Chapter 1

It was just another day in the Service club. Months of being in this club had set a routine for us. Yuigahama was blabbering on about nothing important in particular while Yukinoshita was reading her book with the cat on its cover while responding to Yuigahama every so often.

I wonder how she doesn't get distracted trying to respond to Yuigahama while still focusing on her book. Through personal experience, I have only been able to do it due to years of practice from responding to my family, however I still had to ask for them to repeat the question ever so often, which usually earned me an annoyed look.

The three of us here, in the quiet section of the school, just sitting here drinking Yukinoshita's excellently brewed tea while waiting for requests to trickle in, a lot of the times I wish that a request would never come. Not because I didn't want to do work, that's a portion of it, but it was because I enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the club.

Anyways, I myself was also reading too. It was one of the rarer times that I decided to read a Western novel. The novel Brave New World had been on my list of books to read for a while, and every time I walked passed the stack of untouched novels next to my desk I curse myself a bit more for not being able to find time to get through them. What's even worse is that I still continue to browse through book stores during my free time looking for books to read.

Normally I would save these kinds of books for reading before I went to sleep, however I had noticed that I was having less and less free time for reading at home.

Recently I started devoting more and more time to help Komachi study for her entrance exams. So far under my tutelage she was starting to grasp modern Japanese, and history. She has been studying for the past month or so more or less non-stop while still juggling her normal course work as well as being in her school's student council.

Hopefully all of our efforts will pay off with her passing Sobu's entrance exams. Then not only will I be able to spend more time with my number one cutest imouto, but then this also lead to leaving a possible successor to the Service Club once we all graduate.

"Ne Yukinon, are you excited for the upcoming school trip to Kyoto?" Yuigahama suddenly asks after looking up from her phone.

"Indeed, it is great to able to visit a city surrounded in so much Japanese history culture." Yukinoshita stated as she gracefully took a sip of tea from her porcelain cup.

"Really, how different is the culture from here in Chiba?" Yuigahama asked while setting her phone down.

"Yuigahama, Kyoto is the former Japanese capital, as much as it pains me to say this, it has much more significant historically for our country than Chiba has," I say while looking up from my novel. "Have you not paid attention to our Sensei in history? Kyoto was Japan's capital before it was moved to Tokyo."

Before Yuigahama could try and retort, there was knocking coming from the door and we all look towards it.

"Enter," says our club president, then a pair of familiar blonde and brown haired boys step in. It was everyone's Hayama Hayato and Tobe Kakeru.

"Good afternoon Tobe-kun, Hayama-kun."

"Yahallo, Hayato-kun, Tobe-kun" greets Yuigahama

"Hello" I greet as well.

"Ah hello Yukinoshita, Yui, Hikitani" greeted both Hayama and Tobe

"Do either of you have a request?" Asks Yukinoshita, getting right down to business.

"Ummm yeah, I do, but I'm not comfortable with Hikitani here, he's not really reliable after what happened, you understand right?" Tobe fidgeted as he spoke. He wasn't making eye contact with any of us while speaking either, dodging glances all around.

Right, after the events during the ending of the cultural festival I am probably the most hated person in the school, however I didn't let it bother me, I mean after high school there would be little to no chance of seeing any of them again.

"Tobecchi, you didn't need to say it like that, right. You could have said it in a better tone." Yuigahama came in my defense.

Thanks Yuigahama, but I have to deal with the consequences of my actions, I knew this was going to happen, but I'd do it again if it meant making the festival running smoothly. It was a small price to pay to ensure that the cultural festival ran smoothly especially after all the work that was put into it.

"Indeed as it was something Hikigaya did... I'm sorry but can the two of you please leave, I don't think there is anything we can do to help you" Yukinoshita said, in clear crisp voice, as I was about to get up so Tobe could make his request, but her words stopped me halfway.

I stiffen a bit as I heard Yukinoshita's tone and look to see that the other two males were shaken more than me as they had to bare the blunt of the ice-queen's glare.

"Blatant rudeness, and without manners, asking one of our members to leave, while still asking for help with a request, I believe it is in everyone's best interest if you leave us as quickly as you entered," her tone with a bit more sharpness than usual and seemingly lowered the room's temperature by a few degrees, leaving Tobe stiff in his spot, and Hayama losing his cool a bit.

"...Hmmm sorry if we caused any offense, we are the ones at fault here. Tobe, let's go discuss this again, we should probably figure this out ourselves." Hayama said after coming to senses, and bowing in respect to us. Again, coming in and trying to please everyone and not make any trouble as usual.

"Nah, I can't give up now, I've talked with Hikitani before, and so I'm sorry as well Hikitani." Tobe says with a look of determination, while Hayama nods afterwards, backing off.

