"Hikigaya-kun, just now the bracelet you asked Honami to pass on to Ayano-san, is it a gift? Or something you helped her buy?"
Stepping back into the station and getting on the train, Ijichi Nijika glanced at Hachiman beside her for a long time. In the end, she couldn't resist her curiosity and tried to side-track a question about the relationship between Hachiman and Ichinose Ayano.
Originally, as a proper friend, since Hikigaya hadn't brought up this matter himself, she shouldn't be poking around.
But now that Yumiko liked Hikigaya, and their relationship might be quite deep, as Yumiko's close friend, she naturally couldn't just sit and do nothing while Hikigaya was possibly getting entangled with another girl.
Ichinose Ayano... she remembered that Ichinose Ayano and Hikigaya hadn't even exchanged many words in class.
Even the newly transferred Ichinose Honami had spoken far more with Hikigaya than Ichinose Ayano had. She couldn't for the life of her figure out why Hikigaya would ask Honami to give such a beautiful silver bracelet to Ichinose Ayano.
If Hikigaya had some ambiguous relationship with Ichinose Honami, she might not worry that much. Honami was staying at the Ichinose family, but Ichinose Ayano was different. She was a political heiress just like Yukinoshita Yukino.
To Hikigaya, who wanted to be a stay-at-home husband, Ichinose Ayano would be extremely attractive. Yumiko's family situation couldn't even begin to compare.
"That bracelet was just our Service Club's welfare for new members. Ayano recently joined the Service Club," Hachiman turned his head to look at Nijika's cute profile and smiled as he spoke.
"Huh? Club welfare? Does everyone get that kind of club welfare?", Nijika stared blankly at Hachiman. She hadn't expected that answer at all.
That silver bracelet wasn't a private gift or a favor purchase, but a club benefit?
So everyone who joined the Service Club would get one?
"Well... that's a secret. You'll find out later," Hachiman looked at Nijika's wide-eyed expression and chuckled without explaining further.
He actually did want everyone to wear the empathy bracelet. Unfortunately, this item could seemingly only drop from the twins. Right now, he only had one pair. With so many people in need, they had to take turns wearing it.
If not for the intention of properly educating Ichinose Ayano and erasing her love-obsessed mindset, she wouldn't have received such a privilege.
Of course, it wasn't like he intended to torment her all night and make her lose sleep. Once she couldn't take it anymore, he would teleport over to comfort her.
After all, he just wanted a compliant Ichinose Ayano.
"What do you mean 'you'll find out later'? Acting all mysterious to mess with people, I'll tell Yumiko to hit you~", Seeing Hachiman intentionally being vague to tease her, Nijika puffed her cheeks in frustration and glared at him.
"Tch. Yumiko can't beat me. More importantly, shouldn't you be more curious about what my relationship with Yumiko really is?", Seeing Nijika dropping the polite distance in their tone, Hachiman could tell that she had accepted him because she thought he and Yumiko were close. He smiled and continued teasing.
"Uh... is that something you're even allowed to talk about?", Hearing Hachiman bring up his relationship with Yumiko, Nijika's mock-angry expression froze. She remembered what Yumiko had whispered to her before getting on the train.
Thinking about it carefully, if Yumiko had only said she and Hikigaya were that kind of relationship, if she liked him and was trying to gradually win him over, it would be believable. But Yumiko also said that Hikigaya had that same relationship with Yuina, Minami, and Rin. That part she couldn't believe.
Not only could she not believe Yumiko would do that, she also couldn't believe Hikigaya was that amazing, being impure with four different girls.
Even if it were once per person, that's already four times. And being a PY (partner), twice per person wouldn't be too much, right? That'd be eight times.
Eight times... even without any romantic experience, she knew that Hikigaya couldn't handle that kind of workload.
So she figured the whole PY thing was just Yumiko joking. The real relationship between Yumiko and Hikigaya was probably somewhere between friends and lovers. As for exactly how close... she didn't know. After all, she didn't know what happened when Yumiko dragged Hikigaya into the bathroom.
