My Youth As A Sorcerer Sucks, Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Even In The Holiday, I Still Have Some Problems.

—OoOoO—

The summer camp that Hiratsuka was organising in collaboration with a local elementary school was scheduled to run for three days and two nights.

The first day would include outbound activities, followed by a lunch break, and then continue with other outbound activities, but with a lighter intensity. Then, each group would be guided by their respective mentors, who were official staff from the elementary school, to prepare and create their group chants. Thus, the first day would be closed after dinner was served.

'I'm glad I don't have to deal with making this chant.'

The second day would be opened with morning radio taiso exercise before having a light breakfast. After that, there would be a trip to the cattle, horse, goat and other livestock farms that were just completed last year.

‘Huh? This placae have such things even though it’s going to close next year? Could it be that the buyer has already been determined, and the upcoming auction is just used to increase the value of the assets?' Hachiman muttered silently.

However, the boy chose not to think too much about it and continued reading the event rundown.

After the farm, there would be a short visit to the greenhouse to see the Konjac plantation and make a simple jelly. Then, the students would be guided back to the campsite for lunch. Afterwards, there would be a short presentation from the volunteers before the closing event in the afternoon.

'Somehow, the last sentence gave me a bad feeling. Volunteers? Who’re these volunteers? They didn't specifically mention us, did they?'

“Hey, Onii-chan.”

Hachiman lifted his head, turning his eyes away from the flyer as he heard a distinctive voice calling out to him.

“What?”

“You were too focused on that paper. We almost missed the group, you know?” Komachi said.

“Haruno-san and Yukinoshita are still right in front of us, though. Even Hiratsuka-sensei is behind us.”

“But the handsome blonde guy’s entourage is very quick to blend in with the kids. You might lose the competition if you keep going like this.”

Hachiman looked at his sister walking beside him with one eyebrow raised.

Indeed, the event had started right after they put their belongings in their respective huts. Not as Hachiman had expected. In general, their job was only to supervise the event, guarding certain spots that couldn’t be covered by the school staff. They were on standby in case something happened, such as someone getting lost, injured, or just confused about the instructions for completing the outbound games.

However, because of Hayama Hayato's good looks and charming smile, he seemed to be very popular among the students, especially the girls.

“Well, I didn’t really care about this event to begin with. But that Hayama guy sure seems more enthusiastic than usual,” Hachiman said without thinking.

“Oh? Really? He wasn’t like that even at school?” Komachi asked.

Hachiman wasn't sure how to answer. After all, he didn't know Hayama that well. The things he knew about the boy were all from his daily life of peeking and eavesdropping on the boy's group conversations. And that was primarily because of the loud voice of one of the guys in their group.

However, while Hachiman was thinking of a suitable response to give to his sister, a familiar shout interrupted them.

“Komachi-chan!!”

The two siblings turned around, seeing Yuigahama Yui coming, dragging two other girls on either side of her.

"I didn't have time to introduce them because the event had already started."

Yui came with a big smile and then released her two friends when she arrived in front of the siblings.

“Komachi-chan, this blonde’s Yumiko, while the one with glasses is Hina," Yui said, pointing at them in turn, “Yumiko, Hina, this girl is Komachi-chan, Hikki’s little sister.”

“My name is Hikigaya Komachi, nice to meet you,” the girl replied politely while bowing perfectly.

Yui nodded in satisfaction at that. Even though she had technically only met the girl this morning, she felt like they had a lot in common, and she was sure that Yumiko and Hina would feel the same way.

“The name's Miura Yumiko, just Yumiko’s fine. Your brother has helped me out a few times, short of,” the blonde girl introduced herself with blushing cheeks and her index finger playing with the ends of her hair.

"I'm Ebina Hina. Just call me whatever you like," the bespectacled girl leaned forward with narrowed eyes, "Anyway, I can’t believe Hikitani-kun has such a cute little sister.”

Hina's sudden movement made Komachi look a little surprised, making her body reflexively step back with an awkward smile etched on her face.

“Hina, you’re making her uncomfortable," Yumiko said, pulling her friend.

“But I'm serious, you know?”

The girl seemed to be adjusting her glasses after Yumiko released her collar. However, she immediately turned her gaze to Hachiman, with both her thumbs and index fingers forming a frame, and directed it at the boy.

“Hikitani-kun, if you smiled more often, you might not look so scary,” Ebina said.

Hachiman's temple suddenly twitched when he heard that.

“What does that even mean?”

