Thinking of the "Father" that Iris had just mentioned, Asou Miyuri instantly thought of a few particularly suitable good friends.
For example, Kazuko, the chairwoman of the Otonokizaka Academy Board. Kazuko's daughter Kotori is very cute. [T/N: From Love Live!]
Sakura and Otoha, who also hold higher positions in their companies, both have very cute daughters as well.
Sakura's daughter is named Iori, while Otoha has two, seemingly named Fuka and Nagisa... [T/N: I will translate the names properly when they are introduced in the story.]
These people always tease her, say she's immature, just like their daughters, and she wonders what expressions they would make if Hachiman-kun ended up hooking up with their daughters and their daughters called Hachiman-kun "father" just like she does.
Once the family meeting was over, the little landlady Asou Miyuri returned full of gains and ran off excitedly to find her good friends to bond with them.
Now it was almost time to be late, and Hachiman also had to go to school with Iris and the others.
"Komachi, pay attention. Tres Magia's trio are not ordinary idols. At school, you and Shion need to pay attention to classmates with withdrawn personalities around you and look after them."
Before leaving, Hachiman reminded Komachi again.
He knew that beside Magical Pink, Magical Blue, and Magical Sulfur, the three magical girls, there was also a girl who looked withdrawn and friendless but was actually the future supreme leader of the evil organization, Hiiragi Utena.
But he still hadn't figured out how to deal with that idealistic magical girl.
Better to wait until Hiiragi Utena becomes a female executive of the evil organization, then he would scoop them all up at once.
He didn't know whether Utena's fall to evil would be stronger, or whether his absolute "training" would be stronger.
If the service halo were combined with an idealistic magical girl, he might really become stronger just by lying down.
"I know, I know, I'll speak well of you in front of them."
Hearing Hachiman bring up Hanabishi Haruka and the other girl idols again, Komachi rolled her eyes.
Saying they weren't ordinary idols... was he eyeing Hanabishi Haruka and the others again?
Though she also thought Hanabishi Haruka and the others were quite cute, wasn't Hachiman getting a bit ridiculous.
Eating one Shion wasn't enough, he wanted to keep eating her classmates and friends? He wanted to bring all Komachi's classmates and friends home and wipe them out completely?
If this kept up, once she and Shion entered Sobu High, they wouldn't just be protected by upperclassmen, the whole school's girls would be their backing.
Though she didn't want that at all. Just imagining a situation where any random beautiful girl on campus turned out to be her brother's girlfriend was absurd!
———
"Sorry! Yumiko!"
"Ah?"
In Classroom 1-F, Miura Yumiko was talking with Kitagawa Marin about why Ijichi Nijika and the others still weren't here even though class was about to start, wondering if Hachiman had done something to Nijika.
Before they could reach any conclusion, Ichinose Honami, Ichinose Ayano, Hachiman, and the others walked into the classroom together.
Walking in front, Ijichi Nijika went straight up to Miura Yumiko, bowed ninety degrees, and apologized with a face full of remorse.
Hearing her good friend Ijichi Nijika suddenly apologize, Miura Yumiko was completely stunned.
What did this mean? Why apologize to me?
"Probably because Nijika didn't hold out against Hachiman-kun's request... but Nijika, sit down and talk properly first. Don't make too big a scene and draw attention."
Knowing Nijika's long-held thoughts, Kitagawa Marin instantly understood. She stood up and quickly pressed Nijika back into her seat from her ninety-degree bow, gave her a quiet reminder, then went to bring over Nijika's chair.
She, like Nijika, believed Yumiko liked Hachiman-kun.
But up to now Nijika had only had the "bullying" history with Hachiman-kun. The only time they really crossed the line was that night after the band performance when she and Yumiko rewarded Hachiman-kun in the recording studio.
After that night, she understood Nijika would eventually be held in Hachiman-kun's arms just like her.
She just didn't expect Nijika would run off to Hachiman-kun's house before Marin had time to "sell her out."
"Nijika, what are you apologizing to me for? I already said I don't have those kinds of feelings for Hachiman."
