[Quest] For Romance

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[-Continuation-]

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[Hachiman's POV]

Hopefully, she'll leave me alone now.

Relief washed over me as I hit the silent button, grateful for a temporary reprieve from her persistent attempts at communication.

Glancing at my wristwatch, I noted the time - [11 : 30]

I switched off my phone.

…

[-After Three Hours-]

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[Hachiman's POV]

"Are we done with the launch preparations?" I inquired, stretching my arms above my head and reveling in the satisfying feeling of the long hour's work coming to an end.

"Yeah." Mumbled Ryota, his face already buried sideways on the table, giving a distinct tone to his response. The tiredness in his voice mirrored the exhaustion we both felt.

"Alright, let me grab some Max Coffee." I announced, rising from my seat and making my way towards the fridge.

"Get me one too."

"Sure."

I swung open the fridge door, and a chilly wind greeted me. As I reached in, my fingertips felt the icy surface of the tin cans.

Closing the door, I turned to find Ryota in the same posture as before, still leaning his head on the table.

"Here, catch it." I said, tossing the coffee tin to him.

With his swift reflexes, he plucked it from the air, executing the move with precision.

…and the way he did it looked so effortless and cool too… in a way.

But instead of saying anything, I walked back to my seat and sank into it with a weary sigh.

–*creak!

The worn-out creak produced by the chair looked to be a representation of the exhaustion that was present in our bones.

"Haaha, I am so tired." Ryota chuckled as he complained, all the while deftly opening the coffee tin.

"When were you not tired?" I remarked, taking the first sip of the refreshing coffee.

"Look, who's talking? Mr. Boring Eyes all the time." Ryota shot back, a playful glint in his eye as he took a sip too.

"Shut up." Not having a valid point to argue, I resorted to verbal violence.

After declaring my intent for some peace time, I grabbed the phone, switched it on, and, unsurprisingly, found messages from Ms. Hiratsuka.

However, a missed call from Komichi caught my attention.

Ignoring the other notification, I immediately dialed Komichi.

–Ring!Ring!

–tut(:lifted)

The phone rang twice before she picked it up.

"Hello, Komic–!"

[-Ahhh! BiG Brotherrrrrr! You finally called me!-]

Before I could even finish saying her name, Komichi's voice erupted from the other end of the line.

Her excitement was palpable, as if she had been eagerly awaiting my call.

"Yeah. I did." I answered calmly, sipping my coffee.

[-Yay, I knew you would call me first-] Komichi mimicked my calm tone, almost playfully adding in. [-Hehe, you know what, Big Bro?-]

What does she mean by 'called her first'?

Moreover, she seemed unusually cheerful for someone who had spent the entire day holed up in the house studying.

I half-expected a more gloomy voice, maybe even a complaint about not wanting to study anymore.

Ignoring my doubts, I said. "No. I don't. Now tell me what you want? Don't worry, I already planned to bring some reference books for you on my way back."

[-It's not that, Big Brother-]

"What is it, then?" I questioned.

[-Welllll you see…. It seems I was KiDnapped! Would you believe it?-]

The words she chose and the tone she used were completely out of sync.

"You were, huh?" I asked, still not clearly registering or processing her words.

[-Um-Hum! Yes! I was kidnapped from our house in broad daylight. I was like, totally surpr—!]

She continued to exclaim in an excited tone.

??Kidnap?? !!And… just like that, it hit me.

"PrushhhhhhhH!!!!!!!" I sprayed the Max Coffee I was sipping while jolting up from my seat.

Being kidnapped was not something to be taken lightly or celebrated with excitement. No wonder I couldn't register her words properly at first. It was not something that should be said in such a joyful tone.

"Hey! WHat was that?!!" Ryota exclaimed from the side.

"You idiot! Stop joking around!!" Ignoring him, I reprimanded Komichi.

The hell with her!?

For a moment, my heart just stopped beating. Just imagining the death sentences and the banishment from my own family sent chills down my spine, like a living nightmare.

[-Nooo. I am not joking. I was really kidnapped. I am still in the car with them-]

Komichi said it again, definitely not in the tone I was expecting.

"..What..?!!" I calmed my nerves a little, but the hastiness in my voice was still present.

[-Yes. We are going to Chiba, it seems-]

"Chiba…?" I repeated after her words.

[-Um-Hum-]

Komichi nodded from otherside.

