"Miss Yuuko, since Miss Miyuri already said so, let's go up first."
"Mm!"
Caught peeking at him, Hayasaka Yuuko's cheeks burned like fire. She lowered her head and replied in a voice like a mosquito's whine, then hurriedly pulled Miyamoto Enka up the stairs beside her.
But after only a couple of steps she regretted it.
She didn't know if she was imagining things, normally she didn't feel anything, but just walking in front now made her feel Hachiman's gaze burning down on her.
Was Hachiman really looking at her? Staring at her?
Did he see her as the opposite sex?
She didn't dare look back… If she met Hachiman's eyes, and he noticed that she'd noticed him.
She didn't know whether to pretend she hadn't noticed or to let him keep staring.
Miyamoto Enka stole a glance at Hayasaka Yuuko's face, which glowed like rosy clouds, and when they turned the corner she casually glanced back at Hachiman trailing them.
On closer look, Hachiman really was handsome, calm and reliable, and besides, he had saved them.
No wonder the usually very reserved Yuuko-senpai harbored different feelings for him; talking about Hachiman clearly made her more animated. Being next to him now made it even harder for her to keep composed.
'Uh… come to think of it, Hachiman seems younger than them, apparently just started high school.'
Yuuko-senpai was already a university student, and Enka was a third-year high schooler about to face entrance exams.
Yet in front of Hachiman, they didn't act like big sisters at all.
With different thoughts in mind, Hayasaka Yuuko and Miyamoto Enka slowly climbed the stairs with Hachiman and reached the second floor.
The landlady Asou Miyuri they'd been talking to in the corridor was nowhere to be seen; only Shion's room remained open on the whole floor.
Hayasaka Yuuko hesitated for a moment, then she and Miyamoto Enka reached out and pushed the half-open door.
But as soon as she stepped inside, she found her foot missing the floor, her whole body suspended in midair.
'Wait, midair?'
"Ah?"
Miyamoto Enka cried out. This was supposed to be a room, how could the floor be gone?
The two immediately panicked, but there was no time to react; their bodies just fell.
Hachiman noticed the room's problem the instant they entered, but knowing Shion, Komachi, Lala and the others were here too, he didn't worry. He instinctively grabbed Miyamoto Enka and Hayasaka Yuuko, who were flailing and spreading their limbs, and tossed the items they were carrying to the side.
Splash!
A huge roar and an enormous spray of water erupted.
"Eh? Wh-what's going on?"
Hayasaka Yuuko surfaced, wiping warm droplets from her face, and was astonished to find herself soaking in a steaming large bath. Looking up, the door that had been open was now shut.
Not only that, their clothes, Hachiman's, and theirs, were gone. Around them were many other girls in the same state.
These girls… why did each one have such great figures and look so beautiful?
Before Hayasaka Yuuko and Miyamoto Enka could fully process it, pink-haired, curvy alien succubus princess Lala, who loved newcomers, swam up to Hachiman, burst out of the water, hands on her hips, shaking the beading droplets off.
"Ta-da~ Welcome to Hikigaya's Big Bath~"
Grinning widely, Lala greeted Hachiman and the girls in his arms with boundless enthusiasm.
———
Glittering droplets landed on Hayasaka Yuuko's face.
She stared at the pink-breasted beauty Lala, hands on hips, exuding a fierce air, her black heart-shaped tail twitching, and swallowed nervously. Instinctively she glanced toward Hachiman, who made her feel safe.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Yuuko. This is Lala who lives at my place, an alien princess from the Deviluke Star. She doesn't understand many Earth customs, but she's very kind. If you have anything to say, talk to her directly. She won't get angry easily."
Seeing Yuuko nervous about Lala's sudden approach, Hachiman smiled to reassure them and introduced Yuuko and Enka to Lala.
"Lala, these are Miss Hayasaka Yuuko and Miss Miyamoto Enka who live in this apartment."
"Hello~ I'm Lala Satalin Deviluke, Hachiman's fiancee. You can just call me Lala."
Lala giggled as she introduced herself. Being near Hachiman was great, always meeting new friends was far more fun than being alone in a palace.
"Alien… fiancee?"
