It's nothing, it's just that Iori called me just now and said there's something that could explode in your room, and told me to get it before you come back," Chisa said, then asked, "Did you hide fireworks?"
Hachiman's eyes twitched, and the veins on his hands bulged: "Yes, there's a huge firework hidden there that will explode if you just look at it."
A single glance at it and it explodes? Do such fireworks even exist?
"May I take a look?"
"Of course, you'll see what the fireworks look like very soon."
"Are you planning to release it in a bit?" Then she should call her sister and Zijie back now.
"No, no, there's no need to put it there." Hachiman shook his finger and said with a forced smile. "It will display its pure, natural, and fundamental beauty on Iori and Kohei's graves."
Hmm, it doesn't sound like fireworks at all; on the contrary, it sounds like something really awful.
Chisa secretly glanced at Hachiman, who was switching between mild breakdown and extreme anger. In her heart, she silently drew circles for Iori and the other person. Amen, please pray that those two wicked souls will suffer the punishment of not being able to take off their clothes when they get to hell.
"Then I'll go downstairs first."
Let's go together.
Hachiman noticed the footsteps behind him and said.
Chisa nodded to the two women who had already left the room, and the four of them went downstairs together and sat down at the coffee table.
She had intended to leave, to create an environment where Hachiman and the others could have a harmonious conversation. After all, as an outsider, they would definitely be somewhat hesitant to speak freely because of her. But unexpectedly, the lovely girl took her arm, her cat-like eyes sparkling brightly.
What's wrong with this child?
"You must be Kotegawa-neechan, right? Onii-chan mentioned you to me on the phone."
Upon hearing this, Chisa stopped her slight struggle and looked at Hachiman, who was sipping tea beside her. Had he mentioned her? What had he said?
"Really? Did he... say something?"
"Oniichan said that a beautiful and kind older sister took him in when he was wandering in a foreign land. She didn't mind his rotten personality and would prepare food for him every day. He was very lucky."
This sounds like picking up a stray puppy. Chisa recalled the situation and glanced at Hachiman again uncertainly. It did seem quite similar.
Upon hearing this, Hachiman choked on his tea and coughed. He couldn't recall ever saying those words.
He rolled his dead fish eyes and looked at Komachi in confusion. What was this girl up to now?
"Indeed, his personality is so rotten that anyone who can tolerate him is an angel incarnate."
Hiratsuka Shizuka agreed with a proud tone, saying that she had once been a gentle and kind angel, but unfortunately she became addicted to her work and turned into a volatile and violent demon.
"What did you look like before..." Chisa muttered to herself.
"Just a high school sophomore with a bit of a problem, but with good values."
What is "High School Sophomore Syndrome"?
"It's a condition similar to chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), but it only appears during the second year of high school."
Second-year middle schooler...
Chisa began to imagine the other person with strangely colored hair, blowing bubble gum while sighing sadly and occasionally saying how noisy the wind was today. She couldn't help but twitch her lips.
She looked at Hachiman, her gaze gradually softening into one of understanding: "Everyone has painful pasts to look back on, so you must try to be strong."
"I think you've misunderstood something."
"Yes, Hikigaya, you have to be strong in the face of life!" Hiratsuka Shizuka patted his shoulder and encouraged him.
"Onii-chan, do your best!"
"Am I the only one who finds this strange?" Hachiman shrugged, his expression blank. What had he done to cause this situation? But seeing the three of them looking at him with such tender eyes, as if they were looking at a disobedient child, he could only reply helplessly, "Yes, yes, I'll do my best."
Seeing his perfunctory attitude, Chisa thought for a moment and said, "If you don't become stronger, you'll eventually be assimilated by Iori and the others."
"I will try my best!" Hachiman immediately straightened his face. He was joking. If he were assimilated by Iori and the others, how could he face Komachi?
"Who is this Iori?" Hiratsuka Shizuka asked in surprise, as she was astonished that she could make the unruly Hachiman take things seriously so quickly.
"Someone cheerful and imaginative... I guess," Chisa said uncertainly, knowing she still had to give them some face in front of outsiders.
