Disclaimer: I do not own My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU in any way, shape or form.
For Hachiman Hikigaya, this day was one he was not going to forget anytime soon. He knew that this day would come back to haunt him for quite a while. He was for once at a total and complete loss as to how he should deal with the situation. Hachiman was actually thankful that there existed a certain Hayato Hayama, as for once his social skills and presence was useful.
Hachiman once again took stock of the situation that was playing out. He was at a wake. For a cat. More specifically, his cat, Kamakura. He knew that he should be sad and mourning the death of the cat, but all he felt was annoyance. The feline had decided that the right time to leave the mortal plane was when his girlfriend Yukino was looking after the cat. From what he understood, Yukino had taken her eyes off the cat to take a bath, and upon coming back to feed the feline, she had found it dead. The cat had been rushed to a veterinary clinic, where the doctor had pronounced him dead.
Yukino, the one person who loved cats more than anyone within his social circle. The poor girl had not stopped crying since, alternating between mourning the death of a cat and blaming herself for said death
"He was lucky to spend his last moments with the person who loved him so much." Komachi was trying to console Yukino. "I am sure he is in a better place now."
"That was so clichéd, but I have nothing better" Hachiman thought.
"Yukinon, here." Yuigahama handed her best friend a cup of tea. Hachiman knew that Yuigahama was trying to help but felt that Yuigahama constantly hovering over his girlfriend would only depress Yukino more.
It was fine irony that Yuigahama, an airhead who lost control of her dog's leash at the drop of a hat had a living breathing pet, but Yukino, who clung to Kamakura at all times lost her pet without any warning. Hachiman was sure that Yukino would realise this fact soon if she had not already, and that would depress her even more.
"Yuigahama, can you please help Komachi in the kitchen?" Hachiman gently nudged his friend, who nodded and left. But Hachiman was now left with a new problem, and that was that he now had to take over consoling his girlfriend. He did not mind consoling her but was quite clueless as to how he should go about it. He had never actually comforted someone; he was not a person that people turned to when they needed to feel warm and happy. In fact, it had been mentioned several times that his presence was a definite mood-downer.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Hayato gesturing him to take over comforting Yukino. Hachiman reluctantly did so. He had dealt with an upset Yukino before, but usually it was because of something he did, or something that her sister and/or family did. He had never even planned for 'Death of a cat' type situation. Cats and Pan-san memorabilia were topics akin to landmines when it concerned Yukino.
"There, there, it's all right." Hachiman said, just as Yukino let out a silent gasp, trembling as Hachiman wrapped his arms around her. She was no longer crying but she was still shaking like a leaf as she held on to Hachiman. The girl had not said a single word since the impromptu funeral, instead communicating with sobs and grunts. A far cry from the usually composed daughter of the Yukinoshita family, but that was what grief did to people. The two of them stayed like that for quite a while, Yukino silently only breaking apart when Komachi announced that dinner was ready.
Hachiman could not quite hold back the twinge of annoyance that he felt when he saw that all the dishes were Yukino's favourites. "Hayato, I know you are being supportive in this time, but right now I just want to sock you in the face for some reason." He mentally raged against the blonde. Hayato was a childhood friend of Yukino and had known the girl longer than Hachiman, but still, the disdain and annoyance that he felt towards the blonde did not lessen in the least. Even at a time like this, Hayato Hayama somehow managed to be 'flawless'. He was able to arrange for a small funeral, get the service club members together for a wake and even organise the food for said wake! And after all this, Hachiman still did not know how or why the blonde was here to begin with. Who told him about this mess? And why did Hayato think that him showing up would do anything other than upset Yukino even more?
"Onii-chan, your food is getting cold." Komachi's voice snapped him out of his mental tirade against Hayato. Suddenly realising how hungry he was, he began wolfing down the food, but a glance in Yukino's direction stopped him. Yukino had not eaten a single bite, instead moving food around the plate with her chopsticks. Hachiman sighed in exasperation, then audibly moved his chair right next to Yukino's. Taking the chopsticks from her hand, he picked up some food and held the chopsticks up to Yukino's face. "You need to eat. Here." Yukino accepted the offer, too flummoxed to even protest. Hachiman was actually feeding her! The rest of the meal passed in that same slightly awkward, slightly romantic state of Yukino being fed by her boyfriend, who looked surprisingly casual while doing so. Yukino for her part was torn between sadness and embarrassment. The other members at the table, Komachi, Hayato, Yuigahama and Isshiki all were looking at the scene with varying degrees of bewilderment.
The sound of the doorbell snapped the duo out of their motions. Komachi tended to the door, and Hachiman could hear a familiar voice respond to his sister. He stepped out into the hallway, and was greeted with the visage of Yukino's elder sister.
"Hey" Haruno Yukinoshita waved casually, and then in a lower voice questioned "How is she doing."
"Still upset. She is in the silent grief stage now." Hachiman replied. "Wait, how did you know about all this? You weren't even in the city to begin with!"
"She is still a child in so many ways." Haruno commented, ignoring Hachiman's query entirety. "But don't you worry, Big Sis is here."
"That is definitely a reason to worry big time!" Hachiman thought.
"Actually, Hachiman here has been quite effective in calming down Yukino." Hayato interjected. "He also fed Yukino her dinner."
"Fed her? As in physically fed her?" Haruno's eyes began shining. Hachiman knew that this bit of information would be used to tease him and Yukino for months to come.
"It was the only way she was going to eat something!" Hachiman responded. "What is with her reaction anyway? I get that she loves cats, but she is way more upset that I ever imagined her to be. How long is this going to continue?"
"That girl is quite sensitive. Despite her maturity, she is still a very sheltered girl in some ways and has been protected from stuff like this for all her life. Dealing with something like the death of a pet, that too a pet that her boyfriend owned all by herself is bound to weigh on her." Haruno explained, for once answering straight on point. As I said, I will speak to her tomorrow. Don't worry, I will be staying over at her place to keep an eye on her."
Hachiman nodded his thanks, and he and Yuigahama helped Yukino gather her things, and then saw the sisters off. Isshiki and Yuigahama also took their leave, having no reason to stay now that Yukino had left. Hayato also stated that he was also taking his leave for the night.
Hachiman called out to Hayato. "Thanks for arranging the funeral. And the wake. And the food." Hachiman said, not meeting the blonde's eyes. He found the very act of thanking this 'perfect' person very vexing, even though his presence had helped quite a bit.
"I never thought you would be one for PDA." Hayato suddenly stated.
"That was not PDA. I just wanted her to calm down and not guilt herself into not eating. I don't…... I don't like seeing her like that."
"I am sure she will be fine. She has you to support her now." Hayato waved his goodbye. Hachiman grumbled about annoying blondes as he locked up the house. Komachi had already fallen asleep on the couch.
Feeling the drain of the day's activities weigh down on him, Hachiman collapsed into his bed. "My cat's death was wrong, but I had not expected this. Rest in peace, Kamakura." Hachiman concluded as he fell asleep, ending one of the most exhausting days in his recent memory.