AN: Hello everyone, J here again to give you all the second update for this Fic!
I gotta admit, I really enjoy writing this chapter. It is really fun to write the banter between Hachiman and Honami.
It just naturally coming out or something?
Honami's playful personality highlights Hachiman's.
Or maybe it's just because I like them together?
Ahahaha... sorry Mei... I will definitely give you a highlight next Arc!
Anyways, here is the chapter for you all to read! Hopefully you enjoy it!
===================================
Deserted Island, Hachiman's Home Planet…
As the new couple basked in the afterglow of their first intimate moment, Hachiman decided to strike while the iron was still hot.
He glanced at the humming, satisfied Honami leaning comfortably on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself to reveal something important—his relationship with Mei and Ruan Mei.
"Honami…"
"Hmmm? What is it~?"
He actually winced at the sweet tone of her voice. It almost made him hesitate about what he was about to say.
'This could end badly for me… I might even risk this genuine bond we just formed… but as my real thing… as the person I love… I can't lie to her. Not to Mei. Not to Ruan Mei.'
Taking another deep breath, he pulled himself together.
"Actually… there's something you should know first."
Sensing the seriousness in his voice, Honami straightened slightly and looked at him directly.
"...I'm actually also in love and in a relationship with someone else."
Honami blinked and tilted her head.
"I know. It's Sayanagi‑san, right?"
Hachiman stared at her, completely dumbfounded by how calmly she said that.
"Huh? Why did you think it was her?"
"Because she never tries to hide her feelings for you, and you never really deny them either… Plus, she practically lives in your dorm room nowadays." Honami pouted. "She's already acting like your wife—cooking for you, taking care of you, and doing all sorts of things."
'I can't even show off my own wife skills because of her!'
Her reply made Hachiman want to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Okay… I'll admit I do have some feelings for Arisu, but no—we're not in an official relationship. At least not yet."
'I should really clear things up with Arisu once we get back to school…'
"Huh? It's not her?" Honami tilted her head. "...Was it Kamuro‑san? Ah—no, probably not Kamuro‑san. She feels more like a mistress than an official girlfriend."
"...Isn't that a bit cruel toward Kamuro?" Hachiman replied with mild exasperation. "But yes, it's not her either."
"Hmmm… then was it Shiina‑san? Or Horikita‑san?" Honami tried again.
"...No. It's not them either," Hachiman deadpanned.
"Then was it Sakura‑san, Hasebe‑san, Kushida‑san, Matsushita‑san, Satou‑san, or Karuizawa‑san?" Honami continued listing the girls who had some sort of connection with him.
"I'd really like to know why you even thought of them… but let's leave that aside for now. And no, it's not any of them either."
His cheeks twitched as he answered tiredly.
"Hmm… was it an upperclassman? Ah… no, wait. I forgot—you have a thing for younger girls." She nodded to herself confidently.
"..."
Hachiman deadpanned at Honami's confident expression in complete silence.
'Oi, oi! Just where did you hear that?! Who is spreading this false information about me?!'
He complained internally. After all, leaving aside Ruan Mei's real age—coming from a planet blessed by the Abundance—even Mei was older than him.
"If she wasn't from ANHS… then she must be from outside the school." Honami crossed her arms as she tried to recall the girls close to Hachiman outside ANHS.
"Tamaki‑san, Yoshizawa‑san, and her sister were close to you… But they never clearly showed romantic interest. Unless…" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"No. It's not like what you're thinking," Hachiman cut in before she could continue. "If anything, they were all overwhelmed by how openly affectionate you were toward me. And with you and Arisu competing every time you met, it made it even harder for them to make a move."
"...So you noticed their feelings too and remembered all that." Honami pouted and pinched his side. "You really are a bad guy."
"S‑sorry…" he apologized weakly.
Sighing, Honami finally released him. "Okay, last try! Was it Yukinoshita‑san? Yuigahama‑san? Or Isshiki‑san?"
"No, it's not them either," he replied with a dry smile.
"Huh? Not them either?" Honami's eyes widened before her brows furrowed in confusion. "Then who is it? I've never seen you get close to any other girls before."
Then her eyes widened suddenly, and a gasp escaped her lips.
"Don't tell me… Is it a boy?!"
"Just what kind of ridiculous thoughts are running through your head?!"
"Nooo!!! Stop it!!"
Honami quickly begged for mercy as Hachiman started ruffling her hair mercilessly. Eventually, he stopped, already feeling tired of how chaotic their conversation had become.
"....Why is this conversation more exhausting than fighting three iron golems and seven homunculi?"
"Huhuhu! So cruel, Hachiman! We just got together, and you're already being mean to me!!" Honami protested with exaggerated, mock tears.
Sighing, Hachiman looked at the now disheveled Honami. Then he somehow took out a comb from who‑knows‑where and began carefully combing her long, beautiful pinkish‑blond hair.
At his sudden intimate gesture, Honami blinked in surprise at first. Soon, however, she let out a happy hum and simply allowed him to do as he pleased. She even forgot to ask where he had gotten a comb in the first place.
