Disclaimer: Oregairu belongs to Wataru Watari, Brains Base and Studio Feels.

My life as a Single Father is difficult as I expected.

Chapter One: Hikigaya Hikaru is more like his mother than me.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

The incessant beeping of my mini digital torturer echoed throughout my spacious bedroom – I say spacious but it's really more of empty with my bed and a dresser being the only noticeable furnitures inside – the numbers six and two zeros proudly blinking its red hue on the digital screen as if mocking me.

Hey wait, isn't it too early then?

This is why I wanted to be a househusband.

Or a stay at home Dad, if you will.

Being a househusband is essentially the best kind of job there is. I wouldn't have to worry about getting up at the first ray of sunlight hitting my room and even if I do so that I could take care of my family, I could always crawl back under the covers and throw some more hours away to snooze. I hold my time and I'm my own boss. As long as I get all the needed chores done then I could be free to loiter about, watch some anime, eat some fried chicken and drink Coffee MAX!

Ah, truly a blissful occupation if I do say so myself.

But alas, that is but a dream. I'm just another corporate slave.

But I won't give up of course!

I'm only twenty-four after all! I can still pursue my dreams! I can still be a househusband! A stay at home dad!

"Daddy!"

After all, I got the Dad part down.

Before long, I was fully awaken from my fantasies as I felt my bed shook.

"Daddy! Wake up! Come on!"

Slowly, I sat up from bed and was face to face with a semi-mirror image of myself. Same iris color and hair color. Only truly noticeable difference was the dead-fish eyes, or lack thereof, of the other person.

Hey wait! Isn't my eyes my most prominent feature? Is that why few believed we're related? Are you even truly my kid?

"Alright, alright. I'm up." I said as I yawned then stretched my limbs, a loud popping sound resonated from my joints.

"Morning Daddy!" The child beamed at me.

Ugh. That morning attitude is making me question our relationship even more. Got that from the mother for sure, I'm quite confident in my inability to feel so much energy in the morning.

"Morning, Kazu." I replied as I threw the covers off myself, Kazu jumping off the bed after me.

"It's my first day of school, remember?"

Crap.

It's not that I forgot it's just that...

Okay, I totally forgot.

That explains the much earlier wake up call.

"I remember." I lied.

"Liar." The kid crossed his arms and stared me down like a lion would a gazelle.

H-hey, what's with the cold attitude towards me all of a sudden? You got that from your mother too, didn't you? Unfair! Totally unfair! Weren't we supposed to have equal share on the DNA or something? You obviously took more from your mother than me!

"I'm not lying. See? I'm awake, aren't I?" You underestimate me my child.

"You're awake now," his glare intensified and instantly I felt the room temperature dropped to zero. Whoa! What are you trying to do? Freeze hell over? "I bet you wouldn't be if I didn't jump on you."

You're supposed to be four! FOUR! You're not supposed to be this mature... My son is growing up way too fast! Somebody push the stop button!

"I yield, I yield," I said as I raised my arms up for surrender. "You win, okay?" His stare lingered for a while longer before the edge of his lips curved into a warm smile, easily defrosting the room.

"Yay!" He cheered joyfully.

Oh, so you're back to being four now? That attitude changing powers of yours is scary.

Truly scary.

"Let's go get breakfast so we can get you ready for school, alright?" I patted his head and he replied by nodding enthusiastically before running off out of my room; I made my bed first before following. Exiting my room, I was greeted by the sight of my living area. My apartment is neither large nor small, it was just right for the two of us. It's a one story equipped with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen area, dining area and of course, the living area. The furnitures, or lack thereof, leaves most of the place pretty spacious but nonetheless it's cozy and is the perfect shelter I could provide for my boy.

Walking into the kitchen area, I spotted my boy sitting on one of the two chairs around a small circular table waiting to be fed.

"So what's it gonna be today?" I asked as I made my way to the sink to rinse my hands. "Cereal or Pancake?" I was desperately hoping he'd choose the former. Less time and energy wasted so it's definitely more efficient than preparing and cooking a stack of pancakes.

"Cereal!"

Oh bless my son and the right choices he makes! I love you so much, okay?

"Perfect choice!" I said as I produced two bowls and spoons from the cupboard, I placed both items down on the table before getting the cereal and milk. I plopped down on the vacant chair once I got both and started preparing the most important meal of the day.

Good ol cereals.

"So, are you excited?" I asked as I pushed a filled bowl towards his waiting arms. "For your first day, I mean."

He thought for a moment as if contemplating how he feels about this.

"Maybe a wittle."

Ha! After all that show of maturity earlier there are still times you stumble on your words.

That's really adorable actually...

Ugh, no wonder your mother won't stop baby talking with you. If you give out responses like these I might actually start doing it myself!

"Nervous?"

"Nuh-uh!"

Confident I see.

"You think you're gonna make friends?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe," he stuffed a spoonful of cereal in his mouth, chewed then swallowed. "But if they don't want to be fwends then I'd still be fine, right?"

"Right."

I'm not really sure if it's the proper mindset to encourage on him and his mother would most likely kick my ass for agreeing with his ideals but he is not wrong on what he said.

If a person doesn't want to be your friend then that's that. Forcing your way unto the circle will only lead to you being their slave as payment for being granted the luxury of their presence. Unless you're the Alpha male of the group then you'd be nothing more but a posse, a follower, a cattle within a pack of wolves waiting to be eaten. Any attempts at rising up the ranks will be taken as an offense and you'd be pulled back down and stepped on as a reminder to know your place.

