Even though it was her first time, she was more obsessed than they were, and before she had fully recovered she was already getting back up.
They did not know what kind of person the outwardly well put together Kirisu Mafuyu was behind closed doors.
But not only Kirisu Mafuyu, even she, Nijika, Ayano, Tsubaki... in the eyes of outsiders they were probably all hiding themselves deeply.
Ichinose Honami could not help glancing at the class president Rurikawa Tsubaki, Ichinose Ayano, Horigome China and the others who were sitting in the front rows.
Who would have thought that the ones always joking, messing about, and playing in the back row with Hachiman, Marin, Yumiko, Nijika, Gabriel and the others, were not actually the ones closest to Hachiman in class.
Sitting in the front rows, looking like they only exchanged the occasional nod with Hachiman, the council daughter Ichinose Ayano and the noble heiress Rurikawa Tsubaki were in fact the ones with the deepest ties to Hachiman and the ones who listened to him the most.
If one day someone saw Kirisu Mafuyu, Hanamori Kotomi, and Hiratsuka Shizuka in Hachiman's house, in the apartment bathhouse... It would not seem that surprising.
———
[Student Guidance Room]
Hachiman and Hanamori Kotomi walked in and immediately saw two long black haired women sitting on the guest sofa.
One had a princess-style black mane, composed and dignified, her brows and eyes carrying a faint sorrow. The other, sitting with a somewhat wild posture, was an old acquaintance of his, Hiratsuka Shizuka.
He thought only Ebihara Urara would be waiting for him, so he was surprised to see Hiratsuka Shizuka as well.
"What kind of look is that? This is my student guidance room!"
Seeing Hachiman's odd look toward her, Hiratsuka Shizuka instinctively clenched her fist and glared at him fiercely, asserting ownership of the student guidance room.
Even if this student guidance room had been sullied by Hachiman, it was still her student guidance room, the place where teachers guided and educated students.
She absolutely would not hand it over and allow Hachiman to run wild here with so many students.
"I didn't say anything. Shizuka, why are you so worked up?"
Hachiman smiled, waved his hand, closed the student guidance room door, and pulled Hanamori Kotomi to sit opposite Hiratsuka Shizuka and Ebihara Urara, greeting them proactively.
"Hello, Ebihara-sensei."
"Hello, Hikigaya-kun."
Ebihara Urara, who outwardly looked very composed, seemed a bit reserved now, and instinctively glanced at Hanamori Kotomi beside Hachiman, who appeared very close to him.
"It's like this. Yesterday I visited Urara's home, and at night a stranger rang the doorbell. They seemed to have discovered there were other people besides Urara, so they slipped a letter in and left."
Hanamori Kotomi knew that Ebihara Urara was not familiar with Hachiman, so she quickly took the initiative to explain the situation.
"The letter said he had come to collect a debt. Urara's fiance, Saijo Takayuki, invested in a business and owes fifty million. Because Saijo's repayment is overdue and he's nowhere to be found, the loan company came looking for Urara."
"The loan company said either Urara must immediately pay off the debt, or choose to teach at Kokutetsu Academy for a time to waive the interest."
"Of course, we didn't open the door on our own. This morning Hiratsuka-sensei came to pick us up and brought us to school."
She and Mizuho Kagami were a bit more outgoing in personality and had a decent relationship with the gentle and quiet Ebihara Urara.
Originally they had noticed Urara seemed a bit down recently and planned to visit her home.
Who knew this would happen before they left. It scared Urara so much she didn't dare go home alone last night, and only this morning did she ask the famously iron-fisted Hiratsuka Shizuka for help, and the three of them came to Sobu High together.
"Hmm, we haven't been able to contact Takayuki recently. I didn't expect his investment to fail and owe so much," Seeing Hanamori Kotomi speak up for her, Ebihara Urara slowly opened her mouth, her brows drooping, her mood very low.
She was born into a family of teachers. Her parents and grandparents were teachers. Influenced by the family, her dream was to become a beloved, popular, excellent teacher.
Now she was teaching at Sobu High and things had been going well. She thought she would have a happy life.
Who would have imagined this. If the debt collectors hadn't come calling, she might never have known her fiance owed so much in the name of supporting their future.