"Of course... I can't say," Under Nijika's curious and expectant gaze, Hachiman paused, smiled, and shook his head.
"Hikigaya-kun???", Seeing the smile on his face, Nijika couldn't help clenching her small fists and puffing her cheeks again, glaring angrily at him.
She seriously wanted to report him to Yumiko. He had teased her twice in such a short span.
This was bullying.
"You've been to my house and know my situation, but I don't know anything about your family. At least tell me a little, or else when I meet them, I won't know how to greet them," Seeing Nijika looking like she was about to strike him but holding back due to being in public on a train, Hachiman quickly changed the subject with a chuckle.
Better not provoke Nijika anymore. Just drawing a little closer was enough.
"Phew! Fine, but I'm definitely telling Yumiko! She told you to take care of me, but you're teasing me instead."
"No worries. You can ask her to help you get back at me, I absolutely won't resist."
"...Actually, there aren't many people in my family. My father's busy with work, so you'll probably only meet my sister. Her name is Ichiji Seika. The Livehouse she invited you all to this Saturday, she's the one who owns it..."
Seeing that Hachiman was completely unfazed about Yumiko finding out he was teasing her, Nijika gave up pursuing the matter and started talking about her family.
Nijika came from a single-parent family. Her mother had passed away when she was little, and now she lived with her sister. Their father was always busy with work, so it was basically just her and her sister at home.
Her sister, Ichiji Seika, used to play in a band. Now she had left the band and opened a Livehouse named STARRY. The Livehouse was in a basement, and they lived in the apartment above it.
Of course, although Nijika was the younger sister, she was the one taking care of her sister. Who couldn't really do housework and always ended up injuring herself while cooking.
"My sister's already over thirty, but she's still so unreliable. No wonder she can't get married," When she said this, Nijika's tone carried a bit of complaint.
But the smile that naturally appeared on her face showed Hachiman that she enjoyed it, and that she and her sister had a close relationship.
After all, with her mother gone since childhood and her father always working, if she lost her sister too, she'd be coming home to an empty house every day.
"Maybe it's not that she can't get married, maybe she just can't bear to leave you, since you two are so close," Hachiman spoke up in defense of the sister he hadn't met yet.
He could really relate to that feeling. When he was young, Komachi had run away from home after he joined a club and left her alone, unhappy. It took a long time to find her.
After that, he stopped participating in club activities and came straight home after school to be with Komachi. Komachi also didn't join any clubs.
But now that Komachi had grown up and didn't need him constantly around, and there were girls like Shion living in the house and often visiting, it was fine for him to participate in club activities again.
"Maybe. But my sister stays at that shop all the time, so I doubt she'll ever find a boyfriend," Nijika responded with a hint of helplessness.
Honestly, her sister wasn't lacking in appeal. Though not good at chores or studies, she was still a real beauty.
But because she was running that shop, she didn't have much of a social circle. Most of the people she interacted with were underground band members. Not all underground musicians had messy personal lives, some just chased dreams. Still, finding a good man who could take care of her sister was pretty unlikely.
Nijika's gaze shifted to Hachiman, the would-be stay-at-home husband, before quickly looking away again.
'Mm, Hikigaya-kun is liked by Yumiko. I can't let my imagination wander.'
Time flew by as they chatted. The train arrived, and Hachiman followed Nijika to her house.
"Seika, is that your sister?", After walking for a while, Hachiman spotted a long-haired blonde figure standing under a streetlight with arms crossed, expressionless, gazing their way. He suddenly asked.
"Huh? Probably. Our house is just around the corner. She might've come out to pick me up," Nijika's eyesight wasn't as sharp as Hikigaya's, but that figure did look like her sister.
She figured her sister was worried about her and came out to wait. She lifted her backpack and jogged over while complaining.
