[T/N: Tachibana Yurika →Tachibana Yuka]
Although she hadn't had any contact with Hachiman either, she had heard plenty of gossip about him from her classmates. But one of her close friends had.
There was no need to mention Yukariko, who had fainted because her body had become demi-human, ended up in the infirmary, and stayed there alone with Hachiman behind closed doors while receiving treatment.
And then there was Ai-chan, a member of the girls' competitive swimming club, who had gotten to know Hachiman early on but had always avoided talking about him. There was no doubt that she absolutely shared some unspeakable secret with him.
If not for the thin-skinned Sae being beside her, she would have wanted to ask Hachiman directly what was going on. If he had fallen out with Ai-chan, did he need her help making peace with Ai-chan?
"So you really can go to Hachiman for help whenever you're in trouble? Then why doesn't anyone dare go?"
After hearing Tachibana Miya's explanation, Tachibana Koharu pushed up her glasses and couldn't help asking further, "It should be true. Quite a few clubs managed to get Hikigaya-kun to serve as their manager or coach by making a request through the Service Club."
Tachibana Miya nodded her little head, explaining with a grin.
"But as the club president, Hikigaya-kun often isn't in the Service Club. Most of the time it's Vice President Yukinoshita-san, who always has a cold expression, waiting there for requests."
"On the other hand, girls who go looking for Hikigaya-kun always end up being the subject of different rumors."
She actually wanted to visit the Service Club too, but Ai-chan wouldn't let her.
Ai-chan's worries weren't unreasonable. There really were quite a few girls close to Hikigaya-kun. Still, she had never heard any bad rumors about him forcing people. The only bad reputation he had was being a womanizer.
Well... being absent from class all the time and getting called to the student guidance office by teachers for tea didn't count as a bad reputation. Everyone knew that even the Elf Princess was Hachiman's fiancee. Whether he attended class or not simply didn't matter to him.
Only a rigid, stubborn teacher like Kirisu Mafuyu would keep making an issue out of Hachiman skipping class.
"Mm..."
Tachibana Yuka and Tachibana Koharu looked at each other, both wearing complicated expressions.
They hadn't officially entered Sobu High yet, nor had they officially joined the Service Club, so naturally they didn't know much about Hachiman.
But they had already formed an alliance with the Yukinoshita family and knew about magical girls and the Service Club.
Judging from this, had many of the girls at Sobu High already become magical girls?
According to what they'd heard, becoming a magical girl required undergoing a magical girl talent awakening ceremony, and only through Hachiman's awakening process could one become a magical girl.
No wonder Aunt Kiyuki had gone so far as to bring them in and discuss with their mother about transferring to Sobu High in Chiba.
And not just them. Members of other families as well.
The Yukinoshita sisters really were both beautiful, but that wasn't enough to give them an advantage in a school like Sobu High, where beautiful girls were everywhere. Besides, there were far fewer Yukinoshita sisters than members of the other factions. Without bringing others in as allies, they simply couldn't secure a place in the Service Club.
Watching Tachibana Yuka, Tachibana Koharu, and Tachibana Miya chatting happily without any sign of sleepiness, Tachibana Rui merely remained silent beside them, only occasionally saying a few words to show she was still there.
'When... would Nee-san come back...'
'She wouldn't really keep drinking until the middle of the night, would she...'
———
[Dormitory Apartment, Karuizawa Kei's Room]
"Haa..."
Hachiman lay in the very center of the bed, his eyes slightly narrowed, looking completely content.
Karuizawa Kei and Kushida Kikyo had fallen asleep on his left and right, resting on his arms. Their golden long hair and brown short hair were intertwined together, with half their bodies leaning against Hachiman's chest.
As the first two among everyone present to throw themselves into Hachiman's embrace, naturally none of the newcomers like Sakura Airiil and Matsushita Chiaki would compete with them for that spot.
Even Hanamori Kotomi and Hiratsuka Shizuka felt too embarrassed to compete with them.
Originally, the petite and adorable Sakayanagi Arisu should also have been in Hachiman's arms.
But Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't truly become a magical girl yet. If he forgot about her poor health, she might really not be able to endure it.
Sakayanagi Arisu had already done her best tonight. It was just that there were too many people, so in the end she still hadn't gotten much.
She couldn't completely improve her constitution, nor, because of it, could she activate the shared sensation function beside everyone else.
Of course, that didn't mean that just because Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't sleep in his arms, that space was left empty.
"Hina-nee, aren't you going to sleep yet? If we keep dragging this out, it'll be dawn."
Looking down at Tachibana Hina, whose brown long hair was spread across his chest and who still hadn't sat up again, Hachiman gently moved the arms being pressed down by Karuizawa Kei and Kushida Kikyo while, as usual, calling them all "Big Sister."
In a sense, Tachibana Hina, cheerful by nature and always energetic in front of others, was no less than a heroine from the 2d Underworld. Deep down, she was fragile and lacking in resolve.