"Chiba…" Ignoring her confirmation, I nodded to myself.

Haahh! That's what all this is about? I could feel the blood draining from my face as I finally understood the full extent of the situation.

Slowly connecting the dots… and finally landing on a conclusion.

"Pass on the mobile to Ms. Hirtusaka." I said it with a rather sharp tone, not in the mood for any ifs and buts as a reply.

[-Heehhe~ It seems you understood-]

Komichi replied with a playful grin, not at all bothered by my harsh tone.

[-Wooww, Hikki!!] - [Tsk, smart ass-]

Meanwhile, a few other voices also reached my side. The first one is obviously Yuigahama, and the other is Ms. Hiratuska's voice.

[-Here…-]

Komichi said, indicating that she passed it on to Ms. Hiratsuka.

But I know she just put on the speaker. Not that it matters, there's nothing personal to discuss anyways.

I mean, she will definitely receive my nagging from me face-to-face when I reach there.

[-Hello, Mr. Smartass. Now then… let's hear why you didn't pick up my calls, and when did you become such a busybody?-]

The person responsible for abducting my sister questions me without any hint of remorse for her actions.

Then again, it was typical of Ms. Hiratsuka to act without considering others' feelings.

I ignored her question and asked one of my own instead. "You are driving?"

[-...Humm? No, I've pulled over to the side-] There was a brief pause before she answered, confusion evident in her tone.

"That's good." I nodded and added. "When will you reach there?"

[-Humm? In an hour or so-] She replied, still sounding confused, probably because of my rather unexpected array of questions.

"And is Yukinoshita with you?" I pressed further.

[-She is-]

"And… is she listening?"

[-Hhuh? Yeah, she is-]

Well, now she's not even hiding the fact that she put me on speaker instead of passing the phone as instructed.

"...Yukino, are you there?"

The reply didn't come immediately, but it did eventually.

[-...I am-] Yukinoshita's soft voice comes through the phone.

Now that I think about it, this is the first time we have been on the phone. Certainly not the way I had expected it to be.

"Take care of Komichi for me until I get there, will you?"

[-...I will-]

"Haah, thanks. I will make it up to you later."

[-No need. We are responsible for taking her without your permission-]

Glad at least someone else thinks I deserve to know what's going on.

"Nah, I am sure Ms. Hiratsuka must have taken our parents' permission. So just take care of her, okay?"

If she doesn't, then I am going to die at my own parents hands…

Wait, I think I am already going to be killed for letting Komichi go by herself. I should make sure they don't find out about this.

[-...Okay-] Yukinoshita complied.

"Thanks." I said. "Hey, Komichi, I take it you have packed my luggage?"

[-Hheh, of course I did-]

"Good. I will be there by evening."

[-Hikigaya. I arranged a cab for you. You just need to catch it in half an hour-] Ms. Hiratsuka informed me.

"No need..." I gave a small pause, then looked at Ryota, who now seems to be in his own world, as confirmed by the fact that there is no need to get worried by my tone in the last few conversations.

I continued. "I have a free ride here. Just text me the location once you have reached."

[-...okay-] Ms. Hiratsuka replied tentatively, not sure of what I meant.

"Safe journey." I said.

[-Yah, same-] - [Safe journey-] - "..."

–tut(:I cut the call off)

As I hung up the phone, exhaustion washed over me like a tidal wave. Collapsing onto the chair, I leaned back and let my neck hang over the top rail.

Upside down in my skewed perspective, I could see Ryota behind me, also upside down from my position.

"Come on. Let's go do some volunteer work." My voice sounded odd because of my weird position.

"Heh..? WHat?" He looked at me with a clueless face…

Yeah, you are fooling no one, Ryota, especially not me. I bet a million dollars on the fact that you already figured out what's coming from the previous phone conversation I had.

"Come on, don't you want to finally have a girlfriend?"

"I want to!" He replied with much enthusiasm.

But, man, I still can't figure out just how in the world he was left single up until this point.

Especially considering his family background. I mean, I am sure there are more than enough women lined up for him just because of the family name he is associated with.

Well, when it comes to that, it's the same with Ms. Hiratsuka, I guess.

There are a few things that are beyond me…

"Then let's go. We need to work really hard for someone like us to win them over. Go pack your luggage."

With a determined tone, I urged Ryota to pack his bags and join me on our [Quest] for Romance.

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[To be continued….]

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