"Simply put, he's someone who's capable of anything." Hachiman explained her words in plain language, emphasizing that humans simply cannot truly understand the behavior of beasts.
"Oh, a woman of action." Hiratsuka Shizuka understood roughly. "That's pretty good."
[Beep beep-beep, this is Kitahara Iori. Your call is temporarily unavailable. Please leave a message after the beep...beep-----]
"Qiansha, we need your help! We've been arrested and taken to the police station for arson! Please come and bail us out!"
The call ended.
Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at the off phone screen, then turned to see Hachiman and Chisa's darkened expressions. She awkwardly took a sip of tea, deciding to pretend she hadn't said anything.
Author's Note on Launch
I never imagined I'd be writing this stuff one day.
In short, without further ado, this work, which started as a spur-of-the-moment idea, has finally flopped and is ready to be released. (Applause)
Thank you all for your support over this period of time. I am very grateful and hope you will enjoy the upcoming plot. I will continue to work hard.
Since the questions that need to be answered have been largely covered in the previous leave request, and there weren't many problems, I won't go into detail here.
I doubt anyone would actually want to read a launch message, right? (?·?·?*)?
That's all for now, bye everyone, goodnight.
Remember to brush your teeth before bed to protect them, otherwise you might end up with a toothache like me (﹁"﹁). Damn toothache! But candy is so delicious (*￣︶￣).
Chapter 50: Using alcohol to put out the fire, Chisa got angry.
[Police Station]
After dressing properly and sitting upright in the chair, Iori made a phone call and then returned the phone to Kohei.
"I'm sorry, I used up the last bar of battery in your phone."
Is this the time to talk about this?
Kohei Imamura took the phone and casually stuffed it into his pocket. He looked up at the sky and rubbed his temples. As an otaku, the phone's battery was practically useless to him. Whether it was fully charged or had only one bar, it would be gone in an instant. He never cared about the passage of time.
Why don't you just call someone else?
"I'm afraid I might not be able to explain it clearly in fifteen seconds, which could easily lead to misunderstandings and cause them unnecessary worry."
Kohei said, "Oh, what a thoughtful lie. So what's the truth?"
"I can't remember their phone numbers."
Iori covered his face with one hand, the snoring of his two seniors relentlessly assaulting his nerves. As one of the only two sober people present, he had explained to the police when he arrived that they hadn't intentionally started the fire, but had simply accidentally poured in some kind of "life-giving water" with an alcohol content of 96% while grilling. However, they didn't believe him at all. They preferred to believe that they were performing some kind of strange religious ritual. Otherwise, why would they take off their clothes if it was just grilling?
His explanation was that they were playing rock-paper-scissors. The police officer was stunned for a second after hearing this, then gave him a gentle look as if he were an idiot and advised him to stay seated until now. This made Iori realize once again that the traditions of [Pag] are not the same as the outside world. Who would really take off their clothes while playing rock-paper-scissors? Who would really drink vodka like water?
He suddenly realized something and from that moment on, he understood a principle of life.
"Kouhei, this world is an illusion."
"Are you finally about to awaken the abnormal power within you?"
"I'm sorry, I don't have a girl I love to the extreme."
Iori bent slightly, placed his hands on his knees and clenched them into fists. His tone was melancholy and his expression was sad.
"Kohei, when do you think I'll find a girlfriend?"
"Maybe we'll have a chance when we graduate from university, when we enter society, when we reach middle age, when we retire, when we reach our sixties, when we turn to ashes, when the second Big Bang occurs."
"You jerk! Doesn't that mean I'll never find a girlfriend?"
If it weren't for the fact that this was a police station, he probably would have grabbed the kid by the collar and given him a good beating right there and then.
Iori composed himself, clicked his tongue, and looked towards the police station entrance, his words carrying a hint of boredom.
"I wonder if Chisa heard us. Why hasn't she come to redeem us yet?"
"I advise you to cherish the time you have now. When the Kote River comes, it will be the time you face death. Do you want your wreath to be a mix of weeds and chrysanthemums?"
"Don't decide on my wreath arrangement so quickly! And it looks so cheap!"
