Hey everyone. This will be a slight AU where Hachiman didn't interfere when Yui pushed Yukino to accept her ''solution'' at the end of Zoku. I'm not a LN reader so I'll only use what I remember from the anime. Don't hesitate to tell me if there's something wrong.

This is my first fic in a long time, especially in English which isn't my native language. As I have no proof reader, you may encounter tense inconsistency, grammar mistakes and limited vocabulary. I have no pretension to say this story will be as good as the many others out here, the Oregairu section has a lot of talented writers. I merely wish to write my story and share it. Without further ado, here it is.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters present in this work, besides my OC. They are Wataru Watari's.

I don't know who was the idiot who said if you got a problem you can't fix by yourself, you should work on it with someone else because otherwise no one will rely on you. I'm always being relied upon despite being a loner trying hard to keep matters personal. It's annoying. They all voice their wild expectations out there and you're supposed to meet these or else you'll be labeled as an unreliable person.

In the case you fail to do so, don't let them fool you.

Their "It's okay, at least you did your best for me!" is a convenient lie for themselves to look the part of a good person. They'll talk about you, saying how they hoped you would help them and how you ended up not living up to it. People want results, not good intentions. That's how the world truly works.

Yukinoshita and Yuigahama put an halt to their discussion and I interrupt my train of thought as Isshiki Iroha enters the Service Club's room. Cheeky little kouhai, you never miss the chance to steal the spotlight.

Am I not the protagonist of this story?

"Yahallo! It's your President coming through!"

She is as hyper as usual, flashing that grin of hers to everyone present. I merely put a forced smile on my face. As usual too.

"Hello Isshiki-san."

"Yahallo, Iroha-chan! What brings you here today?"

Yukinoshita's salutation and Yuigahama's overly enthusiastic response also are a no-brainer. I see we still travel in the land of cliché, even as we rather freshly entered this year, nothing changes.

Yes.

Nothing changed, even after all that.

"Mou! Senpai! Would it kill you to consider saying hello?!"

"It wouldn't. In fact it didn't. I did consider it and in doing so, chose to stay silent."

Why are you looking at me with these mean eyes, Irohasu? I answered your question just now you know. You said nothing about me having to answer what you actually wanted to hear from me.

I glance at Yukinoshita who just looks annoyed. I'm in for one of her traditional retorts. I can feel it.

"Putting that-… putting Hikigaya-kun aside,

Oi, woman. Watch your tongue.

Yuigahama-san and I are ready to listen to your request."

Isshiki smiles at the both of them, before turning to me once more with a concerned look.

Oi, woman. I don't need your pity.

"Haha… Well… I'm in a bit of a pickle. I need your help with something."

You couldn't state the obvious in a better way even if you tried. Now just sit and explain, dammit.

And thankfully, she just does that.

"You see, I've been confessed to… and I don't know how to reject someone's confession."

What are you acting all fidgety and shy for, you sly fox. Not good at rejecting?

Ha!

How about you use some of your innumerable comebacks you usually save for me, uh? It's time to show me all this training wasn't in vain.

"I forgot to add it's the first time I got confessed to…!"

Stop it right there, you're not convincing me. You may lower your head and hide behind your bangs, but you're not fooling me! There is absolutely no way you didn't get confessed to before that. Your words, your attitude and your body movements seem rehearsed.

I'm seeing through your disguise, Isshiki.

Let me rectify your statement. You were very used to rejecting people. However, since you just got rejected by Hayama, you finally understood what it feels like to have your love denied. It was probably the first time a boy said no to you too.
Conclusion: You don't want to feel bad about yourself now that you know.

The peach haired girl next to the black haired one looks like she wants to add something. Stop hesitating already. Out with it!

"I understand! I mean… not really since it never happened to me but… I think I totally can anyway!"

Yuigahama… Fighting! I'm positive someone will surely fall in love with your bo-… beautiful self. Saaaaaafe. I nearly got that wrong.

I hear Yukinoshita sighing.

"More love related requests…"

I catch a sight of her rubbing her temples. Yukinoshita will get through this; this is business as usual for her, despite her aversion for the aforementioned topic.

Isshiki stares at me.

"What."

"You will help me too, right?"

"If I don't, I'll probably never hear the end of it. For starters it will be from you, and then from them."

I make a gesture to indicate my fellow club members.

"Can't have that happen, this will tire me out real quick and I'd rather get this over with."

I feel like it'll be quicker to solve the situation than trying to avoid it.

