But the two older and three younger, all graceful beautiful girls walked over together, and tourists in front of the aquarium all turned their gazes toward Hachiman.
Walking in front was the sunny, cheerful short-haired elder sister Yukinoshita Haruno, a smile always on her lips; the serene-as-water, faintly wistful-eyed, pure and dignified long-black-haired elder sister Tohsaka Touka.
Behind them were the ever-stern-faced Yukinoshita Yukino, and two girls about the same age as Komachi and Shion.
With twin-tail pigtails and a slightly lively expression was Tohsaka Rin;
With shoulder-length hair and a quieter look was Tohsaka Sakura, who was in the same class as Komachi.
Previously Hachiman had thought there were very few rich long-black-haired beauties around, basically only Yukinoshita Yukino suited that.
Now looking again, it seemed he could still find quite a few Yukinos.
Tohsaka Touka: big-Yukino, Yukinoshita Haruno: short-hair-Yukino, Tohsaka Rin: twin-tail-Yukino, Tohsaka Sakura: underclassman-Yukino.
Add one little-Yukino later, and the Yukino catalogue should be complete, right?
"Onii-chan, don't just stare, aren't you going to say hello first?"
Komachi, not knowing that her brother was internally grumbling about Yukinoshita Yukino, saw Tohsaka Sakura, Tohsaka Rin and their pretty elder sister approaching, and because her brother showed no sign of taking the initiative to greet them, quickly nudged Hachiman.
'Hachiman, this idiot, how on earth does he hook up with so many girls at school?'
The Hikigaya household was gradually becoming a harem, she had thought her brother had gotten good at dealing with girls; after all, there had almost never been any major drama at home. If there had been a little ripple, it was quickly smoothed out. She hadn't expected her brother to still be so stiff.
Now that Hachiman had trained and lost the deadfish eyes he really had become a lot more handsome, he could be said to be a big handsome guy making many girls go silly. But that kind of handsomeness wasn't earth-shaking; at most it had a big effect on ordinary girls.
But the girls around her brother were each prettier than the last, even including heiresses, idols, princesses, girls with money and high status were plentiful. It made no sense to be fooled by her brother's mere looks; even knowing he was so fickle they still came to the house to hang out with others.
She really couldn't understand.
Shion beside her, unlike Komachi who's been tangled in feelings since childhood, didn't have much reaction to Hachiman's changes.
From moving in at the Hikigaya house to integrating into the family and becoming a member, her daily firsthand feelings were much stronger than Komachi's. She could roughly guess what the Elf Princess Iris and the alien-princess Lala were thinking.
Liking Hachiman was real, but there were many degrees of liking. Obviously Iris, Lala, Kaede were like her, liking Hachiman from inside out, in every aspect, body and heart alike.
However, she couldn't really explain such reasons that Komachi couldn't personally feel, so she could only be vague.
"What's the hurry."
Hachiman pressed down on Komachi's head and leisurely sized up the five Yukinos who had come up to them, showing no intention of initiating conversation.
Perhaps used to being around Iris and the others, normally seeing only their kind and gentle side, Komachi didn't really understand their situation.
Outside, Iris and the others might not always act entirely different, suddenly aloof, but they weren't that hard to approach.
Now Yukinoshita Haruno didn't even dare to directly ask Iris out. She circled around, asking him out through him as a middleman to approach and attach to the Elf Princess.
After all, Iris was a princess of a race, the future elf queen, while the Yukinoshita family was only a local politician's notable family in Japan. Even ignoring magic or supernatural powers, the class difference between them was huge; let alone that thing which couldn't be ignored at all.
Only because Iris went to Sobu High as a student did the Yukinoshita family get a more convenient chance to contact her than others.
"Hikigaya-kun morning~ Komachi, Shion, you came early."
Yukinoshita Haruno, looked at by Hachiman, showed no awkward reaction, walked up and naturally greeted Hikigaya, Komachi, and Shion one by one with a smile.
"Are you the only ones coming with us to the aquarium today? I thought there'd be a lot of people; I specifically asked friends for many tickets~"
"Good morning, Haruno-nee~"
"We actually just arrived a little while ago too."
After Komachi and Shion replied briefly they looked to Hikigaya, not knowing what to say.
"After we got back last night we did a family livehouse at home, everyone sang until very late. Iris and the others haven't woken up yet, so this morning only we came. Elio and the others will rest and then go to the gym for the concert this afternoon."
Hachiman smiled and explained; he had no intention of hiding it. After all, Yukinoshita Haruno had no firsthand experience, so she couldn't guess the specifics.
Even if she saw it with her own eyes, she might be shocked enough to doubt she was dreaming. If he told Haruno every detail, she wouldn't believe it and would suspect he was teasing her.
"A face-to-face livehouse with the Elf Princess and the mermaid divas? Just hearing that makes one long for it. Luckily today we can, thanks to Hikigaya-kun, sit in the front row of the concert and listen up close to the mermaid songstresses' heavenly voices."
Yukinoshita Haruno listened, a little moved, eyes full of envy, while quickly analyzing Hachiman's words in her mind.