Iori sighed. She thought today should be a happy day. The performance was a complete success and she even won an award. Her best friend's sister came to visit, and there was an outdoor barbecue. Each of these things, taken individually, would be a wonderful memory. But how did they end up in such a tragic way when put together?
Drunk women are truly terrifying; how could they possibly think of using alcohol to put out a fire?
The moment the corpse-masking monster poured the oolong tea into the fire, he could hardly believe his eyes.
The flames shot into the sky and were spotted by a passing patrolman. When he came over, he saw someone using alcohol to put out the fire, and there were several shirtless female shamans dancing nearby. They were waving their hands and chanting unknown words. This was definitely a cult performing a ritual.
Fortunately, worried that Hachiman might be startled by their surprise and jump out to thank them after they left, and fearing that he might be too drunk to hear his brother's sincere blessings, he and Kohei didn't drink much. With their fluent tongues, they managed to dispel the police's suspicion that they were a cult, but they still had to wait for relevant people to come and verify before they could be released.
What kind of situation is this...?
Sure enough, in times like these, you have to shift the blame first to reduce your guilt. Iori suddenly turned her head and questioned Kohei: "Why were you just sitting there watching?"
Why didn't you stop her?!
The police officers who were about to go to the rest room to get water heard this perfectly synchronized chorus and applauded.
"..."
"..."
[Click]
Hello, how can I help you?
"Excuse me for bothering you so late, but is Kitahara Iori locked up here?"
As the only male among the six, Hachiman Hikigaya pushed open the police station door, holding the student ID that Chisa had found in Iori's room, and handed it to the officer: "This is the guy who looks normal on the outside, but is actually a pervert."
Upon hearing this, Iori couldn't help but stand up: "I was sitting right in front of the main entrance, you saw me as soon as you came in, was it really necessary to ask again? Are you trying to insult me on purpose?"
Hachiman turned his head and stared at him expressionlessly. Of course he saw it, but so what? If this weren't a police station, he would have many intimate things to talk about with him all night long.
He calmly turned his head and said, "Excuse me, I think I've come to the wrong place."
"What?" Iori stared at him in disbelief, her eyes wide.
"Stop fooling around, don't cause trouble for others."
Chisa stepped forward, intending to deliver a chop to his neck, but stopped just before striking. She explained to the police, "Excuse me, we would like to bail out that pervert and the others. What are the procedures?"
"Just sign a document and pay a deposit. Also, please keep a close eye on these people. How could they pour alcohol into the fire? Luckily, there were no flammable materials nearby. If there had been, it would have caused a fire, which would have been a very serious matter."
"Yes, yes, it was our negligence," Nanaka quickly apologized.
Seeing her sincere attitude, and considering that it was getting late, the old policeman didn't say much. After taking her to complete the formalities, he let Iori and the others go home. Since the two senior students were drunk, they had to borrow a trolley from the police station and put them on it to push them around. As for the corpse monster, Iori carried it on her back.
The atmosphere on the way back was somewhat somber. After all, this matter was quite unsettling, especially since Chisa and Hachiman weren't in a good mood to begin with. Hachiman was alright, as he was always good at comforting himself, but Chisa kept a cold face the whole time, and no one dared to approach her except for Nanaka.
When they reached a fork in the road, Hachiman said goodbye to Komachi and the others. She was heading in a different direction from where Hiratsuka-sensei lived. After warning her not to cause trouble for Hiratsuka-sensei, he took the cart handle from Kohei and headed towards the Grand Blue.
Back in the shop, he and Iori moved Shinji Tokita and Ryujiro Kotobuki into the diving club's activity room.
After coming out, he saw the two Kotegawa sisters, whose faces were equally gloomy. They sat quietly on the sofa, seemingly without any emotion, but Hachiman keenly sensed the undercurrents beneath. It seemed that he would have to start preparing the wreaths earlier.
"Iori-kun." Nanaka spoke first, making the movement as quickly as if she had received a machine that could immediately rotate its head ninety degrees, her eyes filled with a strong sense of pressure.
When someone who laughs all day suddenly stops laughing, you will witness their most cruel moment. The saying that is often circulated on the Internet, "Don't bully honest people," is perfectly applicable to the current situation.