However, Komachi, who was standing next to him, seemed to be poking him gently with her elbow.

"See? I told you, no? Smile, Onii-chan, smile."

“You’ll never take my side, huh?” Hachiman muttered.

“No, no. no. I’m always on the side where my Onii-chan can shine coolly, that’s why I agree with Hina-san,” Komachi replied, crossing her arms over her chest proudly, “That must give me a lot of Komachi Points, right?”

Hachiman looked at his sister in amazement. He was genuinely amazed by her ability to socialise without being intimidated by the older people. Well, although, in some cases, it seemed like the girl was using him as a joke to get closer. However, Hachiman didn't mind at all if it meant that his sister could expand her social circle.

“Hey!! Yumiko! Yui! Hina! You three suddenly disappeared, making me a little worried, don't you think so?”

The scream came from Tobe Kakeru, a brown-haired boy who was also known to have the loudest mouth among Hayama Hayato's group of friends. Behind him, the main star, who was adored by many girls, seemed to follow him along with two other boys.

'Wait, what are their names again?' Hachiman thought.

However, the boy didn't seem to care and didn't even bother to remember their names. Instead, he looked around, looking for the Yukinoshita duo who had gone and no one knew where.

“Tobe? Is it okay to leave your post?” Yumiko asked.

But it wasn't him who replied, but Hayama.

"Well, I've contacted Hiratsuka-sensei and he said it's okay to wander around for a bit while waiting for the last group to pass."

The number of students who attended the summer camp was indeed not too large, only forty. However, from the information received, the activity was divided into two waves to optimise supervision. In other words, approximately eighty students from the same year would participate. However, the Service Club and the Hayama group only served for the first wave.

“Anyway, I am Hayama Hayato, Hikitani-kun’s friend. We are in the same class.”

“Wait, hold up,” Hachiman interrupted quickly, “Since when are we friends? I don’t even remember the last time I talked to you.”

“Uh…, Onii-chan, you….”

“What?”

Komachi sighed at her older brother's behaviour. Even though they weren't friends, he shouldn't have said it so bluntly to his face that it made the atmosphere a little awkward. In truth, Komachi didn't even know what had gotten into her brother. If it was the usual Hachiman, he would be good enough at reading the atmosphere and would probably just keep quiet while cursing someone inwardly.

It was as if there was something that made her brother dislike the blonde guy, as he wanted to kick him away as soon as possible.

“My name is Hikigaya Komachi. Please forgive my brother’s behaviour. He may look like this, but he is actually a kind person,” the girl said while bowing.

“Ah, it's fine, it's fine.”

Hayama replied with a friendly smile, making Komachi more surprised that her brother could be so rude to such a boy.

“You said you’re Hikitani-kun’s sister, right?” Tobe asked, joining in the conversation, “Honestly, when I saw you walking side by side with the Yukinoshita sisters, I thought you were their youngest one.”

Hachiman reflexively turned to Komachi, staring at her intently. His sister was indeed cute, sweet, cute, understanding, cute, super kind, and cute. However, there were no physical characteristics that made her resemble the Yukinoshita sisters. Moreover, those girls were very unique. The youngest was cold, had a razor-sharp tongue, and her gaze could pierce to the soul. While the eldest was super cunning, calculating, and scary.

'In any case, it's clear that my Komachi is far better than anyone else in this world.'

“Actually, it’s impossible for Komachi-chan to be Yukinoshita-san’s sister. They’re only have two siblings, after all,” Hayama said.

“Eh? How do you know, Hayato?”

Yui asked with pure confusion, as did her other folks.

The Yukinoshita family was indeed very famous. The father was the Secretary of State and was one of the Prime Minister's trusted advisors. While the mother was the head of the family and the true descendant of the Yukinoshita family, which has a multinational level of business. To say that the Yukinoshita family was the number one family in Chiba wasn’t an exaggeration.

However, their privacy was still tightly guarded. Apart from Yukinohita Haruno, who often accompanied her mother to various events, no other information was available about their personal lives.

“Well, about that…,” Hayato muttered.

Before he could finish his words, a shout interrupted them.

“Hello, hello…, what are you guys talking about?”

The teenagers turned and found Haruno walking closer. Meanwhile, not far from the woman, Yukino stood alone, keeping her distance from the crowd while watching the path used by the outbound participants. However, among them, Hayama Hayato seemed to be the guy who was most enthusiastic about Haruno's presence.

“Ah, Haruno-san, long time no see.”

