I Have Someone I Like Too, So… No

….

[-Continuation-]

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[-Hachiman's POV-]

"If you are just here to rub it in, Hikigaya, save it. I am not in the mood."

Man, talk about high maintenance.

Why anyone would willingly choose to be this guy's friend was beyond me.

But there was something in his frustration, an edge to his reaction, that I recognized all too well.

.

"Hey now, why the dramatic act?" I lean against the metal railing to get a clear picture of his face. "It can't be the first time you have had to shoot down a confession?"

For someone like him, with all his charm and popularity, handling confessions probably felt like routine by now.

So what was with the sulking?

He let out a sigh, looking away as if the sight of me only made things worse. "You wouldn't get it, Hikigaya."

"Try me." I shot back, leaning casually against a nearby railing. "Because from where I am standing, it just looks like you are overthinking something that should be simple."

His eyes snap to mine, sharp like broken glass. There's anger there, yes, but underneath lies something more vulnerable - like a crack in a perfect marble statue.

"Simple? Maybe for someone like you. But for me..." The words trail off, heavy with unspoken complications.

Ah. Of course, with Hayama, everything had to come with strings attached.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's so different about it? You say 'no,' they move on. End of story."

Not that I am any expert in the field of rejections, mind you. The only time I had to turn someone down, it stung a bit, well just a little, and that was it.

"Not everyone moves on that easily." He muttered, his voice lower. "Sometimes, people get hurt. And sometimes, they don't just… get over it." He exhaled, visibly frustrated. "I thought you of all people would understand that."

"Don't lump me in with you." I shot back, my tone a little sharper than I intended.

"Then what do you want?" His composure cracks further. "Why are you even here?"

I straighten up, meeting his gaze steadily. "Well, of course, I am here to find a solution to this problem."

Yeah, I want to put an end to this drama of his from today…

Hayama blinked, his initial defensiveness shifting into something resembling surprise, even a touch of hope.

He looked at me, almost as if he believed, just for a second, that I might actually be here to help him.

I do get one, but whether you like it or not… is a different case entirely.

"…A solution?" He repeated, the word rolling off his tongue slowly, as if he needed to test it out for himself.

"Why don't you just date someone?" I suggested deadpan.

The hope vanishes as quickly as it appeared. He scoffs, turning on his heel. "I am done here."

"Alright, alright, hold up." I said, catching his sleeve just enough to make him stop.

"I am just asking, are things… functioning fine for you? No problems in that department, right?"

The moment of realization is priceless. His expression morphs from confusion to pure, unadulterated disgust.

He spins on his heel, each step away from me carrying the weight of his wounded dignity.

"My bad," I call out, unable to hide my amusement.

But he continues walking, his back straight as an arrow, determined to leave this conversation - and me - in his wake.

"Well, you don't have to date for real. Just act like you have been acting your entire lif–!"

The rest of my words disappear in a rush of movement.

One second I am standing there, the next I am slammed against the wall, sending a dull ache through my shoulders.

His hand is fisted in my collar, and suddenly, the playful atmosphere evaporates

Hayama's grip on my collar was unyielding, his face inches from mine, his eyes narrowed with a fury he was barely holding back.

"You are seriously crazy till the end, aren't you?" He muttered, his voice low.

I let out a short, dry laugh, gripping his collar right back. "I don't know why, but I have been hearing that a lot recently, compliments, I mean."

I tug him back a few steps, watching his perfect mask crack further. "Besides, what's got you so worked up and mad for? It's not like I am wrong."

Hayama's jaw clenched, his eyes shifting away as his grip tightened. His arm muscles tensed, and he muttered. "I am not mad."

When you are mad, you tend to get even more mad when asked if you are mad.

"Oh really?" I can't help but prod further. "Because people who aren't mad don't usually go around slamming others into walls."

"..." Hayama didn't respond immediately.

His grip on my collar unyielding as he stared at me, his silence heavier than any retort he could muster.

Beneath that controlled exterior, I could see the frustration simmering, barely restrained.

I shrugged, letting the silence linger a second before breaking it. "But honestly, what's the issue? You're not interested in anyone right now, right? Keep it casual, no strings attached. Sounds simple enough. Who knows? You might even catch feelings."

He scoffed, his mouth twisting in irritation. "Your way of thinking is seriously messed up."

With a final, lingering glare, he released my collar, though he didn't step back, his eyes still locked onto mine with that same guarded intensity.

"Look." He said, his voice low, as if admitting it was an effort. "I have someone I like too, so… no."

The admission was quiet, almost reluctant. For a brief moment, I glimpse the weight of emotions he carries, locked away behind carefully constructed walls.

It was the first time he had openly acknowledged it, and maybe the first time he had admitted it to himself.

"...Haruno, then?" I venture quietly.

His reaction is subtle – a slight twitch, like touching a raw nerve. His gaze slides away, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack nuts. His silence confirms what words cannot.

After a moment, I crossed my arms and leaned back, giving him a once-over.

"You know, aren't you the one that really messed up? I mean, I can't imagine what it is like to like someone like her."

I paused, watching him, but his expression remained stoic, as if he was too tired to argue. "Not exactly an easy situation you are in, is it?"

When he finally speaks, his voice carries the weight of resignation. "Not everyone gets the luxury of things working out the way they want."

I let out a low, frustrated laugh. "See, that's what pisses me off most about all this situation."

He turned to me, a little startled, but I kept going. The words are coming now, and I don't plan to stop them.

"Hayama, I don't care who you are interested in, or if you have even got it in you to confess." I said, my tone sharp. "But whatever you decide to do, don't stand there and judge my life. Not you, of all people."

My words hung in the air, and he just stared, like he hadn't expected me to say that.

Finally, he blinked, processing his gaze unreadable. "You think I am judging you?"

"Aren't you?" The challenge comes quick and sharp. "Because from where I am standing, that is exactly what it looks like..."

"...I wasn't trying to." He muttered after a long moment.

"Doesn't matter. The end result is the same, isn't it?" I counter, watching the truth of it settle in his expression.

He takes a slow, measured breath - the kind people take when they are about to say something they can't take back.

"Yukinoshita and I have known each other since we were kids, and so has Haruno…" His voice carries a hint of nostalgia. "I used to think just like you - who could possibly like someone like her?"

He paused, his voice quieter now, almost thoughtful. "And yet, here you are, proving me wrong. So why is it so surprising that I might feel the same about Haruno?"

It was the first time I had heard him admit it so clearly as crystal.

No masks, no pretense.

"...when you put it that way, it actually makes sense." I concede, surprised by the simple logic of it all.

He looked at me, then his expression softened just a little.

"Hikigaya, I have always wanted to ask you something." He started, voice quieter, almost hesitant.

"What would you have done if Yukinoshita said no that day…"

Huh? Just out of the blue?

"..."

I blinked, trying to process.

"I…"

I started, but the words didn't come out immediately.

.

….

[To be continued…]

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