Staring at Nanaka, whose face was solemn as if she were looking at a mass of inorganic matter, Iori trembled and his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Well, I can explain! It wasn't us. It was the corpse-makeup monster. She was drunk and accidentally threw the bottle in during the party."
His speaking speed at that moment surpassed the speed at which he lashed out at people while playing games. He quickly defended himself, saying that this was not something that would kill him, but if this label were put on him, his image would be completely ruined.
Alcoholism + nudity + arson, what's next? Join the FFF group and become a member of the holy cult?
I have to say, it seems feasible (whispering)
"Yes, we are innocent, please judge us, sir!" Kohei said, tears streaming down his face. Their pitiful appearance made Hachiman, who was standing next to him, think that he should probably pick up a stick and hit them on the ground a couple of times.
Seeing this, Nanaka's gentle heart, which was hidden behind her tough exterior, broke through the barrier. Seeing the two of them looking genuinely innocent, she didn't know what to do.
She looked at Chisa, only to see her pull out something that made Hachiman's eyelids twitch: a five-liter bottle of shochu.
"Who came up with the idea of lifting my skirt during a women's beauty pageant?"
Upon hearing this, the two of them froze.
First Chapter Previous Chapter 39/95They then began blaming each other.
"It was his idea!" "He was the one who did it!"
Their feeble and weak excuses prompted Hachiman, who had already been punished, to silently make the sign of the cross for them.
Amen.
Chapter Fifty-One: Hero Saves the Beauty
When I woke up again, I was greeted by two people sleeping soundly with their eyes rolled back and drooling. You have to understand how much damage such a morbid scene would cause to my fragile little heart if I saw it before I was fully awake!
Hachiman rubbed his forehead and got up from the table. These two guys insisted on dragging him to drink with them last night, saying that there's strength in numbers. But what does this have to do with him? Why should he share the punishment in the end?
But they have this arrogant attitude, like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water, and they bring up the old story of brothers sharing the good times and the bad. The three brothers in the Peach Garden Oath formed three men of great ambition, but these three formed two good-for-nothings. How can the difference between people be so great?
"You're awake?"
Chisa, who was making okonomiyaki, heard the rustling sound behind her and spoke without turning her head, her confident tone as if she knew it would definitely be him.
"Um."
Hachiman responded, walked to her side, picked up a spatula, skillfully flipped the meat patty she pushed over, and after frying it, put it into a disposable box and sprinkled it with seasoning.
"You're really considerate of them, you even drank with them."
"The word 'help' is not appropriate in that situation."
Chisa smiled faintly, took an egg from the box under the table, cracked it into the egg ringer, and the aroma of the egg attracted Hachiman's taste buds. He hadn't eaten anything that morning.
"If you want to, they will listen to your rebuttal."
"Those two beasts have no humanity whatsoever."
Hachiman held up the spatula, waiting for the other person to push the meat pie over, but Chisa unexpectedly continued his steps and made a mixed savory dish.
She packed the assorted dishes into a box and handed it to him.
"Remember to brush your teeth later."
"Although I am very touched by this scene, I still want to ask, you just accidentally added a serving of fried noodles, right?"
No, I did it on purpose.
Chisa tilted her head, her eyes curving into crescent shapes.
Hachiman looked at the yakisoba mixed with fried noodles in his hand: "Shouldn't I have atoned for all my sins? Is there anything I've forgotten?"
"I just hope you can eat more."
Gentle people seem to have a sense of tolerance towards everyone, and when this tolerance exceeds the distance between opposite sexes, it creates a sense of closeness that is not romantic love. He calls this closeness a maternal outburst.
Rebellious children often cannot accept their mother's gentle care, especially when there is a jerk as a reference point. Speaking of which, at home, his relationship with his mother is better than with his father.
The man who always complained about how tiring his work was always making excuses to avoid the house cleaning. Fortunately, Komachi already had all the qualities of a young mother; she was as good as three of herself.
Having such a hardworking and capable younger sister, I don't know whether to feel fortunate or helpless because the men in my family are all good-for-nothings.