Before Yuuko could even recover from Hachiman's earlier revelations, Lala's self-introduction sent her into turmoil as she stared at Lala and the black tail swishing behind her.
Even knowing Hachiman was popular and different girls kept appearing around him, learning he had a fiancee made Yuuko feel an unavoidable pang of loss.
But this alien fiancee… she didn't know whether to be sad or shocked.
"Right, I and Iris are both Hachiman's fiancees~"
Lala noticed Yuuko's change of expression and cheerfully explained.
She could tell Yuuko liked Hachiman from the way Yuuko reacted in his arms, it was the same look she'd had when she fell for him at first sight.
"More than one fiancee?"
Yuuko gaped speechless at Lala's explanation, not knowing how to respond.
Aliens could have multiple fiancees? No, could one person have multiple fiancees including other girls?
At that thought, a bold idea suddenly sparked in Yuuko's heart.
But seeing Lala's looks and body, and watching Kaede, Suzu, Shion, Ichinose Ayano and others leisurely swim in the bath, that bold idea was quickly snuffed out.
"Lala, has the apartment already started being renovated?"
Hachiman released his hold on Yuuko and Enka and looked around the spacious bath, large enough for a dozen or twenty people, and glanced at the closed door above.
So the landlady had enticed him and Yuuko down here?
The height was impossible for a normal person to climb up. After falling through the door at that height, one could only exit through the door outside the bath.
"I actually prepared many small subspace rooms before. I plan to connect them and install them on the doors of the rooms in this building. That way, when we open a door we can go directly to the room we want."
Lala nodded, then, seeing Hachiman was slightly inconvenienced by Yuuko and Enka being in front of him, she swam behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She planted a kiss on his cheek, feeling the warmth of his back, and explained with a grin.
"For example, this hot bath supplies hot water all day and is self-cleaning. When you come in, your clothes automatically get transferred to the laundry, so anyone can come take a bath anytime~"
"I've also made other functional rooms, though they're not installed yet."
"That sounds fine, but we need to add some safety verification to prevent strangers from getting in. Look, Miss Yuuko was tricked in by the landlady."
Hachiman nibbled Lala's delicate cheek, then reached back to play with her tail while advising her to implement protective measures.
Renovating the apartment this way would leave just an empty shell externally, with each room having its own function and large internal space, no need to worry about space. It was a good plan. A dilapidated building that suddenly became a luxury villa would draw attention; keeping the exterior ordinary was perfect for making it the Service Club's off-campus activity venue.
"Master, actually Lala was only just recently installed. After Miss Asou agreed, Lala made this big bath and said we could bathe here tonight."
Ichinose Ayano, who had swum over and was watching Lala's affectionate closeness to Hachiman with a hint of envy, said this.
But she knew her place, although the Ichinose family had many people favored by the master, their status still couldn't match the princesses living with the master or his childhood friends next door.
Being called over to play was already an honor; now was not the time to do anything annoying. She should even be more attentive to avoid the master neglecting the Ichinose family in favor of the Rurikawa household.
Hmm… the Rurikawa family were tougher than the Yukinoshita family. Rurikawa Tsubaki, though Kaede's good friend, had innocently dragged maid Ziyin onto the master's bed and seized an opportunity to rise in favor, recruiting many beautiful maids to please the master.
If Ichinose actually had political power and enough funds, she'd want to recruit her own group of maids to compete with Rurikawa's maid corps.
But compared to the dwindling Rurikawa household, the Ichinose family still held many advantages.
Ayano glanced at her close friend Ichinose Marika and her buddy Horigane China and felt resolutely confident.
She wasn't like her father, always thinking of political marriages and benefits, she wanted to unite the Ichinose clan.
"Miyuri-neesan called you 'Hachiman-oniichan' out there. Komachi already went to change, so she should be back home and will call Honami-oneesan."
Shion, who had also swum over to Hachiman, explained.
"I see. No wonder Shion and Ayano are bathing here while Honami was left clueless at home."
Hachiman nodded thoughtfully. He almost thought maybe he'd rewarded Honami more last night and now Ayano was pushing Honami out.
"By the way, I brought a few friends over today. We can let them enjoy the big bath with us."
