Eventually she makes it to the front entrance of her complex to find Hikigaya standing next to a big van. He notices her.

Hikigaya “Glad you could make it.”

Shiori “Shut it, it’s too early to hear your voice.”

She quickly composes herself despite feeling so happy. He smirks back at her. They walk up to the van as Asami is fixing up the back seat.

Asami “Hey Shiori! Sorry for the mess. I totally forgot to clean up yesterday.”

Shiori “It’s okay Ms. Oshiro. I really don’t mind.”

They get in the car and head off to the same supermarket that Haru and Hikigaya went to before. As they park, Shiori and Hikigaya get out. Asami decided to stay in the car.

Asami “Listen here. I don’t want you guys overspending on snacks so try and be rational.”

She smiles at them as she hands them her card. They walk around the store with a basket and look around. Shiori watches Hikigaya for a moment, noting his remarkable resemblance to his mother.

Shiori “You really do look like your mom.”

Hikigaya “Thanks? I am her son after all. Oh, what about these?”

Hikigaya grabs some fig nutrition bars off the shelf.

Hikigaya “Do you think Lucy would like these?”

Shiori “No, definitely not.”

Hikigaya smirks as he tosses a couple into the basket. They finish shopping for snacks and head back to the van. They toss the bags in the back and hop in.

Asami “Alright, so now we go pick up Lucy and Ryuji then off to Chizuru’s house, right?”

Hikigaya nods as they head off. They get to Lucy’s house and pick them both up. Ryuji decided to walk to Lucy’s since she isn’t too far anyway. Shiori is in the middle of the backseat when Lucy and Ryuji sit on both sides of her. Shiori blushes a bit out of embarrassment of having two people squeeze so close to her. She looks at Lucy who is casually enjoying the ride then back at Ryuji. She then blushes realizing how close she is to him.

Shiori ‘I’m sitting so close to Ryuji! He smells so good and looks so pretty in normal clothes. I bet I’m really underwhelming in comparison…’

Ryuji notices her looking and softly smiles at her. She blushes harder and looks away embarrassed. They finally arrive and Chizuru is standing outside, smiling. As they get out of the van, Asami says her goodbyes.

Asami “Now remember, be safe, don’t do anything stupid and if you do be smart about it. Okay, I love you, have fun!”

She forcibly kisses Hikigaya on the cheek and the others giggle about it. She waves as she drives off and they turn around to look at the large house in front of them. Shiori is the most shocked out of all of them. 

Shiori “What do her parents do for a living?..”

Hikigaya laughs a bit as they head inside. There they find Haru and Sugawara sitting on a couch.

Lucy “I see you guys made it here on time.”

Haru “What can I say? Sugawara’s timing is incredible!”

Sugawara blushes at the compliment and laughs embarrassedly. 

Chizuru “Okay! Now that everyone’s here, we can take the snacks to the kitchen while the rest of you guys head to the party room!”

Shiori “There’s even a party room..?”

They head upstairs as Hikigaya and Chizuru go to the kitchen. As they’re putting the snacks on the counter, Chizuru stops and looks down. Hikigaya looks at her.

Chizuru “Do you think this is okay?”

He looks confused at her.

Hikigaya “What do you mean?”

Chizuru “I feel like we may be pushing this onto them, Shiori and Sugawara… Is it alright? Are we going too fast?”

Hikigaya looks at her compassionately.

Chizuru “I just… I don’t want to end up pushing them away because I’m trying too hard.”

Hikigaya “You worry too much.”

She looks at him with glossy eyes, surprised by his response.

Hikigaya “It’s just a sleepover Chizu. It’ll be okay. From what I can tell, they really like us. So try not to worry about it, okay?”

She sniffles a bit and smiles.

Chizuru “Okay.”

They head upstairs to meet with the others.

Chizuru “Alright so my parents are gone for the weekend which means we can basically do whatever we want. What do you want to do?”

They all look at each other thinking about what they want to start with before coming to a conclusion. They begin having fun and hanging out. Watching movies and playing games. Talking and being teenagers. They ordered pizza for dinner and as the sun begins to set, so does their energy. Starting the day off crazy and being loud, they have now settled to a pretty tame energy level as they continue a tv series they decided to start binging. The group is sprawled out all over the room. Haru sits between Sugawara and Chizuru. Ryuji and Lucy are still talking and playfully hitting each other while Shiori watches them all with Hikigaya next to her. 

Shiori “How long have you known them?”

Hikigaya “For a good while. I met them in my 5th year of elementary school. Besides Ryuji and Lucy who have known each other for way longer, the five of us have been together ever since.”

She looks around and looks at everyone enjoying themselves but can’t help but feel a bit weird. She looks down then at Hikigaya which slightly peaks the feeling.

Shiori ‘What is this..? Is it… jealousy?’

