It seems He fell to Habits again

Believe it or not, this was the first time he was stuck in such a situation. In the past, he did have a girlfriend and sure she liked to throw temper tantrums, but she would never cry like this, especially not because of a rejection.

Though maybe the fact he never rejected her had a small part in it as well.

Nevertheless, that really doesn't change the current condition. Ebina Hina was currently tearing herself down on his couch, tears dripping down her cheeks while the sound of her sobbings filled the air.

It cannot be helped. It seems he needs to cheer her up a bit.

"Ebina, are you free this evening?"

"Hics… What, you want to invite me for a date?"

"A bit better. I can invite you for a home-made dinner."

That was a tactic he often used whenever his past girlfriend threw temper tantrums. He would escape to the kitchen to cook some food, and by the time he returned she would become a bit less displeased, upon which he could offer her some food and asks for forgiveness.

"Well, there's nothing left around so I'll have to do some grocery shopping first though."

She made a modest nod, still sobbing all the while. It seems her mood did become a bit expectant though. That was nice.

He stood up and turned towards the door leading to the outside world. Yet before he was able to even take a step he felt something tugging his right sleeve. He exhaled a sigh before turning towards the only other person within the house.

"What is it, Ebina-san?"

"I want to tag along with you."

What?

"It's a date!"

Oh.

He exhaled another sigh.

…

The trip towards the grocery store was pretty much eventless without any talk between the two. At least it seems like Ebina was in a better mood now. Considering the skip in her steps it was hard to believe this was the girl who just cried her heart out minutes ago.

Well, though he said that there were still traces that she cried left behind around her eyes so he knew without a doubt that he did make her cry minutes ago. He will consider this dinner something of an apology for doing something so cruel.

Not to say he will change his opinion though.

He will never fall in love again.

The two finally arrived at the grocery store. It was a normal one, and at first glance, he did not have any deep impression of it. That opinion probably wouldn't change even if he spent years regularly shopping there.

Though the place itself was uninteresting, that did not mean the same applies to the person within. As expected of his 180 Luck points, an eventful meeting will happen no matter where he goes.

"Good day, Hikigaya."

The heads turned towards him. One was the protagonist of the love-comedy which had a strange development. He was a classmate of Higashi and a loner who prefers being alone, whose unique outlooks in life made him a rather interesting person. A person of note according to Higashi.

The other was a young middle-school student with charming looks. She was the younger Hikigaya, a sister of the protagonist. Cheerful and kind though sometimes a bit sly, she was a caring younger sister who constantly acts as a busybody towards her older brother.

He did not expect to meet the Hikigaya siblings here.

"…Good day, Higashi."

The younger of the siblings tilted her head, before looking towards her brother with a surprised expression on her face. It seems she just realized Higashi was addressing the older one of the pair.

"Gomi-nii-chan has friends?" (Gomi= Trash, Nii-chan= Brother)

Higashi chuckled at the way she called her brother and the way she insinuated that she didn't expect him to have any friends. Meanwhile, Hikigaya merely scoffed in dissatisfaction, as if he was already used and immune to the mockery.

"Hikigaya and I are more acquaintances than friends. I would love to have been friends with him, but he seems to prefer being solitary." He smiled. "Nice to make you acquaintance, Miss…?"

"Ah, my name is Hikigaya Komachi! No matter the relationship, thank you very much for taking care of my brother!"

She made a polite bow while introducing herself along with thanking him as well. Japanese is strange in that bowing is considered the norm, when it was an overly polite gesture in other cultures. Well, he supposes that it really speaks for the personality of the country itself.

"The name is Higashi Murasaki. And the pleasure is mine, Hikigaya-chan."

She nodded. Only then did she notice his company. She looked towards Ebina for a moment before returning her gaze towards him with a look of realization and discomfort.

"Ah, is that your girlfriend? Are we interrupting something here?"

"…It's a work in progress, would be an apt way of putting it. And don't worry, it's not like this is a date or anything."

He turned his head towards the side, where stacks of products were placed. They were all kinds of curry powder, a friend of all lazy people who simply wish to taste curry without going through the trouble of learning proper cooking skills.

"Ebina-san, are you fine with curry for dinner?"

"Eh? I'm fine with anything honestly."

He could feel Hikigaya Komachi holding a strange gaze towards him. He did just say they were less than a couple, and yet they were going grocery-shopping and talking about home-made dinner together like they were living together.

"Hikigaya-chan, is there any brand you would recommend?"

"Eh? Well, how about this one?"

She did not seem to have expected his question, but grabbed one of the products and shows it towards him anyway. It seems to be an average brand that's neither cheap nor pricey. However, another voice spoke before he was able to say anything.

"Wouldn't this one be better?"

There was Hachiman holding a dubious-looking product.

"Gomi-nii-chan, your taste is strange…"

Hacihman merely looked away. Higashi chuckled before taking the same brand the older Hikigaya picked up.

"Mn? You're actually taking that?"

"But of course. This is something Hikigaya-kun chose after all." He smiled, before turning his head towards the protagonist. "You should be more aware of your own worth, Hikigaya-kun."

The other side merely looked at him weirdly.

"…Are you gay?"

He stifled a laugh at that.

"Unless you count Totsuka as a male. But if I was a girl I would have certainly fallen for you, Hikigaya-kun."

That did not seem to be received well by the other party, as Hikigaya merely shook his head most likely in self-depreciation.

"Well, we still have other things to buy so… See you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun."