The woman glanced at the blonde boy for a moment. For less than a millisecond, her gaze was blank, but she quickly changed and put on one of her masks without anyone noticing the change in expression.

“Oh, Hayato. I couldn’t greet you because I was too busy earlier,” Haruno replied.

“It's fine, Haruno-san.”

Standing next to Hayato, Tobe seemed to be observing the woman intently. He remembered meeting her once. After all, there was no way his brain could forget the charm of the beauty she gave off. To be honest, he had been harbouring that curiosity since they were meeting in the parking lot. However, he couldn't find the right moment to ask. Moreover, with her short exchange with Hayama just now, his curiosity had only increased.

“Excuse me, aren’t you the Onee-san we met at one of Chiba University’s cafeterias? You were also with Hikitani-kun at that time, weren’t you?”

“Oh, you remember me, after all? Yes, it was me.”

For some reason, Hachiman's cheeks felt hot when he heard that. He subconsciously turned his face away, pretending to be busy as if he was watching something even though there was nothing to watch. The reaction didn’t escape Haruno's eyes and made her smile grow wider. A surge of desire pushed her to pounce on the boy. However, Haruno knew it wasn’t the right time to strike.

“I thought you didn’t know Hayato, but you two are quite close?” Tobe asked again.

“Oh, about that, huh? Well, I was with Hikigaya-kun at the time, and we just wanted to enjoy lunch together in peace,” Haruno replied.

The woman turned her gaze to Hachiman, who was still busy isolating himself.

“Isn't that right, Hikigaya-kun?”

The boy seemed to jump a little when Haruno suddenly said his name. He turned around, looking back at the crowd.

His mouth opened as if he was about to give a quick rebuttal to the question. However, Hachiman closed it again when he saw Hayama staring at him intensely. If it was his usual self, he probably wouldn't have thought twice about giving a rebuttal with a little joke. However, the way the blonde boy was looking at him bothered him a little.

“Well, yeah. You could think of it that way, I guess?”

The corner of Hayama's eyebrows seemed to twitch slightly upon hearing those words. Still, he tried his best to maintain his friendly smile even though it was quite difficult.

“Look, the last squad is in sight. But I wonder what's going on over there.”

Yumiko's words diverted the gazes of everyone present. A group of five girls were seen looking around in confusion. For some reason, Hayato even felt grateful for their presence. At least he could distract himself for a moment from whatever was bothering his mind. Without thinking, he immediately ran towards the group.

“Be right back, guys.”

The blonde boy immediately left without waiting for an answer from his friends.

“Well then, we’ll return to our post,” Tobe said.

He turned around and walked back to where they had come from, with the two boys following him. Seeing the four of them leave at once, the atmosphere calmed down a bit, which finally allowed Hachiman to breathe a sigh of relief. However, when he glanced over to where Yukino was standing, the girl seemed to be paying close attention to Hayama's interaction with the elementary school children.

“You could kill someone if you keep staring like that, you know?” Hachiman said as he walked closer to Yukino.

The black-haired girl turned to the source of the voice. Yet, it wasn't just the lazy boy that she found but her sister also seemed to be walking beside him. Their distance was quite close as if it was a natural distance for them.

“The black-haired girl with the camera, she doesn’t seem to get along with the rest of her team,” Yukino said.

Hachiman and Haruno turned their heads, following where Yukino's eyes were looking.

“You're observant as always, huh, Yukino-chan?” the sister commented.

The girl in question seemed isolated from the crowd while the rest of the squad surrounded Hayama like ants around sugar. However, it was clear that the girl didn’t seem to belong among them. She just went with the flow, playing around in her own little world without anyone noticing.

Just like troubled people who tend to be attracted to one another. Loners also seemed to excel at spotting other loners. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. Moreover, there would come a time or two in life when people need to deal with such isolation.

'If there are things that can be learned from having friends, then there are also things that can only be learned from not having friends,' Hachiman muttered in his mind.

It seemed that it wasn't just those who were watching from a distance who noticed the little girl's isolation. Hayama, who was the object of their admiration, also saw her, who was left far behind. As such, he turned around and approached her.

With the surrounding area silent, with only the blowing of the wind and the rustling of the leaves as the only accompaniment, the three could faintly hear the words Hayama was saying.

"Did you see that just now? He was very natural about inviting her to join in. He even casually asked her name," muttered Hachiman.

"I saw. It was a feat you would never manage even if you spent your whole life trying. But I cannot say that is a very good way to go about it."