"So Kotomi came to ask me because," Seeing the development was a little different from what he expected, Hachiman began to recall Ebihara Urara's story.
He had thought Urara came to ask him to rescue her fiance, and he had even prepared to pull in Nishikigi Chisato and Inoue Takina to sweep the cult out with an OP mowing spree and then have Lycoris help clean up afterward.
But thinking carefully, Urara probably did not yet know how terrible her fiance really was. She likely thought he had merely failed in business and that his debts had dragged her in.
She likely did not know her fiance had joined a cult and intended to pull her into the abyss.
So this situation now, it wouldn't be to ask him to lend money, would it?
Many people were pressured by relatives or friends to sign a joint guarantor agreement. Once that signature was on the paper, they agreed to repay all the debtor's obligations.
That was a legally binding indenture. Now that the fiance had run away, it was up to Urara to pay.
Fifty million was not a small amount for ordinary people. Ebihara Urara looked like a traditional gentlewoman, but she was not from a wealthy family.
Although teachers' pay was decent, Urara was still young and had not worked long. She wouldn't have much savings. Paying fifty million, even without predatory loans, paying the interest alone would be tough.
"Urara does not have the money to pay, but she is not here to borrow from you."
At this point Hiratsuka Shizuka set aside the embarrassment of Hachiman occupying her student guidance room and, calming herself, spoke up.
"She originally planned to accept their offer to teach at Kokutetsu Academy for a month to waive the interest."
"But I stopped her. I would not let her go to Kokutetsu Academy."
"Because I checked and the school they sent her to is a very bad school."
"Apparently any stupid kid can get in there. It's said to be a nest for delinquent youth. Locals hate this school and call it the Pre-Gangster Academy."
"The loan company's offer to waive interest if she goes there as a teacher is definitely ill-intended."
"Wait a moment. If it's not about borrowing money, then Shizuka, why did you and Kotomi call me here?", Hachiman interrupted Hiratsuka Shizuka's rambling.
They did not know Urara's fiance had joined a cult. They did not need him to rescue anyone. So what help did they want from him?
"To ask you to ensure Urara's safety, of course."
Hiratsuka Shizuka rolled her eyes at the impatient Hachiman and said flatly.
"I don't want Urara to go to that Kokutetsu Academy. If she goes there alone she will definitely run into trouble. I couldn't find anything wrong with the loan company itself for now. Urara's fiance really owes a lot. With interest it's fifty million."
"If the debt goes unpaid, that loan company might have yakuza groups cause trouble for Urara. It's dangerous for her to live alone, so—"
"So you want Urara to live at my house, Shizuka?"
Hachiman followed the thread of Hiratsuka Shizuka's words and asked, his expression strange as he looked at her.
Although he knew Urara's fiance was scum and not worthy of her, Urara did not know that. He could not exactly make a move on a woman who had a fiance.
'Well... a fiance is still a fiance.'
"What are you thinking? There's no way I would let a young female teacher move into your house. Where would you put Urara?"
Seeing Hachiman's odd expression, Hiratsuka Shizuka really wanted to punch him twice, but she held back.
This was too much. Hachiman must be crazy to want to be a househusband. If he had ideas about a naive sweet like Hanamori Kotomi it'd be one thing.
How could the sensible, virtuous Ebihara Urara possibly agree to work while Hachiman played house?
"I only want to ask you to tell Rurikawa if Urara can stay at Rurikawa's house. I will find Urara's fiance and make the debtor go after him instead."
Hiratsuka Shizuka said this and glanced at the exhausted Ebihara Urara, then did not continue.
She thought Ebihara Urara had been foolishly betrayed by her fiance before marriage and even casually signed a joint guarantor agreement.
But Urara took feelings seriously. Even though her fiance was missing, she was not ready to give up and even planned to help repay the debt.
Fifty million would not be easy for Urara's ordinary family to pay. If this debt ruined them, it would ruin their whole lives.
"Shizuka, you want to borrow the influence of the Rurikawa family to protect Ebihara-sensei?"
Hachiman was about to say his house was actually quite big and could host a few more young female teachers, but when Hiratsuka Shizuka brought Rurikawa Tsubaki into it he straightened up and considered the matter seriously.
