"Uncle, it's Shouzo."
"Enter."
In front of a certain Japanese-style room, where they had arrived led by the butler, Shouzo called out, and a solemn reply came from within. Shouzo, looking slightly nervous, opened the sliding door.
"It's been a long time, Shouzo. It seems you managed to overcome the company's crisis well."
"Yes, thankfully."
"You certainly have good luck, it seems. So, what brings you here today?"
The man, Kiyomori Yuuki, paid no mind to Kyoko or Asuna and immediately cut to the chase. Of course, he didn't even glance at Hachiman.
"I came today to make a report."
"What is it?"
"Yes, our company is planning to form a business alliance with an entertainment production company called Kura Agency, and…"
Kiyomori interrupted Shouzo's words before he could even finish.
"Unacceptable."
"…I know, but I expected you to say that."
"Did you come all the way from Tokyo knowing the outcome? What a bother. If your business is done, go home."
"Actually, we have Medi… hm?"
Hachiman, observing the exchange, thought, "He's just as eccentric as the rumors say." But he also found it irritating to simply appeal with the existence of the MediCuboid and leave. So, he tapped Shouzo's foot, who was about to mention the MediCuboid, stopping him. He then strongly visualized cleaving Kiyomori in two from the head down, and slightly lifted his hips from his seat.
Kiyomori's reaction was furious. He instantly grabbed the Japanese sword placed by his side, suddenly drew it, and attempted to swing it down at Hachiman. But Hachiman, who had retrieved it at some point, parried the tsuba of the Japanese sword with his retractable police baton, which he carried for self-defense, causing Kiyomori to stagger. In the next moment, Hachiman sharply thrust the baton at Kiyomori's throat.
Shouzo and Kyoko, not understanding what had happened, froze in place. However, Asuna, as expected, seemed to have noticed Hachiman's change. The moment Kiyomori moved, she circled to his side and, lacking a sword, instead thrust a hand chop at Kiyomori's neck.
Kiyomori, sweating cold, asked Hachiman.
"…Boy, are you an assassin from some organization, or something? Shouzo, did you come here intending to kill me?"
"Of course not, old man. You just reacted to my killing intent on your own."
Then the two lowered their weapons and stood facing each other. Asuna, seeing this, returned to her original spot.
"Boy, at your age, you seem to have been through quite a bit of hell. What's your name?"
"Hachiman Hikigaya."
"And the one over there…"
"I'm Asuna Yuuki, Great-Uncle."
"Come to think of it, that was her name, hm."
Kiyomori put away his weapon and returned to his original place, sitting cross-legged. Hachiman sat down opposite him, also cross-legged.
"Hey, boy, who are you?"
"The man who's going to be your grandnephew, Great-Uncle."
"I see…"
Then Kiyomori said to Shouzo.
"Hey Shouzo, you seem to have found quite a good successor, eh?"
At the call, Shouzo replied with a feeling of "whatever happens, happens."
"Yes, it's about time we stopped always catering to the main family's whims."
"Hmph, that child who used to play around is now spouting big words."
Kiyomori said that, then looked back at Hachiman and suddenly said.
"I see, so the reason for your audacity was this hero boy."
"Hero? What are you talking about?"
Hachiman, following his conversation with Tomomori earlier, decided to play dumb here too.
"Many victims of that game were hospitalized in my hospital. Some of them said this: 'We were able to return alive thanks to Asuna the Flash, the hero, and her comrades.' And seeing your movements now, even a fool would understand. That Asuna the Flash is you, isn't it? Asuna. And that comrade is you, isn't it? Boy."
"Yes, Great-Uncle."
"For an old man, that's some pretty good deduction."
"Hmph, I haven't aged for nothing."
Kiyomori said that, adjusted his posture, and then faced Asuna and bowed his head. Everyone was taken aback by Kiyomori's unexpected action.
"Asuna, I apologize for my rude attitude just now. Welcome home, and I sincerely thank you for saving my patients."
"Ah, y-yes."
Hachiman, seeing that impressive apology, thought:
(So this old man isn't just an arrogant fool. He's a bit difficult, but it doesn't seem like he's completely unreasonable. What should I do?)
Hachiman was undecided on his approach, but it was Asuna who spoke first, before him.
"But that understanding is mistaken in one point, Great-Uncle."
"Oh? How is it mistaken?"
"He is not my comrade; I am his comrade. He was mostly responsible for leading the game to completion. He didn't like to be in the spotlight, so he wasn't as well known as I was, but the top players always mentioned his name first."
"I see… so it was you. If such a man is to become my son-in-law, I can understand why Shouzo has become so confident."
Saying that, Kiyomori glared at Hachiman again and said.
