Long ago, it was said that opposites attract. The very logic that went into this principle astounds me but what is even more shocking was how people took it as truth. Ask any man that has even a lick of experience of life and I can guarantee all those that wasn't brought up on TV weekly anime shows of a violent tsundere and a calm, quiet boy will tell you that this rule is unfounded and frankly ridiculous creating more divorces then marriages. To all those with no experience whatsoever, they'll view it as a mountain of hope to make sure their crush stays strong.

It was of no coincidence that someone such as Yui Yuigahama would believe in such insane logic!

"And that's why they end in disaster."

"I was asking Yukinon, not you…" She pouted somewhat seriously as if I just crushed her hopes but in reality, I was just moving the goalposts to something much more reasonable. Yuigahama is an optimist. In fact, she was so disgustingly optimistic about anything and everything that I risk being whisked away by her attitude and start finding my own optimism again if only to make the same mistakes again and wind up back to square one.

Then I'll be stuck repeating the same time loop again and again as that is the choice of Steins Gate…

Before any thoughts of time-traveling started to involve "what if?" questions however, Yukino courtly responded to Yuigahama.

"I believe Hikigaya-kun's insight is sorely needed. To able to truly understand the perils of relationships, we have to look at the bottom and learn from their mistakes. Thanks to Hikigaya-kun's sacrifice, he will be an example for all future males of how not to be."

And in this sun-baked room, the thud of her book closing echoed with a sweet false smile to follow, dark intentions clear to everyone who was not an optimist.

"That is natural selection though, right?" In moments like these, I suddenly remember that list of people to kill at home and also the reason her name is listed (no twice, no thrice!).

"So shouldn't we losers in life be heralded as heroes? Using your logic, we at the bottom in the circle of life are also examples to those that succeed. How many lives are we saving here? I demand a statue be built in my honour." It was perfectly sound logic. In order for there to be someone at the top, there has to be someone at the bottom.

In response, Yukinoshita held her hand out in front of her mouth acting innocently but that didn't betray the smirk she hid.

"You are simply stepping stones for superior beings to live long and prosper but I will allow you to admit even that position is quite noble for one such as you."

The intent was pretty equivalent to stabbing me then twisting the knife but I was more concerned about her reference, intentional or not. In fact if it wasn't for the ears, I'd mistake uptight, proper lady for Vulcan. While musing that in my head to lessen the trauma, the closest airhead in the vicinity instead decided to attack a different weakness of mine.

"Ahh, Don't worry Hikki. I'm sure you can pass on your genes! I mean that is natural selection right?"

Upon leaving her lips, the words that broke up the fierce argument only left us with the awkward silence.

In that moment, I could now worship Yui to be a god among optimists. It wasn't that I cared about being able to have the Hikigayas persist through generation to generation. I was however self-aware enough to crack jokes at my low obvious chances of having women fall for me. I was also possessively caring enough for my perfect-in-every-way little sister that she'll never have to face the burden of passing down her genes and have it be corrupted by whatever parasite that tricks her to submitting to him, Taishi or not!

If anything, I was the last bastion of common sense in terms of love! In fact, I knew so much about relationships I could play matchmaker and come away a millionaire before watching their marriages disintegrate and watch the husband pay alimony for children he will never see again. Cupid would be jealous for sure but the game of marriage was a dangerous minefield so being the person I am, I reassure myself I'm cautious enough to keep on my toes.

Even if I never have kids, I will surely go down as being the most loner-est of the loners! The La Li Lu Le Lo will want to preserve my "loner" genes and create two clones to use for their nefarious, nonsensical schemes.

"Heh, you're right! It seems there's no shortage of desperate women in my time but I already knew that. I don't need any advice in that particular area." Suddenly, the reason my pops still even exists is due to my mother's admittedly low standards.

However, instead of the nods of agreement I was expecting, I was face to face with miniature red suns and pissed, furious faces.

"Hikigaya-kun, I will make it my personal responsibility to make sure no poor women gets saddled with you."
"Yeah Hikki! I'll need to watch over you too! For other girl's sakes!"

Heh?! What was with this existence?! Is this to be my life? Cooped up locked up in a cell by Yukino's hired agency whilst Yuigahama by some miracle is employed to watch my attempted escape attempts on CCTV? There was a dark future waiting for me indeed if I didn't defuse this situation now!

