"Neh…neh…Yukinon, Hikki, what scores did you get?"
Currently, Hikigaya Hachiman, Yukinoshita Yukino, Hikigaya Komachi and Yuigahama Yui were at a nearby park. The three of them decided to simply bond after a grueling day in the Service Club (courtesy of Hayama Hayato and his clique). For this day, they simply had too much hell as they were asked a lot of favors such as helping them bake some special kind of cookies and similar stuff. And later on, Komachi insisted on coming with his older brother in their own bonding.
It was about quarter to four in the afternoon when they sat on the side of a large tree with a bench near the middle of the park. Besides them, there were only some few kids playing around with improvised football and mothers watching them carefully while chatting with other parents. The other students must be lazing around in their respective homes or spending their time in the mall to clear their bloodied and battered brains.
Yuigahama was referring to the three-day mid-terms exams that they took long after they had entered third year. Yesterday, they had the 500 item test that consisted of the five major subjects: Japanese, English, Liberal Arts/Sciences (Mathematics on the lower years), Social Studies and World History. She, as she puts it, bravely fought until the end.
Yukinoshita looked at her with a blank expression, "To be frank, you have flunked all of your tests except Health, Yuigahama-san. I really don't know how someone can actually fail that much."
"So mean, Yukinon!" The peppy girl whined, "I told you, I did the best that I can. I even studied for two weeks and I had you teach me!"
"And it seems that your best isn't enough," Hikigaya commented with a smirk.
"Says the one who is very bad at Mathematics and Sciences. Onii-chan is no better at studying." Komachi said with a teasing voice.
"Hikigaya-kun knows how to study?" Yukinoshita said offhandedly while finishing reading her light novel, "I thought that you don't do that since you're busy with things and you got those scores of yours on stock knowledge and love of history. It seems like I'm wrong though."
"Well…I got a 43 in Japanese, 44 in English, 22 in history and 18 in mathematics," Yuigahama tried to cheer herself up, "At the very least, it's an improvement compared to last year!"
"That low?" Hikigaya replied as he drinks his usual serving of Max Coffee. "And here, I thought I was a complete idiot. Guess that it's true that there's always someone worse than you."
"Don't worry, you are one, Hiki-idiot-kun" Yukinoshita muttered under her breath.
"I think that Yui-san should've studied for three weeks instead." Komachi said as she eats some candies.
"Why is everyone so mean to me?!" Yuigahama wailed, which amused the Ice Queen and Soubu's most hated man.
"What score did you get anyway, Komachi-San?" Yukinoshita asked Hikigaya's imotou, now a freshman in Soubu High.
Komachi grinned mischievously, "Truth to be told, I only studied the very hour before the test because I'm such a good son that I helped my mom clean the dishes—"
"You only did that so that she wouldn't nag you to study," Hikigaya interjected which she simply waved off.
"But even then, that I still managed to get around 70-80 for each subject. Anyways, it's around 350 plus, I think," she finished then looked thoughtful for a second, "How about you, Yukino-san?"
"489," she said simply.
As everyone continued to bicker on their grades and ransom stuff, Yukinoshita noticed that Hikigaya was quiet but very much amused by the turn of events and even had a smile on his lips as he gets another can of coffee from his bag
"That aside, what are your test results, Hikigaya-kun?" The blue-eyed girl asked with curious eyes, "And could you please stop that creepy smile. It's putting me in danger…"
The man with rotten eyes looked thoughtful. "Now that I think about it, I hadn't seen your name on the remedial classes list posted this morning when the tests were returned," Yukinoshita added with a slight disgust as Yuigahama nodded.
"What? Onii-chan's name wasn't there? Sounds strange but I'll take it that he passed." Komachi let out a gasp.
"Don't worry about him, Komachi-san. Hikki passed," Yuigahama said cheerfully.
Damn, I don't know they really thought of me as a complete idiot. Hikigaya grumbled didn't like the being branded as a creepy man and a moron by a fellow loner but tried to not let it show. After all, he didn't get to be one of the most well-known "hermit" teens around by being brash and cold-hearted (unlike a certain someone).