The back of Hachiman's head felt like it had been hit by a hammer as Yukino's taunt came out of nowhere. However, before he could reply, another woman among them beat him to it.

“Oh, you didn’t know, Yukino-chan? Hikigaya-kun is really good at dealing with kids, you know?”

Yukino turned to Haruno. Her expression was slightly confused for a moment, but in the next second, the girl puffed out her cheeks and turned her face away.

“Yeah, yeah. Sure, I don’t know much about Hikigaya-kun. Unlike you who’s spent a lot of time with him.”

“Oh my, oh my. Don’t worry, Onee-chan has no intention of stealing your friend, Yukino-chan,” Haruno replied with genuine happiness.

She even grabbed one of the long black-haired girl's arms, hugging her between the protruding fat lumps. Hachiman, who had witnessed the two sisters' activities, immediately blushed, his cheeks flushing as his eyes widened slightly. He quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to be considered a pervert, even though he wanted to enjoy the sight a little longer.

Seeing that the boy's focus was no longer on them, Haruno moved her mouth closer to Yukino's ear.

“Indeed, Onee-chan won’t steal your friend, but maybe, you should get used to starting calling him ‘Brother-in-Law’.”

The whisper, so soft, made the hair on Yukino's neck stand up instantly. She pulled away from Haruno's embrace without thinking. However, the tight grip on her hand made it a little difficult for her to resist. Even so, a voice from a woman who sounded so masculine came and interrupted them, which made Yukino breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hey, you guys. Not that I didn't expect this, but I suppose this job was a lot to ask of you."

Hiratsuka came with a cigarette stuck in the corner of her lips.

“You too, Haruno. I was hoping you could help me keep an eye on these brats,” the female teacher continued.

“Hm? But I came because I just wanted to play with Yukino-chan, Hikigaya-kun, and Komachi-chan, though? I thought you already understood this, Shizuka-chan?”

“You gotta be kidding me, right?” Hiratsuka replied with a heavy sigh.

Hiratsuka sometimes forgot how difficult it was to manage the girl who had once been her student. Recently, interacting with her again after she became involved in the world of jujutsu, Hiratsuka remembered that Haruno was different from Hachiman yet had a unique similarity.

Although Haruno was a girl who looked diligent and like a model girl, she was actually a figure who would do anything to escape her boredom. Both Haruno and Hachiman were problematic students with low discipline. And the worst part was that they always had a thousand reasons to avoid the anger of the teachers as if their ears had become immune to all kinds of scolding.

“Well, you guys come with me. Preparing camp dessert and lunch shouldn’t be that hard, right?” Hiratsuka asked.

However, the woman didn't bother waiting for their reply. She just left and turned around, but before she left, Hiratsuka gave her a sharp glare, emphasising that they really had to follow her this time.

The three teenagers looked at each other for a moment. Haruno then laughed awkwardly, feeling like she was back in high school with Hiratsuka always scolding her. Meanwhile, Hachiman and Yukino just let out a tired sigh. Even so, they eventually followed the female teacher without asking much.

As was his habit, Hachiman always walked at the very back, keeping his distance from the others. His steps were slow as if giving his mind space to wander. When he looked back, his eyes instinctively fell on the spot where the group of elementary school children had gathered earlier.

Amidst their cheerful laughter and innocent joy, the image of a little girl standing alone crept back into his mind. There was something in the girl's blank gaze, a loneliness that was almost unnoticeable yet seemed so real to someone like Hachiman. However, what really stuck in his mind wasn’t that sight but Yukino's expression.

The youngest Yukinoshita's face at that time was hard to interpret. A mixture of pity, confusion, and something that looked like an old wound that was silently gaping. A brief moment that seemed insignificant to the world was embedded in his mind more deeply than he expected.

'No one in this world fits the classic mould of the villain. One must always be on guard. At least, that's what Souseki Natsume said in his novel.'

Hachiman raised his gaze to the sky, watching the clouds moving rhythmically as if they had a special and unique bond.

'His novel, Kokoro, certainly isn't about the romantic entanglements that comprise the love triangle. It's rather a more poignant story about distrust.'

Hachiman turned his gaze. His eyes fell on the Yukinoshita sisters, who were walking side by side in front of him. Their steps seemed so calm and silent. However, the tense shoulders that had been visible on Yukino seemed more relaxed, as if she found comfort in her sister's side, even though her attitude always seemed to show rejection of the pranks that Haruno always pulled.

'His novel describes how humans are fundamentally lonely creatures. Though people might share the same time and place, they can't share their hearts. But are humans really creatures that can be judged that simply?'