Thanks to Marin's reminder, the dazed Miura Yumiko realized the hidden meaning behind Nijika's words and quickly looked toward Hachiman sitting at his desk.
Seeing he was already surrounded by Yuina and the other gyaru girls and his expression couldn't be seen, Miura Yumiko could only suppress the strange feeling rising in her chest and look back at Nijika, asking in a low, incredulous voice.
"But Nijika, did you really... go all the way with that guy? Didn't you say you had several friends with you? How did he get you anyway?"
Nijika actually told her last night before going to Hachiman's house, but that invisible vengeful spirit thing she never believed. It was obviously some ridiculous excuse Hachiman made up because he wanted Nijika's bullying.
But Nijika was afraid of those mysterious things and believed Hachiman's lie.
Later, when Nijika stopped replying, Yumiko wanted to call, but the line seemed busy.
Since Nijika still had time to make calls, she figured she must be fine and relaxed.
After all, Nijika wasn't going alone. Yamada Ryou, Gotou Hitori, and a few other friends were also going.
Hachiman wouldn't dare do anything to Nijika in front of so many people, right? At most he'd secretly let Nijika step on him as a reward. Shameful, yes, but Nijika had done it before.
Who would have thought Nijika and Hachiman would arrive late together today, and Nijika would apologize to Yumiko as soon as she walked in.
Wasn't that obviously taking huge advantage of Nijika?!
"Mm... yeah...", Pressed by her two good friends for details about last night, Ijichi Nijika bit her lip and nodded slowly.
Her shame had long exceeded its limit, but since she'd already apologized and begged for Yumiko's forgiveness, there was nothing to hide now.
She had lost her head and done something wrong. If Yumiko no longer wanted to be friends with her, that was normal, let alone this level of embarrassment.
"He really got you? Did that guy force you? I'll go confront him!"
Seeing Nijika nod and admit it, Miura Yumiko instantly turned to glare at Hachiman, whose face couldn't be seen because of the gyaru crowd. Her anger shot up.
Nijika had already come to apologize to her. And Hachiman, who had taken advantage of Nijika, didn't even bother coming to say anything to her?
Even though she insisted she didn't have those feelings for Hachiman and Nijika and Marin were just misunderstanding...
Nijika was her good friend. If he ate Nijika and then immediately flirted with other girls, wasn't that looking down on Nijika? And not even putting Nijika's good friend in his eyes?!
"No, no! Hachiman didn't force me! Yumiko, don't be rash!"
Seeing Yumiko really about to go after Hachiman, Nijika ignored her embarrassment and quickly grabbed Yumiko.
This kind of thing couldn't be blown up. If it blew up, nobody's face would look good.
"So he didn't force you... then you went to him on your own?"
Kitagawa Marin stared straight at Ijichi Nijika, whose ears turned red and whose face was filled with shame whenever Hachiman was mentioned, and suddenly asked.
Nijika's expression was extremely rare. Even when they got splashed before, Nijika had never been this embarrassed.
"Uh, not exactly...", Asked such a sensitive question, Nijika froze, stammering with no idea how to respond.
"It's a bit complicated... anyway, it's me who wronged Yumiko. Yumiko, if you want to blame someone, blame me, not Hachiman."
Honestly, with how things had developed, if it were just that she and Hachiman made breakthrough progress last night, she wouldn't feel this guilty.
Everyone knew Hachiman had many girls around him. Marin and Yumiko were also very close to him.
In this situation, she could throw away the embarrassment and bring Yumiko in together with Marin.
But last night, when Ryou was feeding her twisted ideas, there was a moment when she really did think about her older sister and Hachiman, imagining herself with Hachiman, imagining her sister with Hachiman.
Wasn't that already a betrayal of Yumiko? She not only crossed the line with Hachiman... she even thought of dragging her sister into it... she truly felt guilty.
"Why would I blame you? If you don't blame me, that's enough."
Miura Yumiko didn't know Nijika's internal conflict. Seeing her so remorseful, she forgot about confronting Hachiman and hurried to comfort her friend.
"It's all my fault. If only I hadn't stupidly followed Yuina and the others to bully Hachiman back then."
