NOVEL NEXT Chapter 230
Chapter 230: Chapter 39 Recalling Memories
As the meeting dispersed, there was no more amusement to be had, and everyone went their separate ways. Those who wanted to stay behind to complete their tasks were welcome to do so, leaving the atmosphere of the executive committee warm and harmonious.
During the preparation for the cultural festival, many girls became good friends with Yui Yuigahama, broadening their social circles.
Someone quipped, “So how’s your progress now?”
“Stop thinking of things that way!” The girl with the pom-pom hair blushed, hurriedly defending herself, “I’m leaving too! Stay here and focus on your work!”
With that, she grabbed her backpack and left the classroom in a hurry.
At the same time, another figure that never seemed to have much presence stood up and left the meeting room with a scowl.
Not everyone enjoyed gossips on others’ love lives; Shizuka Hiratsuka felt out of place in this cultural festival’s executive committee mood.
“Let’s go.”
The attendees noticed Shizuka’s departure and finally realized that not all the fun was just for them.
Yuigahama Yuiko wandered out of the meeting room and looked around until she saw Hachiman Hikigaya walking down the stairs in the corridor.
She quickly approached him, “Yukinowashi! Wait for me!”
Hearing her voice, Hachiman stopped and turned back, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you heading home?”
“But… isn’t it a bit early to head back? It’s club activity time,” Yuigahama said as she approached him.
“I don’t want to take my work home either, but given the atmosphere in the conference room, I can hardly stand it,” he responded helplessly.
“There’s one place where we can work in peace, isn’t there in school?” Yuigahama lowered her voice slightly.
“…Ah.” Hachiman started to speak but then held it back.
To be honest, he also felt curious about what had happened during his absence.
“Then let’s go.”
Hachiman changed direction towards the fourth floor.
“Yeah!”
Yuigahama’s eyes lit up, and she nodded firmly, following him closely.
When they arrived at the Service Club door, although it had been nearly three weeks since they last visited, stepping in front of it filled neither with any sense of unfamiliarity.
The key to the Service Club had previously been entrusted by Shizuka to Hachiman, and he kept it at the bottom of his bag.
He took out the key, unlocked, and opened the Service Club room door. Everything inside was as familiar as ever: a bench, a desk, four chairs, and the afternoon sunlight casting a warm glow across the space. Yukinoshita Yukino’s tea sets lay on the table.
Dust had settled lightly over the table and chairs over the past few weeks. They spent a few minutes cleaning before opening the window to let in a gentle breeze.
Hachiman sat on his assigned chair beside the desk and started flipping through the remaining files while planning his next steps.
Time was tight, and manpower might be lacking…
Suddenly, the scent of cherry blossoms entered his nostrils. Looking to his side, he found the strawberry-haired girl sitting beside him, her big, bright eyes gazing directly at him.
“Cough, what’s up?” Hachiman shifted uncomfortably.
“Talking about close… Over the last three days, where did you go?”
Surely, these thoughts would come.
He sighed quietly and quickly thought of some excuse, but before he could open his mouth:
“I was very busy without you,” she continued, as if she didn’t expect an answer. “I was in charge of organizing meetings and coordinating personnel. I understand almost nothing of all of this.”
She began to recount tasks she had been doing in his absence.
“Since I didn’t know much, I had to ask others, learn on my own, and even seek advice from you-know-who.”
This is exactly what I’ve been doing, Hachiman silently complained, but remained quiet while listening to her rants and complaints, occasionally responding.
“Also, the class wants to put on a play. Aoi wrote the script, based on The Little Prince. Hayama and Ayaka will be starring…”
Yuigahama shared, while he listened quietly.
Just like those service club days back then, despite missing an important member, nothing felt amiss.
Time passed uneventfully, and the only sound heard in the Service Club was the ticking of the clock.
“We’re done, we should go.”
After a while, Hachiman stretched out lazily from his seat. He winced as his wound pulled, and his face twisted in pain.
“Yeah.”
Yuigahama nodded softly.
They left the classroom. When Hachiman locked the door and turned around, he saw Yuigahama looking out the window in the hallway, staring at something below.
He recognized the scene; he had seen it earlier that day, first with Shizuka and now with Yuigahama. Yet, he felt the emotions behind their gazes differed.
His heart raced, and a bad foreboding formed in his chest.
“The last time, wasn’t it right here?”
Yuigahama suddenly muttered without context.
“What?” Hachiman was surprised.
“A place where I once pushed you down.”
Her gaze turned from the window back to him. Under the fading sunlight, it sparkled faintly.
“Yuigahama, do you…?”
Hachiman widened his eyes, feeling suddenly parched.
“After coming back from vacation, when we cleaned the Service Club together, a tiny spider startled me. I shouldn’t have reacted that way… After that, bits and pieces of memories started flooding my mind.”
“Ooka-san turning into a monster was here, weren’t they? It was Yukino, fighting him,” Yuigahama’s eyes shimmered with tears.
“Yukino studying abroad to fight these monsters… She transferred because she had to.”
“And those three days you were away, you went to do something like that, right?”
Facing Yuigahama’s questions, Hachiman didn’t know how to respond.
“Should I really… not remember things better?”
…
That noisy summer.