"Right, right. Anyway, it's not like I was serious with that anyway so just relax…"

After a short bout of silence, my two compatriots slowly sat back down but hurriedly got back to their own activities. The silence, despite the off-putting way we accessed it was welcomed by my open arms (accompanied with turned pages and the clicking of buttons). Silence would now forever remind me how quickly we humans take things for granted.

It appears the saying "You don't know what you have until it's too late" applies to even the most ordinary of things. The silence disappeared entirely once a certain, impish junior started eating free snacks in our homely abode claiming to be part of the service club.

Just as quickly as it came, the silence left without a warning.

"Yahallo Senpai! Yukino-senpai! Yui-senpai!"

The door slammed open and a high-pitched moan followed shortly thereafter which recently has started sounding like nails on a chalkboard. Isshiki Iroha trespassed our territory with no regrets on a daily basis and the line between service club members and tourists was becoming more thin by the minute.

"Isshiki-san! Knock!"

Following an exaggerated wave of greetings was a more subtle wave of dismissal promptly lowering team morale for the service club.

"Ahh sorry, sorry again Yukino-senpai. I guess it's true when they say quiet people are more startled by loud noises!" Her voice sugared in an overdosing amount of sweetness versus the overwhelming amount of bitterness coming from the other side of the room.

"That's just superstition. Just because someone is quiet does not mean they're more vulnerable then the average loud, obnoxious person in the room." Yukinoshita replied with a stern face and steady voice as if she said it a bunch of times before though I would never know. Before my thoughts could drift to that, Yui tried to dowse out the fire before it could spread and turn into an inferno.

"Yahallo Iroha-san. You coming to sit with me or-"

"Ahh no, not today Yui-senpai! Actually, I brought some guests. It's...What do you call it? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Come in guys!"

Three was a group, four was a party but seven was overcrowding. That is to say two other girls walked in that I stal-watched for the past year and a ruggedly handsome guy with nothing between the ears.

And he was starting right at me.

"Yo Hikitani-kun!"

Bleghh, he must've been mistaking me for a long-lost buddy of his! Tobecci-kun! Where are you? I thought you were smarter then this!

Despite all the unintentional insults to him in my brain, I was just content enough to reply with my own court nod more entranced at the flammable material that waltzed in kicking my self-preservation into overdrive.

"See, some stuff came to a head and I thought the wisest move to make was to join forces with my arch-nemesis!"

"What's with that?"

"N-nothing, slip of the tongue, is all Miura-senpai."

If Iroha was a flame then Yumiko Miura was a walking inferno. Her golden hair fell down to the waist, her drills captivating in their shape and size. At her side was a nameless BL girl whom I couldn't associate myself with lest I am tortured with images of her most brilliant fantasies.

I'm fine with Totsuka but anything beyond her was too far! Polygamy isn't an option anyway so settle down!

Strangely enough, the words "her" and "Totsuka" didn't seem to add up...

Hmm...Funny...

Similar to a hostage negotiator, Yuigahama welcomed these troublesome guests with open arms. "Yumiko, Ebina, Tobe! Yahallo."

"Yahallo Yui-san. This must be the third time we came for help by now right?" Ebina's reply held a indebted tone and she lowered her head looking humble, the girl next to her also didn't hold the proud fierce aura she normally held which was off-putting in the least.

"Aw shucks! You'd do the same for me so there's no need! Really!" Flapping her hand, I could tell beneath she was trying desperately to avoid her bubbly touchy-feely nature from leaking out and infecting the area.

"While we may be useful for help, I fear relying on us to solve your problems has become a rather bad habit."

"A-ahh but see, this one is pretty volatile stuff. It's something more delicate you know?" Tobe said in response and partly in fear with a strained voice.

After ushering them to take a seat, the mute blonde girl finally started to speak.

"So, the thing is..."

Twirling her drill-locks around her finger and toying with it nervously, the tigress spoke with a shaky voice.

"We'll be going onto third year soon and I-I want to be sure of something." She sighed deeply intensifying the pressure in the room and the heat made it hard to breathe in this tense atmosphere.