"Friends? Service Club friends, class friends, or did you pick up new beautiful girls outside school?"
Kaede arrived beside Hachiman and, expressionless, stared at him surrounded by Lala, Yuuko, Ayano, and others.
Although her sister Shion was obedient and her good friend Tsubaki was extremely compliant, to fight fallen elves like Iris she hadn't held back. She'd brought back several girls, Ayano, Horigane China, Ichinose Marika, Ichinose Honami, to her place.
Yet Hachiman still wasn't satisfied and was picking up girls outside.
"They're from Nijika's group. You've seen their concert before. Today they found a band vocalist, four girls in total."
Seeing Kaede about to blow up again, Hachiman quickly pulled her and the outstretched, silent Suzu into his arms to calm her and explain.
"Also, two girls came by today asking for help, Yotsuya Miko and Yurikawa Hana; they're both from Sobu High. They encountered a Ghost and asked me for help, so I brought them home. They're only staying at my place for tonight."
"Ghost? Your ways of picking up girls just keep getting more elaborate."
Kaede, seeing Hachiman unconcerned with strangers around, blushed and slapped his wandering hand before rolling her eyes at him.
"Nijika's group already finished their gig and their commission successfully, there's no need to make it sound like they can't manage without you, you know."
"Whatever. I'll leave the Ghost issue to Origamine tomorrow, she's a shrine maiden of the ghost clan and should be able to exorcise it."
"Kaede, you're amazing. I knew you were kind-hearted and wouldn't let Yotsuya and the others die."
Hachiman kissed Kaede's soft white cheek and continued soothing her petty mood.
Iris and the others likely had ways to handle Ghosts, but leaving spirit troubles to a professional shrine maiden would be more convenient.
However he didn't have a close relationship with Origamine Sakura, and since he was always tangled with Iris and the others, Sakura's impression of him might not be great. Asking her abruptly for a favor wouldn't be ideal.
"If you'd let go of my hand as you said that, I might think you weren't just blowing me off, might even be a little moved."
Kaede, feeling everyone's gazes, pushed Hachiman away with a red face and scolded him for going too far.
But to onlookers, her flustered pushing mixed with reluctant playfulness made it impossible to tell whether she truly wanted to push him away or was flirting back.
"…"
Suzu, nibbling Hachiman's finger, blinked and, while Kaede was silent, suddenly looked down at a small figure under the water.
"Landlady? Did you trick Yuuko and the others into walking into this bath?"
Hachiman lowered his head to look at the landlady who was now in the same state as Yuuko and the others.
There had been no need for the landlady to do that. Given Yuuko's fondness and dependent personality toward him, Yuuko would obey him no matter what. Hachiman himself preferred to be passive; without the right opportunity he wouldn't take the initiative with Yuuko.
"Hikigaya-kun, you won't even let Miyuri call you by 'oniichan' anymore? Kaede told me what you want to do after buying the apartment."
Asou Miyuri pushed herself up from the water using Hachiman's chest for leverage. She slipped between Kaede and Suzu, tilted her head to look at Hachiman, and with a coquettish, innocent face she gave a little seductive look.
"What do you plan to do after buying the apartment?"
Hachiman glanced at Kaede, who was trying to wriggle free, grabbed her firmly, and asked with a smile.
"This apartment will be turned into a secret private clubhouse, right? A harem clubhouse just for you to enjoy~"
Asou Miyuri lowered her head and looked at Hachiman with eyes full of surprise and longing.
"I never expected Hikigaya-kun to be so capable."
At first she thought the Hikigaya who rented rooms to Shion was just a young man with a bit of a charm. She hadn't expected him to have special relationships with so many girls, enough to need a whole apartment to house them together.
"A harem clubhouse? That sounds kind of weird. Miyuri-nee, you could think of it that way, but my main intention is to use this place as an off-campus activity base for the Service Club."
Hachiman smiled and scratched Kaede as she squirmed in his hold, enjoying her shy, scolding face, then returned to discussing the apartment with Asou Miyuri.
"For various reasons, many people at school don't have a proper place to stay outside school. I want this to become a home for them."
Like Horigane China, a friend of Ichinose Ayano, who couldn't return home because her stepfather made outrageous demands.
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