The story we started

Driven by some emotion in her heart that she was not willing to admit yet, she had no choice but to simply omit the word and then finish the whole sentence somewhat stiffly.

"No, Hikigaya-san's appearance...is not completely unreasonable."

But Yukinoshita Yukino shook her head slightly, refuting her friend's words, and continued calmly before she could speak.

"Combined with the current situation, I roughly understand why the story belonging to this chapter is called "Origin". It really deserves the name."

"There is no story in the world that has no beginning or end. If there is a process, there must be a corresponding past and future. According to the chapter title "Origin", plus the afterimage of Hikigaya-kun that appeared... This chapter is probably about the Service Club, that is, the past of the future, and the story that happened in our present future."

“——That means!?”

After hearing what she said, Zaimokuza suddenly realized something. He couldn't help but swallow his saliva and looked nervously at Yukinoshita Yukino who was thinking.

"Yes."

Yukinoshita Yukino nodded, and her expression gradually became serious.

"Since this is a story related to our service department... then it must be about that incident."

"——It's the incident that was revealed in the previous video, when the family members of Hikigaya and Zaimokuza died!"

boom! ! !

A loud thunder suddenly exploded in the sky outside the window, and a thick dark cloud gradually floated in from afar, slowly covering the entire Sobu High School below it.

The patter--

Tiny raindrops fell from the sky like a beaded curtain, creating dark circles on the playground and hitting the glass of the infirmary, making it ring softly. A blurred filter was cast on the images of everyone inside, and everyone's figure was distorted by the rain running across the glass.

"...!"

A chill ran down his spine and his hands clenched into fists. Zaimokuza took a deep breath and calmed his emotional heart.

Finally... is it time?

Both of his parents and his best friend's sister died in the future.

This incident had always been a thorn in Zaimokuza's heart, and although on the surface it had calmed down after learning that his parents were safe, that was just an appearance.

In fact, Zaimokuza never let go. The biggest reason why he had been concentrating on watching this light screen was that he wanted to know what happened in the future? How did his and his friends' families die? Is there any way to avoid or remedy it?

He believed that the other person also had the same strong doubts and desires as himself.

Zaimokuza glanced sideways at himself, and although Hikigaya Hachiman next to him didn't say anything, his hands, which were flat on his knees, were tightly grasping his pants, pinching the surrounding fabric and stretching it straight.

Under the cover of the jet-black bangs, the pair of dead fish eyes completely disappeared at this moment. The eyes became as sharp and clear as swords and guns, flashing a cold arc of light that pierces like a samurai sword.

"Well!?"

When Miura Yumiko turned around, she happened to see those eyes. She subconsciously took a few steps back and accidentally bumped into the bedside table behind her, making a dull collision sound, which attracted the attention of others.

"Yumiko, what's wrong with you?"

Hayato Hayama, who was closest to her, immediately reached out to steady her unstable body and asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing! I just accidentally tripped into the cabinet, that's all, Hayato, you don't have to worry about me."

Yumiko Miura quickly shook her head and said with a forced smile with a somewhat unnatural expression.

Although her acting skills were so bad that people could tell at a glance that she was lying, since she had said that, everyone shifted their attention back to the light screen in front of them.

However, Miura Yumiko's smile quickly disappeared the moment the other person turned around. It was hard to tell whether the expression on her face was worry or strangeness. Her eyes were trembling constantly, and she didn't dare to look in the direction of Hikigaya Hachiman.

Those eyes, it turned out that they had not been hallucinating before, nor were they seeing things wrong.

Thinking of the pair of eyes that had replaced the dead fish eyes on the light screen just now, and the look in his eyes that she had seen in a flash when she had a conflict with the frustrated Hikigaya before... her body couldn't help but tremble slightly a few times.

That was definitely not the look from Hikigaya Hachiman!

【Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, bellissimoricordo restaurant.】

【08:47am.】

【“Welcome! Please come in and have a meal?”】

[“Asahina, another table please. This time, four beautiful ladies, okay?”]

[Zaimokuza, wearing a band-aid on his nose and a slim waiter uniform, stood at the door and smiled, inviting the several junior high school students who had walked into this magic cave with red faces attracted by his appearance to sit at the table next to him.]

【“Oh, oh!? Okay, another table for four!”】

[Asahina Mikuru, who was holding a stack of record books next to her, stared blankly at the whole process. She came to her senses after being reminded by Zaimokuza and hurriedly took a pen and started writing.]

[“Manager, another table of guests has arrived!”]