"I...When I go onto our third year, I want to take it as a chance to finally do something I've been meaning to do for weeks. I...I'm interested in Hayato..." The speed of her fingers increased steadily and so she closed it in a fist and lowered them to lap-level.

"But... I'm not sure he's interested in me..."

The room, normally embodied in noise now drowned in utter silence as we contemplated this "request". We all was looking at the love-struck maiden no doubt heightening her insecurities and with that in mind, I looked away back to my much more calming can of coffee MAX.

What caught my eye was Yuigahama's arm reaching across the table to pat on the opposite girl's still hand.

"Yumiko..." Leading to a short pause of silence, Yukino finally interrupted with her judgement.

"Hmm, I see your worries there. Hayama-kun is no stranger to being confessed to."

Suddenly, the heat in the room rose and it occurred that I was in a furnace with the most popular people in the school as of currently.

"I know that! Why do you think I came here! He's rejected so many and so many times, I always felt glad when he did but now I feel he could do the same to me. What on earth am I supposed to think? That I have a free pass compared to most girls or what?"

"Hmm, so what do you want us to do?"

"Huh?"

Yukinoshita gave a challenging almost-sportsmanship like look as if daring her to take the wheel.

"You came here for us to help so what do we do? We can't confess to him for you." Yumiko assertively banged her fist on the table and stood up causing everyone to jump back at her sudden outburst like she was a ticking time bomb.

"I'm not asking you of all people to do that!"

A slow, cautious hand woven it's way across her back and shoulders and comforted her enough to sit back down. It was unexpected of the quiet Hina Ebina to tame a proud creature like the queen of Sobu High.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean what I said. It's just I'm frustrated and I'm just not sure how to deal with it exactly!" It was also unexpected of the upstanding Yukino to smile. Not a condescending cold smirk that leaves one feeling sore but just a small calming smile...

"No offense taken. I didn't mean to be antagonizing so I share as much of the blame." Being prepared for the escalation that happened last time was enough to leave me feeling limp by the end of it. That time when they came close to actually fighting when Miura took the initiative yet by the end, that mutual respect they had for each other seemed to show itself once again.

"So tell us, how can we help you out?"

"Well, I suppose..." And for the hundredth time today, all leads ended up to a stagnant silence.

"See, the problem is that getting Hayama-senpai alone is next to impossible." Until Iroha filled us in on what exactly was happening. Even more confusing was why she was even helping at all and the explanation being "out of the goodness of her heart" could only fool the fools.

Obviously she was using it strategically only to cut in and confess again to her beloved senpai first then use me as labor/practice to try again!

"How so?" asked Yukinoshita.

"Well, see he's hard to get some alone time with and so far he denies all her attempts at going with her somewhere."

"That so?"

"That's right Yukinon. He only turns up if there's someone else with us." Yuigahama added on.

Hayama Hayato is certainly a very cautious individual. In the back of my mind, something was clarified. That twinge of suspicion finally brought to light his thoughts on...Whatever stalemate he's trying to keep.

And for Miura Yumiko, she obviously had a wish to move things forward and challenge the threads that bind them together. That recklessness was something to be commended for and admired from a far-distance. Moving too closely however could only blind or injure you, only to be collateral damage.

Tobe being a sort of cool guy for once started enthusiastically raising his hands and pulling the fist pump gesture in a pointlessly dramatic way.

"So what we need to do is lure the guy out but well, if he isn't busy with something, he's doing something yaknow? We need to isolate them so she can confess properly. That right?"

Looking back towards Yumiko, she gave a slow nod playing with her hair in the meantime.

"Hmm so we need to just get him and you alone together...Is that all?" Our confirmation was another slow, silent nod.

It was important to know the danger. The most important detail for this whole "all-or-nothing scenario". It bothered me why no one was touching on the subject of the consequences. Partially exhausted from not just the heat but the topic at hand, I let out a wearisome sigh.

"What if he says no?"

"Hikki?"

"Uh?!"

All this unwanted attention was on my slouched form and I continued giving them the answers they don't want to hear.

"If he says no then you'll have to live with that. Even worse if you're both in the same class. Things between you two will be strained for a whole year and you can't change that without something as drastic as changing schools. Dunno, just a thought."

