She had actually done it, she'd invited him!?
With trembling hands, Gotoh Hitori took out her keys and opened the front door, her emotions surging like a tsunami.
Though she had somehow managed to summon the courage to run up and invite Haru after some encouragement from Kita-chan and Ryo-senpai, she never imagined he would agree so readily, let alone follow her back home so naturally to hang out.
This was something she would have never even dared to dream of before.
"...Come in."
With a calm expression, Hitori led Haru into the room. Her composed demeanor made him raise his eyebrows in mild surprise.
He never expected that Hitori, who used to never initiate any interaction and always left it to him to make conversation had suddenly grown bold enough to invite him over to her house and on top of that, she was even managing to stay so composed?
Just earlier, she had looked like she was going to faint from nerves. How did she suddenly seem like a completely different person?
"..."
Facing away from Haru, Hitori's lips twitched slightly. She had just barely resisted the urge to clap a hand over her own mouth.
It was a reflex born of overwhelming anxiety. If she hadn't caught herself in time and held it back, she might've ended up performing that infamous... "rainbow-style vomit" right in front of the boy she liked!?
Even though she had worked up the courage to bring Haru-san home, her brain was now completely blank.
What should she do? What was she supposed to do next!?
"Eh? Big sis and a big brother?"
The sliding door to the living room slid open, and a small head peeked out.
Hearing the voice, Hitori's younger sister, Gotoh Futari, looked at the two standing at the entrance with a puzzled expression. This made Bocchi freeze in pure terror, and before anyone could react, she bolted to her sister and clamped a hand over the girl's mouth at lightning speed.
Under Futari's confused gaze, Bocchi stammered nervously, "Futari? Weren't you going out with your friends today?"
"Yup~ but it's not time to leave yet!"
With her hands behind her back, Futari smiled brightly, then gave Haru a curious glance.
"Big sis~ why didn't you tell me you were bringing a big brother home? If I had known, I would've just stayed and played with him instead!"
At those words, Bocchi turned pale, momentarily at a loss for words.
She had pushed herself so hard today just to muster the courage to invite Haru-san over. If she couldn't make some progress with her future husband this time, who knew when she'd get another chance like this?
If the day ended with "Haru and Futari had fun playing together," then she would absolutely become a shriveled, hopeless little moss ball of despair.
No. That kind of ending cannot happen!
Resolving herself, Bocchi took a deep breath and tried her best to remain calm despite the urgency in her eyes. "Futari, today is really, really important to me! It's about something that will affect the rest of my life!"
"So… could you go out and play a bit earlier today? I'll treat you to as many ice creams as you want later…"
With pleading eyes, she stared at her only five-year-old sister. Her pursed lips and desperate expression made Futari blink in surprise.
Even if she couldn't fully understand what was going on, humans could sense emotions through words, and right now, it was the first time she'd seen her sister look so serious and cool. She simply nodded dazedly.
"Ah, okay. I get it."
Futari's light blue eyes sparkled faintly. Then, as if nothing had happened, she ran over to Haru's side.
Before Haru could even speak, the little girl with pink twin ahoge puffed up her cheeks in protest and tugged on his pants with her tiny white hands. "Big brother, big brother~ why didn't you tell me you were coming over today!"
"I already promised to go out with Komachi-chan today, so I don't have time to play with you…"
Maybe it was because Haru had no resistance to small, adorable kids like Futari, or maybe it was just natural human affection for cute children, but he couldn't help patting her head as he responded:
"My bad~ Next time I come over, I'll be sure to let you know in advance."
"It's a promise, okay! You have to come back soon!"
With her eyes crinkling into little crescent moons, Futari proudly held out her pinky to make a promise with Haru. At the same time, she sneaked a glance at her sister with the corner of her eye, making Bocchi's eyes go wide in disbelief.
She… she got Haru-san to promise to come again with just two sentences!?
My little sister is terrifying!
"Ah! That's right, I suddenly remembered something really interesting!"
"Big brother, big brother, come down here for a sec~"
Seeing her waving him over excitedly, Haru crouched down without hesitation, though he looked a little confused.
In that moment, the small pink puffball leaned in and whispered softly into his ear:
"Lately, my sister's been saying weird stuff in her room like, 'No, Haru, not that…' and 'I miss him so much I can't sleep, it hurts…' and even 'I want to kiss him…' I'm seriously worried about her condition!"
"But if it's you, big brother, I just know you'll figure out how to make her normal again!"