No doubt, the mermaid divas and mermaid princess, like the Elf Princess, were all staying at the Hikigaya house.
Although so many demi-human beauties living at the Hikigaya house would make those in the know suspicious of their relationship with Hachiman, considering many demi-humans far exceed ordinary humans in physical ability, few people dared to assert that the demi-humans must be in that kind of relationship with him.
If it really were that kind of relationship, could Hachiman still be lively at school every day? Shouldn't he be lying in bed?
However, even if it isn't that kind of relationship, being able to stay at the Hikigaya house shows the Elf Princess and the others are extremely close to Hikigaya and trust him immensely.
Now, having Hikigaya come into contact with them made him, compared to the Rurikawa family and the Ichinose family, more like the spokesman for demi-humans.
This spokesman, though, didn't seem to have any grand ambitions; at present he was only close to Rurikawa Tsubaki, the young head of the Rurikawa family, and Ichinose Ayano of the Ichinose family, spending more time at school and showing no tendency to bully others.
Yukinoshita Haruno sharpened her attention to secretly ponder Hachiman's motive for only bringing these little sisters out today, but outwardly she kept calm and changed the subject, introducing her close friends.
"Let me introduce, this is my good friend Tohsaka Touka, and these two are her cute little sisters, Rin and Sakura."
"Touka, this is the Hikigaya-kun I've been telling you about and his two little sisters, Komachi and Shion."
"Hello, Hikigaya-kun."
The pure and dignified long-black-haired elder sister, like a big Yukino, Tohsaka Touka looked at Hachiman, her gaze flickering a few times, and nodded lightly to him.
"Hello, Tohsaka-san."
Seeing the faint sorrow implied in Tohsaka Touka's refined, cool face, Hachiman also nodded without showing much expression.
He had seen her before when he and Iris stealthily entered the Poiman family mansion, and had even received a task called the Tohsaka family household matter.
At that time he almost thought a gas explosion would occur in Chiba City.
But this Tohsaka family clearly didn't have anything like a magic circuit; otherwise as the eldest daughter Tohsaka Touka, inheriting the family magic circuit, she wouldn't choose to enter into a marriage alliance.
Right now the Tohsaka family situation seemed more akin to the magical-girl Illya world where the Holy Grail War doesn't exist, just with an added eldest daughter Tohsaka Touka.
Hachiman opened the system task and rechecked Tohsaka Touka's character task.
["Character task—Tohsaka family household matter."]
["Tohsaka Touka's childhood wasn't ideal; her father died early, her two younger sisters were too young to understand, and as a child she could only watch her mother struggle alone to keep the household going."]
["Although she wanted to help her mother escape hardship through her own efforts and shoulder the Tohsaka family's burdens, she didn't know what she would soon have to face."]
["Please help Tohsaka Touka. Protect the Tohsaka family."]
["For the sake of her mother and sisters, Tohsaka Touka is willing to do anything."]
The task description hadn't changed, still vague as ever. How to "protect the Tohsaka family" seemed to be up to his interpretation; only after completing the task would the reward be revealed.
But since meeting Tohsaka Rin and Tohsaka Sakura didn't trigger their character tasks, was the main character of this Tohsaka family household matter indeed Tohsaka Touka?
From the description of Tohsaka Touka in the task, it seemed he should act first. Otherwise this outwardly strong and cool long-black-haired elder sister might, like the formerly silly Hayase Saki or the love-struck Ichinose Ayano, do something exasperating.
"Sakura, Rin, this is my and Shion's brother."
Komachi, not realizing her brother already had his eye on their elder sister, continued introducing her brother to Tohsaka Sakura and Tohsaka Rin.
Although Tohsaka Rin wasn't in their class and was actually a year older, because she often came to Komachi's classroom to check on Tohsaka Sakura to see if she was being bullied, they weren't strangers.
Well... actually because Tohsaka Sakura was introverted and not very talkative, Komachi and Shion spoke more with Tohsaka Rin and were therefore more familiar with her.
"Onii-chan hello~ You can just call me Rin like Komachi does."
Cheerful and lively, with playful black twin-tails tied with ribbons, Tohsaka Rin raised her hand and greeted Hachiman with a smiling face, her bright eyes full of curiosity.
She was very curious about Komachi's brother. He had taken in Shion who had become homeless after family troubles. Taken Shion as a sister, and single-handedly paid for her living expenses.
From Shion's reaction it seemed she lived happily at the Hikigaya house. There was no hint of embarrassment or awkwardness of being a dependent, and her smiles had increased a lot. She often drifted off while talking and would unconsciously smile.
Shion's family misfortune reminded Rin of her own.
Their family also suffered changes when they were young, but unlike the Takamine family who lent help with strings attached, Komachi's brother had helped without asking anything in return. The Takamine family attempted to grab their assets and even forced a promise of marriage on her sister.
Recently the Takamine family seemed impatient and wanted her sister to fulfill that old engagement.
Although it was help, the Takamine family's villains didn't make her sister cheerful like Komachi's brother did; her sister remained worried all day.
However, she didn't expect Komachi's brother to somehow be connected to their elder sister too. Haruno had called them out and even invited Komachi's brother.
