A/N: Here's chapter sixteen! Last Haganai chapter before I take a break for a little while! I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Haganai

The innocent whistling was masking his true goal, the nature of his true objective. Every time there was a break period during class, Cadmus would scour the hallways, looking around for Yukimura. Though she was a grade younger than him, he still had no idea what specific class she was in or anything.

Yozora had assured him that she would locate and pull in everybody else. How hard could it be to find one person?

Luck would have it that he spotted her once school finished. But she was way ahead of him, rounding a corner. Wait, was she going up the stairs? Why? School was out, shouldn't she be leaving the building?

"Hey, Yukimura! Wait!" Cadmus called, rounding the corner as well. Though he was stopped cold when he bumped into someone. He and the person he ran into both fell on their rears.

"Ow…ow…ow…" A voice said, as a girl got up, "Watch where you're going, will you?" It was a tiny and annoying voice, not one that Cadmus really recognized.

Cadmus grunted as he got up, dusting the back of his pants off, "Yeah, yeah, whatever…sorry…now will you move?" He snarled. He had lost Yukimura at this point.

"Ugh, rude much?" The little girl snapped. Over her green and white school uniform was a brown cardigan, and she sported red neck length hair and amber eyes. She backed away a bit in fear once she registered who the other person was, "What the hell? Are you some kind of burglar, what are you doing here?"

She must have been talking about his clothes, "No…" He sighed, "I go to this school…"

"You look like a creep!"

"And you look like a third grader."

"How dare you!" She waved a tiny fist in the air, "I'll have you know, it's against school regulations to go around dressed like…like some punk! As a member of the Student Council, I'd like to have your name, please!"

Cadmus felt his heart leap up to his throat. "This bitch is part of the Student Council…?" He asked himself, then he addressed her, holding up his hands in a fearful, friendly gesture, "Come on, now…officer…I don't mean to offend…"

"Whatever, your name?"

"It's after school anyway! Classes are over, I can wear whatever the hell I want!"

"You're still on school ground!" She protested.

"Like hell, I'd be gone by now if I didn't have to stand here arguing with you!"

She held a hand out, "Why don't you come with me to our office, then? For both dressing outside the dress code and resisting the admonishment of a council member?"

"Yusa-Yusa?" Cadmus heard Yukimura's voice, as she peeked around the corner and joined their little standoff.

"Yukimura!" The little redhead beamed. Maybe Cadmus was saved after all.

Cadmus dumbly looked from Yukimura to the short redhead, "You two know each other?"

"You almost missed it." The petite girl smiled as she gestured to Cadmus, "I was about to punish this degenerate."

"Cadmus?" Yukimura just noticed him.

"You know him?" The other girl asked.

"That's right." Cadmus crossed his arms, "Call off your Chihuahua, Yukimura, I want a talk in private."

"Ugh, the nerve! That's Aoi Yusa, to you!" The redhead snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, Aoi Yusa…blah, blah, blah…get lost…"

Aoi muttered something under her breath as she marched off, presumably back to the office of the Student Council. Cadmus then looked at Yukimura, "What the hell are you doing, getting so chummy with the Student Council members?"

She frowned, "I've visited them for a while now. There's no need to be so hostile to them."

"They probably all hate me anyway…besides…I just feel…bad vibes…between our club and theirs…you know?" Cadmus asked, "Like there's some kinda animosity between the Neighbor's Club and the Student Council."

"There is. The Student Council tried to shut the Neighbor's Club down twice."

Shit. He thought. He would need a serious conversation with either Yozora or someone else who was privy to the club's history later. But for now, he crossed his arms, "About our club."

"Yes?" She asked.

He didn't think he'd get this far. Where should he begin? Probably by telling her how much of an idiot he was. "Uh…well, we're not disbanded. We're still running."

