The holidays came to an end, marking the start of his second year in middle school.
Hikigaya Hachiman returned to campus and located his new classroom.
Because of the class reshuffle, there were fewer familiar faces and more strangers.
His situation wasn't all that different from the year before.
During the self-introductions, one girl caught his attention—Orimoto Kaori.
It wasn't because she was particularly pretty, but because the "Great Teacher" had once confessed to her by email.
That alone piqued his curiosity.
Still, she didn't seem all that remarkable.
Most likely, her approachable nature had made her one of the few people the teacher could talk to back then, which led to some unnecessary feelings.
Adolescence was always like that—too fragile, too sensitive.
As someone who had lived through it before, Hachiman could understand.
People who dwell in the shadows often mistake a faint light for their own personal "white moonlight," even when that person treats them no differently than anyone else.
Unfortunately, reality tends to be cruel.
And that's how the "Great Teacher" was born.
But he wasn't that man, nor did he share his teenage mindset.
So, after a brief sigh of nostalgia, Hachiman moved on.
If nothing unexpected happened, his school life would continue as usual—
fading into the background, a barely noticeable figure,
a special soul swallowed up by the crowd.
For the first two weeks, everything went smoothly—at least at school.
But at home, something unexpected occurred.
"Onii-chan, open up! I need to talk to you!"
Komachi's voice came from outside his door.
"What is it?"
Hachiman got up and opened it.
"You bought a bunch of light novels and manga, right? Could I borrow a few, pleaaase, Onii-chan~?"
She tugged at his sleeve, her tone dripping with cuteness.
"You can, but… Komachi, are you planning to evolve into a full-on otaku girl? That worries me a little."
He eyed her suspiciously, probing for answers.
"If I really did become a shut-in girl, would Onii-chan take care of me?"
Komachi tilted her head, eyes wide and sparkling like a puppy begging for treats.
"Uh… I'd feel a bit pathetic if that actually happened, but… if it's you, Komachi, I wouldn't mind taking care of you forever."
He gave in with a small sigh.
"Ehehe~ Onii-chan, you're the best! That line gets a full score in my heart!"
Komachi beamed with joy.
"But this time, it's not for me. I made a new friend—our neighbor, Ruri-neesan.
She seems to like this kind of stuff, but she's too thrifty to buy any herself.
I wanted to gift her some, but she insisted on just borrowing them."
Her tone softened as she changed the subject.
"You became friends that quickly? As expected of you, Komachi."
Hachiman looked genuinely surprised.
His little sister's social skills were terrifying.
Komachi giggled, collected a small pile of novels from his shelf, and was about to leave when she turned back.
"Onii-chan, why don't you come meet Ruri-neesan too? You share the same hobbies—there's so much you could talk about!"
"There's no need. I have writing to do."
He declined flatly.
"Onii-chan, if you keep this up, Komachi's going to worry about you.
Having no real-life friends is kind of… tragic, don't you think?"
She gave him a pitying look.
"How do you know I don't have friends in real life?"
"Do you?"
"…No."
Faced with his adorable little sister's persistence, Hachiman finally relented and agreed to meet her friend.
After all, it wouldn't hurt to get to know the neighbors.
"Ruri-neesan!"
Standing at the neighbor's garden gate, Komachi cheerfully called out.
"I'll be right there," came a soft reply.
A moment later, a girl stepped out.
She wore casual home clothes, her black hair long and straight, her bangs neatly trimmed.
A beauty mark rested beneath her left eye—striking and elegant.
She was a classic Yamato Nadeshiko, though her cool, gloomy expression made her seem distant and hard to approach.
No wonder Hachiman was surprised that Komachi had befriended her so quickly.
Then again, who could resist Komachi's relentless warmth?
Even Gokou Ruri—no, even Kuroneko—would have melted under it.
"So this is Komachi's brother?"
Ruri's gaze lingered curiously on him.
"Yes. I'm Komachi's brother, Hikigaya Hachiman."
He introduced himself politely.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Gokou Ruri."
The girl's voice was calm, her tone polite but restrained—
a thin wall of formality keeping others at arm's length.
For some reason, Hachiman felt like he was staring into a mirror.
If it were just the two of them, their conversation probably would've ended there.
Fortunately, Komachi was sharp as ever and quickly rescued the atmosphere.
"Ruri-neesan, these are Onii-chan's treasures! See if they match your taste.
If not, he's got plenty more in his room."
She set the stack of novels on the ground.
Ruri's eyes lit up instantly.
If not for their presence, she might've dived in to read them on the spot.
"Thank you, Komachi. And… your brother too."
Her words were stiff but sincere.
"It's fine. I've already read them all anyway."
Hachiman brushed it off casually.
"Well then, I'll head back, Komachi."
"Okay, Onii-chan! You can go now. I'll stay and chat with Ruri-neesan for a bit."
She waved her hand lazily, as if shooing him away.
Hachiman twitched.
Whose sister are you again!?
After he left, Komachi turned to Ruri with a mischievous smile.
"So, what do you think of my Onii-chan?"
"I… don't know. Maybe we'll talk more next time."
Ruri looked flustered, her eyes averting.
"I see."
Komachi nodded knowingly.
She understood—getting two socially awkward loners to become friends wasn't something that could happen overnight.