—OoOoO—

“Lighting a fire using firewood, you should be able to do it, right? It’s not much different from lighting charcoal, and should be much easier than exterminating a cursed spirit.”

“Well, I once did it with Maki and the others when Gojo-sensei forced us to camp in Aomori because of his unclear instructions,” Hachiman replied dryly, “But wouldn’t it be more practical to use portable gas? Including the staff, the food that needs to be prepared is about fifty-five servings. What kind of crazy person would prepare that much with some fire pits?”

Hiratsuka seemed to chuckle softly when she heard her favourite student's complaint.

“Although I asked the three of you to prepare dessert and lunch, in reality, it’ll be a group cooking session. So, your workload won’t be that heavy.”

Hiratsuka explained the duties to Hachiman as she led the way to the communal kitchen. Meanwhile, the boy was seen carrying a sack full of firewood that had been chopped into symmetrical sizes. It was just the two of them, without Haruno and Yukino accompanying. That was why they didn't seem too bothered when talking about their experiences as jujutsu sorcerers in the open.

“Is this all the firewood?” Hachiman asked.

“Why?”

“Well, I just think this is too little for three days of activities.”

Hiratsuka, who was leading the way, seemed to raise her head as if she was thinking about something. However, the woman soon turned around, facing her student and looking straight at her with a grin that made Hachiman feel uncomfortable.

“Actually, there’s still a lot in the warehouse, but they haven't chop the wood yet.”

Hachiman narrowed his eyes at those words as if he knew what his master was going to say next.

“No, I won’t do it,” the boy said firmly.

Hiratsuka stopped walking, letting her student catch up until he was next to her. She quickly grabbed the boy's shoulders, embracing him as if he were her buddy.

"C'mon, Hikigaya. It won't be that difficult, right? Or would you rather take part in tomorrow's morning exercises with the elementary school kids?"

“Or, can I just sleep until noon and wake up when lunch is ready?”

“You know that’s not an option, right?” Hiratsuka replied with a sigh.

The woman then let go of Hachiman's shoulder, patting it gently as if everything had been decided.

“Anyway, you have to wake up early tomorrow. I’m counting on you to chop more wood, okay?”

Arguing with Hiratsuka would never end. If there was an antithesis that could silence and make Hikigaya Hachiman obedient like a kitten, it would be the existence of Hiratsuka Shizuka.

“By the way, you’re unbelievably experienced in organising this event?” Hachiman asked.

Jujutsu sorcerers tend to have sharp minds because they were constantly honed both in deadly missions and extreme training. However, that didn’t mean they were supermen who could do everything perfectly. In fact, most jujutsu sorcerers actually had poor social skills.

“You know, when I dropped out of Jujutsu High, I went to Chiba University, right?” the woman replied quite proudly, “Back then, I was pretty active in a lot of outdoor activities, you know?”

Hiratsuka raised her head up again, staring into space as if the image of her past was beautifully written in the sky.

“You could even say that I was a core member as I was always the one lighting the fire when everyone else were busy being flirting each other.”

Hiratsuka's face suddenly turned sour as she recalled those memories.

“Tch, now I'm starting to feel sick remembering that,” the woman cursed.

Hachiman didn’t understand whether his past teacher was an idiot or just an innocent girl. Doing almost all the work by yourself while everyone else was flirting wasn’t proof that you were a core member but rather proof that you had no friends in the community.

'Please, please stop this sad flashback or I'll find a way to turn back time and accompany her to light the fire!'

Too much chatting made Hachiman not realise that they had arrived back at the communal kitchen. The atmosphere seemed more crowded than before. Not only Haruno and Yukino, who appeared to be doing activities there, but elementary school students and their teachers also began to fill that spacious kitchen. Even Hayama Hayato's group, who were still on duty earlier, seemed to be mingling with the other people there.

“Boys, you light the fires! Just ask Hikigaya if you need help. And the girls, come with me to get the supplies for cooking!” shouted Hiratsuka.

Meanwhile, Hachiman, who was behind her, could only stare at the woman with a mix of feelings.

'Separating the boys and the girls right now makes me think you've got some lingering resentments. Hiratsuka-sensei..., are you really okay?'

—OoOoO—

When discussing summer camping, it certainly should include curry, the quintessential dish of summer camp. Moreover, if many hands were involved in cooking, it might create a unique taste that could fill memories during the summer.

“Hikigaya-kun, do you want to try making your own version?”