"Yes, I know this request is presumptuous, but the best and easiest person to protect Urara who would agree is you, Hikigaya."
Hiratsuka Shizuka also put on a serious face, nodded at Hachiman.
"Originally I thought to arrange Urara at my house, but my family situation is a bit special. Sheltering Urara might provoke conflict and make things worse."
She knew many people who could protect Urara, but no one would protect a stranger for no reason.
Only Hachiman, who founded the Service Club and so far did unpaid good deeds, might agree.
Although that was not why she asked Hachiman to work for free, at this moment he was the only reliable candidate in her mind.
"Hikigaya-kun, can you help? You said before that if anything happens we could ask you, right?"
Hanamori Kotomi, sitting beside Hachiman, quickly wrapped her hands tightly around his arm, pressing soft pressure against him and whispering into his ear.
"Although I know this might trouble you, Urara is in real danger now."
"Please help Urara. Um, I will eat lunch at the Service Club room every day."
She did not know why Hiratsuka Shizuka had not mentioned compensation, but she felt making Hachiman work for free was not right. She had to give Hachiman some recompense.
Even if she had little money, she had to find a way to give something satisfying.
"Hikigaya-kun, although we are not familiar, Shizuka and Kotomi trust you for a reason."
Ebihara Urara, who was sitting opposite, did not want to trouble Hachiman, but seeing Hiratsuka Shizuka so seriously request his help and Hanamori Kotomi acting coquettish toward him, she bit her lip and slowly stood up, bowing deeply to Hachiman.
"I do not expect your protection, but if you are willing to shelter me, I will repay you properly."
She knew her words sounded pale, but she did not know what else to do.
Her Takayuki was surely desperately trying to earn money, but she could not contact him. As a teacher she lacked life experience. Facing such a huge debt for the first time she was at a loss.
After Hiratsuka Shizuka explained Kokutetsu Academy's situation, she was scared.
But what could she do? Her fiance's whereabouts were unknown. In any case the money had to be repaid.
Even if Hachiman sheltered her temporarily, she still had to pay later. Hachiman could not protect her forever.
"You do not need to make such a solemn atmosphere. Kotomi, you obeyed and came to me first. Since you and Shizuka trust me, I cannot betray that trust."
Looking at how the debt issue had become so serious, Hachiman felt a bit helpless. He reached out and patted Hanamori Kotomi's high crimson ponytail.
The saintly fool suddenly was not so foolish and actually knew how to tempt him.
If he wanted to help, he would do so without payment.
If he did not want to help, they could not offer anything to move him.
"Hikigaya, do not treat me like a child," Hanamori Kotomi, feeling Hachiman's light stroke on her ponytail and hearing his approving words, blushed. She felt a little ashamed.
She had come to beg Hachiman for help, yet he was sounding like he was coaxing a child.
Still, a bit of joy welled up inside.
Hikigaya gave the impression of a problem student, but he respected her opinion.
She obediently came to ask him to help Ebihara Urara, and even for Urara's sake Hikigaya was willing to help without charge.
"Hikigaya, have you agreed to shelter Urara?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Hachiman, who in front of her was teasing Hanamori Kotomi, and reminded him helplessly.
Ebihara Urara was still bowing at a ninety-degree angle. Could he wait before flirting?
"Of course. But since it's not a loan shark, this unpaid debt is a bit shady. Shizuka, find out how much of the debt is principal and how much is interest. Don't let them compound the interest."
"If the principal is not much I can consider paying Urara's debt first. Then Urara can repay me slowly."
Hachiman nodded, instructing Hiratsuka Shizuka to investigate while looking at the still-bowing princess-style Ebihara Urara.
"By the way, is Ebihara-sensei willing to take on an after-school part-time job?"
"Rurikawa's family is currently hiring maids. If Ebihara-sensei accepts a maid job I think the pay could be increased."
"Urara can still teach normally at school. She would commute with Tsubaki's car so there's no need to worry about safety."
Ebihara Urara, who had been maintaining a ninety-degree bow, felt as if a gentle but strong wind had pushed her back down onto the sofa.
But when she heard Hachiman say he would help pay her debt first and even offer a part-time job to earn money, she immediately stood up again, looked at Hachiman gratefully, and bowed deeply once more.
"I accept!"
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