However, Hachiman believed that he could still be saved. He was just temporarily depressed because he had inherited his bastard father's genes. One day, he would definitely become an older brother that Komachi would look at with new eyes.
Yes, it's time to prepare for taking the plunge and strive for a better tomorrow.
As Hachiman tossed the disposable lunchbox into the trash bag, he turned to Chisa, intending to discuss with the upperclassmen whether they should mention the club activities. However, he unexpectedly saw a familiar man with a greasy smile.
"Hey, I heard you won a beauty pageant. That's amazing! I wonder if you'd be interested in visiting our 'Tinker Ball'? It's full of handsome men and beautiful women, I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about."
Kudo, the captain of the tennis club, is a flamboyant man who is even more flamboyant in his speech and has an inflated sense of self-importance. He is known as a scumbag who is a walking sex machine.
He was leaning against the table at the stall, blinking as he asked Chisa a question. Looking at Chisa's beautiful face, he sighed inwardly. Why would such a striking girl join a club full of perverted naked men? Joining their club would have made her even more dazzling.
"Sorry, I've already said before, I'm not interested."
While making the assorted omelet with a blank expression, Chisa replied without looking up, "I really should have checked the almanac before going out today. It probably says that it's not a good day to go out, or I'll run into trouble."
"Don't be so heartless. It was just a friendly exchange. I didn't force you to join our club. I just wanted to make friends."
"You're a bit annoying."
Chisa looked up, speechless. How could this guy be so shameless? He was almost as thick-skinned as Iori.
Kudo's smile froze. This was only the second time in his life that he had been so disrespected. The first time was also by two scoundrels from the diving club. Did this club clash with his personality? Or were they just like everyone else, with the same stubbornness?
Hachiman, who was watching this scene, turned his gaze to Iori and Kohei, who were still unconscious, and then to Chisa, who was radiating coldness. It seemed that he did not need to take action in this situation.
So he turned and walked towards the rest area, picked up a scarf and put it on. When he looked back, he saw that Kudo had already grabbed Chisa's wrist.
Huh? A frame skip? What happened in those few seconds?
Although he didn't understand how things had gotten to this point, seeing Chisa's unwilling expression, Hachiman blinked and quickly walked to her side.
"I've already said I'm not interested."
Chisa looked at Kudo with the same look she gave the man below. If it weren't for the other guests, she would have already thrown him away.
"I know, I won't force you. I just hope you can inform your club president that 'Tinker Ball' wants to hold a social event with 'Pab' in two weeks."
"You can just talk to them about this yourself."
Feeling her wrists being restrained, Chisa couldn't help but show disgust in her eyes. Just then, a fine piece of salt hit Kudo's bronze-skinned hand.
"I'm sorry, but this salt block seems to have a mind of its own and will automatically seek out and attack evil spirits. I can't control it."
As he said this, Hachiman threw a piece of salt, about the size of a fist, onto Kudo's right arm. The rock-hard salt made him wince and loosen his grip. Chisa took the opportunity to hide behind Hachiman.
Kudo gripped his right arm and gazed at Hachiman.
This guy looks familiar, but it must be my imagination. How could he possibly remember a guy with such a颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless, dispirited, and vacant) look?
He glanced at the girl hiding behind the other party. Oh well, the message had already been conveyed. If they continued to make a scene, it might cause trouble.
Without a second thought, Kudo turned and left. "Pag!" He was determined to make them return all the prize money from the men's competition at this social event, or he would change his mind!
"Thanks."
"You're welcome, we're companions."
Would saying that make me overly self-conscious? They're probably friends.
After what wasn't exactly a heroic rescue, the atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. Fortunately, the announcement came over the loudspeaker that the awards ceremony was about to begin.
The two exchanged a glance.
"Then let's close the shop and go participate in the final Izu Spring Festival."
"Um."
...
"Senior, two naked men foaming at the mouth have been found in a shop. Should we take them back for questioning?"
After receiving news that he could clean up the shops of various gangs, the young security guard arrived at the location and saw two strangely dressed teenagers somewhere. Lacking much work experience, he instinctively asked his senior for advice.
Which organization owns the shop?
The steady and reliable voice of the senior came through the communicator.