Hikigaya “You okay?”

She realizes she spaced out looking at him so she quickly looks away.

Shiori “Yeah, sorry.”

They sit in silence for a second.

Shiori “You know, when I first met you I thought for sure you were gonna be just like me. No friends, angry. Just… alone.”

Hikigaya perks up hearing her words.

Shiori “But I see that you and I are nothing alike. You’re happy, you get along with people. You have friends, passions. Things I always thought were pointless because in the end people will always betray you. And those bonds, those memories you made will all be for nothing.”

Hikigaya looks down and Shiori notices. She gets a bit embarrassed.

Shiori ‘What am I doing? Just spilling all of my inner thoughts to this guy I met a few weeks ago? What’s wrong with me?’

Hikigaya “You may not know me as well as you think…”

She looks up at him surprised.

Hikigaya “Besides that, even if everyone in your life decides to leave you at some point, aren't the memories you made along the way what makes you, you?” 

Shiori “I guess… But it doesn’t change the fact that they’re only hurting you when they go.”

Hikigaya “I suppose. But we’ll survive. We always do and become stronger for it. Until the day we finally meet the people who will stay no matter what.”

Shiori’s eye widens and shines a bit thinking about what he said. 

Hikigaya “I get the feeling you’re quite used to being abandoned. For now, we have no intention of leaving you behind. So enjoy our friendship because it isn’t going anywhere.”

He smiles at her and she blushes a bit.

Shiori ‘Is this okay?.. Am I allowed to let them in?.. Should I?.. What if… they hurt me?.. I don’t want to go through that again…’

She calms down and looks forward again. Hikigaya notices and thinks for a moment.

Hikigaya ‘She really has a hard time letting people in huh?’

He sits there for a moment before getting an idea. He stands up.

Hikigaya “Come on guys.”

They all look at him confused.

Haru “What’s going on?”

Hikigaya “We’re gonna go on a little adventure.” 

He says with an intense smile. The time is now very late, well into the morning of the next day but it is still dark out. They head out of the house and to a nearby forest area that is not too far from Chizuru’s house. They go through a park that is higher on the mountain range and onto a hiking trail.

Lucy “Hikigayaaa… how much farther? I wasn’t expecting a whole expedition…”

Lucy whines as she lugs herself along. None of the others seem to be bothered by it.

Chizuru “Yeah where are we going?”

Hikigaya “You’ll see.”

He smiles. As they go along the trail, Hikigaya eventually comes to a stop. They all look confused, Lucy relieved. He turns to them and then pushes some bushes on his right to the side revealing a hidden trail. Haru and Chizuru look excited, the others are just intrigued. 

Hikigaya “Go ahead. You’ll know when you see it.”

The group heads in one by one as this trail isn’t as well kept and much thinner. As they go, Chizuru leads the way. They eventually stop and get shocked looks on their faces. They have come to an area of the small forest that has been cleared out and had long benches built around a platform that overlooks the edge of the hill. It looks like a stage and audience seats that have been abandoned. The trees surround it in all directions except the entrance and right behind the stage giving a clear view of the city, hills and sky. The whole group is quite impressed and interested in the area and starts looking around exploring. Shiori steps onto the stage, her eyes shining. Hikigaya steps next to her.

Shiori “How did you find this place?..”

Hikigaya “Well I sneak out every now and then. One night I went on a walk and came here. Pretty cool right? An old abandoned place all to ourselves. It’s like a secret hideout.”

Shiori “It’s… beautiful…”

She gazes off into the distance as Hikigaya does the same.

Hikigaya “Yeah, I was planning on keeping it secret until I brought the one I like here but,”

She looks at him and he smiles at her.

Hikigaya “I figured now was as good a time as any.”

There is one post in particular in the guard rail along the backside of the stage that is bigger than the rest since it’s the only one not broken. Hikigaya pulls out a little knife and flips it open.

Hikigaya “Come here guys. Let’s carve our names onto this post and claim this place as our own!”

The group collects themselves and all come together on the stage. Hikigaya turns to Shiori and hands her the knife first.

Hikigaya “Care to do the honors?”

She stares at it for a moment in awe and blushing. She nods and takes the knife. After her, Hikigaya does it, then the rest follow. They each put their names along the post. He puts the knife away and steps back, proud of their work. Shiori stands there staring at it, completely dumbfounded by the events that she has never experienced before. 

Hikigaya “You see, Shiori?”

She looks up at him as he stands next to the post.

Hikigaya “There are some people in this world worth caring about. Just like you’re worth it too.”

As he says this, the sun begins to rise right behind him. Shiori’s eye glistens as her emotions well inside of her. In her soul, the white desert, she sits looking towards the sky that is still covered in clouds. As it drizzles ever so slightly.

Shiori ‘The rain… is stopping?..’

