Eventually, they make it back to the entrance of school. They stop and talk for a moment before Shiori and Hikigaya head on home once again. Haru stands next to Sugawara, waving to them before he turns and looks at Sugawara.

“Want me to walk you home?”

He asks with a smile. Sugawara looks surprised for a moment before accepting with a shy nod. Sugawara starts walking, leading the way timidly as Haru follows. As they walk in silence, the same way Haru usually walks home, Haru eventually speaks. 

“I’m sorry for bumping into you earlier. And right before all of this.. And not really helping save you from the men…”

Haru stares at the ground while saying this, upset with himself for everything he did. Sugawara timidly looks at him from the corner of his eye for a moment, not wanting to fully look at him as he apologizes, before lowering his head too with a regretful look as well.

“I’m sorry too... for smacking your hand away earlier. You were only trying to help…”

Sugawara says, obviously regretting that he reacted so harshly. Haru notices his look and stares at him for a moment before shaking his head quickly but subtly. He then smiles a big smile before patting Sugawara on the back.

“Hey don’t worry about it! No one was hurt, that’s all that matters, right?”

Haru says with a giggle. Sugawara blushes at Haru’s bright smile and nods softly. After a bit of a walk, they eventually come to a large, luxury apartment building that looks very new. Only a few years old at this point, built right next to a housing area filled with casual one or two story houses. 

“Well, This is where I live.”

Sugawara says as they stop in front of the entrance. Haru watches as Sugawara takes a couple steps up the stairs before he stops. He stands there for a moment before swaying side to side a bit, looking hesitant like he wants to say something. He then turns around with a shy look.

“I’m not good at these… socializing things, but… thank you. For coming after me even if you were too scared to. I say that’s brave enough.”

Sugawara smiles and blushes a bit as he turns back around and runs inside before Haru can say anything back. Haru blushes, surprised by his words. He slowly turns and takes a step forward before he stands there for a moment. He then smiles a proud smile before beginning his walk home. He takes a couple steps but suddenly stops. He looks around for a moment, a little confused.

“Wait a minute…”

He says softly before a look of shock spreads across his face as he turns around sharply.

“No way!”

Despite the crazy events of the day prior, the group meets up and goes to class like normal. They’re all in their seats talking and having a good time when Ms. Samuel walks in, getting ready for class to begin.

“Alright everyone, start settling down the bell is about to ring.”

She says this which makes the all the class start getting organized in their seats as one last student comes in through the door. Haru is busy rummaging through his bag trying to pull out his notebook while Shiori and Hikigaya look at the student. They get looks of surprise as the student sits to Haru’s right, behind Ryuji. Haru sits up finally getting his notebook and notices Shiori and Hikigaya turned around, looking in his direction.

“What?”

He asks confused before turning and following their gaze. He looks to his right and sees Sugawara. His eyes widen and he gets a look of surprise, the starting bell ringing in the background.

“You! I knew I recognized you!”

“Haru Tanaka! Quiet down, class is starting.”

The classes giggles to themselves at Haru while he blushes in embarrassment. Sugawara smiles a bit at him while leaning on his hand before looking ahead. Ryuji leans over to Hikigaya and whispers.

“Is this the one you guys saved yesterday?”

Hikigaya nods with a smile. Ryuji nods back as Sugawara smiles warmly with a soft blush on his cheeks.

Once break rolls around, the group meets where they usually do only this time with a new, yet familiar face. 

“My name is Sugawara Ito, nice to meet the rest of you.”

He says with a bow to them.

“No need to be so formal. It’s not like we’re your superiors or anything.”

Lucy says, sitting on the bench, leaning into her hand. Sugawara stands up, still a little shy. Chizuru approaches him and starts inspecting him. He gets embarrassed as she walks around him, observing him up and down.

“You’re so cute and small. Are you sure you’re not a girl?”

He blushes as he gets a slight, softly upset look.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Chizuru just giggles at him. He exhales softly, relaxing just a bit as a subtle, conflicted look appears on his face. He fidgets with the ends of his skirt a bit as they all look at him. Hikigaya sits on the bench leaning his elbows on his knees and his hands folded in front of him. He stares at Sugawara for a moment before speaking up.

“Is there something to want to tell us, Sugawara?”

Sugawara’s eyes perk up a bit as he looks at Hikigaya before looking away.

“It’s just... I...”