"Let me see, it's a club called 'pab'."
"'pab' ah."
The senior's tone suddenly turned melancholy.
"Forget it."
"Huh? Why?"
The words of the senior echoed from afar.
"Because they're a bunch of idiots."
Chapter 52 He's Not a M
Hachiman Hikigaya and Chisa Kotegawa arrived at the outdoor stage and met with their seniors who were already waiting there. After exchanging morning greetings, he walked over to Komachi and Hiratsuka-sensei, who were standing on the other side looking in their direction.
"Was everything alright last night?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka, holding a chocolate bar, asked, feeling embarrassed to smoke in public, especially in front of a group of students who hadn't yet graduated.
"It's alright, I guess."
Aside from accidentally stepping on Iori's leg while moving their senior, accidentally hitting Kohei's right hand, and drinking nearly ten liters of shochu together, everything was alright.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, did you all get a good rest yesterday?"
"I have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds."
Hiratsuka Shizuka blinked wearily. The hotel bed was too soft and not suitable for a passionate young woman like her. Lying down felt no different than lying in cotton.
"Komachi is sleeping very well!"
Komachi smiled brightly. In that respect, she was very similar to him. They were both people who could easily adapt to the outside environment. That was great. With this advantage, even if they fell on hard times in the future, they could sleep under a bridge.
"That's really good news," Hachiman nodded in agreement.
"Hehe." Komachi gave a thumbs up, her adorable smile like that of an angel. "Onii-chan has good news too. I heard that the champion of this competition is from your club."
"Yes, I know."
He felt a little embarrassed when this was mentioned, because he still didn't know if the other party had seen his performance on stage.
"Onii-chan's performance was great."
"..."
Okay, now I know.
"That's just a script, Komachi. You have to understand that your dearest older brother is actually a very talented actor."
Komachi stared at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, and nodded obediently.
"I know, whenever Onii-chan is having a great time chatting with his virtual friend, I can always tell that Onii-chan is very suited to make it in the entertainment industry."
Although the meaning is correct, why does it sound so inexplicably melancholic? Did Komachi really think he was a fool who used to talk to himself all the time?
Hachiman Hikigaya immediately slumped down, feeling as if there was no meaning to living after being told that by his cute little sister.
"Wow, Onii-chan looks like a salted fish that's been baking in the sun."
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at the little toys that belonged exclusively to the Hikigaya family. She wanted to say something, but a gust of wind blew by and she smelled a familiar yet unfamiliar scent.
"Welcome everyone to the final event of the Izu Spring Festival: the awards ceremony! Here we will present awards to the Mr. Club and the Miss Club winner. Without further ado, let's begin."
The host stood on the stage, holding the microphone, and opened the awards ceremony.
"Let's invite the two champions of the competition, who belong to the same club 'pag', to come up to the stage to receive their awards!"
"Hachiman!"
Not far away, Shinji Tokita waved.
"Then, I'll go over there first."
"good."
The sudden opening remarks interrupted Hiratsuka Shizuka's train of thought. After Hikigaya Hachiman left, she sniffed the lingering scent in the air and clicked her tongue. Why does it smell like strong liquor?
"Hachiman, go up on stage to receive your award."
As soon as he walked up to the group, Shinji Tokita patted him on the shoulder and said.
"Huh? Me?"
"Well, Iori and the others are nowhere to be found, so you'll have to go on stage." Kotobuki Ryujiro pointed to the empty space around him. Seriously, this was supposed to be an exciting moment, and those two were absent.
"..."
Hachiman and Chisa exchanged a glance, both looking guilty. It seemed they had forgotten to wake the two guys before they left.
——Divider——
The awards ceremony proceeded quickly. After everyone had given their acceptance speeches and shared their experiences, Hachiman and Chisa stepped off the stage with a generous envelope. They handed the envelope to Shinji Tokita, who said it would become funding for their club's future activities.
Back at Komachi's side, she was eating takoyaki, which she had bought from somewhere. As he approached, Komachi poked one with a toothpick and held it up. He naturally bit into the takoyaki and began to chew. The octopus meat was very tender.
"What are you going to do next?"