It was late at night and Setsuna was rushed to the hospital. Y/N had grabbed his sister's car keys and drove her there.

Currently, Y/N was pacing back and forth outside his sister's room. He was nervous about his sister's condition. He had checked her temperature and it was flaring it up, higher than normal. While he suspected it was a fever, he didn't want to take any chances.

Soon enough, the doctor comes out of the room.

Y/N: How is she?

Doctor: She's fine. It seems to be a normal fever, but she's been overworking herself. She can go home, but make sure she's just resting in bed.

Y/N: (bows) Of course. Thank you sir.

Doctor: I'm just doing my job.

Relieved, Y/N takes his sister home, who was still asleep. Laying her gently down on her bed, Y/N sighs to himself. Upon exiting her room, Y/N slumps down as he sits against the door. He slowly feels himself drifting off to sleep.

Next Day, Service Club Room

It was the next day and Y/N was doing his best to stay awake. He was already late to school as he had spent the whole night and morning taking care of his sister, much to her displeasure as it was affecting Y/N's well-being. Y/N noticed there was a slight decline in his grades. But it didn't matter to him at the moment.

As Y/N quietly sat in the Service Club room with everyone else, he would nearly fall asleep from time to time. Yukino would slightly glance at him every now and then. Obviously she was worried.

As usual, Yui was on her phone, messaging people and Hachiman was going through his bag to look for his book. He then finds a small note in his bag. Taking it, he sees it's from Komachi. He opens the note and reads it. "Komachi's Present List! A book card. Gift cards. Large appliances. But what I want most of all is your happiness! Wow! I'd give myself tons and tons of points for that one! Also...we're out of detergent. Buy some on your way home." At the bottom of the note was a hand drawn person of herself.

Hachiman then grins.

Hachiman: (thoughts) Idiot...

After School

It was after school and Y/N slowly walked up the steps to the apartment. Upon opening the door, Y/N flopped onto the couch. He smells something in the air and notices his sister cooking.

Y/N: (sigh) Nee-san...

Setsuna: Hmm? Oh, it's fine. Just--

Y/N: The doctor said you should be resting.

Setsuna: And you should be resting as well! Look, there's bags under your eyes!

Y/N: I'll be fine. Just go rest. Nii-san'll take care of it. He's almost home.

Setsuna: (pouts) Fine.

The older sister goes to her room, Y/N still lying down on the couch as he covers his eyes with his arm. The sound of keys were jingling as Itsuki came in.

Itsuki: I'm home! (sniffs air) Let me guess, Setsuna was cooking again?

Y/N: Yeah. (yawns) Can you finish it?

Itsuki: Yeah, yeah. You go do whatever and sleep there. 

As Itsuki puts on an apron, Y/N goes back to his nap. This was normal between them. This was their lifestyle. They preferred this over their life in the manor. After all, there wasn't anything left for them there.

Next Day

It was the next day and school had ended again. Y/N was now at his "normal state," if you could call it that, he heads to the Service Club room, Hachiman once again waiting for Yui. While the time both Y/N and Hachiman spent in the room wasn't much, they couldn't help it as they were helping with Iroha.

Hachiman and Yui were soon open the door, Yui cheerful as always.

Yui: Yahello!

Yukino: Hello.

Y/N: Osu...

Hachiman: Hey.

They proceeds as normal, but Hachiman was fidgeting in his seat. Looking to Y/N, the green-eyed boy only opens one of his closed eyes and shrugs.

Hachiman: Can I, or rather, we ask something?

Yui had perked up, knowing where this question was going.

Yukino: What is it?

Hachiman: Is it okay if L/N and I leave early every day for a while?

Yukino: Well, it's not as if we're particularly busy. 

Hachiman: Yeah, well, I mean...we've got stuff going on. Especially L/N with his sister.

Y/N: Yeah. Nee-san has a fever and someone needs to check up on her and Nii-san can't exactly leave his work.

Hachiman: And Komachi's entrance exams for one thing.

Yukino: ...I see.

Yui: That might be better, though. There's not much we can do for Komachi-chan and Setsuna-san. You guys will just have to work harder to cover for us. Right, Yukinon?

Yukino: Yes, that's right.

Hachiman: Sorry about that.

Yui: ...Oh, yeah! I should send Komachi-chan an e-mail.

Timeskip-Chiba Mihama Takasu Community Center

Back at the community center, Y/N and Hachiman went to meet up with the student council president. But upon arrival, she wasn't there.

Hachiman: Where's Isshiki?