That ended the meeting between the two pairs. The rest of the grocery shopping was, for the most part, uneventful. The shopping was mostly him leading with Ebina giving some input of her own. Since this was a grocery shopping trip he decided to buy loads of stuff to last him through the next week. He mostly bought ingredients for simple-to-make stuff.

Not like he could taste anything with his tongue anyway.

By the time they got back to his house, the sun had started to set. He began cooking posthaste the moment he was back inside the house.

"Nee, nee, let's cook together."

"Too many cook spoils the broth."

"…Are you calling me a bad cook?"

She pouted at his words. He merely shook his head to affirm his decision before patting her head.

"Just let me pamper you for once."

She went quiet at that and he could see tints of red creeping up her cheeks. He didn't need the system to know he got more affection points for his words. Nevertheless, he began cooking dinner for two. She seems to have noticed the amount of food he prepared.

"…You won't make your parent's portion as well?"

"…They won't be around for dinner anyway."

She seems to be fulfilled enough with the answer, for which he was grateful. For now he intends to hide the fact that his parents died. There was nothing beneficial from blaring it out. One wrong move and it will become a big demerit in his social life.

He continued cooking without encountering many troubles, but that was mainly because he played it safe and used only the basic cooking skill. He told Ebina to watch the TV or something while he was cooking, which she did after a while.

By the time he finished the sun had since set. He served the dishes to the dining table and called for Ebina.

"Ebina-san, the food is ready."

"Oh? Thank you."

She joined him at the dining table with a smile on her face, sitting right beside him. They both put their hands together and said the obligatory 'itadakimasu' before picking up their respective utensils. Well, at least he did.

"…You're not eating?"

"Feed me."

He stared at her smiling expression for a few seconds, before assuring himself she was serious. Well, it won't be the first time he spoon-fed a girl, and right now his priority is to make her happy, or at least not displease her. After an obligatory sigh, he took a spoonful of food and lined it up with her lips.

"Aah~"

Her smile got all the wider before she opened her mouth. He obediently moved the spoon and fed her. She chewed the food slowly before swallowing after a few seconds.

After which she took a spoonful of food as well, and lined it up with his mouth. He didn't bother sighing this time before opening his mouth.

The spoon entered his mouth, and he ate the food atop it. The taste was average if he had any say about it.

…Wait, wasn't his taste buds supposed to be dead?

"Is there something wrong?"

It seems she noticed his shock. He shook his head. Those thoughts could be catered for later, for now, there was a girl he needs to entertain.

"…Nothing. Guess I was a bit flustered."

"…You don't have to lie for me."

Well, it seems she wasn't that oblivious then.

"I'm not doing this for you. This is just how I am."

That was how he was. Constantly lying, fooling everyone into thinking everything was fine, himself being no exception. Sooner or later the lie would be revealed but that was fine. By the time that happens, the pain will have passed already.

Flawed, yet logical. That was his compromise with the world.

He took another spoonful of food and guided them to her lips, which she took with glee. These were two youth, just spending time with one another, enjoying their time together…

Yet he cannot love her. He had promised himself that he would never fall in love again.

Illogical. Pathetic.

"I will never fall in love again." He spoke out of nowhere. "That is why nobody should ever love me."

She did not say anything, most likely knowing he still has more to say to her. The words came to him naturally without any unnecessary thoughts.

"However it would be beyond my right to control your life."

"That's why I can only plead."

"Please… Give up on me."

His voice cracked.

"…Objection. There is something factually wrong with your statement."

He looked towards her serious expression.

"You say you will never fall in love again, but the future is not certain. The words you meant are 'I do not wish to fall in love again'." She said with an unreadable face. "And that is just too sad a wish to be granted, Murasaki-kun."

"…I see."

She smiled once more.

"That's why I will make you fall in love. First, you had my interest, but now you have my promise." Her eyes were gleaming. "It doesn't even have to be me… I'll stay with you until you find someone you love. If it's not me then I will simply give up but until then… Well, I will never stop bothering you."

He sighed, before picking up another spoonful of food.

"Aah~"

She devoured it with glee. The two continued feeding each other as if the conversation never happened. Not to say it was forgotten no, there was merely a tacit understanding between the two. Dinner continued without any other incident.

By the time they finished eating the moon has started to rise. It was about time she went back to her home but it certainly wouldn't be safe for a young woman to walk out alone at this kind of time.

"Should I accompany you home?"

"I would be grateful if you did."

She said with a nod. Thus the two walked towards her home. She was the one leading as he had no idea where her house could be. The walk was mostly quiet, with some small chatter in-between.

Soon enough they reached the front gate of her house.

"Well then… See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

[Congratulations for reaching Crush level with Ebina Hina +60LP]

[Congratulations for reaching Lover level with Ebina Hina +80LP]

A tier 4 relationships and a total of at least 80 Affection points in the Affection Bar. That was… well, he would prefer to not experience things like what just occurred between them anymore within the future, but the rewards sure are something.

Nothing happened on his way home either. After he reached his house he laid on his bed. Today was certainly a tiring day.

…

…

He couldn't sleep for whatever reason.

He sighed, before deciding to just indulge in his hobby of writing. He has an effective amount of 180 Literature stats anyway, so might as well make good use of it.

He turned on his computer and created a new document. Might as well as create something to publish. That would earn him some money, even if authors don't earn much at all.

Now should he create something original, or should he just copy works from his previous world?

…Yeah, he will just copy something. Might as well choose something that is guaranteed to succeed. After a bit of mulling, he finally decided what to write. He needs to write something he could remember clearly, so he might as well choose something he loves very dearly and cold recite without pausing.

Therefore he started writing the title of the novel on a document.

'Three Days of Happiness'