With that, the little pink troublemaker put her hands behind her back and cheerfully stepped away from Haru.
Before he could react, she was already on tiptoe opening the front door. "Well, I'm off now~ Bye-bye, big brother!"
Click!
The door shut with a soft snap behind her, leaving Hitori slowly coming back to her senses.
Why did her sister whisper something to Haru just before leaving?
That mysterious look Futari gave as she walked out gave Bocchi a bad feeling, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't guess what was said. Still, her worry somehow helped ease her nerves.
"U-um? Haru-san, did Futari say anything… weird just now?"
Weird?
Haru gave the pink-haired girl beside him a curious look. Recalling what the little fluffball had whispered, he felt an odd stirring inside him.
But he also knew, there was no way he could let Bocchi hear any of that.
If she did, she'd probably faint on the spot.
"She didn't say much… just told me to 'do my best,' I think?"
Mumbling the words "do my best," Hitori suddenly realized why Futari had given her that meaningful look earlier. Her scattered thoughts started to come together, and her nerves began to settle. A new strength rose inside her.
That's right. She had to do her best!
After all, in that dream world, she was the one who defeated Sakiko.
That meant that, at the very least, she was still an incredibly charming girl in Haru's eyes, right!?
In that moment, Bocchi suddenly felt a surge of confidence.
…
The last time he had been in Bocchi's room was… the last time.
To be honest, Haru had no particular impression of Gotoh Hitori's room. For a girl's space, it had none of the typical "girlish" atmosphere. It was a traditional Japanese-style room, with plain tatami mats, a low, unadorned round table, a simple floor mirror, and an utterly ordinary desk with no special touches.
Rather than calling it Bocchi's room, it felt more like just a place to sleep.
"Haru-san!"
Hitori, walking ahead, suddenly called out, snapping Haru out of his drifting thoughts.
"I just realized it's kind of hard to relax if we're just sitting in the room talking! So… would you come into the closet with me?"
Clenching her fists to feign casualness, Hitori asked the question, though beneath her calm surface was unimaginable tension.
The sudden request made Haru raise his eyebrows slightly. For Bocchi, the closet was the only place where she truly felt safe, so a request like this coming from her mouth didn't seem that odd.
But what struck him as strange was how easily she said it.
Normally, Hitori would never be so straightforward. With her timid and self-doubting nature, she'd usually fidget and agonize for a long while before even timidly suggesting such a thing.
"You're actually luring me into the closet? Bocchi, are you some kind of mimic monster hiding in a treasure chest?"
Haru's teasing smile made the pink-haired girl tremble slightly. In that moment, she realized he might have already guessed her true "intentions," but it was too late to back down now.
If she couldn't get into the closet, she wouldn't be able to face Haru with the sincerity and composure she needed.
Think! What would Kita do in this moment!?
As her mind raced, Bocchi lifted her head slightly, her blue eyes swirling like the surface of water.
Faced with Haru's playful teasing, she didn't panic the way one might expect.
Instead, she reached up with pale, delicate fingers and brushed aside the cherry-colored strands of hair that framed her face, slowly revealing her pure, flawless profile and soft neck. A faint blush of gentle pink rose to her cheeks, making her look like a dewdrop-covered lotus, blooming in quiet beauty.
She raised her gaze, eyes fluid and soft, and spoke with a slightly trembling voice:
"...Is that, not okay?"
"No problem. Let's go."
Crap. He surrendered too easily.
Haru wasn't exactly known for his resistance. He could handle girls like Soyo or Anon easily because their defense was practically nonexistent. But when he didn't take the initiative, he was surprisingly easy to sway.
Just like now. Bocchi made a serious request, and he gave in without a fight.
"…."
At the thought, Haru's lips twitched.
He always thought of Bocchi as a sweet little wife he could easily wrap around his finger, but something about her today was definitely off. Every move she made was full of a coyness and confidence that clashed with her usual gloom and insecurity, amplifying her natural charm several times over.
Did she tweak her stats?
No, this wasn't a tweak—this was a full-on power spike that broke the entire system!
"Whew…"
Gotoh Hitori quietly exhaled, secretly pumping her fist out of Haru's line of sight.
She wasn't as cute and cheerful as Kita-chan, nor did she have the graceful beauty and seductive allure of Ryo-senpai. But for some reason, every time she made a request or invitation, Haru just… said yes. That alone was enough to help the insecure and timid Bocchi find a growing sense of confidence.
Maybe… she was finally beginning to understand how she managed to win in the dream.