"We are?" She asked, "But…I doubt Yozora is in any state to—"

"She's fine now. Most of us are fine…it's…it's just a matter of spreading the word out…getting everything back together…"

"But…she's in such a dark place right now…"

"She's fine. Don't question it. I think if we keep running the club as we have been, it'll heal old wounds, what do you say?"

Her eyes shifted around, "But you said that—"

"Forget about what I said." He interrupted yet again. "I…uh…she just wanted to be Kodaka's friend again…maybe she did want to be something more with him…but…but I think…finally…that she's willing to put things in the past."

"So…you exaggerated…"

"Guilty…" He said, "People do lots of crazy things for love."

She thought about it, "I suppose the foundation of a club doesn't really matter…it's how the time is spent…and the memories made from it."

"Yeah, see? That's the right kind of attitude."

They stared at each other for another few moments, "I'll give it some thought."

"Right, thanks Yukimura, you won't regret this." He gave a small bow, and the two went their separate ways.

A metal song blared from his phone. But the song was different that his typical texting song. He picked it up and held it to his ear. He was pretty sure he still only had one contact at this point. "Yozora? You never call me…"

"Scruffy, yeah, hi…how are you doing?"

"I just talked to Yukimura, got a hard 'maybe.' But I'm willing to bet that she'll be in during our next meeting. What about you?"

"I got everybody except Rika. Meat and Kodaka just ditched us for a date or whatever…they weren't actually quitting the club…Maria and Sumeragi didn't even notice that there was a problem…so they were fine too."

"Yeah…I'm starting to think when I said that I destroyed the club that I was exaggerating a little bit…"

"Crap like this happens all the time…it's still nice to touch base with everyone and see how they're feeling."

"Fair point." He said, "So you missed Rika?"

"Yeah, I'm betting she's in her Rika room…giving herself some self-love."

His cheeks went pink, "I don't even wanna ask."

"I'm gonna send you in. I wasted too much time looking for her and I have other things to do."

"Aw, come on…I don't wanna go in Rika's secret sex dungeon!" He yelled into the phone, "Damn it, why is it always me?"

"This is it Scruffy, it's just Rika and then we're done."

"Pfft, says the person who doesn't have to go in her Rika room…which doesn't sound creepy at all."

"I'll pray for your safety."

"That's not funny!" He growled, "Ugh…besides…what the event we're going to do to signify our unity of a club? Have you given that any thought?"

"Uh…I don't know…maybe the beach again? Meat has that house, right? I bought this new book I've been dying to read."

"Hmm…fair enough…enough though we went to the beach last time, you weren't there. Sounds like a reasonable idea."

"See you later, Scruffy." She hung up.

"Ah! Wait! Yozora! Don't go…I don't wanna go to…" He angrily sighed as he pocketed his phone.

He looked around this 'Rika room' that Yozora had designated for him. One lab after another left him with no results. He eventually found a smaller lab, maybe this one was the one that belonged to Rika? He looked around for belongings that could have maybe been owned by Rika, but he didn't come up with anything.

One door after another he stumbled through, sure was a convoluted, tightly-knit lab, that was for sure.

The last door he barged through was an office, and he found Rika, on the floor, in nothing but her lab coat.

He cheeks lit up and he backed away, but Rika already heard him. She turned around with a big smile on her face, as if being discovered like this was perfectly normal. "Cadmus." He grin grew.

"Damn it, Rika!" He closed his eyes and cowered, "Put your clothes on, for Christ's sake!"

"Wrong, wrong, wrong." Rika said, "You're supposed to ask Rika if she needed any help finishing off!"

"…never in a million years would I help you finish off…"

He opened his eyes, Rika was sitting in her swiveling chair. Her lab coat was all buttoned up, which he appreciated. But knowing that absolutely nothing was under it didn't do him many favors. "Rika thinks you need to work on your sexual etiquette, if that's the case."

"Uh-huh…yeah, sure I do. I don't even wanna know who that was for…"

"Take a guess."

"I really don't want to."

A pause, "You and Kodaka doing it, if you were wondering."