Hachiman, who was crouching down to put some wood into the fire pit, turned his head and found Haruno standing behind him.

“Why should I?”

“Different people put their own individual quirks into it, and I want to know what characteristics of curry you will create,” the woman replied.

“Come to think of it, the curry my mom makes always has a lot of different stuff in it. Mostly Southeast Asian spices, though.”

"I know, right? My mom even put chikuwa and stuff in it. Like, chikuwa? Does she think curry is a seafood? Hahaha."

That wasn't a reply from Haruno or from anyone whose voice had been registered in his brain. The sudden, unfamiliar voice confused Hachiman a little. As such, he looked up and found Tobe Kakeru on the other side of the fire pit he was trying to light.

“Uh, y-yeah.”

Hachiman responded a little awkwardly, not having any preparation to deal with the boy.

'Hey, man. Why did you suddenly invite me to chat? Don't act so friendly with me. Or are you actually a good guy?' thought the boy.

Hachiman has never been the best at starting a conversation, let alone maintaining one once started. He always felt bad for people who tried to talk to him but only ended up having empty and dry discussions due to his below-average social skills. However, Hachiman had learned how to deal with such situations through experience.

“I'm sorry, but can we continue the conversation later? There are still many stoves that haven't been turned on.”

'If you're an adult, the way to avoid conversation is to pretend to be busy. Yeah, being an adult can be annoying, but things like this always work out every time,' Hachiman continued in his mind.

“Oh, you're right. I wonder when this work will end. Even after the fie pit is lit, sometimes the fire suddenly goes out,” Tobe muttered.

“Well, if you want to go, you can go play with the others. At this point, everything is done and all that’s left to do is go around and make sure all the stoves are on. You can just leave it to me,” Hachiman replied.

The dead-fish-eyed boy glanced at his interlocutor briefly, then stood up while carrying a sack filled with the remains of firewood. It felt light, indicating that they only had a few pieces left.

“Are you sure, Hikitani-kun? I feel a little bad leaving you alone,” Tobe replied.

Hachiman blinked a few times as if he was a little in disbelief at what he was hearing.

'Tobe, don't tell me you're actually a really good guy?!'

Speaking of working alone, Hachiman looked around the huge kitchen. His place right now was relatively isolated compared to the stoves used by the elementary school children and their teachers. In fact, Hachiman didn't see any students from his school around him other than Tobe. Most of them were mingling with the little kids even though there wasn't much else to do.

“Well, it's fine. Haruno-san is here with me, after all.”

“Yep. You can leave this one to us,” Haruno added cheerfully.

Hachiman glanced at Haruno. He was a bit curious about what the woman had been doing all this time, to the point that it made her silent for a moment.

“Oh, I see! I understand now!” Tobe exclaimed in a rather high-pitched voice.

Hachiman turned back to the boy and found him wearing a look of utter stupidity. He leaned over as best he could even though they were separated by the wall separating the stove.

“Sorry, Hikitani-kun, I was really insensitive when you wanted to be alone with that Onee-san,” Tobe said in a low voice.

Hachiman's eyebrows involuntarily twitched when he heard that.

“What? You’ve got it all wrong, dude. Look, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama even left their pots here, so they’ll be back anytime soon.”

"I see, I see. Don't worry about that, Hikitani-kun."

'No, you clearly don't understand at all,' Hachiman thought quickly.

However, Tobe seemed unwilling to disturb his classmate's important time for too long. With a mischievous smile and his hands forming a pose like someone shooting, Tobe slowly stepped back. His eyebrows, which raised and lowered stupidly, even made Hachiman feel annoyed and want to hit that stupid expression.

"Don’t worry about it."

The gentle words coming from Haruno made Hachiman turn around.

“You can join the others if you want. This section is pretty much done. We just need to wait for the curry to cook and lunch will be ready,” the woman continued.

“If I leave after you say that, it’ll make me look like an awful person.”

“Oh, aren’t you always complaining about not wanting to do any work, Hikigaya-kun?”

Haruno approached Hachiman. She nudged his upper arm with a mischievous smile as if making fun of his words that were inconsistent with his actions.

"Anyway, what are you doing?" the guy asked, trying to change the subject.

However, what the teenager asked was not just empty small talk. He was pretty curious about what the woman was doing. Both of her hands seemed to be full as she held a basin filled with ice cubes while a tightly closed can sat in the middle.

“This?”

Haruno put down the basin with a graceful, almost silent movement. She opened the lid of the can that was the object of Hachiman's curiosity.