"Didn't I say I'd be home on time? Why are you waiting out here?", She had told her sister she'd be home late after eating at a classmate's place. She didn't think being just a little late would make her sister stand at the street corner.
How would Hikigaya see her now?
She had just complained about her sister being so dependent, and now she herself was being treated like a child.
"Who is this? Didn't you say you were going to a classmate's house? Is this the classmate?", Ichiji Seika glanced at the girl who ran to her side, then looked at Hachiman walking up slowly behind.
Nijika had only said she was going to play and eat at a classmate's house.
Trusting Nijika's maturity, she thought she was just playing with school friends.
But this classmate... was a boy?
She wasn't saying her sister couldn't interact with guys, but staying out late playing with one male classmate, she had to be cautious. What if her precious little sister got tricked into bed by a bad man?
Nijika was so innocent and cute, there were surely many men who wanted her. What if one actually succeeded?
"I didn't lie! I was really with Yumiko, Kaede, and the others at Hikigaya-kun's house. A bunch of girl classmates were there! Hikigaya-kun just walked me home because he was worried it was late."
Hearing that her sister thought she had some special relationship with Yumiko's crush, Nijika panicked and quickly explained.
"There were other girls too! Don't misunderstand him!", Hikigaya had kindly walked her home. She couldn't let him be misunderstood by her sister.
"Is that so? Then good," Ichiji Seika gave her an ambiguous nod after glancing at Nijika again. She didn't seem hurt, so probably nothing happened. But that didn't mean the guy didn't have bad intentions. Her sister was so cute, after all.
"Hello, I'm Hikigaya Hachiman, Nijika's classmate. Sorry for bringing her back so late," Hachiman quickly stepped forward and greeted Ichiji Seika.
She was clearly Nijika's sister, and naturally beautiful.
But compared to the neatly dressed Nijika, Ichiji Seika looked a bit rough around the edges. Wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, zebra-striped pants, and plain house clothes. Her golden hair was loose behind her, and a single ahoge stuck out from her head.
"Hikigaya, right? Nijika probably told you about me already. I won't introduce myself again," Ichiji Seika stared at him for a while, then suddenly asked, "Do you like Nijika?"
"Huh?"
Hachiman was stunned, 'That direct?'
Right off the bat asking if he liked Nijika.
"Big sis!", Nijika hadn't expected her sister to say that. She quickly covered her sister's mouth and apologized to Hikigaya, "Sorry, sorry, it's already late. Let's not have you tour our Livehouse today. Next time, okay?"
She was still worried about her sister's love life, yet her sister was meddling in hers.
"Alright, next time then. See you tomorrow."
"And goodbye to you too, big sis."
Hachiman could tell Ichiji Seika had misunderstood something, but didn't explain. He just smiled and waved goodbye to them.
"Why didn't you let me ask? He didn't even answer my question. He's definitely up to no good."
Once Hikigaya had left and Nijika released her hands, Ichiji Seika immediately turned to her.
"He's Yumiko's crush! Yumiko just had him walk me home because she thought I'd be in danger! Don't say weird things!"
Nijika's face burned red. She glared at her meddling sister in shame.
Hopefully Hikigaya wouldn't tell Yumiko about this. If Yumiko misunderstood her intentions toward him, she'd be in big trouble.
Seriously, she needed to find her sister a stay-at-home husband like Hikigaya. Otherwise, she couldn't even be friends with a guy in peace.
———
["President~ Are you coming back to sleep tonight~?"]
After walking Nijika home, Hachiman stepped into a deserted alley, preparing to teleport to Shion's side at home, when he suddenly got a call from Iris.
"Iris, I was just walking her home, alright? We're not close enough for me to stay over at her house," Hearing Iris's words, Hachiman replied helplessly.
He thought Iris had something important to say. But she just wanted to ask if he was sleeping at home.
["Then hurry back, President. Aegis, Lumilia, and I are already at your place. Lumilia wants to see you before her first day at school tomorrow."]
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