Repulsed, he took another step back, "Gross…Rika…" He said, "Damn it…I can't believe I'm stuck with you…"

"Oh? But if it were Yozora…would you help her finish off?" She grinned, running a hand through her brunette hair.

"…no…shut up…"

"You would!" She clasped her hands together, "Rika bets you would do many deeds with her, wouldn't you?"

He raised a fist up, flustered, "That doesn't matter…leave her out of this!"

"You would fist her?"

He looked at his hands, "Stop it!" He snapped.

She giggled, "How long have you had a thing for Yozora?"

"I…I don't know…a while…I don't remember when. Wait, why am I telling you all this?"

"You know, just because she's trying to let go of Kodaka, doesn't mean you have to let go…so to speak…"

"Tch…nice try…she just wants to be friends right now…so I'm honoring her wish."

"How boring…" Rika wilted.

"Look…the Neighbor's Club is going on a trip to the beach again…uh…this time with Yozora…were going to come to that…or…?"

"Of course."

He blinked, "So…so you knew the club was fine…and I didn't even have to come here in the first place…"

"Correct, but Rika appreciates the visit." She smiled.

"Fuck me."

"Gladly."

"Hey, stay away!" He backed up to the doorway, which wasn't saying much in terms of distance, given how tightly-knit the room was. "So…you weren't worried about the future of the club at all?"

"Rika's seen worse…especially when Sena confessed to Kodaka…now that's a story and a half." Rika said, "Besides…Rika thinks you can help her in some way."

"This…this sounds like the hook to a dirty joke…"

"Rika told you when we were camping that she wanted to be Yozora's friend. You've forgotten." She looked at him.

Cadmus swallowed hard. When her jovial expression faded, it really added a lot of tension in the room.

"Rika and the others all want to be friends with Yozora. We care about her. We're worried for her."

He nodded. Honestly he forgot sometimes that under that perverted façade, Rika could not only get serious, but was a genius to boot. So getting on her bad side was in no ways a profitable idea. "She seems fine now. I mean…I don't really know what 'normal' Yozora is per se…but she seems a bit less…closed-off. I guess we'll see in the next few days."

Rika nodded back, "Rika will see you at the beach, then."

There was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu going on where they were all on the sands of the beach. Albeit this time it was slightly later, the sun was making its way down, but it didn't deter them any. There was just one thing missing.

"I thought you said Yozora was coming." Rika glanced at Cadmus, "So where is she?"

"She'll be here…just give her a couple minutes…" Cadmus said, back in his black swim trunks.

"Did you lie to us just to get us all out here…daddy will not be pleased if I was lied to." Sena frowned.

"Come on, what the hell would I gain by lying about this?" He asked.

"Everyone okay? How come you guys are all standing around out here?" They heard a voice behind them. They whirled around to see Yozora, a towel under one arm, holding a beach umbrella and a folded chair. She was wearing a crimson one piece.

It wasn't long before Cadmus's cheeks nearly matched the color of her swimsuit. He usually didn't think much of one pieces, compared to their two piece counterpart. But the way Yozora pulled it off left him speechless for a moment or so.

"Yozora, you're back." Kodaka smiled.

"It's about damn time." Sena humored with a smile of her own.

"We're happy to see you." Yukimura said.

"Rika's pleased also!"

Yozora paused, being greeted by the eagerness of the club all at once. It left her with a smile on her face. A natural smile, not one full of vengeance of sadism from the pain of someone else. She looked humbled, and touched. Cadmus smiled as well, a knowing smile. She needed confirmation that she mattered to these people, and she got it.

"Did…did anyone want to help me set this stuff up?" Yozora asked.

"I got it." Cadmus said, heading to her aid, while the others frenzied to get sunscreen on themselves to go out and play in the water.

"Alright." Sena tossed a beach ball up and down, "It's time for volleyball, version two! Volleyball in the water!"