Isshiki gives me a contemptuous look. What did I do to deserve it, I wonder?

"Hmph. As long as you help me, that's what matters I guess. Don't expect any thanks from me with what I just heard though!"

"Let me reassure you on that point: expecting things from others is against my policy, so don't worry about it, I won't."

I've been too late on many occasions in my life; late to wake up, late to class, late to family gatherings, late to study… late to realize several things around me.
I often think about this, and these thoughts assault me once more as I'm showering. I'm beside myself with doubts, regrets and hesitation. The monster of logic that I am, usually undisturbed by something like tardiness, is deeply hindered this time.

Why though? Tardiness can always be explained after all. Can you believe it? The power of unflinching reason being weakened this much by an obstruction one may call a "bond" is a thought I surely can't handle. I wasn't strong enough to deny Yuigahama's thoughts and actions and this is the price to pay, uh…? When confronted to these bonds, the strength of logic could only crumble, proven to be nothing more than a house of cards exposed to violent winds. And I hate this.

I finish my morning routine and get out of the bathroom, meeting face to face with my sister. She looks like a walking disaster. Her hair is a mess, even more so than the rare times I saw her waking up late, she wears a scowl on her face and her eyes may very well look as dead as mine. Saying this is shocking is an understatement; this is unfathomable. The Hikigaya household has never been in such a predicament in the seventeen years I've lived in it!

"Yo. Can I ask if you are ok?"

I just can't think of anything else to say. Really, you should see this for yourself. If it weren't for me, anyone would have run out of the house.

"Shut up, gomi-chan. Out of the way."

Scary. Please spare me, I don't want to die yet. I have great things to live and to do in my life. Like Totsuka making me breakfast and waking me up. And also to strangle the first boy who puts his hands on Komachi. The situation thus brings me to diligently obey.

"Sure. If… if you need it, I can offer an ear to your troubles. Don't forget it, Komachi."

"Hn."

Eh.

I guess that's about just as much I could get out of her right now. She'll fly to me when she feels better. You can count on it. This is experience speaking, I'm definitely not delusional there.

As a responsible brother, I should help my little sister when she's in such a state. Naturally and logically the only option, I make my way to the kitchen. Putting the pan on the fire, I crack some eggs and pour them in. This is one of my 108 skills, Hikki Cooking. I can cook any eggs I may find, and only eggs. This is a specialty; I'm the best you may find in that department and this is irrefutable. I shall not accept any sort of contestation!

Just as I hear the water stopping in the bathroom, I put the rice in the rice cooker and patiently wait for Komachi to come here for breakfast. She probably rushed her morning shower, thinking she had to cook as usual despite being so late. I can't wait for her face to light up when she will see what her amazing brother just did for her. Mh-mh. A fine play indeed, Hachiman!

"I see you can be at least that useful, gomi-chan."

She slowly walks in the room, her hair still wet from the shower she just took. Her bed hair has been fixed but I notice her scowl hasn't been washed away by the morning ritual. My, my, what can I say. You're becoming more and more like your dear brother and this is a refreshing thought blessing me this early in the day.

"Don't underestimate my skills. I'm striving to be a full-time stay-at-home husband after all."

The look she gives me right now can kill. The fact that I'm not dead is simply because we share the Hikigaya bloodline trait; a trait making us immune to a Hikigaya Death Glare. Komachi's mood doesn't seem like it'll get any better as she sits in front of me and proceeds to put her head on the table, in her folded arms. Good grief, what must be done to make your little sister light up, hm?

"Oi. You'll be late, do you thi-"

"Shut your mouth."

Her tone is as icy as Yukinoshita's. This is a first, and it hurts even someone like me who's used to that. But not from Komachi.

"That's not how you talk to someone who just wants to warn you for your best interest."

"I don't have time to have anything to do with you today. Deal with it."

Who are you and what have you done to my sister, you damn fake?! Komachi never ditches her dear brother.

I proceed to eat my breakfast in the meantime; I don't have it in me to come late to Hiratsuka-sensei's class. Having that class first thing in the morning is a pain but what can I say… That is school for you.

Komachi starts to eat silently across the table with her head down, making me unable to see her face. She seems really troubled by something but I decide not to push my luck now, it would not be efficient to do so at the moment. Even if I know that, it still doesn't change the fact that it's also troubling me to see her in that state. I'm her brother after all and it's in brothers' nature to worry about their little sister at least this much. Uh-uh.