It seemed Haruno treated Komachi's brother with a somewhat special attitude. This attitude didn't look like that of an ordinary friend.
Rin's eyes darted around; using her advantage of being younger, she unabashedly observed people's expressions.
"Hello, onii-chan...", Tohsaka Sakura, with a red hair ribbon on the left, reacted strangely. After greeting she didn't speak; she silently stared at Hachiman, forming a stark contrast with the lively, expressive Tohsaka Rin.
However, everyone present basically knew Tohsaka Sakura usually spoke little and was introverted, so they didn't notice that her reaction was slightly off.
"Rin and Sakura are both very cute. Nice to meet you."
Hachiman nodded to the two of them, trying to make his smile gentle and amiable.
With both Tohsaka Rin and Tohsaka Sakura present, their mother was undoubtedly the Yamato-Nadeshiko Tohsaka Aoi; whether their father was Tohsaka Tokimi was unknown.
But from the task description, although Tohsaka Sakura wasn't adopted into the Matō family, the two still had lost their father.
"We'll first stroll around the aquarium and chat; if after the aquarium and lunch we still have time, we can go to the nearby amusement park~ I haven't been to an amusement park in ages, today's a good chance~"
After greetings between both sides and a bit of getting familiar, Yukinoshita Haruno cheerfully looped an arm around Yukinoshita Yukino's shoulder, animatedly livening the mood as she led everyone into the aquarium.
Tohsaka Touka watched Haruno pull Yukinoshita Yukino and quietly come over to Hachiman's other side. Now with Yukinoshita Haruno and Tohsaka Touka flanking Hikigaya on either side, Touka unconsciously furrowed her brow.
'What does Haruno mean by this?'
'Trying to matchmake me with Hikigaya-kun?'
Touka, who was striving to improve herself to help her mother take on the family burden, naturally couldn't miss Haruno's motive.
But she already had an engagement. The Takamine conglomerate was influential; breaking the original agreement and tearing up the betrothal would surely bring retaliation from the Takamine family.
Although Haruno said Hikigaya and the Elf Princess were close, Touka had nothing to offer in return to Hikigaya.
Right now she only wanted to quickly resolve the Takamine issue and take over the burdens from her mother. She didn't want to see her gentle and honest mother exhausted by the declining family business.
Tohsaka Touka glanced back at Tohsaka Rin, who was whispering excitedly with Komachi and Shion, and at the silent Tohsaka Sakura watching them, pursed her lips, and then looked to Yukinoshita Haruno smiling over at her.
At the moment their eyes met, Touka, sensing her good friend's intent, couldn't help but let out a small sigh.
She understood Haruno's good intentions. But just as Haruno had taken on the Yukinoshita family's social duties and future political-business tasks for the sake of little-Yukino, Touka could also sacrifice herself for her sister and mother.
Compared to the declining Tohsaka family with few valuable assets that could get Hikigaya's help, the Yukinoshita family, which was still developing, needed Hikigaya's help more.
'Hmm? Yes! I'll help matchmake Haruno and Hikigaya! Whatever happens to me personally doesn't matter, Haruno must be happy.'
Tohsaka Touka suddenly realized that besides caring for her sisters, before fulfilling her engagement and taking over her mother's burden she also needed to help her only good friend Haruno with her remaining strength and give a final push.
———
[Aquarium]
After ticket inspection Hachiman and his group entered the aquarium, taking photos and playing as they went.
Generally an aquarium has several distinct zones: interactive areas where you can touch aquatic creatures up close, freshwater and deep-sea exhibition areas showing species from different regions, an animal performance area with audience seating and performance pools, and café and restaurant areas for rest and dining.
Some marine aquariums even make a marine amusement park to satisfy customers who want to splash around.
"This newly opened aquarium is pretty nice; the species are very diverse. It's a pity I don't know why the mermaid divas chose the gymnasium rather than this aquarium for their concert."
Yukinoshita Haruno, holding a sulky-looking Yukinoshita Yukino and with a pile of penguins behind them, took out her phone and made a selfie gesture, snapping a few photos. After shooting she glanced at Komachi and Rin chatting and taking photos nearby, smiled, and looked toward Hachiman and Tohsaka Touka who had no interest in taking pictures.
Today the little sisters were all supporting roles; the real stars were Hachiman and Tohsaka Touka.
Although she knew her good friend Touka had an engagement with that Takamine family, that engagement wasn't one Touka liked, and it wasn't even the Tohsaka family's initiative to make that promise.
Touka and the Takamine third son had only met a few times over so many years of engagement and had no real contact.
If Touka's only goal was to take over her mother's burdens and maintain the Tohsaka family business, getting involved with Hachiman, even marrying him, would be the best option.
She knew why the declining Rurikawa family's momentum had been so strong recently.
That night Touka had seen Rurikawa Tsubaki being taken away by a Poiman family maid; toward the end of the banquet the Poiman family head announced a large-scale resource tilt and multi-faceted deep cooperation with the Rurikawa family.
They had thought something was off then, but assumed Rurikawa Tsubaki had sacrificed herself to win it.
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