Chapter 5: Could You Come Over to My Place?
Yukinoshita Yukino hadn't expected him to be able to accurately call out her name, especially since she was a transfer student.
As if seeing through Yukinoshita Yukino's thoughts, Hikigaya Hachiman replied, "I simply memorized the names of all the students in the school out of my duty as the Student Council Executive Committee Chairman.
In any case, please come in."
Hikigaya Hachiman stepped aside to let Yukinoshita Yukino enter. She nodded reservedly.
That was supposed to be her line. Yukinoshita Yukino had memorized the names of everyone in the entire school, so hearing this sentence from someone else gave her an indescribable feeling.
The reason Yukinoshita Yukino felt reserved was that from this man, she seemed to feel the same kind of pressure as she did from her mother, making her hesitant to speak.
"Thank you, Hikigaya-kun."
Yukinoshita Yukino even unconsciously started using honorifics.
Hikigaya Hachiman asked, "Which floor?"
Yukinoshita Yukino replied, "Twenty-four."
Hikigaya Hachiman put his hand down upon hearing this; he had already pressed the button for the twenty-fourth floor, so there was no need to press it again.
"Neighbor?"
"Yes, I just moved in recently."
When Yukinoshita Yukino first moved in, she saw 'Hikigaya' on the nameplate next door, and she already had a guess in her mind.
Unbeknownst to her, Hikigaya Hachiman's question was also merely a matter of politeness.
He couldn't help it, as Hikigaya Hachiman has the overly concerned Kamo Clan.
They had already conducted a full-scale background check on Yukinoshita Yukino, who moved in next door. All the detailed information, including her identity, previous address, and former social relationships, had already been sent to his phone.
She was bullied when she was little, had no friends, and had gone abroad to study very early on.
Yukino Yukinoshita—that name was truly incredibly distant to the former Hachiman Hikigaya.
She was a girl who sought the genuine but was actually craving a place to belong.
Perhaps before he first transmigrated, he had some thoughts about her, but when one day he opened his eyes, he was on Baal, the homeworld of the Blood Angels Chapter. Simply surviving in the harsh, radiation-filled desert was a problem, leaving no time to think about women.
Yet, when Yukino Yukinoshita appeared vividly before Hachiman Hikigaya, he still felt inexplicably emotional.
It was their first meeting in this life, and Yukinoshita Yukino was naturally taciturn. After the initial exchange, she didn't say much more.
The elevator reached the 24th floor in no time.
"Goodbye, Yukinoshita-san."
Hikigaya Hachiman spoke first and then walked out of the elevator, but the voice of the girl behind him made him stop.
"Wait, Hikigaya-kun."
It was Yukinoshita Yukino. She looked a little embarrassed as she spoke.
"This might be a bit presumptuous.
Could you come over to my place for a moment?"
"???"
Although Hikigaya Hachiman didn't say anything, the ahoge on his head clearly twitched.
'Going to a female classmate's house at this time?'
It was already past 9 PM. Did she get something wrong?
If it were the usually straight-laced Hikigaya Hachiman, he probably would have refused long ago. But faced with Yukinoshita Yukino's invitation, he somehow followed the girl into her apartment.
Yukinoshita Yukino's apartment was quite minimalistic and similar to Hikigaya Hachiman's, with no unnecessary decorations, very neat and clean. The only difference was that he saw a panda plushie that looked suitable for a girl, though it seemed rather fierce.
"Hikigaya-kun, please excuse me, as I just moved in, I only have black tea."
Yukinoshita Yukino changed into light blue loungewear. She brought a cup filled with warm black tea from the kitchen and placed it in front of Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Please enjoy."
"Thank you."
Hikigaya Hachiman gently picked up the teacup, lightly inhaled the aroma, and slowly took a sip.
The quality of her tea brewing was clearly excellent. Even Hikigaya Hachiman, accustomed to the black tea brewed by Kaguya Shinomiya, couldn't help but feel the unique quality of this tea.
Hikigaya Hachiman took one sip and set the cup down. Then, he looked at the slightly uneasy Yukinoshita Yukino and asked, "Yukinoshita-san, what did you need to see me about so late?"
Yukinoshita Yukino sat opposite Hikigaya Hachiman, feeling a strange sense of talking to her mother. She had felt a slight relaxation because her tea had been acknowledged, but now she involuntarily felt a wave of tension again.
"Well, I wanted to discuss the matter of starting a club with you."
Yukino continued, "I want to create a club of my own and have already spoken to the teacher, but the teacher said I must get the Student Council's approval."