People call it the Natural Order.

I call it Bullshit Hierarchy.

If that was the case then you're better off not having those friends at all! No one to impress but yourself and no one to step on you as a form of leverage to reach higher ranks!

It's kinda like being a househusband.

Your own time, your own rule, your own boss.

Speaking of which, that dream is still something worth pursuing.

Being a househusband to someone like Totsuka is even better.

Ah, Totsuka~

"Daddy, what's that cweepy look on your face?"

And once again, I was forcefully pulled away from my fantasies. Oh world, how much more cruel can you get?

"Your eyes looks really... well... Cweepy.."

I heard it the first time! There's no need to say it twice! Curse your mother for passing on too much of her traits on you!

"Ah. Nothing, nothing. Hurry up and finish your cereal so we can give you bath." I said. He nodded and continued eating his breakfast.

Speaking of mothers, wouldn't what I said about friends earlier won't apply to him? I mean besides being just in nursery school – in which case that kind of hierarchy isn't necessarily established yet – if he already got this much trait from his other parent, who's telling he didn't get more? Knowing his mother, he'd be popular or at least be with a popular crowd naturally. Otherwise, he'd probably bite the head off of anyone who'd do that to him. Cold and scary.

"I'm done!" Kazu cheered before jumping off the chair. He took his used bowl and brought it to the sink, or at least the part of the sink he could actually reach. I finished up my bowl then took his and placed them on the sink.

"Alright, I'll wash up here. Get ready to take a bath or we're both gonna be late." I said as I turned the faucet on and prepared myself to do the dishes.

"Okay!" Kazu replied before running off to the bathroom.

I smiled. I grabbed a bowl and started to clean it.

"Alright, let's get this day over with."

—

"Come on Daddy, let's go!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Kazu was pulling on my sleeve while I was trying to lock up the house. The little boy was really eager to get to school.

You're supposed to be a Hikigaya! That kind of giddy attitude will not be tolerated! ... Then again, Komachi was probably the same... The both of you are a disgrace to the Hikigaya name!

"Hurry!" Kazu yelled out from the car.

Hey wait, how'd you get in there?

I checked my pocket to confirm that my car keys had gone missing in that brief moment I was locking our house.

You sneaky little brat you.

I didn't think you'd already learned my sneaky Hikki skill. You may be a worthy foe someday my child.

I got in the car and started the engine before driving away, our apartment disappearing in the distance. After a few minutes of driving I noticed Kazu twiddling his thumbs while his eyes are distantly looking outside.

Aha! So you are nervous!

"Nervous?"

"Huh? I already said I wasn't earlier!"

"Well, earlier you weren't twiddling your thumbs."

He stopped and turned his head at me.

"Okay, so maybe a wittle."

Are you mature or still a baby? Make up your damn mind son! Well, you are adorable... Okay fine, just stay that way! Stay adorable for your Mommy and Daddy, okay?

"Why?"

"What would they think of me? It's kinda scawy.."

Ah, first impressions. I know that feeling all too well.

The saying "First impression lasts" is a fact to an extent. If you make a bad first impression then it will last and follow you like a moth would a light. Rumors would spread exaggerating the already bad outlook on you making you even worse for the other's eyes, you cannot escape no matter how hard you try. It won't matter how many "good" you've done, all those will be easily reflected by a single mistake and you'd only fall deeper from the pit you crawled out of.

On the other hand, making a good impression isn't permanent. People would say:

"Hey, that kid seems kinda cool!"

"Have you seen that kid? I think he's pretty good."

"I like that kid."

But once you do something wrong it'll turned out like:

"I thought he was cool, guess I was mistaken."

"What's the matter with that kid?"

"I don't like that kid."

Conclusion: Make a bad impression, you'll always be bad. Make a good impression, you'd still end up bad one way or another. A single mistake can sway a good impression, a million good deeds cannot sway a bad one.

Unless you're Hayama, you'd just be good no matter what you do then.

Solution: Don't give a shit.

But of course, I cannot say that to a four year old kid, no matter how mature he is. Well, at least not those exact words.

"Don't worry about it, just be yourself."

Generic advice is generic. I should be Daddy of the year or something! I'll accept my award now.

"Huh?"

"Listen Kazuya, don't worry about those things. Just be yourself, be Hikigaya Kazuya. I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends." I said as I parked the car in front of the school. The kid smiled at me and nodded as I ruffled his messy hair.

Am I giving him false hope? Nah, of course not! He'd be a hit, I'm sure. After all, his mother is–

"Mommy! Aunties!" Hikaru quickly opened the door and ran out of the car.

Aunties? He said that with an S, right?

Getting out of the car myself, I watched as my son run towards three female figures who seemed to be eagerly awaiting the kid's arrival. I grabbed Hikaru's bag and walked towards them and what greeted me was Hikaru being smothered by three smiling females.

Yuigahama Yui, Miura Yumiko and Yukinoshita Yukino.

Chapter End

A/N: I'm not sure where I'm going with this so don't expect quick updates or anything. This idea just struck me so yeah, might updated when the motivation strikes me again so,no promises.

In another note: I'm not really satisfied with the title so I may change it once I come up with a better one, and if you have any suggestions, feel free to tell them through a PM or review. Your choice.

In another another note: Hope you liked and or Enjoyed it at least.

- Zero