Encounter

Today is 28th March, and it is time for the graduation ceremony. Our favorite hypocrite, Hachiman, is standing right before the school gate with his family by his side.

"Hu-hu-hu... My son is growing. He has graduated from Middle School!"

Hachiman looks to the side, at his crying mother, Maiko. He doesn't really know how to react. He is aware his mother isn't crying over the happiness of his graduation day, but another thing.

Last night, Hachiman dropped a figurative bomb on his family. He revealed he had bought an apartment for himself. Therefore, he is going to move out of the house, right after graduating from Middle School.

Needless to say, the lovely mother, Maiko-chan, was shocked to her core. She wept silently, while muttering the wrongs she had possibly done to Hachiman. It took him three hours of reassurance, and a night of sleeping together to calm her down.

Everyone, they merely SLEPT together. NOTHING happened.

"I am merely moving away. You can visit my apartment anytime you want. Furthermore, I will always come home in weekend. You don't have to cry." Hachiman wipes the tears of Maiko's face.

"Still... How can a mother be happy seeing her child leaving the nest?"

"I really don't want to say it, but since you went philosophical on me, I will say it anyway. Birds kick their children away from the nest."

"..."

Maiko takes off her glasses, wipes it clean, before smiling brightly. "What are you waiting for? Let's go to the auditorium! The ceremony will start soon." Then, she takes off.

"Umm... Onī-chan..." Komachi looks at Hachiman. "I think you shouldn't have said that. Look at Kā-chan, she is dying inside."

Hachiman merely shrugs. No one can get philosophical on him. He is the master of philosophizing things.

Upon arriving to the auditorium, students, teachers, and parents have crowded the place. Parents sit in the back seat, teachers sit on chairs lined up on the stage, and the graduating students sit in the frontmost seat.

Along the way he gets to his seat, all of his classmates' eyes are on him. They are genuinely surprised of his appearance. Hachiman's disinterest in almost everything is already known by all of his classmates.

Therefore, they thought he wouldn't come to the graduating ceremony.

When he is searching for an empty seat, he hears a familiar voice. "Aniki! Please, sit here!" It is the leader of the chinpira under his reign. He and the other six chinpira have secured a seat for Hachiman.

Hachiman heads there, and sits himself. Facing to the side, he greets the one sitting besides him.

"Yo, Saki!"

"Good morning, Hachiman-kun!" Saki replies with a smile.

Hachiman nods his head at Saki's confidence. He is glad Asako could fix her confidence issue. Of course, he is also worried about something else. Considering Asako's personality, he is sure she must have taught her something unrelated to workout.

Luckily, he knows Asako is not a bad person. Therefore, he is sure she doesn't do anything bad to Saki, aside from tainting her innocent mind.

"Good Morning, everyone."

Everyone's attention turn to the girl speaking on the podium. She is no other than the current president of the student council.

The auditorium turns silent, and the president of the student council starts speaking.

"Firstly, I would like to address our student council's former president..."

The student council's president delivers her speech, and everyone is listening to her intently. Well, almost everyone. Hachiman is busy trading stocks with his phone.

"Psst... Hachiman-kun. That's impolite." Saki whispered to Hachiman. Glancing at Saki from the corner of his eyes, Hachiman replies simply, "Everyone is an opportunist. Rather than listening to a meaningless speech, I prefer making money."

Saki can only smile wryly at that. She stops warning him since then. She couldn't find the right thing to say to retort him.

"The next will be a speech from our graduating student who has the most achievement. Everyone, greet Hikigaya Hachiman!"

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Hachiman also claps his hand. He doesn't really know he supposed to give a speech for his graduation ceremony. Therefore, he is looking at his surrounding to confirm the truth behind the announcement.

His classmates can only facepalm in response. As they expected, Hachiman didn't hear the notice Homura-sensei gave him a week ago.

"Well... It's just a speech, right?" Hachiman looks at Saki. "Please, don't insult everyone, Hachiman-kun." Saki begged.

Hachiman shrugs. He never insults people, he tells them the truth.

He gets up from his seat, walks to the stage, and stands on the podium.

"Good morning, everyone."

A very normal speech opening.