He struggles to get the words out as the others look at each other, confused on what to say. Haru sweats a bit but steps closer to Sugawara a bit with an awkward smile.

“If it’s about yesterday, don’t worry about it. Shiori and Hiki already told me they don’t need thanks and hey, if those guys come back, they can protect you-”

“N-no!.. It’s not that...”

Sugawara interrupts Haru a bit. Haru looks confused and concerned as Sugawara takes a deep breath before looking at the group.

“All my life, I’ve never had any friends.. and that really sucks...” He says with a subtle laugh of shame. “I just.. don’t want to be alone anymore. So I came here because I... I want to be your friend!..”

He says with a sudden moment of soft determination. The others all get warm smiles on their faces excluding Shiori who just watches. Haru sighs in relief as he smiles at Sugawara.

“Well you came to the right place! I’ve known these guys for the longest time. They’ll never leave you in a pinch!”

He says, throwing his thumb over his shoulder at them. Chizuru takes a step towards Sugawara with a soft, caring look.

“You really don’t have any other friends, Sugawara?”

He shakes his head softly. They give him sympathetic looks before Ryuji speaks.

“Well,” He says while leaning on his elbows on the bench table. “We could be your friends.”

He says before giving Sugawara a cool smile. Sugawara perks up with a smile on his face.

“I... would like that very much...”

Sugawara says softly. Chizuru gets excited and giggles, doing a little happy dance.

“Oh main, this is great! Only a couple days into high school and we’ve already made two new friends! Could life be any more exciting?”

She asks enthusiastically, looking at Lucy who just smiles back. Hikigaya leans over to Shiori who was more concerned with her sandwich as she just met them as well, not being very invested in the conversation.

“Hear that? They called you their friend. You okay with that? Not gonna melt?”

He teases. Shiori rolls her eye before bumping him away with her shoulder aggressively.

“Oh shut up.”

She says with a frustrated tone. She then looks up as Sugawara who’s getting hugged by both Haru and Chizuru at the same time, blushing intensely with a confused but happy look, not sure what to do. Her gaze expressing what can only be seen as a slight bit of jealousy.

Later, the group is getting ready to leave for the day when Shiori gets up. They look at her as she tells them she’s going to the restroom and they nod. As she exits the classroom and walks down the hall, a group of three girls watch her from around the corner with mischievous looks. These girls, who appear to be a couple years older than Shiori is, quickly follow Shiori to the restroom. After finishing up and washing her hands in the sink, she looks up and notices the three girls step up behind her in the mirror. Shiori stops and sighs before turning around and leaning against the sink.

“Let me guess. I beat up somebody in middle school that was, like, your boyfriend or something and now you’re here to strike vengeance.” 

“What? No. Shit, you really are a freak, aren’t you?”

The girl answers with a mocking tone. Shiori gets a little pissed at the comment but doesn’t entertain it. The girl smiles cockily as she eyes up Shiori.

“You really don’t remember me, huh?”

“Don’t take it personally. I don’t remember most people I meet.”

Shiori responds sarcastically. The girl chuckles a bit before putting her hands on her hips.

“Well don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll remember my name soon enough. I’m going to make you pay for what you did to me.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you will. They always do.”

Shiori says as she waves her hand dismissively at them, stepping towards the door to leave. Just as she opens the door, the girl speaks up.

“I bet you think those new “friends” of yours actually care about you. I bet you think you actually matter to them, don’t you?”

She says with a sharp tone. Shiori stops but doesn’t turn to look at them.

“They don’t care about you. They’re just stuck with you. You will never actually mean anything to them no matter how hard you try. You will always be alone.”

She says spitefully. Shiori stands in silence for a moment with her bangs covering her eyes before turning her head just a bit to them, looking at them from over her shoulder.

“It’s like you said. I’m stuck with them. It doesn’t matter if they like me or not. I don’t care.”

She says before walking through the door as the girls smirk.

“We’ll break her eventually.”

She says with an ominous smile. Shiori walks down the hall heading back to the classroom, pissed about what just happened.

“I guess being the best school in the District doesn’t change the fact that people will always be evil.”

She says with an angry click of her tongue. She squints her eye a bit as her pace slows down until she comes to a stop in the empty hall. Her head lowers, her bangs covering her eyes. Suddenly, Shiori is standing in that same white desert from long ago, this inner world of hers where her mind often wanders. Despite the heavy rain stopping, a light drizzle takes its place.