【“Okay? Got it!”】

[She quickly ran to the counter and handed the order to Kawasaki Saki behind her. Then she looked back with some shame at the store that had gone from quiet to full in just ten minutes, and she murmured with her mouth almost unable to close.]

[“How impressive, Zaimokuza-senpai…”]

[“Well, that guy is only talented in using his looks to seduce young girls, the rest is rotten.”]

[Saki Kawasaki, who was chopping carrots, rolled her eyes after hearing this, but her knife speed did not slow down at all, and the carrots that were cut into even pieces showed her superb knife skills.]

[“But I have to admit that after that guy came to the store, the business has been getting better and better. Girls from some nearby schools are almost treating this place as a must-check-in spot now.”]

[“Are handsome men so popular now? I really don’t understand the girls nowadays. But now it seems that it was undoubtedly the right decision to pick Zaimokuza up from the street!”]

[“Thanks to his hard work, I can buy a second car this year! Hehehe?”]

[“Um… How did Zaimokuza-senpai come to this restaurant? What was he doing before?”]

[Asahina Mikuru hesitated for a few seconds, and finally she mustered up the courage to interrupt Kawasaki Saki, who was laughing strangely because of her delusions, and asked about some information related to Zaimokuza in an inexplicably cautious manner.]

[“Hmm? Mikuru, why are you asking this? Oh?”]

[Kawasaki Saki's eyes suddenly became weird, and she stopped cutting the radish and said with a sly smile.]

[“Tsk, tsk, tsk… Could it be that even you, Mikuru, are interested in that guy? No wonder I always feel like you’re always looking at Zaimokuza whenever you have free time? But unfortunately, there’s no way that white-haired rabbit would be interested in Mikuru.”]

[“Because that guy is not only already in a relationship, but he’s also gay!”]

【“That’s not the case! I just——Ahhhhh!? Zai——(whispering) Zaimokuza-senpai’s sexual orientation is male???”】

【Asahina Mikuru's fair face turned red because of the teasing of this unscrupulous capitalist. Just as she was about to shake her head in panic to deny it, she opened her pink lips in shock at the news she heard and stared blankly at Kawasaki Saki.】

[“Yes! Do you want to know the details? Actually, it’s like this—”]

[“I, I’m not, actually, not interested in this kind of thing (voice gets lower and lower)…”]

……

[“Hi, hi, hi, hi?”]

【Zaimokuza, who was unaware that his boss was slandering his reputation, smiled happily and placed the tray of pasta in his hand on a table near the window.】

[“Rumi-chan? The breakfast you requested is here! Come eat it quickly?”]

[“…I’ve told you so many times, don’t keep calling me “chan”! I’m not a child anymore, okay?”]

[Her beautiful eyelashes twitched a few times, and Tsurumi Rumi's cheeks puffed up like a hamster, and she angrily stretched out her sneaker-clad feet and stepped on Zaimokuza's shoes.]

【"it hurts!"】

[“Hmph, Yihui, you idiot!”]

[As Zaimokuza screamed, Tsurumi Rumi angrily picked up the fork and stabbed the noodles on the plate, then raised it to her lips and opened her mouth, sucking in the whole noodle in one go.]

[“Why is there another wound on Yoshihiru’s face? Did you make Sister Saki angry again and get punished?”]

[Looking at the band-aid on Zaimokuza's face, Tsurumi Rumi asked with a somewhat speechless expression, knowing his suicidal nature.]

[“Rumi-chan? How can you say that Miss Saki punished me because she was angry? It was clearly a boss’s loving beating to his employees!”]

[“This is proof that Miss Saki, who has a sharp tongue but a soft heart, actually loves me! The reason why I work for her for free is because I am grateful for the job she gave me! Withholding my dinner is just a test for me! Hahaha——”]

[“…Has Saki-san transformed him to this extent?”]

[Looking at Bugs Bunny, who had been completely transformed into a beast of burden by unscrupulous capitalists and accepted his fate, with a desperate smile on his face, sincerely defending his exploiting boss, the girl ate her breakfast in silence, looking at him with a mixture of sympathy and pity.]

[“By the way, Yoshiki, how are you and…those guys doing lately?”]

[She gently placed the fork on the porcelain plate, looked at Zaimokuza who was trying to have fun despite the hardship, hesitated for a few seconds, and then asked softly.]

[“Hmm? Ah…you mean them?”]

【"Um."】

[Zaimokuza was stunned for a few seconds, and then he realized what she was asking when Tsurumi Rumi nodded, and smiled gently.]

[“Don’t worry. Although those guys are very difficult to deal with, I don’t have to suffer as much as before now with Mr. Kosaka’s help.”]