As soon as the seal was opened, a wave of aroma immediately wafted into the air. Luxurious, sweet, and so tempting. Hachiman barely had time to catch his breath before the scent of soft summer flowers combined with the freshness of tropical fruits hit his senses like a mighty blow that came too quickly. Amidst the fragrance, the warm, seductive scent of vanilla crept in slowly, like a secret whisper that made him want to explore further the play of aromas behind the smell.

Hachiman unconsciously brought his nose closer as if pulled by an invisible force. The world in his eyes seemed to narrow, becoming only him, Haruno, and the ice cream with the heavenly aura in his sight. Hachiman's eyes were even fixated on that appearance. The pastel colours blended softly, and the creamy texture was like a cloud that reflected the faint sparkle of light.

His consciousness, which was as if being hypnotised, didn’t realise the arrival of a spoon that casually entered his mouth. However, the sweet and fresh taste, combined with the texture that quickly melted in his mouth, made him not mind receiving such treatment.

"How? Amazing, isn't it?"

Haruno's question seemed to pull him back from the consciousness that was floating in space, plunging him back into the mortal world.

“Not bad. Rather, it was really awesome,” Hachiman replied with genuine enthusiasm.

The boy then looked straight into Haruno's eyes.

“How did you manage to make it, though?”

“It wasn’t that hard, actually. I just saw some fresh milk and fruit left over, and thought it would be great to make something.”

“That’s all and you can make something like this? Then, what about the scent of the flowers?” the boy asked.

“Apparently, they have a small garden here and I made a water flower with that. However, if you just mix it and chop the fruits up into small pieces and throw it all together, it won’t give it that strong aroma, flavour, and distinctive texture.”

Haruno scooped up her homemade ice cream again, then pointed it at Hachiman. Seeing that, the boy was a bit embarrassed by what she did, but he still took the bite she gave him anyway.

"However, if you grind them, separate the water and juices, and then add it to the ice cream mixture separately, it will give a strong fruity flavour. Meanwhile, the mixture of juice will give a unique texture," Haruno continued.

Haruno took another spoon, but this time, she enjoyed it for herself. However, Hachiman's cheeks flushed slightly when he saw the woman using the same spoon he had just used.

“So, it’s like making syrup naturally, huh?”

Haruno nodded quickly at the question.

“Many fruits have flavours that will overlap if you just add them in. It’s different from regular cooking, where you can add salt if it’s too bland or sugar if it’s too salty. So, you need to get the ratio right and be precise to get the flavour you want.”

“That sounds complicated like doing Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisine,” Hachiman replied.

Haruno once again scooped up the ice cream she had made and brought it to Hachiman's mouth. Unlike before, the boy now accepted the spoonful without hesitation.

“Exactly. It’s like determining how much of a spice combination you should put in. Like if you put a little too much cardamom in your curry, it’ll make it taste bad, but it’ll be a good combination if you add nutmeg later on,” Haruno explained.

In South and Southeast Asia, especially in the islands and peninsular regions, spices weren’t just ingredients. Using spices was like slowly putting together a puzzle. At first, it seemed unrelated and didn’t even make sense. Missing a single piece could create an unbalanced situation. However, when it was done perfectly, the pleasure it gave both in appearance and taste was indescribable.

“Excuse me.”

A soft feminine voice interrupted the togetherness of the two humankind. They automatically turned to check who the owner of the strange voice was. Their eyebrows rose when they found a little girl with long, black hair entering their kitchen area.

“Are you looking for something, young lady?” Haruno asked kindly.

The woman walked over to the girl and crouched down in front of her, bringing herself to the same height as the girl. However, instead of answering the question, the girl turned to look at Hachiman, who was standing a few steps behind Haruno.

“What are you guys doing?” asked the girl.

Realising the question was directed at him, Hachiman raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

“Making curry like everyone else, and some ice cream from leftover ingredients.”

Hachiman took a new spoon and a small bowl next to it, which he was initially going to use to pour the curry into. However, the boy took a few scoops of ice cream from the can and handed it to the little girl as he crouched down next to Haruno.

“Wanna try it?”

“I'm not a kid,” the girl replied.

“It’s precisely because you’re no longer a kid that you should eat sweet things more often because adult life is bitterly tiring.”

“But my mother said that eating too much sugar can cause many internal diseases?” the girl asked again hesitantly.