Being finished with breakfast before Komachi, I head over the kitchen to clean my dishes. I'd better get going now. I can still make it if I ride my bike a bit faster than usual.

"I'm going. You and I will have a conversation after class once we're home."

I declare my intention to get her to talk things out before exiting the room, with a tone you can maybe assimilate to one a father would have with her daughter. The kind of tone making the statement I made not negotiable. I don't deny it, I feel a lot responsible for Komachi even though she has loving parents. Hell, Mom is clearly doting on her way more than she cares for me and it is plain as day. Is it so hard to love both of your children equally? I don't know, I'm neither a husband nor a father yet, but I think I wouldn't play favorites. I don't want to regret it later on, when one of my children begins to follow the path of a loner-… wait.

Dangerous, dangerous.

I almost went through self-pitying mode there and that would be wrong in several ways; mostly, refuting my way of living so far, and this is the one thing I don't want because such is the life I opted for.

I never thought possible our class to get on another trip so soon and so early in the year. If high-school taught me something, it's that Hiratsuka-sensei never fails to surprise me with her lack of logic as a teacher for our class. Why the hell would you want to go to Hokkaido when the weather is already cold here? And to Mount Furano?! We're going to freeze to death, you know. I hope you won't feel too guilty when we do.

First things first, to have the trip planned and sorted out in a week's time is nothing short of incredible, especially when you consider said trip is happening next Monday. What is the director of this school even doing? Can't you stop that crazy teacher once in a while? Komachi doesn't need that either! You might question what my little sister's importance in this is, and you are right to ask so let me answer that for you: in her present condition, Komachi needs the support of her big brother more than ever.

The End.

Screw school trips! Big brothers should be exempted from these permanently!

"We couldn't get a bus to get to Oarai's port, so we will need your parents or someone from your family to get you there. For those who really can't rely on their family, I will drive them there. Once we arrive to Tomakomai by boat, we'll get the train to Kami-Furano. Our guide will get us to the hotel and to the mountain the next day."

Oi, sensei. No one wants to die before freezing on Mount Furano. Please do not drive us. How will I get out of this… time to think of an escape plan, Hachiman!

Just as I think that, I instantly notice Hiratsuka-sensei glaring at me. Okay, I give up. These eyes clearly mean "don't you dare think you can skip on this".

"The purpose of this trip will be to get the young generation you represent to realize what nature has to offer to you. Staying too much in the cities you live in isn't healthy in the long run and you tend to forget Japan is not about its big cities but the beautiful gems nature has bestowed upon our land."

I've never heard of such bullshit before. What a convenient excuse for you to get to Hokkaido just so you could get your hands on Otokoyama sake, you alcoholic!

Everyone in class is starting to either get excited or anxious about the news. I watch as Hayama's clique is happily chatting about it, Yuigahama being the most reserved of the group about the topic. Figures. Her dear Yukinon won't be participating.

Hayama being the most enthusiastic person of the microcosm is surprising to say the least. It leaves me speechless as I can't understand what this guy can be so happy for. He's just the guy trying to please everyone and who discards his own agenda for it, right? Oh well, I have no time to think about my nemesis anyway. There are more pressing matters right now.

Yukinoshita. The thought of leaving her here somehow makes me feel uneasy. I'm still not happy with the way things presently are, but more importantly, I don't know which cards I could play now. This trip will definitely not help. Us being together at a school trip, far away from Yukinoshita, with the worst timing possible is an event I would have gladly passed on.

I guess Yuigahama is thinking the same, thus her anxious expression, but for different reasons. She probably wants to solidify the current situation even further, pushing the nail into it so that it couldn't be removed anymore.

If I think about it from this position, this actually isn't a bad situation. Yuigahama can't do that, and even if Yukinoshita being left alone isn't good in any way, it'll at least make her maybe reconsider accepting these conditions. If anything, the trip will grant me time to think about a solution and to gather enough courage to act on it. This perspective is brighter than the previous one, but it doesn't erase it nonetheless; my feelings about this are mixed, and I only want to get out of class as soon as possible in order to get them sorted out.

Komachi being troubled is also a source of my current inner struggle, but I intend to go through a much needed conversation when I get back home.

This is the first chapter, I hope it may spark interest in some of you. I'll be looking out for eventual reviews, I want to improve after all. Thank you for reading if you could bear with me until the end! And sorry if you didn't and just skipped through to the end. Go check out Kurosu No.19 or diceWW if you didn't already, they have cool stories. There are more talented authors too but these two came to mind right now.