Vice President: Not here yet. She's not with you guys?

Y/N: I had to check up on my sister before coming here.

Vice President: (turns to other members) Did you guys here anything?

Female Member: I did send her and email...she might still be at her club.

The two then head back to the school, going to where the soccer club practices, which was the school field, as Iroha was the club manager.

On the field, Hayato was ordering the soccer members as he was the captain.

Hayato: Talk to each other!

He turns around as he takes notice of Y/N and Hachiman walking up to him.

Small Timeskip

Hayato: Iroha said she had something to do and left early. She's doing a lot of stuff for the student council, right?

Hachiman: You knew about that?

Y/N: Wouldn't be too surprised.

Hayato: She won't say what she's doing, but I can tell she's really busy.

Hachiman: If you already knew that, you could help her.

Hayato: It's not like she asked me to. You two are the one she counts on.

Y/N: She's just using us because she can. But not that I can't refuse. Nee-san would be on my ass all day on how I "rejected to help a girl."

Hachiman: That's what our club is for. I don't have any reason to refuse. And unlike you, I have time on my hands.

Hayato: Is that all it is?

Hachiman: Huh? What are you saying?

Hayato: ...

Hachiman: You never refuse her either, do you? And not because of the club you're in.

Hayato: I don't know about that. I'm not the good guy you think I am. (waves and smiles) Take care of Iroha.

Hayato runs off and Hachiman looks to Y/N.

Hachiman: Do you know what he meant?

Y/N: ...Who knows?

After seeing that she wasn't at the school, the two went back to the community center. They see Iroha walk out of the convenience store and Hachiman runs up to her, Y/N trailing behind.

Hachiman: Isshiki?

Iroha: Sorry. Did I make you guys wait long? 

Y/N: We didn't even wait. We went looking for you.

Iroha: Aren't you supposed to say "Not at all, I just got here myself"?

Y/N shakes his head and extends his hand, offering to take the groceries. She got the gesture and Y/N took them. 

Heading inside, Y/N sets the groceries somewhere else. Tamanawa was speaking to the elementary children that had come in.

Tamanawa: We'll be focusing on all of your individual manpower. Let's figure things out together. Come right out and say whatever comes to mind.

Children: We look forward to working with you!

Hachiman and Y/N then take notice of the younger girl with black hair. It looked familiar to them. It then clicked as they remembered that was the girl they had helped out on the Chiba Mura trip, Rumi Tsurumi.

Tamanawa then walks away and the children look at him, troubled.

Hachiman: (thoughts) He calls them here and then just leaves them?

Y/N: (sigh) If only Nee-san was here. This would certainly help.

Girl 1: Should we ask what we're supposed to do?

Girl 2: Who's gonna ask? I don't want to.

Girl 3: Let's have sensei ask.

Girl 1: Yeah, good idea.

Rumi: I'll go.

Rumi walks off and heads to the vice president, who was looking at a paper titled, Christmas Event Planning.

Rumi: What should we do?

Vice President: Uh...

Y/N: (whisper) Hikigaya...

Hachiman: (whisper) Yeah. (thoughts) That girl from Chiba Village in summer...at their camp school, I destroyed the relationships among Rumi Tsurumi's friends. And I forced Hayama and his buddies to play bad guys.

Iroha: Senpais? Is something wrong?

Y/N: Nah, not really.

Vice President: (turns to three) What should we do?

Y/N: Hmm...well, I wasn't really good at these things, but how about we let the kids deal with the decorations? (looks to Tamanawa's group) I really don't want to deal with them right now.

Hachiman: At least it'll keep them out of the way, but it's still important.

Y/N: Isshiki, can you show them where to make the decorations?

Iroha: We'll do that, then. 

Iroha then has Rumi and the other elementary kids follow her.

Y/N: That'll keep them for the moment.

Hachiman: But if they don't decide what the actual event will be, this won't last.

Y/N: It doesn't help that Tamanawa and his circle are a bunch of idiots. While Isshiki does have her reservations with him, then...

Hachiman: I'll talk to him. (walks up to Tamanawa) Got a second?

Tamanawa: What's up?

Hachiman: Well, if we don't decide what the event will be, no amount of help will make a difference.

Tamanawa: Then let's all think about it together.

Hachiman: No, you'll never decide anything just saying vague stuff back and forth. I think it'd be best to narrow down what we'll do, and deliberate on that...

Tamanawa: But wouldn't that restrict our outlook? I think we should all search for a solution together.

