Chapter 19: Sorry
Yurikawa Hana gently nodded at Hachiman Hikigaya while holding a juice box. "I came to see you because of Miko."
Is she that girl's friend?
Hachiman Hikigaya looked up curiously and studied the girl before him.
What caught his eye was the girl's impressive chest.
In his memory, only Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei could surpass her.
What on earth does she eat to grow like that?
"Um! I wanted to ask..."
Completely unaware of Hachiman's strange thoughts, Yurikawa Hana looked at the boy before her, opening her mouth but unsure how to say what she wanted.
"You're here to ask about the relationship between Yotsuya and me, right?"
Even if it wasn't spoken aloud, Hachiman had already guessed Yurikawa's intent.
After all, his good friend suddenly walking with a very sleazy-looking guy and even preparing a bento for him—it's just not normal.
Most people would think that Miko had some leverage over him and was being coerced into doing this, right?
Thinking that, Hachiman couldn't help but sigh at how humans really do judge by appearances.
If Miko had given a bento to someone else, like Hayama Hayato, probably this girl wouldn't have come at all.
"No, that's not it~"
Unexpectedly, upon hearing his thoughts, Yurikawa's face showed a bit of surprise, then she shook her head to indicate he was wrong.
"Hmm, did I guess correctly? First of all, I have no relationship with Yotsuya at all. I just happened to help her, and the bento she gave me was a thank-you gift. That's all... Hey, wait! What did you just say?"
Hachiman had naturally assumed he was right, but just as he was explaining his prepared rebuttal halfway, he suddenly realized something.
"Haha, I said you guessed wrong. I've already known what Miko came to ask you about."
Seeing Hachiman finally catch on, Yurikawa held back laughter, clutching her stomach.
At first, after hearing Miko's words, she had been somewhat wary of Hachiman, but when he hurriedly distanced himself from Miko, she found it quite amusing.
"So why exactly did you come?"
Hachiman looked at Yurikawa with confusion.
Since she already knew the background, what was her purpose in coming to see him?
"Of course, I came to ask what you think of Miko!"
Saying this, Yurikawa pouted.
Her adorable Miko was so proactive, but this deadfish-eyed guy showed no reaction whatsoever...
"Sorry, I have no intention of dating."
Hachiman showed an apologetic expression, bowed his head and said sorry, then turned to head back to the bike shed.
Surely Miko must be getting impatient by now.
"Eh, why?"
Hearing Hachiman's answer, Yurikawa widened her eyes, running after him and questioning.
"Nothing much, just find it troublesome."
Hachiman shrugged helplessly and without hesitation gave that honest answer.
Even with the Exorcist System, he hadn't changed his lazy life attitude.
After all, Tokyo is a huge city.
Even if low-level evil spirits are rare, that's only relative.
If he had been serious, long before meeting Miko, he would have become a mid-level exorcist and gone through the system's beginner tutorial, instead of leaping two levels at once and making the system say goodbye like yesterday.
However, Hachiman's straightforward answer stunned Yurikawa.
"Troublesome?!"
Yurikawa stared incredulously into Hachiman's eyes, trying to spot the nervousness of a liar in those deadfish eyes.
But to her disappointment, Hachiman's gaze was calm as water, meaning he wasn't lying.
"Is there really someone who thinks dating is troublesome?"
Hachiman's words left Yurikawa completely lost.
After all, they were still young teenagers, boys and girls in the prime of youth, attracted by hormones to have a passionate romance — wasn't that what they should do to celebrate youth?!
"Yeah, exactly. So please tell your friend not to come looking for me unless it's necessary!"
After saying this, Hachiman dodged past Yurikawa and continued toward the bike shed.
This time, Yurikawa didn't stop him.
Back by the bike shed, Miko had already packed up both bento boxes.
She sat quietly on the steps, staring blankly at the lively students on the nearby playground, lost in thought.
"Your juice..."
Hachiman sat down next to Miko and handed her the third juice box.
"Thank you..."
Miko took the juice but didn't open it, holding it in her hands and staring fixedly at Hachiman.
"Wh-what is it?"
Feeling nervous under her gaze, Hachiman hurriedly looked up toward the distant buildings to shift his focus.
"Hana came to see you just now, right?"
Miko asked with a knowing tone.
"Hana?"
"That short-haired girl with a great figure. You smell like her..."
Miko continued staring into the distance as she explained softly.
After a moment of silence, Hachiman nodded: "Yeah."
"So what did she talk to you about?"
Turning his head, Miko looked curiously at Hachiman's profile.
"Nothing much, just asked what I thought of you."
"How did you answer?"
Miko's voice trembled slightly, clearly nervous about Hachiman's reply.
"You're nice."
Hachiman had many nice words in his heart to describe her, but when the words came out, it was just those simple three.
"Just nice?"
Miko looked down at her shoe tips, her heart sinking with disappointment.
It was her first time giving a boy a bento, and this was the response?
Seeing Miko's near-tearful expression, Hachiman swallowed hard and opened his mouth to apologize:
"I'm really sorry. I don't plan on dating in high school..."
Miko didn't respond.
She silently stood up, packed the bento boxes from the ground, held the juice Hachiman bought, and left.
Watching her walk away, Hachiman sighed and then gave a bitter smile:
"Looks like I'm disliked again."
But maybe that's for the best.
If she stayed with someone like him too long, others would also look at her strangely...