Perhaps because everyone had accepted Hachiman, Tachibana Hina stopped insisting as well. After everyone had fallen asleep, she had taken the initiative to crawl over from the entrance hallway and slowly come to Hachiman's side alone.
"Hikigaya-kun... do you know about our Tachibana family? Did Aunt Kyoka and the others come to Chiba, to Sobu High... for you?"
Feeling her waist completely limp, Tachibana Hina slowly raised her head. Looking at Hachiman at close range, the tip of her pink tongue lightly touched his face as she asked in a quiet voice.
"Aunt Kyoka? She has two daughters, Tachibana Yuka and Tachibana Koharu, right? I do know... but Haruno is the one handling those matters. I didn't get involved."
Hachiman was a little surprised that Tachibana Hina had brought up Tachibana Kyoka. After thinking for a moment, he didn't deny knowing something and instead gently bit Tachibana Hina.
Compared to the Tachibana sisters from Domestic Girlfriend, the Tachibana mother and daughters from Tachibana-san Chi no Dansei Jijou were more famous. Naturally, there was no way he wouldn't know Tachibana Kyoka, Tachibana Yuka, and Tachibana Koharu.
However, everything he knew about the Tachibana family in this world had basically come from Yukinoshita Haruno.
As the club's vice president, Yukinoshita Haruno didn't have to explain everything to everyone, but if she wanted to bring family allies into the fold, she naturally had to report some things to him.
Among the Tachibana family, Tachibana Hana held the highest status, but that status didn't really mean much to everyone in the Service Club. The ones who truly deserved attention were the sister pairs Tachibana Hina and Tachibana Rui, as well as Tachibana Yuka and Tachibana Koharu.
"So it really was true... Aunt Kyoka and the others would actually do something like this..."
Hearing Hachiman not deny knowing Tachibana Kyoka and her daughters, Tachibana Hina suddenly became lost and confused. She stared blankly at Hachiman, letting him do as he pleased.
Karuizawa Kei and the others had already told her why Aunt Kyoka and the others had come to Chiba and Sobu High, but hearing Hachiman admit it with her own ears still left her finding it hard to believe.
Why would they travel all this way to throw themselves into his arms?
Although she herself was now doing the same, hers had happened because of circumstances and coincidence. It wasn't as "deliberate" as Aunt Kyoka and the others.
"Hina-nee, that's not something you need to be worrying about right now."
Seeing that Tachibana Hina had already come to him yet was still hung up on Tachibana Kyoka and the others, Hachiman couldn't help feeling speechless and bit her hard.
"What you should be thinking about now is whether this will be over by dawn, and whether you'll be able to get up in the morning."
"Eh? Can you let me off? I have to go back before noon to go shopping with Rui, Miya, and the others. I can't sleep for too long!"
Hearing that Hachiman intended to teach her a lesson, Tachibana Hina ignored the pain and hurriedly pleaded with him.
It was almost dawn and she still hadn't slept. If this didn't end soon, she really would sleep until the afternoon and never be able to get up.
She still wanted to establish some authority as the older sister. If she not only stayed out all night but also stood them up, how could she keep being everyone's dependable big sister?
"Don't worry. Once you become a magical girl, you'll understand that you don't need that much rest to stay energetic. I'll make sure you're full of energy to accompany them."
Hachiman wrapped his arms around Tachibana Hina's long, fair legs, pulling her soft, shapely body closer against his own.
After daybreak, he also had to accompany everyone to the convention. Iris's younger sister Rumilia and Marin Kitagawa had been waiting for a long time.
Become a magical girl and you wouldn't need so much rest?
She could go back full of energy to accompany Rui, Miya, and the others?
At first, Tachibana Hina didn't understand what Hachiman meant. She had simply followed her heart and walked the same path as her peers and seniors, coming to Hachiman's side.
Setting workplace isolation aside, just considering the possibility of the Tachibana sisters throwing themselves at him, she had no choice but to brace herself.
She wasn't very sure about Yuka and Koharu, but she knew very well that Miya and her own younger sister Rui knew nothing about this and, at least for now, had no intention of throwing themselves at Hachiman.
For the sake of her younger sisters, it was only natural that she, as the eldest sister, should shoulder the responsibility.
But it wasn't until the next morning, when Tachibana Hina completely sobered up from her drunken haze and saw Hiratsuka Shizuka, Ebihara Urara, Mizuho Kazami, and the others fully dressed beside the bed, along with Matsubara Miria and Takamine Ayako still sleeping soundly by the bedside... that she truly realized what they had done the previous night.
"S-Shizuka-senpai... um..."
Tachibana Hina swallowed nervously and instinctively looked toward Hiratsuka Shizuka among them.
In fact, Matsubara Miria and Itashiro Kurumi could both be considered Hiratsuka Shizuka's peers, and Matsubara Miria was even the most senior among them.
However, when it came to their relationship with Hachiman, Hiratsuka Shizuka was everyone's senior.
"Hina, you're awake? Here's your breakfast. Get some nutrition."