Hachiman blinked a few times. It was pretty rare to see such a young child with such a high awareness of the importance of maintaining daily sugar intake. Moreover, she had parents who were so concerned with what their child consumed every day, considering that most parents nowadays would give their children anything as long as it would keep them from whining and disrupting their activities. Not to mention, it was also made worse by the numerous propaganda advertisements for food that was supposedly good for children, even though it had a high sugar content and had undergone extensive processing.

“If you exercise diligently every day, one glass of ice cream a week won’t hurt your body,” Haruno explained despite being ignored earlier, “Also, the ice cream I make is all made from fresh ingredients without any added sugar. So, it’s good to go.”

After considering for a moment, the girl seemed to accept the ice cream treat that Hachiman offered. However, she just stared blankly at the bowl without any sign of wanting to do anything. It was as if the little girl was lost in her own thoughts.

“Name?” she muttered.

Not getting the response she expected, the girl looked up, staring at the two people.

"I asked, what is your name?" she said again.

This time, Hachiman and Haruno looked at each other as if they could communicate silently through their eye contact. Not knowing what the two were thinking, the little girl seemed to frown.

“You know, if you want to ask someone's name, you should introduce yourself first,” Hachiman said flatly.

The words the girl wanted to say felt like they were swallowed back as she was taken aback by Hachiman's words. She bit her lip by reflect with her gaze fixed on the ground. Seeing that, Hachiman took a deep breath, making sure not to put any more pressure on the person he was talking to.

Hachiman knew the girl. At least he recognised her even though he didn't know her name. The girl with long black hair who was ostracised by her group before. Her expression, which seemed to be trying hard to look tough, reminded him of someone he knew, who spent almost every day with him, throwing insults at each other. However, instead of having a cold gaze like the figure in his memory, the little girl actually looked fragile behind the toughness she tried to show.

“My name is Tsurumi Rumi. People usually call me Rumi-chan,” the girl said softly.

Hearing those words, Haruno couldn't help but smile softly.

“This onee-san is Haruno, and the onii-san next to me is Hachiman-kun. Anyway, how about the ice cream? I wonder if it suits the tastes of today’s kids.”

The girl named Rumi raised her eyes. Her heart felt warmer when she saw the friendly smile that the mature woman gave. Therefore, following her request, Rumi looked back at the bowl of ice cream in her hand and took a small spoon before putting it in her mouth.

“It tastes amazing!” the little girl exclaimed happily.

“It’s great that you like it. If you want, I can tell you how to make it,” Haruno replied.

Rumi tilted her head curiously.

“You didn’t give me more, but instead told me how to make it?”

“Isn’t it much more fun to make it yourself? You can eat it whenever you want without having to wait for someone else to do it for you,” Haruno replied.

“Uhm… I suppose so.”

The little girl seemed hesitant about what she said as she lowered her head. It wasn't that she thought the ice cream she received tasted bad or that she didn't like it; it was that she didn't expect Haruno to say she would teach her how to make it. On the contrary, it was amazing and hard to believe that the woman made it using only leftover ingredients. Moreover, her mother would definitely be happy if she knew the secret behind how it was made.

However, that wasn't what made Tsurumi Rumi come to those two. After gathering her courage for a while, she finally looked back at Hachiman and Haruno.

“Uhm… can I ask you something?” the girl asked.

“Sure, go ahead,” Hachiman replied quickly.

Rumi seemed to bite the corner of her lips without immediately expressing what she was thinking. Her grip on the bowl seemed to tighten, and her hands trembled slightly for a moment. It was clear that whatever she was about to say was a burden on her heart. However, the feeling of discomfort and torturous in her heart gave her the strength to let go of everything that was on her mind.

“I always thought I was different, that's why people avoided me.”

Rumi looked straight at the two people.

“And you guys also seem to isolate yourself from other people a lot. Is it possible that you are different too just like me?”

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: Summer Camp has officially begun. Alright, I'll say the conflict will be different from the canon version since we have Haruno here. I have a different plan for Rumi, as I want to take a different approach to solving the problem.

Essentially, Rumi's contribution will be a minor aspect of the topic, akin to seasoning in a dish. The conclusion of Yumiko's situation isn't completely resolved, and I want to explore Hachiman's relationship with the others, especially Haruno. That's why, in this chapter, I really highlight Tobe's presence because, in my opinion, he's actually Hachiman's best buddy, besides Zaimokuza, in the canon, and I really like their interactions.

Okay, that's all from me. See you in two weeks with Maki's story. As for Spiderman, I have a little problem, and it might be delayed. Alternatively, I can release the first chapter if you'd like, with the second chapter to follow later.