"It's fine, I accept your apology, so you had a request correct," I quickly say, hoping on moving this on fast as possible since I wasn't used to someone apologizing to me. I was expecting to be ignored as usual. So being apologized to is of a bit a nice change in pace, but also unfamiliar which made it feel uncomfortable. I'm not so sure how I feel about that. Let's just move this on so I can get back to my novel.

"Ummm…. The truth is that…."

Tobe starts opening his mouth to say something but closes it before saying anything. He starts to fidget in place. Hmm it seems there is something troubling Tobe. Or it is possibly very personal or embarrassing, since he is struggling to form words. He looks around, not really making eye contact with us, while trying to form words.

"Tobe take your time…. It seems this is something very important to you." I say cautiously.

Hayama and Tobe look to me in surprise. They either didn't expect me to say something like that or that they weren't expecting for me to catch on. I don't why they looked at me in surprise, anyone could tell that he has something troubling him… or is it perhaps that they didn't expect me to care much.

"Ahh thanks Hikitani… you're a real bro. Anyways…. The truth is, I….. ya know Ebina, I think she's pretty good. So during the school trip, there is something I want to do." Tobe said after collecting his thoughts and working up the courage to say it to us, he still couldn't make eye contact with any of us while saying it though.

"Wow really?!" I look over to see Yuigahama's eyes light up and sparkle as she stands up and claps her hands together. It seems that Tobe wasn't joking during the camping trip then. He really was serious that night when he talked about Ebina. I look over to see Yukinoshita with a blank look, but Yuigahama whispers something into her ear, and then Yukinoshita puts on a complicated expression. I can't say exactly what it is but it seems like it was a mixture of grief and maybe annoyance.

"So you want to confess and go out with Ebina, is that right?" I ask looking right at Tobe.

"Yeah, exactly like that, getting rejected would be pretty bad though. You're a real bro there Hikitani, thanks for understanding." Tobe looks at me with sparkles in his eyes.

Dude don't do that, I'm not into dudes at all. I'm as straight as a sword.

"What do you guys think, Hiki, Yukinon? I think we should help Tobe-kun out." Yuigahama says while switching between Yukinoshita and I.

"I'm not so sure about what we can do here." Yukinoshita said as she put her hand to her chin deep in thought.

"Indeed Yuigahama, I'm not really sure what we can really do to help him."

"Ohh come on, we should do something, Tobe really needs our help here. We shouldn't turn him away after getting the courage to come and ask us right?" She reasons as she starts guilt us into changing our opinion.

"I guess we could at least help with some planning, since we can't confess for Tobe or change Ebina's feelings." I push back the memories of myself from when I was younger back down. While I only had experience getting rejected, I wanted to at least help Tobe not make the same mistakes I did.

"Ehhh really, thanks Hikitani… no Hikitani-san." Tobe says as he puts his hand together.

"Come on Yukinon, he really needs our help, please?" Says as Yuigahama she pouts and invades her 'beloved Yukinon's' personal space.

It seems like there isn't much time until Yukinoshita succumbs to the Pink storm known as Yuigahama's puppy eyes. Funny you'd think that Yukinoshita would be immune to such attacks since she dislikes dogs so much, but I guess not. Maybe that since she hates dogs, she isn't used to their 'attacks' so she doesn't have a defense against it.

"Alright very well, Tobe-kun, the Service Club accepts your request." Yukinoshita says while trying to retreat away from Yuigahama, who was continuing to push into Yukinoshita's space.

"Aww man, thanks so much guys I don't know what I would do without you guys." Tobe says while putting his hands together while bowing. Oddly it seems Hayama is shocked at our response for a second, he stands behind Tobe and to the side for a bit before smiling and thanking us as well. I stop looking at him look back at Tobe.

"You know there are risks to this right?" I start to tell Tobe what could happen.

"Ehh, what do you mean, you said you guys would help me right?" Tobe's face morphs from happiness to confusion.

"That is true but are you sure that Ebina will return your feelings? What will you do if she rejects you, do you think everything will remain the same afterwards, will you be alright with rumors spread throughout school again like before right before the workplace tour?" I say while looking at him with a straight face.

I wanted to help Tobe I really do, but I wanted to warn him of the possible outcomes and consequences if Ebina doesn't return his feelings. I hope I didn't scare him too much, but what I say is only the truth.

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to read this. This is my first story, I have written for this fiction, and am very new writing anything non-academic. Hopefully I was able to capture the characters well, except for Hachiman of course, as he as both him and his history has been changed. Hopefully you guys enjoy the story. Feel free to review as I am new at this and it would greatly help me if you guys give constructive criticism. Looking forward to posting more thanks again

-LordofAdmirals412