[“Mr. Kosaka? Are you talking about the G on TV—the police officer who often appears on TV shows and likes model figures?”]

[“Yes! It’s him. With the model and figurine funding provided by Mr. Kosaka, my part-time job is much easier now.”]

[Looking around at the girls who kept glancing at them, the two of them tacitly omitted the key words in their conversation and communicated with each other in riddles that no one could understand.]

[“That’s good… That’s right!”]

[After hearing Zaimokuza's answer, Tsurumi Rumi's eyes softened a bit, but she suddenly seemed to remember something, and asked with a little bit of imperceptible nervousness amidst her confusion.]

[“Yihui…where is the windbreaker you always wear? Why haven’t I seen it hanging on the hanger in the past few days?”]

[“That one? I’ll put it——”]

【Click.】

[Just when Zaimokuza was about to tell her that he had lent his windbreaker to someone else, the sound of a door being pushed open behind him interrupted what he was about to say, causing Zaimokuza to reflexively smile at his business and turn around.]

[“Welcome! Excuse me——eh?”]

[The words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat, and Zaimokuza looked at the new guests in front of him, his eyes gradually widening.]

[“Hello! Brother Yihui!”]

[Hirasawa Yui, as energetic as ever, maintains a (*^w^*) expression and reaches out to Zaimokuza, who has a dull look in his eyes, to wave hello.]

[Behind her, the leader, there was another group of people. They were all the members of the light music club that he had met last time. Akiyama Mio, who was only one step behind him, had a red face and lowered her head, not daring to look at him. She held a plastic bag in front of her chest with both hands.]

[“How…how did you know this place?”]

【Looking at Hirasawa Yui and the girls behind her, especially the tomboy with a sly smile on her face, Zaimokuza's eyes twitched fiercely, and he asked with a forced smile.】

[Looking at the members of the Light Music Club, he felt the pain in his body from being cut by No. 23's knife and hit by No. 24's truck. Zaimokuza subconsciously wanted to turn around and run away.]

[“Well, of course I have to ask that cute bassist who works part-time as a detective in our department! Hey?!”]

[“Wow! Ritsu!?”]

[As Akiyama Mio screamed in panic, Tianzhong Ritsu smiled maliciously and pushed her hard from behind, causing her to stumble and fall towards the Zaimokuza. He quickly grabbed her arms and stabilized her body.]

【“!——That, that!”】

[“Are you okay? Xiao Mio?”]

【Looking at the girl in front of him who was being supported by his hands, she broke away from his hands as if struck by lightning and backed away, even stuttering when she spoke, Zaimokuza asked with some concern.】

[He was also a little confused. When he saved them by chance at the crime scene No. 24 for the third time, Akiyama Mio's attitude towards him was quite normal. But why did she seem to be upset with him this time?]

[Come to think of it, ever since I fished out Akiyama Mio who had fallen into the water and fainted during the last battle, and then used the artificial respiration method I had learned before to revive her and then said goodbye to her, she has looked a little strange. Did something happen during that time? ]

【Zaimokuza thought about it for a while, but when he realized that he couldn't figure out the reason, he simply stopped thinking about it and looked at her with a genuinely worried look.】

[Looking at Zaimokuza's gaze, Akiyama Mio's sight would always unconsciously move towards his lips, and then she would unconsciously recall what happened last time, when she woke up from the suffocation and coma, and saw that close face and clear black eyes.]

[——And the warm touch on my lips. ]

[The more she recalled, the redder her face became, and her eyes almost turned into mosquito coils.]

【“——That’s it! Mr. Zaimokuza!”】

[“Oh? Oh! What’s wrong?”]

[With white steam rising faintly above her head, Akiyama Mio, driven by the last bit of rationality in her heart, stepped forward with stiff steps like a military salute, and suddenly handed over the plastic bag in front of her chest while Zaimokuza kept blinking. Her momentum was as fierce as declaring war, which made him subconsciously serious.]

[“You, the windbreaker you lent me last time——I, I have already washed it! Now I’m returning it to you! Thank you very much for your help!!!”]

【“Uh…Nothing, you’re welcome.”】

【“Mio, are you really——eh?”】

【After watching Akiyama Mio, whose face was almost red enough to bleed, say thank you and then immediately flee behind Tianzhong Ritsu, who was speechless and covering her face with her hands and sighing, Zaimokuza finally put aside his worries about her possibly fainting and turned his attention to the plastic bag in his hand.】

[“Oh! It’s so beautifully washed, just like new!”]

[Taking out the brown windbreaker he hadn't worn for a long time from the plastic bag, looking at the almost brand new luster and texture on the fabric, Zaimokuza said happily. ]