"I wonder, do you simply lack any concept of moderation?
"First, you storm into a school with a toolkit, putting an end to the bullying. Then, you sweep Shino off her feet—quite literally carrying her like a princess—and speed off in a car?
"Now, regarding that particular incident, Shino seems quite pleased with it, so I suppose I can overlook it. But honestly, are you not satisfied with merely being treated like a prince at school? Do you intend to become an actual prince next?
"To begin with, you have never once carried me like a prin—ahem. I digress.
"The real issue lies in what followed. I take no issue with you helping someone gain their independence, but how on earth does that escalate into bringing the Medicuboid to Soleil? I know a little about that device; it is a truly revolutionary piece of technology. Yet you acquired it with a simple, 'Oh, I just remembered something.' How does that even happen?
"Furthermore, you march into the Yuuki household, utterly defeat the family head, utilize the Medicuboid to its full potential to successfully treat an incurable disease, and then take over the entire facility? Are you trying to become a modern-day Daddy-Long-Legs?
"And if that weren't enough, after securing the position of the next head of the Yuuki family, you effectively bring an entertainment production company under your umbrella. Even without all that, you're likely to hold everything regarding Yukinoshita—and perhaps even RECT—in the palm of your hand. Construction, medicine, IT, electronics, entertainment... exactly how many industries do you intend to dabble in?
"Are you planning to become Prime Minister next? Certainly, if Nee-san becomes a politician, the momentum might make that possible, but isn't every single thing you do entirely too flashy? You have effortlessly transcended the realm of urban legend.
"If you simply wanted to crush a nemesis, you could have marched in, presented undeniable evidence, and had the man exiled. That would have sufficed. Not wanting to hurt the company president? There is a limit to how kind you can be.
"In any case, there is a limit to doing 'too much' of everything! In your case, the scale of 'amazing' is simply too far off the charts!"
"Urgh... I-I'm sorry..."
Hachiman apologized meekly. He was aware that, although things had happened naturally, he had indeed gone overboard.
However, Yukino was not satisfied with a mere apology and continued her lecture. Hachiman, withered by her intense fervor, couldn't say a word. Asuna and Shino watched the spectacle with warm, knowing gazes. Hearing it all laid out like that, Hachiman really had accomplished some outrageous feats; they couldn't blame Yukino for wanting to preach.
"By the way... I assume this is impossible, but you didn't happen to catch the eye of any other girls while you were in Kyoto, did you?"
"No, well, of course not... ah."
At Hachiman's hesitation, Yukino's eyes narrowed instantly.
"...Asuna, Shino."
"Yeah."
"Understood."
To ensure he couldn't escape, the two girls firmly pinned Hachiman's arms.
"Now then. You can't run away."
"No, I have no intention of running, but..."
"So? Where did you manage to hook another girl?"
"No... I didn't 'hook' anyone..."
"Enough. Speak. Quickly."
"...Actually, I happened to meet a pair of twins in the Sleeping Forest. I get the feeling those two have taken quite a shining to me."
"And their names?"
"I don't know their real names, but they go by Ai and Yuu."
"Are they patients? Or people from the outside?"
"P-Patients."
"...Don't tell me those two are suffering from a serious illness as well?"
"Yeah. I've taken measures, for now, but honestly, I don't know if I can save them."
"I see..."
The three girls began to whisper amongst themselves, consulting on the verdict. Finally, appearing to reach a conclusion, Yukino addressed Hachiman.
"There is no one else, correct?"
"...We don't have to count Asuna's cousin, Kaede, right? She's still in elementary school."
"True. We shall let that pass. Anyone else?"
"No one in particular... I think."
"Very well. Then we shall end this discussion here."
Yukino finally cracked a smile. Asuna and Shino smiled as well.
"As much as it involves other women, considering the circumstances, it can't be helped. We don't intend to say anything further on the matter."
"If there's anything we can do to help, just say the word, Hachiman-kun."