It only occurred to me after I said those words that we were repeating. The same fears and worries impacted this group much earlier in the year which also led to my own clubs crisis of understanding. These words only aggravated the fiery queen however.

"Maybe so but who're you to act like that?!"

"Woahwoahwoahwoah!"

Weirdly enough, nobody else stopped her but that guy who was doing that wild, waving motion claiming "he was innocent! He was innocent!" Those arms of which belonged to Tobe himself.

"It's not like that at all. It's just how Hikitani usually is! He's actually a nice guy! A total bro!"

H-h-hey, stop that! Keep doing that and I'll really think you're my friend! Ahh, I'm getting all flustered thinking about it! Me! And that idiot, Tobe!

Ahh no wayyy! Thankfully, in my 108 skills, repressing my memories was one of them but it's use was problematic as it is set on random. In a sense, it was completely worthless though wasn't it...

"If you say so..."

Looking to my left, Yuigahama and Yukinoshita were watching intently towards me. Really though! They don't need to worry. Most girls think I'm so disgusting, they'll become ill from even close contact so it's fine! Clearing my throat of any infectious diseases, I continue.

"So yeah. He has a high rejection rate so logically, I'd say your chances are slim."

"But at the sports festival! He-he thanked me and, that's all I have but..." She urgently continued despite my more realist point of view.

"But yes or no, I just need to find out and accept that."

It was so suicidal, you could shout "witness me!" and throw yourself hurling towards a rejection. (In hind-site, I'm sure Zaimokuza has already tried this to no avail thankfully)

And Miura knew that. She possessed the courage to go ahead even with the consequences that entail. Tobe was a more unfortunate, tragic story but he still maintained his position and naivety. That was why I could respect her from far away.

"Alright. We'll think of something. After that is your responsibility but you can count on us to bait him somewhere."

With those words leaving my mouth, I felt the prickling gazes of five people all prodding and poking. Miura's tearful gaze was the only one I looked back to. However, her shiny green orbs were reminding me that underneath her haughty exterior, she was just a normal girl.

"Hikki is with us as well see? He knows how to help out!" Yuigahama dished out praise and encouragement.

"Consider your request, accepted." Yukinoshita expressed her dutiful nature.

"T-Thank you all, seriously." And the Tigress herself showed gratitude.

Along with the thumbs ups and encouragement she was receiving, I felt an almost chummy atmosphere with Tobe regarding me as the "bro-est of bros" and Iroha hoping for "better luck then she had" awfully reminding me of climactic moments in anime where the arch-nemesis of the MC join forces to fight the true evil mastermind!

If I was part of the student cultural research club, I'd probably be body-swapping with all of them and enjoying the comparisons between each body type.

There wasn't much we could do right now so the only available option was to dismiss them and talk among ourselves.

Compared to the chaos that could've erupted in that room, the walk home calmed me down if only a little. Only with the company I keep anyway.

"So I thought I'd throw her a bone instead Senpai." Isshiki and charitable were complete opposites like finding a lake in a desert.

"Hmm maybe so but it's not like you'd have a choice anyway. Besides, why'd you give up on your crush so easily?" Not that I was really bothered by it or anything but the question still stands. Iroha was the last person I expected to just give up in spite of her earlier statement.

"Who said I was giving up? I'll still be practicing for Hayama-senpai using you as a basis senpai so get used to it!"

"Eh? So, why the encouragement? And what if he says yes?" My junior cheekily smirked.

"So you are secretly an optimist right? I'm just giving Hayama-senpai some space or something. If she wins, she wins right? It's a win-win!"

"I don't follow your logic..."

"You just don't understand how girls compete. There's rules to it yaknowww?"

For something like that request though... I wonder what rules will be broken or worse, what would be upheld.

The afternoon went by quickly but sleep was delayed. The plan of action still brewing up in my brain. Images of a rejected blonde girl stayed in my head longer then it should have.

The only obstacle left was time and Hayama himself.

Umm, yo. Guess it was about time this happened. This may be 4-5 chapters long. I wish to credit AlistarBrundy, kuneet and Zeroexist on being the Miura-ship force to get the miura-fanfic's rolling which was really great inspiration. I was running dry on ideas for pretty much anything before then so hopefully the writing quality doesn't become dry and stale overtime.