"So, boy, you have something to persuade me with, don't you?"
"MediCuboid."
Kiyomori heard the word and his eyes sharpened.
"You acquired it?"
"Yes, along with its developer."
"Hm…"
Kiyomori said, thought for a moment, then shook his head and said.
"I feel bad for Keiko, but even so, I won't agree. It's that unamusing for me to bow to Shouzo. Everyone in the family would feel the same."
"Is it that much…? By the way, who is this Keiko-san?"
"She's my daughter. And the one who needs the MediCuboid is Keiko's daughter."
"I see."
Seeing Hachiman's calm response, Kiyomori said.
"You don't change your expression at all, boy."
"Well, I expected you to say that."
"So, what will you do?"
"For now, we'll go home."
At Hachiman's words, Kiyomori said in a slightly surprised tone.
"You're unusually compliant."
"Well, we just got here, and I want to go to a hot spring. I'll think about everything after that."
"A hot spring…?"
"Yes, a hot spring."
"I see."
Kiyomori said that and didn't say anything more.
"Well then, that will be all. Let's go, Shouzo-san, Kyoko-san, Asuna."
At Hachiman's words, the remaining three also stood up, bowed, and left the room. And as Hachiman was the last to leave the room, Kiyomori said to his back.
"Come again, boy."
Hachiman didn't reply to the call, merely bowed his head slightly and exited the room. Outside, Shouzo said to Hachiman, looking a bit excited.
"Well, I wondered what would happen when my uncle suddenly drew his sword, but Hachiman-kun, as expected, didn't back down an inch after that either."
"I was pretty surprised at that time too. I didn't expect him to not only notice the killing intent but also counterattack."
"Asuna noticed it too?"
"Yeah, well, I'm used to this kind of thing. If Hachiman-kun's mood changes, I can tell immediately."
At their words, Shouzo said with an indescribable expression.
"Honestly, I just wanted Asuna to grow up as a normal girl. Well, thanks to that, she met Hachiman-kun, so maybe it was for the best?"
"Of course it was for the best, darling! Our daughter and her husband are people of incredible courage, who wouldn't back down an inch from that uncle. Isn't that wonderful? I can't wait to see my grandchild's face. Right, Hachiman-kun?"
"H-hah…"
Seeing Hachiman, who was at a loss for how to answer, Asuna said.
"Oh, Mother, I told you it's still too early the other day. Hachiman-kun is troubled too, isn't he? Come on, for now, let's leave our luggage at the hotel, then go to Uncle Tomomori's place."
"That's right, let's check into the hotel for now, and Kyoko can rest comfortably in her room. Leave the rest to us."
"Yes, I'm a bit tired, so I think I will."
"Yes, please leave it to us, Kyoko-san."
"I'm really counting on you, Hachiman-kun."
Thus, the four headed to the hotel where Haruno and Kikuoka were waiting and decided to check in. What awaited Hachiman there was an outrageous truth.
"Asuna and I are in the same room?! A-and a double bed?!"
"Yes, what's the problem?"
"It's nothing but problems, you idiot sister!"
Receiving Hachiman's protest, Haruno said to Hachiman in a persuasive tone.
"Because it can't be helped, family rooms were fully booked at the time of reservation."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Kikuoka-san will submit the receipt to the government, so one single room for him, is that okay?"
"Yeah."
"For the rest, only one single room, one twin room, and one double room were available. Shouzo-san and his wife will have one room under Rect's receipt, so either a twin or a double, but since Shouzo-san sometimes comes back late, it'll be a twin, right? And I'll put it under Soleil's receipt, so I can't choose a double and will take a single. So inevitably, the only remaining room is a double room. Changing members is out of the question, it'll cause problems later if the person who stayed is different."
Hearing the explanation, Hachiman muttered in astonishment.
"Damn it… the circumstances of adults…"
"Well, that's how it is. Apparently, another room will open up tomorrow, so bear with it tonight."
"…Understood."
Behind Hachiman, Asuna, Shouzo, and Kyoko gave Haruno a "Nice!" sign, which Hachiman didn't notice. In actual fact, if Hachiman had simply offered to pay for two rooms himself and put Haruno and Asuna in the same room, everything would have been solved. But even Hachiman, apparently, didn't think that far. Incidentally, he should have questioned Haruno's words about "at the time of reservation" too. This implied that Shouzo and Kyoko had already agreed to it beforehand. Hachiman, seeing Asuna's beaming smile, stopped saying anything further and meekly put his luggage in the room, then left the room with Asuna. And leaving Kyoko and Kikuoka behind, the remaining four headed towards Tomomori's house. Tomomori, perhaps having been waiting impatiently, greeted the four with a smile, and thus the secret meeting began.
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