Hachiman: But we're running out of time.

Tamanawa: You're right. We'll all have to consider what to do about that, too.

Hachiman rubs his head, both annoyed and tired of having this conversation. Tamanawa sets down the coffee cup he was holding down on the table.

Tamanawa: I understand you feel rushed, but let's all do our best to cover for each other. (pats Hachiman's shoulder) Okay?

Hachiman: (sigh) Fine. But you should really start the meeting now.

Tamanawa: Okay, then let's start the meeting.

The meeting then starts, everyone seated where they are as the children were seated on the side.

Tamanawa: Now that we've worked together on the ground design, let's focus more on discussion of the creative end today. That's very typical of Christmas, and of us, right? 

Kaihin Student 2: A classical Christmas concert seems like a standard for local events.

Kaihin Student 1: Isn't jazz more Christmasy? 

Kaihin Student 2: But I think we should take young minds into consideration. Maybe a band?

Kaihin Student 3: In that case, we should get a choir, or even rent a pipe organ.

Kaori: Sore aru!

(A/N): Basically means preach it. Or something like that. There's different translations.

Tamanawa: (nods) Okay, let's consider each one.

Hachiman: Isn't it better to pick one now?

Tamanawa: Instead of rejecting anything right away, we need to take all suggestions into account and come up with something everyone can agree on.

Hachiman: Yeah, but...

Tamanawa: Some of these ideas are similar, so it may be possible to combine them.

Kaihin Student 3: Why don't we put all the music ideas together into a multi-genre concert?

Kaori: Sore aru!

Kahin Student 2: From the standpoint of putting ideas together, music and musicals are highly compatible.

Y/N: (thoughts) Why do you think musicals have music in them, dumbass.

Kaori: That'll work!

Kaihin Student 1: Why don't we just do it all and make it a movie?

Kaihin Student 2: So, a musical movie?

Tamanawa: All right, I'll take the initiative on this.

Kaori: Sore aru!

Hachiman and Y/N had annoyed faces as this meeting was going nowhere.

Timeskip-Night

The meeting was now over and Y/N and Hachiman were waiting at a crosswalk. Hachiman had his eyes closed, but didn't notice someone was calling their names.

???: Hachiman! Y/N-san! Hachiman, Y/N-san, over here!

The two look across the crosswalk to see Saika, waving happily at them. They then went to a restaurant called Second Kitchen to get dinner.

Sitting down at a nearby table, they sat down to eat.

Saika: The heat's turned up pretty high in here...there.

Totsuka took off his scarf, Hachiman noticing the sweat running down his neck. Something feral almost awakened inside of him. Saika would let out a sigh of relief, Hachiman blushing and Y/N looking at him with a deadpan look.

Y/N: (thoughts) Yeah, he's gay.

Hachiman: (thoughts) Not right! This is not right! It's the heat that's making my face red, too! That, or it's likely I'm catching a cold or something. Totsuka is a guy!

Totsuka then tilts his head, giving Hikigaya a closed-eyed smile. This causes Hachiman to be flustered even more.

Hachiman: (thoughts) Calm down. Calm down and compose a haiku. It cannot be a disease.

"Is this a disease?
Me, sick in the head? I am not sick
in the head. I'm sick in the head."

Hachiman: (thoughts) I'm definitely sick.Just the fact that I'm composing haiku is proof I'm sick.

Saika then takes a bite of his burrito, Y/N looking between the two as he sips his drink.

Saika: (gulps food) This is good!

Hachiman: You eat some pretty heavy stuff, huh? 

Saika: I think that kind of food is best when you're tired. You two seemed that way lately, so...

Y/N: Have we?

Saika: Did something happen?

Y/N: Nothing in particular. At least I don't think so.

Hachiman: Nope. Nothing happened

Saika: (smiles) ...Oh, yeah. You don't say stuff like that, huh?

Hachiman: It's not that really.

Y/N: Isshiki just asked us for help, so we've been busy with that.

Hachiman: And we're the ones who pushed her to where she is...

Saika: (leans forward) Really?

Hachiman: Yeah. So you don't have to worry.

Saika: Okay. You really are cool, Hachiman, Y/N-san.

Y/N: Nah, not really.

Hachiman: Huh?

Saika: (blushes slightly) I don't mean that in weird way. Like, even if it's tough or painful, you work hard on your own, without complaining. I think that's really cool.

Hachiman: That's not true. I complain, and I say spiteful things all the time.

Saika: (giggles) Yeah, maybe. But if anything's bother you, tell me, okay?

