Something that proves that I mean something to anyone!"

She shouts as she sobs. Hikigaya stares at her in confusion and pain from seeing her so hurt.

Hikigaya "Shiori… I just… I don't know what's going on. If you could just-"

She grunts in frustration before crouching down and holding her hands on her head.

Hikigaya "just explain why you're so upset. I promise I'll do what I can to help you."

She doesn't look at him and just holds her head in her hands as Hikigaya desperately tries to understand.

Shiori "Why did you say those things?.."

She asks quietly. Hikigaya stares at her confused for a moment.

Hikigaya "You mean on my phone call?"

He asks gently. Shiori opens her eyes a bit and lifts her head slightly to look at him. Noticing this reaction, Hikigaya begins to understand.

Hikigaya "Shiori, I was telling some jerk to screw off. He called me asking for you and when I told him no, he went on some rant about how I'm just using you cause you're easy or whatever."

Shiori begins to lower her wings as her eyes widen.

Shiori "What about the part where you said I was a-a mismatch eyed freak..?"

Hikigaya sighs a bit in relief that the situation has an explanation.

Hikigaya "I was being sarcastic. Those were the kind of things he was saying. I would never ever say anything like that about you."

Shiori begins to stand up as her expression turns from betrayal and anger to understanding. Hikigaya shakes his head softly with a caring and relieved smile.

Hikigaya "How many situations are we gonna have from a misunderstanding?"

He looks at her and gets surprised when she starts balling. Tears roll down her face as her wings absorb back into her. She cries out as Hikigaya then quickly rushes to hug her. He wraps his arms around her tightly and holds her for a moment as she cries into his arms.

Hikigaya "I may not be all that smart and sometimes I make horrible decisions but being friends with you isn't one of them, Shiori."

He says softly as she cries into his embrace.

Eventually, they make it back home together as Hikigaya leads her along, holding her hand. She lags behind him a bit with her head lowered as Hikigaya walks in front of her. She looks up at him from behind with a frustrated and embarrassed look.

Shiori 'How many times is this?.. How many times have I broken down in front of him because of my mistakes?.. I don't…'

Her thoughts pause as the rain pelts them ever so lightly.

Shiori 'He deserves better than me…'

She thinks as she lowers her head. They make their way back inside as Chizuru and Lucy stand up in surprise and relief. They rush to her as Chizuru hugs her tightly.

Chizuru "Where did you go??"

Lucy "Yeah! We were super worried about you, dude."

She says with a relieved look. Hikigaya watches them for a moment before he hears someone yelling.

Riku "Hiyaaa!"

He shouts while diving onto Hikigaya's head. He latches on and starts beating the top of his head as Hikigaya struggles to get him off. 

Hikigaya "Ah! Ow, hey! Stop it, what're you doing?!"

He shouts as he rips Riku off of his face only to be met by his small foot kicking him directly in the face. 

Riku "That's what you get, you big meanie! You hurt my sister's feelings, I can feel it!"

Hikigaya "No I didn't..!"

He says with a muffled tone from under Riku's foot before tossing him over causing Riku to fly through the air comically.

Hikigaya "It was just a misunderstanding!"

Chizuru and Lucy look at him confused before turning to Shiori who looks away.

Chizuru "How about we go get you cleaned up? You're all wet from the rain."

Lucy "That's a good idea."

They take Shiori upstairs and to the bathroom. There, Chizuru washes Shiori's hair sitting behind her as Lucy sits on the counter.

Chizuru "So are you going to tell us what happened?"

Shiori "Do I have to?.."

She says reluctantly.

Lucy "Yes. We waited here for hours, worrying about you. I have to tell us what happened."

Shiori pauses for a moment before Chizuru speaks up.

Chizuru "Hiki said there was a misunderstanding. Did it have something to do with you asking him out?"

Shiori shakes her head softly.

Lucy "So what happened?"

Shiori gets an upset look before responding.

Shiori "Nothing. Just me being… dumb for no reason…"

The others pause for a moment.

Lucy "You didn't ask him, did you?"

She shakes her head again. Lucy sighs.

Lucy "Well, are you going to ask him?"

Shiori pauses for a moment before softly shaking her head again. They look at her surprised.

Chizuru "What?? Why not? You two are perfect together!"

Shiori tenses up a bit at her comment.

Shiori "I don't think.. we are…"

Chizuru sweats a bit.

Chizuru "What makes you say that?"

Shiori "Because… I'm so… unstable… Just look at tonight. I made him rush around town looking for me in the rain only for me to accuse him of something he didn't even do when he found me… Let alone all the other times I've punched him or yelled at him or caused problems for him over and over again…"

She says while holding herself, frustrated at her own actions.

Shiori "He's better off loving someone better than me…"

She says quietly with a sad tone. 

Chizuru "Shiori, look at me."

Slightly surprised by her tone, Shiori turns around a bit to look at Chizuru giving her a disapproving look.

Chizuru "I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you again, got it?"

She wags her finger at her before softening her look.

Chizuru "Shiori, you're not perfect. Neither are we. But that doesn't mean we haven't earned the right to be happy, same as you."

Chizuru smiles at her.

Chizuru "You're not damaged goods that need to be cast aside. You deserve to be loved too."

She says softly with a smile as Shiori nods back timidly. Chizuru giggles before slapping Shiori on the back encouragingly.

Chizuru "Well don't worry! I'm sure you'll get your chance to ask him again!"

Shiori winces from the slap as Lucy snickers. Suddenly, Chizuru's face lights up as she gets an idea.

Chizuru "Oh! I got it!"

She turns and looks at Lucy.

Chizuru "I know what we're gonna do this summer!"

She says with a big, excited smile on her face. 

Suddenly, Shiori and Hikigaya are standing in front of a bus that pulls away, leaving them in summer wear and confused looks on their faces. Chizuru and Hisana jump with excitement as the others all pick up their bags and begin to follow them.

Lucy "Main, look at that view."

Touma nods in agreement.

Mormo "Make sure you apply loads of sunscreen, you ghost."

He says snarkily to Suiyoubi who smiles and nods. Shiori and Hikigaya stand there dazed with their bags at their feet.

Shiori "How did they convince me to come?.."

Hikigaya shakes his head a bit before smiling at her and bumping her shoulder.

Hikigaya "Hey, this might be kinda crazy but it's an adventure, right? Let's make the most of it."

He says while picking up his bags. Shiori does the same.

Shiori "You're telling me. And you didn't know your mom owned this place?"

Hikigaya "Not a bit. I guess she rents it out? First I heard about it."

Chizuru "Come on guys! Let's go!"

She shouts as they rush down the dirt path towards a big fancy beach house. 

Hisana "Woah! This place is huge!"

She shouts cartoonishly in the living room before rushing off into another room. The whole group follows as Hikigaya pulls out a map of the house. 

Hikigaya "Okay, so there's four bedrooms, two of them being master bedrooms. I guess we can pair up and the others can stay in the study?"

Kitaro flops his bags down and himself onto the long end of the large L shaped couch.

Kitaro "Nuh uh. I'm taking this spot here. Easiest access to the TV and +Box."

Alice "There's a +Box here?"

Kitaro points at the entertainment cabinet below the wall mounted TV.

Alice "Huh, I guess there is."

Suiyoubi "I'll take the study!"

She raises her hand up happily before rushing off with Alice following behind her.

Alice "Wait, I wanna pick my spot!"

She says desperately as Suiyoubi giggles.