The winter air was biting cold as Hikigaya and Karuizawa made their way back to the dormitory. Neither of them spoke much along the way, though the silence was comfortable, not awkward. The quiet hum of the heater greeted them as they stepped into the building lobby.
Hikigaya leaned against the wall beside the elevator, arms crossed, waiting. "Go up and change out of the uniform," he said, glancing at Karuizawa with a neutral expression.
"Yeah, yeah," she huffed, rolling her eyes and walking toward the stairs.
Not even five minutes passed before she reappeared on the first floor, a shopping bag dangling from her hand. She shoved it toward him with a clearly annoyed look.
"Here," she muttered.
"Thank you~" Hikigaya replied in a singsong tone, completely insincere.
Karuizawa’s eyebrow twitched. "You really have no sha, huh? You lent that uniform in the first place, so you’re technically just getting your own stuff back."
"True," Hikigaya admitted, shrugging. "I’m just being courteous. That’s all."
Karuizawa stared at him with mild resentnt, arms crossed. "Do you hate the idea of going to my dorm that much?"
"Why would I go there?" Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. "I already made the mistake of letting my guard down once."
His tone grew slightly more serious.
"This isn’t sothing you joke about. Rember the last ti? You dragged into your dorm under the pretense of being sick, and then tried to make it sound like I was taking advantage of the situation. Not falling for that again."
Karuizawa sighed dramatically. "I didn’t an any harm back then..."
Still, she seed a little guilty. Her expression softened. "Anyway, forget it. I already washed your uniform for you."
That caught Hikigaya by surprise. "Oh. Thanks," he said, genuinely this ti, bowing his head slightly in appreciation.
"Alright then. I’m heading out."
Hikigaya turned toward the elevator and pressed the button. Karuizawa watched as the doors opened and quickly stepped in with him.
She didn’t say anything as they ascended.
Ding!
The elevator stopped at the fifth floor.
As Hikigaya stepped out, Karuizawa grinned triumphantly. So, this is where he lives... Room 502, huh? She made a ntal note.
She didn’t follow him out, though—just stood quietly and watched the doors close.
Hikigaya approached Room 502, pulled out his key card, and prepared to unlock the door when—
"You finally know how to co back, huh?!"
A loud, familiar voice echoed from the stairwell, and Hikigaya flinched so hard he nearly dropped his key.
Turning around, he spotted Juke stomping toward him, a shopping bag in one hand and a pout on her frozen-red face.
"Wh-what are you doing here?!" Hikigaya asked, eyes wide.
He still didn’t know who his direct neighbors were, but he was fairly sure the fifth floor was supposed to be for boys only.
"This sucks," Juke grumbled, her nose practically glowing from the cold. Without warning, she kicked Hikigaya’s shin.
"Hey!" he yelped, hopping on one foot.
"I’ve been waiting out here forever! I’m freezing and you didn’t even think to leave the door unlocked? What kind of guy are you?!"
"Okay, okay!" Hikigaya fumbled to get the key card in and swung the door open.
Once inside, Juke wasted no ti in hopping onto the edge of his bed and pulling his blanket around herself like it was her rightful throne. Hikigaya’s eye twitched.
"Make yourself at ho, why don’t you?" he muttered sarcastically.
"Cocoa."
"What?"
"I said, make a cup of cocoa. Don’t make repeat myself."
"We don’t have cocoa. Only MAX Coffee or regular coffee."
Juke frowned but didn’t argue. Hikigaya sighed.
Why is she always like this?
Still, he went into the kitchen and rummaged through his cabinet. The MAX Coffee was still there, leftover from when he brought a stockpile at the beginning of the school year. He prepped two cups.
From behind, he heard Juke grumble, "MAX Coffee and regular coffee are different? Seriously?"
"Of course they are," he replied, now sounding like a teacher explaining to a kindergartener. "MAX Coffee is more like a dessert. Don’t compare it with real coffee."
Juke gave him a blank stare, then shrugged. "Whatever. Just make it hot."
When he brought out two steaming mugs, Juke took hers and wrapped her fingers around it like it was precious gold.
"Ahh... I’m alive again," she sighed happily, taking a sip. "Is this the one you always drink in the club room? I didn’t expect it to taste this good."
"Told you. Nobody can resist MAX Coffee," Hikigaya said with a rare smirk, sitting at the low table. "If they do, there’s sothing wrong with them."
"Still... it’s really sweet. You’re going to get fat drinking this."
She took another sip anyway.
As she settled in, her gaze drifted to the shopping bag near the entrance.
"That’s strange. You went out shopping alone today?" she asked casually.
Hikigaya paused.
Crap. She can’t know I went with Karuizawa.
"I went to the laundry to pick up clothes."
Juke squinted at him. "Wait, you paid for laundry? Seriously?"
"I an... once in a while! It’s not like I do it all the ti!"
He quickly changed the subject.
"What are you doing on the fifth floor anyway?"
"Obviously, I ca to see you."
She fished around under the blanket, pulled out her own shopping bag, and handed it to him.
"What’s this?"
"Your real Christmas present."
Hikigaya blinked. "Didn’t you already give one yesterday?"
"That one doesn’t count," Juke huffed, rolling her eyes. "nlai made buy that. It’s not sothing I’d personally choose."
Apparently, even a Christmas gift had to match her personal taste. Typical.
"In that case, I’ll give yesterday’s back to you."
"Nope. I’m not taking it back," she said firmly. "Just accept both. It’s not like you’re getting hundreds of gifts or anything."
She stood and stretched, her hair falling over her shoulders like a dark waterfall. Hikigaya looked at the bag in his hands, then back at her.
He’d already received sothing from nlai, Huko, and even Hiyori. It felt weird accepting another one.
But the thought of refusing felt even worse.
"...Thanks," he finally muttered.
Juke smiled, but then said, "You know, when the ti cos, I’ll give you a girlfriend too."
"What?"
"You heard ."
Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. "That’s not exactly sothing you give soone."
Juke just laughed and flopped back onto the bed, arms behind her head.
"I’ve got connections. Just wait. I’ll find you soone that can stand your personality."
"How comforting," he replied dryly.
Outside, snow began to fall softly against the windowpane.
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