"We'll do whatever we can, too. Do your best."
"Yeah. Honestly, this is a field way outside my expertise. I'll rely on people who know what they're doing, and if there's anything I can do personally, I'll make the maximum effort."
Hachiman declared this forcefully, and with that, Yukino's lecture officially came to an end.
"Well then, enough talk. Shall we prepare dinner? We bought ingredients on the way, so let's cook together."
"Should I help with something?"
"You can take it easy, Hachiman-kun."
"Is that so?"
Hachiman felt a slight confusion at their sudden gentleness, but assuming he had been forgiven, he breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he felt a spark of joy; they acknowledged that while he had gone overboard, he hadn't been wrong.
After dinner, Asuna and the other two moved to Asuna's room.
"I had heard the rumors, but it really exists... 'Asuna's Room'..."
"Eh? Of course it's real!"
"To think there is an 'Asuna's Room' inside Hachiman's house..."
"Actually, I just realized one day that it had been prepared for me."
At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and Hachiman peeked his head in.
"The bath is ready. How do you want to handle the order?"
"What should we do?"
"Why don't you get in first, Hachiman-kun? We can decide on our order while you're in there."
"True, let's do that."
"Right. I'll go in first, then."
Hachiman descended the stairs. After a short pause, Shino spoke up.
"Come to think of it, seeing Hachiman like that is a first for me. It's kind of refreshing. He seems so... loose? Outside, he always feels like he has no openings."
"That is certainly true."
"He's always like that at home, though."
"Hmm... In other words, right now, he is full of openings."
"I-I suppose, but surely you don't mean..."
"Indeed... Alright, you two. We're going."
"Ehh!?"
"T-That's a bit much..."
The two assumed Yukino intended to storm the bath and tried to stop her. However, while Asuna was genuinely hesitant, Shino was internally deeply curious. She was, after all, at that age.
"He is completely off guard. We simply cannot let this opportunity pass, can we?"
"B-But barging into the bath all of a sudden is..."
"The bath? What on earth are you talking about?"
Yukino looked back at them, genuinely blinking in confusion.
"Eh? W-We're not?"
"Even you, Shino... Surely you know there is no way I would do such a thing?"
"R-Right, yeah, totally. I knew that. I knew that."
"I wouldn't have minded, though..." Shino muttered under her breath.
Yukino immediately pounced on the comment. "Shino, you are surprisingly closeted about these things, aren't you?"
"N-No! I was just... trying to go along with the 'girls' night' vibe!"
"Well, I'll refrain from teasing you further. When I said I was going, I meant to his room."
"Hachiman's room? I'm certainly interested in that, too, but..."
"I think it's just a totally normal room, you know?"
Yukino shook her head at the two of them, clenching her fist as she declared:
"My objective is simple: to discover the illicit books he is hiding!"
""That's it!""
The three nodded in unison and crept stealthily toward Hachiman's room. Just as they reached the door, they heard the thump-thump of footsteps coming up the stairs.
The three of them locked eyes with the source of the footsteps: Hachiman.
"...You guys. What are you doing there?"
"Wha—H-Hey, aren't you done too fast?"
"Come to think of it, when Hachiman-kun bathes alone, he's the type to finish in a flash..."
"What did you say? It can't be helped—force your way in! Asuna, hold the door once we're inside!"
"Got it!"
"H-Hey, what the hell are you..."
Ignoring Hachiman's voice, the three quickly slipped into his room and shut the door.
"Hey! Cut it out, what are you guys trying to do?"
Hachiman's voice came through the door, accompanied by the sound of banging. Asuna, holding the door shut, apologized to him.
"Sorry, Hachiman-kun! We absolutely have to find the dirty books hidden somewhere in your room!"
"Hmm? Ah, is that it? Alright, just let me know when you're done searching."
"Eh?"
With that, Hachiman went back downstairs.