Could it be that… Haru simply had no way to say no to her?
Trying her best to suppress her surging joy, Bocchi held back her thoughts and excitement.
This was just the first step. If she truly wanted to change herself, to change her relationship with Haru, she needed to stay calm and composed!
"Hmm? Feels like your closet is a bit roomier than last time?"
The dark, narrow closet was noticeably more spacious than before. Back when Haru last visited, there hadn't even been room to stretch their legs. They'd both had to huddle awkwardly in their own tiny halves.
But now, things were different. He could sit cross-legged with his arms spread out and still have extra space.
As Haru's question reached her ears, Hitori slowly returned to reality, her face blushing bright red as she replied, "Ah… that's because last time you came over, you said it felt a little cramped for two people, so I cleaned it up a bit."
"Now, even if we sleep in here together, it'd be fine with just a little squeeze!"
The words slipped out before she had time to filter them. Brimming with confidence, Bocchi shot Haru a look that clearly said, "Praise me!" But when no response came for a long while, her face began to stiffen. Realizing the implication of what she'd just said, she instinctively tried to shrink back.
No. She couldn't retreat now.
This was a rare chance to be alone with Haru. If she backed down here and turned into her usual shy, mumbling, self-doubting self, then what was the point of all her effort today? What about all the support she received from the others?
No. Think. What would Ryo-senpai do in this moment?
"…It's, it's a little stuffy in the closet."
The pink-haired girl's voice came out in a stiff murmur. As she spoke, she reached for the zipper of her track jacket under Haru's puzzled gaze.
Haru's eyes widened as he realized what was happening and reflexively spoke. "Bocchi? Don't tell me you're…"
"Aren't you hot, Haru-san? I feel like I can barely breathe in here…"
Hitori's voice trembled as she spoke, her breathing uneven and growing more rapid with each word.
Then came the soft zzzip, she pulled down her track jacket's zipper.
Blazing heat exploded through her body from embarrassment. Her delicate face flushed a vivid red, like the colors of a fiery sunset, as the open jacket revealed her soft, pale neck and the loose, snow-white shirt beneath.
The moment her jacket opened up, the air in the closet felt noticeably heavier.
The gentle scent of her shampoo began to fill the tight space. The sheer visual intensity made Haru instinctively try to look away, but it was like a sniper scope had locked onto his gaze, he turned away for a second, only for muscle memory to snap him right back.
Even Soyo might be a step behind her right now.
"..."
Oh no, oh no, oh no... was this pink-haired girl really Bocchi!?
Why was she suddenly so good at using her own charms? To make Haru's willpower crumble like Bruno Mars was to Rose.
Haru had come here expecting to observe what kind of antics Bocchi might be up to, but now his thoughts were crashing like a tidal wave, completely out of control. His vision was swimming.
Forget his usual skills of observation or reasoning, he could barely hold on to the most basic shred of composure.
Just as the tightrope of rationality was about to snap, Haru awkwardly changed the subject. "By the way… Bocchi, you said earlier there was something you wanted to show me. What was it?"
Gotoh Hitori, whose brain felt like it was sizzling from embarrassment, gratefully grabbed the lifeline and shifted her focus. Her face still flushed, her expression softened slightly with a mix of shyness and resolve. Her bright blue eyes glanced toward a certain spot.
"I-I'll look for it now!"
"Um, Haru-san, could you move just a little bit?"
Haru instinctively shifted to the side, giving the pink-haired girl enough room to search.
She reached into the dim closet, fumbling around. Because of the cramped space, she was extremely close to Haru. With her tracksuit partially unzipped, it was like she'd unleashed some kind of sealed power, an aura of overwhelming destruction radiating from her like Exodia itself.
Even through the loose white shirt, Haru could feel the staggering pressure.
"...S-sorry."
Their hands brushed now and then. Flushed red with embarrassment, Bocchi whispered her apologies while continuing her search.
Pinned beneath her, Haru felt like he was about to black out. After what felt like forever, she finally pulled out a small notebook from the back of the closet. At first glance, Haru could tell it looked familiar.
"Th-this was actually a notebook Tomori gave me. I just… wanted to show it to you!"
With her heart pounding, Gotoh Hitori gently handed over the notebook. Seeing her so serious, Haru calmed down slightly, the heat in his chest ebbing just a bit.
But the moment he opened the notebook, his expression froze.
"These are… lyrics?"
Wait a second, why did these lyrics look kind of familiar?