‘I know they’re only here because Hikigaya is stuck with me. I know they don’t really care and I shouldn’t care either.. I know that… So why?..’

She thinks as the drizzle turns to a rain upon her. In the hall, her eye gets glossy with tears forming in the corner of her eye. She leans against the wall, looking down with a hurt look.

‘Why does it hurt when she says it?..’

She whimpers quietly to herself for a moment before she hears fast footsteps coming her way. She quickly rubs her eye to remove any trace of her feelings before looking up, surprised to see Hikigaya jogging towards her. He stops as soon as he reaches her.

“What are you doing here?”

She asks with an irritated tone and look. Hikigaya picks up on her attitude and answers with an almost cautious tone.

“Ms. Samuel reminded me that we need to stick together just after you left so I went and followed, I just got a little lost. Are you okay?”

“Just peachy.”

She tries to walk past him, slightly pushing him out of the way but Hikigaya quickly grabs her hand, gently but still stopping her.

“Wait-”

He says but in that moment, she’s shocked and quickly yanks her arm away, turning to him with an intensely surprised and confused look, her body tense and pulled away.

“I have a hunch you don’t let yourself feel your feelings very often, so, whatever happened, it’s okay to let yourself feel it. ”

He says with a soft smile at her. She looks at him for a moment before taking a breath and calming down, slowly relaxing her body.

“Yeah, alright...”

She says with a soft, reluctant tone before looking at him again with a curious look.

“How did you know I was mad anyway?”

“Well you’re not exactly a closed book with your emotions.”

Shiori gets embarrassed and blushes a bit, looking away.

“Sorry…”

She says so quietly you’d think it’s a secret she was whispering. Hikigaya is surprised for a moment before a smug smile spreads across his face.

“Oh? Is that an apology I hear?”

She gets irritated and punches him in the stomach. He hunches over, getting the wind knocked out of him.

“Maybe next time I just won’t apologize then!”

She snaps back with an angry tone. Hikigaya shakily raises his hand to her, asking for forgiveness.

“No… An apology’s fine…”

He says, holding his stomach. She looks at him for a moment before she sighs. She slowly lifts her hand up and hesitates for a moment before putting her hand on his shoulder. He looks up at her surprised.

“Sorry, and… thank you...”

She says with a blush and a defiant look. He smiles softly at her and stands up straight. 

“Hey, don’t sweat it. That’s what friends are for. Just don’t punch the others as hard, I don’t think they could take it.”

He jokes as Shiori smiles, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

“Now come on. Let’s get back before the others abandon us.”

He says before beginning the walk back to class. Shiori looks at him for a moment before blushing some more and looking down. She looks at her hands before putting them together gently. She thinks back to just a moment ago when Hikigaya grabbed her hand and blushes a little more.

‘He... held my hand so gently...’

She gets embarrassed and shakes her head before following Hikigaya closely.

After school at Shiori’s house, she walks through the door and takes her shoes off like usual. As she gets to the living room, a crosshair is placed over the side of her head. Riku is laying in a pile of blankets and pillows at the end of the hallway with a marshmallow gun pointed right at her.

“Target spotted…”

He giggles to himself, looking away for only a moment. He goes back to aim his gun but when he looks through the scope, she is nowhere to be found. 

“Huh? Where did she go?”

Suddenly, a shadow is over Riku and he begins to sweat. He yelps and dives out of the blankets trying to escape but before he can even make contact with the ground, she grabs him by the hood of his sweater and picks him up. 

“What do we have here? An assassination attempt I see. Well that is a punishable offense.”

She plays as Riku looks like he’s desperately trying to beg forgiveness.

“Noooo, please! I’ll never try it again! Just let me go!”

Takanou then comes through the door not long after. He has his blazer and briefcase in his hand as he takes off his shoes. He hears Riku calling out for mercy as he walks into the livingroom to see Shiori holding Riku in her lap pinching his cheek, Riku squirming to try and get away.

“Papa, help! She’s trying to pull my face off!” He cries.

“Okay you two, knock it off.”

Takanou says with a smile before throwing his jacket at Shiori’s face while walking by. She’s knocked completely off guard, letting go of Riku who gets up and rubs his cheek, groaning a bit. Shiori giggles a bit as she grabs the jacket off her face. Takanou comes by and pat her on the head.