She just smiles at him warmly.

Shiori “Right..”

The rest of the group watches smiling as Haru notices Sugawara’s eyes also glistening, taking Hikigaya’s words to heart as well. Haru smiles a bit but looks almost upset. After that the group heads back home to fall asleep exhausted. 

The next morning comes. The group is still sleeping in much later than most of them normally sleep. Lucy is the first to wake up. Or so she thinks. She sits up with her hair a mess. She rubs her eyes and looks around. They were all more or less sprawled out on the floor in the same area. She carefully gets up and walks to the kitchen. Lucy is not a morning person very much so she is groggy and still very sleepy. She comes to the kitchen to get a glass of water only to find Ryuji there also drinking some water. He notices her and stops.

Ryuji “Good morning Lucy.”

Lucy “Mornin’.”

She says as she takes a drink of her water. As she drinks, Ryuji lifts a small sweet bread in a plastic wrapper towards her. She looks surprised for a moment before taking it. 

Ryuji “They’re your favorite. I made sure to tell Hikigaya to get you some. Sorry I forgot until now.”

Lucy “Oh you, so forgetful.”

She smiles at him, poking his arm.

Lucy “Thanks Ryuji.”

Ryuji nods at her and leans against the counter while she starts snacking on the bread. 

Ryuji “Lucy. Do you remember what Hikigaya told us throughout middle school?”

Lucy “Hm? You mean about the clouds thing?”

He nods.

Lucy “What about it?”

He pauses for a moment.

Ryuji “Hmm… Nevermind actually.”

Lucy “Ah? What do you mean, ‘nevermind’? Tell me! You said you wouldn’t keep secrets from me, remember?”

She gets up in his face a bit. He leans back slightly.

Ryuji “Well, it’s just that…”

He explains what he was thinking to Lucy as Chizuru sits up in the room over. She rubs her eyes a bit and looks around. She is then surprised by something. Back in the kitchen.

Lucy “I see. You may be right. But we shouldn’t push too much until we know for sure.”

Ryuji “How will we find the truth?”

Lucy shrugs her shoulders.

Lucy “Guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

She smiles at him a bit before Chizuru comes in, in a hurry, smiling.

Chizuru “You guys have to come see this!”

She brings Lucy and Ryuji back to the room where Shiori, Hikigaya, Sugawara and Haru are still sleeping. Once they come in, Lucy covers her mouth quickly trying to hold in a laugh as Ryuji smiles a bit. Hikigaya and Shiori are snuggling facing each other very closely, sharing a blanket. 

Chizuru “It’s so cute, isn’t it?”

She asks, happily while she takes a quick picture and Lucy giggles to herself. As they do this, Hikigaya and Shiori begin to wake up. They slowly open their eyes and stare at each other for a moment, centimeters away from each other. After a moment they both shoot up blushing hard. They look away from each other while Lucy laughs at them.

Hikigaya “Guys?! What are you doing?!”

Lucy “I’m sorry! I can’t hold it in anymore!”

She falls on her back laughing while Ryuji shakes his head.

Chizuru “I’m sorry guys but you were just so cute. I couldn’t help myself…”

She smiles innocently at them while Shiori gets up. 

Shiori “I-I’m going to the bathroom.”

She walks away while Chizuru tries to apologize for disturbing them. Hikigaya sits there still blushing a bit thinking about it. Suddenly, Haru sits up incredibly fast, yelling.

Haru “NO MAN YOU CAN’T BRING BROCCOLI TO A PARTY THAT’S WEIRD!!” 

This scares everyone in the room but surprisingly, Sugawara is still laying on the ground adjacent to him. They just look at him very confused as Haru is still processing the fact that he’s awake now. As he pants, a foot rises up and starts pushing his face.

Sugawara “You’re being too loud…”

Haru “Ah… Sorry guys…”

He laughs embarrassed. They spend the rest of the day relaxing and lazing about until the afternoon. They help clean up the mess they made then Chizuru says her goodbyes. As Shiori walks up the stairs with her bag, Hikigaya follows.

Hikigaya “I’m sorry for waking up so close to you this morning. I didn’t mean to.”

Shiori “Hikigaya, you were asleep. Of course you didn’t mean to.”

Hikigaya “Yeah, I still thought I should apologize.”

They walk in silence for a moment.

Shiori “Why are you so nice to me? I haven’t done anything to earn it. In fact I’d say I’ve only been mean to you since we met.”

Hikigaya “Well, I can’t sit by and watch such a socially inept person struggle can I?”

She gets angry at his response as he laughs.

Hikigaya “Seriously though. I don’t need a reason to treat someone else kindly. Besides, you’re much nicer than you give yourself credit for.”

He stops by his open door and Shiori turns to him with a look of surprise. He puts his finger to his lips in a shushing motion.