Noticing Tachibana Hina waking up, Hiratsuka Shizuka brought over a hot dog, a sandwich, and some milk from the table, smiling as she explained, "Now that you've become a magical girl, I'm sure you understand that there are many restless forces in this world."
"But you haven't gone through much training yet. Right now, only your physical abilities have changed noticeably. In reality, you still don't have much combat ability. If you run into any evil forces, return to the club and ask for help immediately."
"Are you looking for Hachiman? Don't bother. Today he's taking the Elf Princess and the others out to have fun. He'll probably be with them for another two full days. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll ignore you after last night. If you have anything important, you can always go to him."
Seeing Tachibana Hina blankly looking around as if searching for Hachiman, Hiratsuka Shizuka added a few more words.
"No, I meant... mm... never mind..."
Seeing that Hiratsuka Shizuka had misunderstood, Tachibana Hina wanted to explain. But after only getting halfway through, she bit her lower lip and said nothing more.
Actually, there was no need to say anything.
With so many of them appearing in Karuizawa-san's room, all sleeping in a mess, how could what had happened last night be fake?
Only... had she really lost her first time just like that?
What kind of relationship did she and Hikigaya have now? They didn't even seem to count as friends.
Looking down at her fair, moist skin, which looked far more radiant than before, while recalling the various pieces of knowledge that seemed carved into her body from last night, Tachibana Hina covered her burning face with her hand, unable to hide the confusion in her eyes.
She still didn't know what had happened last night. Had she simply gotten carried away because she drank too much? Had she sacrificed herself for her younger sisters? Or had she simply not wanted to be isolated by everyone.
"Hina, don't worry. Didn't Shizuka-senpai say so? Master is usually very busy. If you don't take the initiative to find him, you normally won't get to see him."
Having already put on her white pantyhose and finished tidying herself up, Ebihara Urara, who was preparing to leave, walked over, sat beside Tachibana Hina, and comforted her softly.
"Master never forces anyone, so the choice is still yours. If you like Master, be a little more proactive. If you don't want to get too involved, then just live your life normally."
"Maybe you can also find an opportunity to ask your Aunt Kyoka what she's thinking."
Mizuho Kazami sat down on Tachibana Hina's other side, her face slightly red as she echoed the suggestion.
They couldn't take the initiative to drag others into this themselves, but helping comfort them afterward was something they could do.
Although, judging from their own experiences and those of the other Service Club members, the possibility of not getting involved and simply continuing life as normal was unbelievably small.
Once someone had experienced Master's affection, how could they forget it, or remain completely indifferent?
Everyone else was doing it, so joining in and doing it a little yourself wasn't a big deal...
That way of thinking was common among everyone. It was just that, including themselves, everyone had tacitly chosen not to say it out loud.
"Ask Aunt Kyoka what she's thinking... Mm... I'll ask her properly after I go back."
Tachibana Hina paused. Seeing that both Ebihara Urara and Mizuho Kazami seemed to be doing well by Hachiman's side, she could only nod shyly.
She didn't believe the part about having the initiative. Hachiman aside, the people around her would definitely keep pulling her along.
The first time had required alcohol. The second time wouldn't. She didn't even know how she was supposed to show resistance.
But Urara was right. Once she got back, she needed to have a proper talk with Aunt Kyoka.
Although she wasn't sure whether Aunt Kyoka and the others had simply come because they wanted Hikigaya-kun himself, or because they wanted the power of magical girls.
But if Aunt Kyoka had arranged for Yuka and Koharu to transfer to Sobu High because of Hikigaya-kun, then once she learned about Hina's close relationship with him now, she would definitely tell her the details and ask for her help.
Watching Ebihara Urara and Mizuho Kazami already helping Hachiman comfort his harem on their own, Hiratsuka Shizuka felt somewhat speechless, but she said nothing. Turning her head, she called out to Matsubara Miria, Takamine Ayako, and Anna Tsukioka, who still had their eyes tightly shut.
"You three can stop pretending to sleep. Time to get up. This is Karuizawa-san's room."
"Before Hachiman left, he told me there's a private cosplay event for the Service Club tomorrow. It's mainly for cosplay. If you have time, remember to come."
Although Matsubara Miria, Takamine Ayako, and Anna Tsukioka hadn't become magical girls and were still physically ordinary people...
Last night they had only experienced a little shared sensation punishment. After that, nobody paid them any attention, so the three of them hadn't exhausted themselves like Tachibana Hina had.
Of course, since they hadn't joined in last night, they had no choice but to pretend to be asleep to avoid the awkwardness.
"There's another one tomorrow?"
Hearing Hiratsuka Shizuka's words, Matsubara Miria, Takamine Ayako, and Anna Tsukioka suddenly opened their eyes. They couldn't keep pretending anymore.
If nobody had ignored them last night, they probably would have been tormented until they couldn't help begging Hachiman to favor them.
'And now there is going to be another one tomorrow!'
'And it is going to be cosplay? How are people like us supposed to do cosplay?'