"It has been three years I have spent my time learning here, and the only thing I can remember is the last seven months." Everyone chuckle at that. They know Hachiman is talking about his amnesia.

"Despite so, many of you have reintroduced yourself to me once again. Still, I don't remember any of your name. This is the reason why I have called many of you George whenever you talk to me."

The teachers chuckle at that, followed by the parents in the back.

"For me, school is nothing more than a shackle on my limitless potential. Therefore, for me, graduating is my day of temporary freedom. What you are thinking is right. High School is the next shackle that will be put on me."

The teachers and the headmaster cough awkwardly. They can't retort him, since he said nothing wrong. He is indeed too brilliant for the school to handle.

"Despite so, our school has taught me something precious." The teachers and the headmaster smile. "School is a good way to waste your time." Their smile instantly falter.

"No matter how many hardships you have endured in Middle School, rejoice! This is nothing more than a tutorial stage. Society is WAY harsher than Middle School. Therefore, you have to cherish the time you will spend in High School later."

Hachiman smiles faintly. "With that being said, find happiness in your suffering. I am Hikigaya Hachiman, thank you." He steps down from the stage with the same faint smile plastered on his face. He is glad he can teach them his profound life lesson.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

At the loud handclaps, Hachiman frowns. 'What the fuck? Shouldn't they feel the despair of living in society? What's with the enthusiasm?' He is genuinely puzzled.

—Find happiness in your suffering.

The crowd is so touched by that word. They interpret it as Hachiman saying, "Everyone will face a difficulty. However, it does not become the reason to feel unhappy. Therefore, you have to always see everything from the bright side. Live optimistically!"

Of course, that's just their imagination. What Hachiman meant was, "Be a masochist, and enjoy your pain!" But, due to his wording, everyone misunderstood it.

For once, Hikigaya Hachiman can truly inspire people. Even if it's accidental.

...

"Uwahh... Onī-chan, you have so many flowers." Komachi looks at Hachiman in amazement and faint annoyance. They are already in the car, on their way to eat some Yakiniku.

"Well, Hachi is more popular than I thought. Even some boys gave him a flower. Fu-fu-fu." Hachiman frowns at Maiko's word.

Right after the graduation ceremony ended, the seven chinpira gave him a flower each, while tearing up and profusely thanking him of the life lessons he had taught them.

At that time, Hachiman really wanted to punch the life out of them. But, Maiko was there, tearing up, while taking photos of the scene. He needed to act good in front of his mother.

"Those guys are just stupid. I have taught them nothing aside from making them my lapdog." Of course, Hachiman said that in a very small voice. He couldn't let his family to hear it. He needseed to act good, remember?

"Hachi, have you dialled your girlfriend?"

"Yes, I have. She will meet us in the Yakiniku Restaurant later."

Two days ago, Hachiman revealed he has a girlfriend. His family was so shocked, they thought he was lying. Then, it dawned upon them Hachiman is popular.

Just when they were about to accept the information, Hachiman dropped another bomb. He said he was dating his sugar mommy.

After some beatings and an explanation later, his family accepted the fact he had been merely joking.

Today, is the promised day, where his family will meet his girlfriend.

Upon arriving at the Yakiniku Restaurant, his family meet someone they are familiar with.

"Oh, fancy meeting you here, Shizuka-san!"

"Ah, Shizu-chan! You are also here?"

Maiko and Komachi greeted Shizuka enthusiastically, and Shizuka can only smile wryly.

"Anyway, what are you doing here, Shizu-chan?" Komachi looks curiously at Shizuka. Before Shizuka even managed to reply, Maiko chimes in. "Shizuka-san, you won't believe it, but we are going to meet Hachiman's girlfriend here!"

"W-well..." Shizuka smiles awkwardly, before looking at Hachiman's direction.

"It's shocking, right?!" Maiko inches closer to Shizuka. When she noticed Shizuka's awkward face, she can't help but ask. "Shizuka-san, does something happen to you?" Maiko is genuinely puzzled.

Being a good son he is, Hachiman decided to clear Maiko's confusion. He steps forward, stands besides Shizuka, and circles his arm around Shizuka's waist.

"Maiko-chan, this is my girlfriend, Shizuka."

Maiko gapes her mouth so wide, she can compete with Pennywise.