"I shouldn't have let you and Marin get involved with that pervert and made you bear the consequences of my mistake."
Nijika and Marin had only gotten close to Hachiman because she joined Yuna and Minami in doing something wrong back then.
Before that, Nijika and Marin barely ever talked to Hachiman. Even though his later behavior proved he wasn't a masochist and that what they'd done was actually rewarding him.
Their relationship with him had already become muddled and impossible to explain.
"Yumiko...", Seeing Miura Yumiko, who didn't hold grudges and didn't care about her betrayal, only worried about her, Nijika's heart warmed deeply.
Yumiko really was the most suited for Hachiman.
So many people, including herself, had gained so many benefits from Hachiman, even learned magic. Yumiko couldn't miss out.
She had to find time to match Yumiko and Hachiman together with Marin.
"Nijika...", Looking at Nijika's teary eyes, Miura Yumiko felt immense guilt.
She knew exactly how much stamina Hachiman had. Even she and Marin together couldn't tame that guy, let alone the soft, delicate Nijika.
Nijika must have suffered last night. She even almost couldn't wake up. That explained why they were so late.
"...", Kitagawa Marin watched Nijika and Yumiko blame themselves and care deeply for each other like true sisters. She pressed her lips together and stayed quiet.
She felt it wasn't just Yumiko's problem. Nijika had her issues too.
Yumiko dragged Hachiman-kun to the restroom to do that kind of thing. Who would believe Yumiko and Hachiman-kun didn't have a special relationship? Even now, she didn't believe Yumiko had no feelings for him.
Nijika too had already been intimate with Hachiman before.
She even planned to sell Marin out to Hachiman and knew Marin planned to sell her out in return.
In that situation, Nijika still dared to go stay overnight at Hachiman-kun's house. She must have been mentally prepared and not really resistant toward him.
But after thinking of Yumiko and Nijika, Marin thought of herself.
Not to mention spacing out during class or what she did with Yumiko in the recording studio.
She secretly went to Rurikawa class rep's house and cosplayed Elf Forest theme with Iris and the others.
Forget it, they were all the same.
Looking at Nijika and Yumiko, who, even with romantic matters involved, still acted like close sisters without fighting, Marin made a quiet decision in her heart.
'Nijika, Yumiko, I will definitely make Hachiman bring happiness to both of you!'
"Um... sorry, Tenma-san."
Ichinose Honami, already sitting at her desk, saw from afar that Nijika and Yumiko seemed to have reconciled, then suddenly turned to Gabriel and quietly apologized.
Her relationship with Miura wasn't that close. Nijika apologizing was fine, but it would be weird for her to go over to apologize.
But she too had someone she needed to apologize to.
Since she transferred, the classmate at the neighboring desk, Tenma-san, had always taken care of her. Tenma-san treated her so well, yet behind her back Honami had done that with Hachiman-kun.
Tenma-san wasn't only sitting beside Hachiman-kun but even moved into the apartment next to his. She often went with Tsukinose-san to cook at Hachiman-kun's place and had a very good relationship with him.
But maybe because of her, Tenma-san hadn't come to cook recently.
According to Shion, last night Tenma-san didn't even eat dinner with them. After delivering food to Shion with Tsukinose-san, she went to Kitagawa's house to play games.
That was why Honami and Nijika didn't see Tenma-san or Tsukinose-san in the apartment's big bath last night.
"Honami-san, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Hearing Ichinose Honami suddenly apologize, Gabriel stiffly turned her head, her small face full of feigned confusion.
'Guess why I wasn't in the apartment last night and ran off to Marin's house to play that kind of game?'
'Even Vignette came along because she didn't dare stay in the apartment.'
"Tenma-san, last night...", Ichinose Honami looked at Gabriel's strange expression and wanted to explain what had happened last night with Nijika and the others.
"Actually, Honami, you can call me Gabriel. I would be happier if you called me Gabriel."
Gabriel cut her off with a bright smile, sincerely correcting her.
"Th-then... Gabriel-san, about last night...", Ichinose Honami hesitated, wanting to continue explaining.
She really wanted to be good friends with Gabriel-san and didn't want last night's events to create distance between them.
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