The Shuchiin Student Council holds considerable power, as the students here are children of the elite, making the teachers the weaker party.
"I just wanted to inquire about the procedure for submitting a club proposal to the Student Council.
Hikigaya-kun, being in the Student Council, you must be quite familiar with the process?"
"I understand the situation."
It truly is a strange twist of fate; while he was originally forced into the club by Hiratsuka-sensei, the situation has reversed: Yukinoshita is now actively seeking his help to establish the club.
"The main requirements are filling out a club registration form and having no fewer than three club members."
Hikigaya Hachiman, as the Student Council Executive Committee Chairman, is responsible for supervising the execution progress of various measures passed by the Student Council, so he is very familiar with the club establishment procedure.
"In addition to reporting to the Student Council, you also need to notify the Club Joint Council."
"The Club Joint Council?"
Yukinoshita Yukino felt a bit strange hearing that name.
Hikigaya Hachiman explained, "It's just an organization spontaneously formed by the heads of the main clubs in Shuchiin."
"Isn't that just those students who are Shuchiin's VIPs?"
"You know about that."
"Yes."
Yukinoshita Yukino wouldn't tell him that her sister, Yukinoshita Haruno, had specially compiled a list of difficult-to-mess-with members at Shuchiin, warning Yukinoshita Yukino not to be too self-willed.
Their Yukinoshita family couldn't afford to provoke these people.
Considering their background as a prefectural assemblyman's family, to put it harshly, they were nothing. Shuchiin even had the granddaughter of a Diet member and a former Prime Minister.
And those top-family students are essentially Shuchiin's Super VIPs. Yukinoshita Yukino also saw Hikigaya Hachiman's name listed on this roster.
"Don't worry, they are just problem children who love to cause a fuss."
Hikigaya Hachiman has been dealing with them since he entered the high school division's first year; he's more than familiar with them.
"Yukinoshita-san, do you have a printer at home?"
Hikigaya Hachiman thought that since he was already here, once Yukinoshita filled it out, he could hand it over to Miyuki tomorrow.
"I have the club application form template on my phone."
"If you fill it out and hand it directly to me, it's the equivalent of submitting it to both the Student Council and the Club Joint Council."
Hikigaya Hachiman took out his phone when he saw Yukinoshita nod.
"Let's exchange contact info, and I'll send you the template."
"Thank you so much."
A hint of joy involuntarily appeared on Yukinoshita Yukino's face. She hadn't expected that getting things done would be so simple once she found the right person.
She took out her phone and proactively said, "I'll add you."
Hikigaya Hachiman nodded. Seeing a snowy-white cat avatar pop up as a new contact, the corner of his mouth slightly lifted. Just like that, they exchanged contact information.
Hikigaya Hachiman sent the club establishment document template via the social app.
"Did you receive it?"
"Yes, Hikigaya-kun," Yukinoshita Yukino said, seeing the notification pop up on her phone. "Please excuse me for a moment."
Yukinoshita Yukino quickly went into the room, printed the form, and filled in the information. She returned from the room quickly.
"Thank you for your trouble, Hikigaya-kun."
Hikigaya Hachiman took the paper and saw the name "Service Club" written at the top—a name that immediately makes one think the wrong way.
"The Service Club, huh?
I'll take this. I'll send you a message if the review passes."
Hikigaya Hachiman put the paper in his school bag, and he didn't forget to finish the black tea Yukinoshita had brewed before standing up to leave.
Yukinoshita Yukino sighed in relief. She bowed slightly to express her gratitude.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"Yukinoshita-san, you don't need to be so reserved. As a member of the Student Council, serving ordinary students is our job."
Hikigaya Hachiman walked out the door, telling Yukinoshita not to see him off.
"We are neighbors, after all, living close by. If you have any trouble, you can call me."
Faced with Hikigaya Hachiman's kindness, Yukinoshita Yukino was clearly a bit overwhelmed.
Hikigaya Hachiman walked to his own door and gave the girl behind him one last look.
"Also, Yukinoshita-san, I really liked your black tea."
Yukinoshita Yukino thought he was just being polite, so she replied, "Thank you for your kind words."
"No, I mean it. I genuinely think it would be a very happy thing if I could keep drinking your black tea.
Good night, Yukinoshita."
She leaned against the door. At this moment, Yukinoshita wasn't sure if the strange feeling in her heart could be called indignation.
Yukinoshita Yukino truly couldn't distinguish the feeling.
"Happy?"
What mindset was that straight-laced guy speaking from to say that? If he was being serious, then why did he say something that invited so much imagination?