"It was nothing, Komachi. It's actually quite normal for me to get those scores," He answered calmly. "And what makes you think I'm acting creepy, Yukinoshita? I'd rather sleep all day in our house."
The mentioned female teen snorted, "Normal? You should've said something about it before or I might think that you are being delusional again."
Yuigahama was puzzled and it showed on her face. "Ne, Hikki, I don't think I get it. Care to explain?"
"I knew that Yuigahama is book-dumb but I never knew that you were that bad." Hikigaya commented rather than answering her question directly.
A tick formed on Yuigahama's forehead. "Jerk—"
All of a sudden, a girl around a year younger than them suddenly tripped on a large stone, causing a strong impact and started crying. Her mother rushed from the bench to the teen, but she wouldn't stop crying. The other people in the park were starting to get wary and the mother was anxious.
Despite not knowing the person at all, Hikigaya knew that he had to do something. Despite not wanting anything to do with the current situation, he still had a soft spot in his heart, after all. He spotted a group of male teenagers on the other tree near them and one of them was carrying a guitar. Hikigaya suddenly had an idea.
Meanwhile, the rest of the girls didn't know what to do and were frozen in place. They didn't realize that Hikigaya had already gone to the other group and had borrowed the instrument. Komachi was the first to react.
"Hey, Yukino-san, we've go to do something." She said then she suddenly grinned triumphantly. "I know! Onii-chan, what do you think we should—" Komachi whipped her head to look for older brother but found him gone. "—do? Onii-chan?"
That was when the others realized that Hikigaya was gone and started to look for him.
"Hey, Hikki, where are you?!" Yuigahama called.
Yukinoshita's glare turned icy and frosty. "Where is that Hiki-creepy-kun?"
Komachi only laughed, "Don't worry, this is Onii-chan we're talking about. He doesn't just disappear for no reason."
Yuigahama nodded but looked worried, "But I wonder where Hikki went off to."
The others were about to comment when they realized that the teen stopped crying and someone was playing the guitar nearby. They looked around to find where it came from when they found Hikigaya sitting on the other side of the fountain and strumming a guitar.
Yukinoshita almost spluttered as she stammers, "Hi-Hikigaya-kun?!"
Yuigahama almost choked on her own saliva, "Hikki knows how to play the guitar?"
Komachi simply looked intently on her older brother while lookeing curious. "This looks interesting," she said. The others only looked on.
Hikigaya, to their surprise, started singing.
"Mmmm…Mmmmm…Yeah…Mmmmm…Yeah, yeah, yeah…Mmmm…Yeah…Mmmm...Yeah, yeah," he started with a clear voice and the others looked on with mouths agape.
"Wait, I think I know that rhythm." Yuigahama wondered and was hushed by the others.
Baby, I just don't get it, do you enjoy being hurt?
I know you smelled the perfume, the make-up on his shirt,
You don't believe his stories, you know that they're all lies,
Bad as you are, you stick around and I just don't know why. He sang as he strum his guitar a little louder. Someone from the group of male teenagers who owned the guitar started making a beat in the sidelines.
If I was ya' man, baby, you'd...
Never worry 'bout what I do,
I'd be coming home back to you...
Every night, doing you right,
You're the type of woman deserves good things,
Fistful of diamonds hand full of rings,
Baby, you're a star, I just want to show you you are. To the surprise of the women, Hikigaya uncharacteristically smiled so alluring that it almost turned Yukinoshita's brain into mush.
You should let me love you,
Let me be the one to...
Give you everything you want and need,
Baby, good love and protection...
Make me your selection,
Show you the way love's supposed to be,
Baby, you should let me love you, love you, love you,
Love you.
Yeah, listen. Hikigaya started a riff on the guitar on solo with the beat in the background. Everyone was, of course, amazed. They didn't realize it when a crowd started forming around the third year.
Your true beauty's description; look so good that it hurts
You're a dime plus 99 and it's a shame, don't even know what you're worth
Everywhere you go, they stop and stare, cause you're bad and it shows
From your head to your toes, out of control baby you know.
Yuigahama almost fainted in shock and surprise at what she's witnessing right now.