Hachiman: (thoughts) Cool, huh? I'm not cool at all. I think I'm just trying to play it cool.

Y/N: (thoughts) We're just being stubborn so we won't betray the image that we've decided what we should have. I'm just a loner, nothing more. But, looking at things now...have I went down the right path? Am I doing things right? Tell me...mother...if you could...please tell me.

Timeskip-Next Day

It was the next day and Y/N and Hachiman were walking to the community center. Both had umbrellas as it was raining.

Up ahead, they notice Isshiki was walking to the center as well. Picking up the pace, the two boys go to catch up with her.

Iroha: Oh, Senpais...

Y/N: Osu...

Hachiman: Hey. Buying snacks on the way again?

Iroha: No, it looks like there's no meeting today.

Y/N: Hmm, really?

Iroha: (giggles) To o bad for you two, huh?

Y/N: No, not really. That means I can just sleep at home some more.

Iroha: (to Hachiman) At least you don't get to win points with me.

Hachiman: I don't need points that can be won that easily.

Upon walking to the center, they see Kaori Orimoto up ahead.

Kaori: Hey, it's Isshiki-chan, Hikigaya, and L/N.

Iroha: Hello.

Kaori: Heya!

Iroha: That's right. You know Senpais, don't you?

Kaori: Well, L/N was on that date, but Hikigaya, we went to the same middle school.

Iroha: (smug) I guess even you have some friends, huh?

Kaori: I wouldn't say we're friends...it's, well...a thing.

Iroha: What "thing?" That's a suggestive way to put it. Senpai, what "thing?"

Hachiman: A lot happened in the past. 

Kaori: (nervous laugh) Well, it was a long time ago.

Iroha: What? What happened? 

Timeskip

Inside the center, Hachiman rubs his nose as Y/N rubs his temple. Overseeing the budget of the event, they didn't have enough.

Vice President: Um...no matter how I calculate it, we don't have the budget. What should we do?

Y/N: It's either cut some of the activities, or raise some funds.

Hachiman: I guess all we can do is wait until the next meeting to decide.

Y/N: (sigh) What a drag.

Iroha: Senpais, they're already almost finished making the decorations. What should they do next?

Hachiman: How about the tree?

Iroha: We've got the tree, but wouldn't it get in the way if we put it up now?

Y/N: Try to negotiate with the center so they'll let us put it up by the entrance. The event's a week away, and it should be perfect.

Hachiman: We can carry it to the venue on the day of the event.

Iroha: That makes sense. Okay, then! (runs off)

Hachiman: (thoughts) Doing it this way is very bad. I'm actually giving directions. This is clearly different from just offering support. We should talk to him so we can change where this is going and leave the rest to Isshiki.

The two boys got up from their seats to speak with Tamanawa. The Kaihin student council president takes notice of them and gives them his attention.

Hachiman: There were a lot of ideas, so our side examined them. 

Y/N: (hands sheets of paper) This is what's possible and what's not possible. In terms of our budget, most of them are basically impossible.

Tamanawa: (takes sheets of paper) Oh, thanks. This clarifies we have problems.

Y/N: (thoughts) The problems had already been clarified before, dumbass.

Tamanawa: Now we'll all think about how to solve--

Hachiman: I don't that will work. We only have a week. 

Tamanawa: Right...and there are several bands we could outsource. Depending on how we structure it, I think we can create an event in our own way. So for starters, let's all consider this together. 

Hachiman: (sigh) If we don't make a decision at the next meeting, we can't finish the work in time. Keep that in mind.

Tamanawa: Of course. 

Tamanawa then goes back to his laptop, the two boys going back to their seats. They were running out of options. 

The two look to their right to see Tsurumi cutting some of the decorations by herself.

Hachiman: Making those by yourself?

Y/N: What do you think, idiot?

Rumi doesn't respond, continuing to do what she's been doing. Y/N and Hachiman then turn around to walk away. 

Rumi: You can see that much, can't you? 

Hachiman then sits on the seat with her, grabbing some of the paper to make decorations while Y/N walked to the window and watched the pouring rain. 

Rumi: What are you doing?

Hachiman: You can see that much, can't you? 

Rumi: Don't you two have anything else to do?

Y/N: With the current idiots we have over there, no, not really.

Hachiman: We don't.

Rumi: ...Bum.

Hachiman: Lay off.

Iroha: I'm borrowing the cutter, okay? (whispers to Hachiman) Senpai, you're not into younger girls, are you? 