Ten minutes later, Asuna went to call Hachiman.
"Well? Did you find anything?"
"There was nothing..."
"Can it be...? Is it really true that there's nothing? Is the idea that every adolescent male has illicit books under his bed merely an urban legend!?"
"You know... there's no guy nowadays who actually buys physical books like that..."
"Kh..."
"If I were hiding anything these days, it would be on the PC. Though, there's nothing on mine."
Hachiman offered his PC to Yukino. Yukino, feeling a sense of resignation that there truly might be nothing, began to search the computer.
Then, she found one hidden file.
"Oh? This is... a hidden file?"
"Hm? What's that? Did I have something like tha—Ah."
"!? ...Asuna, restrain Hachiman-kun!"
"O-Okay!"
"W-Wait, Asuna! If you see that, you're going to regret it! Let me go!"
Shino also moved to keep Hachiman in check, calling out to Yukino.
"Yukino, hurry!"
"I'm opening it now... Th-This is..."
"What is it? ...Th-This..."
"Y-You two, what was in it?"
Asuna released Hachiman and approached the PC. She was concerned by the awkward expressions on Yukino and Shino's faces, but curiosity got the better of her, and she peered at the screen.
"Umm... this is..."
"Ah, haha..."
Upon seeing it, Asuna looked at Hachiman, stunned.
"Ah, no, it was just a sudden impulse. For about a month right after your room was set up, every time I went to wake you up... I took a picture and then just sort of forgot about them... S-Sorry."
"You are certainly much thinner here than you are now," Yukino remarked in a calm tone. Asuna, face bright red, had frozen solid.
"No, but, it brings back memories..."
Hachiman leaned in to look at the photos stored in the file. There was a mountain of pictures: Asuna sleeping with a sloppy expression, Asuna sleeping in bizarre poses.
"Why keep these?"
"...When your room was built in my house, I guess I was pretty excited, too. Look, this face. Kind of cute, isn't it? So, I just... you know."
"I suppose. She does look very happy indeed."
"Yeah."
Yukino spoke, and Shino agreed.
"Well, we didn't find the object of our search, but we were shown something nice instead."
"Then let's head back to Asuna's room for some girl talk."
"Actually, I have almost no experience with that sort of thing, so I'm a little excited."
"Ah, I've only done it a few times recently, so I'm not really..."
"That makes it all the more fun. Come on, Asuna, let's go back."
Yukino and Shino left Hachiman's room and headed for Asuna's. Since Asuna was still frozen, Hachiman gently patted her cheeks.
"He~y, Asuna. Come back to us. Hey."
"Ah! H-Hachiman-kun!"
Coming to her senses, Asuna began playfully hitting Hachiman.
"Jeez! Jeez!"
"I said I was sorry. I'd completely forgotten about them, too."
"Ughhh..."
"Come on, Yukino and Shino are waiting. You gotta go."
"Y-Yeah."
The two exchanged a light kiss, and Asuna returned to her room. Left alone, Hachiman began to scroll through the photos of Asuna's drooling face, feeling a wave of nostalgia.
The next morning, when Hachiman woke up and went downstairs, the three girls were already awake. However, the moment they saw Hachiman's face, they all looked away, seemingly embarrassed.
"...Asuna?"
"N-No, it's just... last night, things got a little heated after that, and we just sort of..."
"Sort of?"
"We talked about... various things... you know?"
"D-Don't tell me..."
Under Hachiman's gaze, all three turned bright red and looked at the floor, so Hachiman decided not to ask anything further.
After breakfast, Hachiman brought the car around to drive Yukino and Shino home. Asuna apparently had some cleaning up to do.
"Alright then, Yukino, Shino. Come visit again."
"See you in GGO, Asuna."
"I'll create a character in GGO later, so I'll contact you then."
"Yeah, I'll be waiting."
After dropping the two off, Yukino contacted them a short while later. Hachiman and Asuna then logged into GGO.
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