If I was ya man baby you'd, Never worry bout what I do,
I'd be coming home back to you,
Every night, doing you right,
You're the type of woman deserves good things,
Fistful of diamonds hand full of rings,
Baby you're a star, I just want to show you, you are.
'Please, make me yours!' Out of nowhere, a certain Ice Queen suddenly thought.
You should let me love you
Let me be the one to
Give you everything you want and need
Baby, good love and protection
Make me your selection
Show you the way love's supposed to be
Baby, you should let me…
Everyone from the crowd started to be amazed as it grows bigger by every second.
You deserve better girl (You know you deserve better)
We should be together girl (Baby)
With me and you it's whatever girl, hey
So can we make this thing ours?
You should let me love you
Let me be the one to (Let me be the one to give)
Give you everything you want and need (Everything you need)
Baby, good love and protection (Said everything)
Make me your selection (Will you take me, baby?)
Show you the way love's supposed to be
Baby, you should let me love you,
Let me be the one to,
Give you everything you want and need,
That good love and protection,
Make me your selection,
Show you the way love's supposed to be,
You should let me love you,
Let me be the one to give you everything you want and need (Everything you need)
Good love and protection (protection)
Make me your selection (selection)
Show you the way love's supposed to be, yeah,
Let me love you, that's all you need, baby. He finally finished with a final strum on the guitar.
Everyone from the crowd started cheering and clapping and some girls his age actually fainted. His club mates and Komachi shook out from their momentary trance. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw teenage girls blushing furiously and some other women having hearts in their eyes.
Yuigahama looked disdainfully at the girls. "I never expected Hikki to be a ladies' man!"
Komachi sighed and clasped her hands together. "This is why I love Onii-chan so much and I care so much for him!"
Yukinoshita stared long and hard at her, "And I thought because he was simply being a sis-con."
Komachi huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms together, "He simply cares for me that much! But I started to appreciate him more when he played the guitar on our neighbor's birthday a few months back. You were there, Yui-san when you brought Sable to our home. Aren't you supposed to know?"
Yukinoshita peered curiously at Yuigahama when she heard the exchange. She thought the air-head had to know something.
Yuigahama stiffened as her mouth drops hilariously, "Wait, that was Hikki?! It was not some random boy hired from some music band?!"
Komachi sighed. "It was Onii-chan! Why would you think I would made a recording of it? And for the record, he was actually invited to sing and perform for a church choir group and singers but he turned them down to have more time in the Service Club."
"Did I hear right?" Yukinoshita can't believe what she just heard. "Hiki-pervert-kun got invited to a church choir?"
"I didn't have much time for singing on Sunday celebrations so I had to turn it down and besides, that would mean having to hang out with a lot of people. Does that clear any questions?"
They almost had a heart attack when they saw Hikigaya already beside them. They were too caught up in their discussion to notice that he already returned the guitar some minutes ago.
"Hikigaya-kun! You should've said something or else I would have suffered a heart attack from your sudden appearance." Yukinoshita coldly stated as she covers herself with her arms.
"Sorry..." Hikigaya apologized rather blandly. He then looks at his watch and said, "I think we should go home already. I still have to bring my younger sister to the mall so we can buy some ingredients to cook later for dinner."
Yuigahama and Yukinoshita simply smiled and nodded.
"Well…we'll be going. See you next week." Hikigaya waved as he takes Komachi by her hands and they walk away.
"Sheesh. Never thought that we would learn a lot about Hikki today." Yuigahama pouted.
Yukinoshita nodded. "Tell me about it." She suddenly noticed something sticking out of the ditzy girl's bag. "Hey, Yuigahama-san, what's that?"
"Huh?" He took out a piece of paper and was about to read it when suddenly, the blue-eyed girl took it from him.
"Thank you," she said with a curious expression. "Let's see—" Yuigahama saw the Ice Queen player eyes' widen. "Hiki-idiot-kun got a score of 498 out of 500?!"
"Eh?! How did that happen?" Yuigahama was genuinely shocked.
But as they take a look at the paper, the Ice Queen had something on her mind.
Perhaps, I should ask Hikigaya-kun to sing for me someday.