"Sena…I'm not sure that makes sense…" Kodaka said quietly. The lot of them peeled off for the water anyway, leaving Cadmus and Yozora back at the beach, to their own devices.

After about five tries, Cadmus finally had the blanket flat enough on the ground, or at least without too many wrinkles, "This good?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Yozora said, finally getting the umbrella set up to create a decent amount of shade over the blanket. She then grabbed the folded chair, trying to unfold it, but it wasn't really cooperating. After three tries, she started swearing under her breath, "Damn it."

"Let me help." He walked over. He grabbed one half and she was holding the other, "We'll do it together."

"Right. Sorry, my mom can be cheap with this stuff."

"It's fine." He said, blushing slightly at how close the two of them were standing, "Alright…on three…one…two…three!" They both pulled, and eventually the chair snapped into its intended form. "Jeez…" He said, "It's probably going to be a pain in the ass to put back too…"

Yozora proudly sat in her chair, getting her book out, most likely the thing she was waiting for the most, "Thank you." She nodded at Cadmus.

He nodded back, then he looked ahead, seeing that the rest of the club was already playing in the water. "Damn it…"

"Something wrong?"

"No…nothing…just…I just…" He looked around, "Where's the sunscreen?" He finally found it nearby, mounted in to sand. He popped it open and started putting it on. The sun was descending, but it was still high enough to warrant it. And with someone as pale as Cadmus, he would sunscreen first, and ask questions later. "Crap…" He kept reaching behind himself.

She looked up from her book, "You good, Scruffy?"

"I can't reach my back…" He said, nervously chuckling, "Could you help me?"

She slowly set her book down, "Yeah, give me the bottle."

He sat in front of her, with his back to her, while she squirted some of the sunscreen in her hands. She hesitated, a little surprised at how small her hands looked, especially when she rubbed them up against his back. She tried to be as quick as she could, since she was getting more and more flustered.

Cadmus rose to a standing position, "Thanks." He said, "Guess I'll go play water volleyball or whatever the hell they got set up out there."

She wiped her hands off, sitting back in her chair and getting her book out, "Have fun." She snickered.

He left to play with the others, while Yozora kept reading her book. Though most of the time she wasn't really reading, she was thinking about what had just transpired. The bruises he got from those fights were gone at least. And the bruises he got from her was gone completely. That made her feel better, or at the very least less guilty.

She was interrupted when she heard his voice again. There was a beautiful sunset by the time he did return. "Where the hell did I leave my towel?" He muttered, "Oh…here it is…" He picked up the pitch black towel, the first thing he attacked was his hair.

"Done already?" Yozora asked, "I feel like you were only gone for an hour or two."

"Ugh, I know…I just can't keep up with them…I'd rather just sit back and relax…watch the waves…the sky…I don't know…I guess I'm pooped…" He said, still messing around with drying off, "My hair's gonna stick up in twenty different directions when I'm done…"

"It already does stick up in twenty different directions."

"…I…I meant twenty more different directions…" He said. Once he finished drying off, he sat down on the blanket, looking ahead of himself.

She crossed her legs, "I feel bad…I would have brought more chairs…but…I just assumed everyone would want to do something more active."

"Don't feel bad. I'm comfortable."

"Okay…" She said, "Are you sure you don't want to go back out there with the others?"

"Nah, I'm way too exhausted."

Yozora went back to reading. Every so often, she'd check just barely above the book to see Cadmus sitting in front of her, and the rest of the club playing around in the water, content as could be, "They…they're all having fun…right?"

"Course they are."

She smiled, a bit relieved, "Good. It…it'd be bad if we went back on our word. We…we need to look out for one another, especially after what's happened recently…both before your time, and after you've joined."

He looked back at her and smiled, "Hey, we'll all be alright. Everything's going to be fine. And it's all thanks to you, Madame President."

"You need to stop calling me that."

"Never."

A/N: Things seem to be going nicely for the Neighbor's Club at the moment. I wonder how things will turn out in the future. Thanks for reading!