Hachiman: I can't say I have a problem with them. (thoughts) I've got a little sister.

Iroha: ...Were you just hitting on me? I'm sorry. I like older guys, I can't.

Hachiman: (waves off) No, that's obviously not what I was doing. 

Iroha: Why do you have to treat me like that? (walks off) 

After finishing the last of the decorations, Y/N was already sitting in his seat.

Hachiman: So that's the last of them, huh?

Rumi: (smiles and nods) Yeah.

Hachiman: (standing up) Okay, I'm heading back. 

Rumi: U-Um, thank--

Hachiman: The tree. I think they're still working on it.  Why don't you go see?

Rumi: Oh...okay. 

The young girl gets up from her seat and takes off for the entrance. Y/N only stares at the girl before he finishes his coffee and tosses it behind him, into the trash can.

Timeskip-Mall

After the gathering ended, Y/N had went to the mall to go pick up some Christmas presents for the Kawasaki family. He had already gotten Keika and Taishi a present, which were some ugly Christmas sweaters, which they did enjoy. Y/N was currently walking down the hall, passing by the many stores and peering into them to see what Saki would enjoy.

Turning the corner, he bumps into someone. The person was knocked down and Y/N rubs his forehead.

Y/N: Sorry about that.

When he opens his eyes, he sees his hand was extended out to Yukino Yukinoshita, who's face was blushing.

Small Timeskip

Yukino: So, what are you doing here? Stalking some more older girls?

Y/N: Why do you assume I like older women? (sigh) I don't get you sometimes. Well, I was looking for presents for Saki's family. What brings you out here?

Yukino: I was shopping.

Y/N: That I can see. So? Get everything you needed?

Yukino: Yes.

Y/N: I see.

The two were then silent as they walked out of the store, Y/N getting another ugly Christmas sweater for Saki.

Yukino: You and Hikigaya-kun are helping with Isshiki-san's request, right?

Y/N: As it turned out, yeah. I was going to tell you that, but something came up with Nee-san.

Yukino: Well, at least you didn't lie like Hikigaya-kun.

Y/N: Well, he didn't exactly lie, but it was one of his reasons. 

Yukino: That's true, it wasn't exactly a lie.

Y/N: Sorry that we're acting on our own. 

Yukino: I don't mind that. It's not as if I can do anything where your or his individual actions are concerned, nor do I have the right to.  Or...do you need my permission?

Y/N: No, I was just checking. 

Yukino: Then was there any need to apologize? Besides, I'm sure Isshiki-san feels more comfortable working with you two alone. I believe you two can solve this on your own. You and him always have before. 

Y/N: Really? I never really solved anything. Even back then, I just helped because I wanted to. 

Yukino: Are you not helping her because you want to?

Y/N: Well...I suppose I am helping her because I want to. 

Yukino: You're still the same. I thought I understood everything.

Y/N: Listen, Yukinos--Yukino...

Yukino: Why don't you and Hikigaya-kun take a break from the club. If you're only staying out of consideration for us, it's not necessary. (smiles) 

Y/N: I-I...well...um...

Yukino: You always were concerned for everyone. (whisper) Especially for me back then. (normal) You don't need to push yourself anymore. If you were to break down, that'd be all there was to it. You have other people to rely on. (tilts head) Am I wrong? 

Y/N only looks away, scratching the back of his head as a small blush forms on his face. Yukino giggles at him and puts a hand on his cheek.

Yukino: You don't need to force yourself. You never had to. 

She then did the unexpected, giving Y/N a hug. This was something he hadn't felt in a long time. Y/N slowly brought his arms around her, and he returned it.

They separate and Yukino waves goodbye, her walking away in the direction of her apartment. Y/N watches her walk away, his lips twitching upward slightly. Turning around in the other direction, he heads home, him pulling out his phone as he goes to a picture that was saved onto a family album. It was just them two, during Christmas. They stood side by side, smiles present on their faces.

Y/N: (thoughts) When was the last time I felt this? It's been so long. But...how long will this feeling last?

-------

While much shorter than the last one, I bring good news!

Since I'm off for Christmas break and is going to last for three weeks, I have more time for writing! I'm planning to take a break after posting the last chapter of season two so I can focus on other stories. I still haven't watched season three as I have been quite busy during the week, scheduling for my wisdom teeth to be removed and finishing up testing.

But now that those are out of the way, I'll be relaxing while also posting chapters. Hope y'all have a wonderful week and stay safe out there. 

See y'all next time.

-okami