"Anyway… getting back to the topic," Hachiman said while gently fixing the last few strands of her hair. "The person I'm currently in a relationship with is someone you don't know. Honestly, I'd be surprised if you actually did."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Her name is Raiden Mei. Someone I met… and, due to certain circumstances, I ended up... helping."
Honami wanted to roll her eyes at how he was clearly downplaying whatever he had done. But since she didn't want to miss anything he was about to say, she kept silent.
'"Help," he says… knowing him, he probably saved her in some overly dramatic situation. Just like with me, Sakura‑san, the Yoshizawa sisters, Tamaki‑san, Yukinoshita‑san, Yuigahama‑san, Isshiki‑san… and probably many more I don't even know about.'
"While you and she are different people, I can't help but see both of you in one another," he said with a wry smile. "Smart, beautiful, gentle to a fault, caring, good cooks, angels living in the mortal world, strong‑willed, surprisingly crybabies, clingy, fond of sneak‑attacking me with affection, capable of unconsciously seducing me, has a lovely smile that gives me strength for the day. You're both good at comforting people, great with children, possibly have the best wife‑and‑mother vibes… and of course, a splendid pair of Honamins / Meiyins."
Honami blushed as he listed their traits… well, until she heard the last one, which made her brows twitch.
"...The last one was unnecessary, though."
He ignored her complaint and continued.
"Both of you also broke the defenses around my heart. Your confession and hers struck me straight through it, ignoring every wall I built and leaving me with no choice but to surrender… and love you both with everything I have."
Honami couldn't see the expression on his face at that moment, but just from the tone of his voice, she could already imagine it—the defeated yet satisfied smile he always showed whenever she managed to corner him.
"I don't really understand what you girls saw in me that made you fall for me. For the longest time, I thought it was just a temporary infatuation because I happened to help you when you needed it. I convinced myself you were just mistaking gratitude for love. That's why… for a long time, I never dared to answer your feelings."
"Huh?! B‑but that's…!"
"Yeah… I know that now."
He let out a sigh.
"I understand it now. That's why I accepted it—both hers and yours."
He looked straight into her eyes as a helpless smile slowly appeared on his face.
"It was Mei who taught me to accept what I feel instead of overthinking everything. She was the first person who made me experience the happiness that comes from the real thing. She showed me that even if we don't fully understand our feelings, if something feels right… We should reach out and grab it."
After finishing fixing Honami's hair and pocketing the comb, he gently took both of her hands in his.
"So just like with her, I took my first steps forward… learning to accept others one by one."
He squeezed her hands lightly.
"But you… You made me realize something else."
His voice softened.
"You made me see that the thing I had been desperately searching for was already around me all along. All I had to do was acknowledge it and accept it. If Mei taught me to follow my feelings even when I don't understand them… you're the one who helped me understand what those feelings actually are."
Hachiman chuckled to himself, smiling at her with both gratitude and affection.
"That's why… I can finally let myself go and stop holding back from reaching for the 'real thing' I wanted."
"Hachiman…"
Honami murmured, her voice filled with emotion.
To be honest, she felt a little jealous of this Raiden Mei. But at the same time, she couldn't help feeling grateful toward her as well. Because of Mei's actions, Hachiman had finally awakened the desire to reach out and grab what he truly wanted, instead of simply watching it from afar and treasuring it in his heart.
And because of that… Honami had been able to deliver the finishing blow.
Her confession had finally made him realize that the "real thing" he had always searched for was already around him. That it was okay for him to have them.
Just as he sought them, they sought him as well.
A genuine bond—built on sincerity, deep trust, and honest emotions. Free from deception, lies, and masks.
"Haaa… I understand. If you really love her… then I can accept it."
After a moment of silence and careful thought, Honami finally spoke.
"But… will Raiden‑san accept me? Will she even allow me to be with you? Because, just so you know… I never plan to let you go after spending more than a year trying to be with you!"
Hachiman let out a crooked smile, a strange mixture of worry, trouble, confidence, and helplessness appearing on his face.
"...I think it would be okay?"
"You think?" Honami glared at him—and this time, Hachiman actually flinched.
"I‑It will be okay, really!" he corrected hastily. "Mei knows that there are other people I care about. Like you… Arisu… and some others…"
"Hmmp! So there are still others, huh? I never expected you to be this greedy." Honami pursed her lips before letting out a small sigh. "But… I guess I can't really blame you. After being ostracized for most of your life… once you finally found people who truly care about you… of course you wouldn't want to let them go."
She looked at him with a helpless but gentle expression.
"After all… I'm the same. I don't want to give up on you, even if others want to be with you too."
"Honami…"
Hachiman murmured.
'As expected… this girl really is genuine.'
"Sorry… and thank you for still choosing me."
Honami waved her hand dismissively before smiling at him again. "If you really feel that way, then just make sure to take good care of me, too, okay? I'll be sad if you stop paying attention to me."
"Of course. I would never do that. Not now. Not ever."
He answered her firmly.
Satisfied with his reply, Honami's smile returned—but what he said next made her freeze… again.
"...Ah, I forgot to mention something."
"Hmm, what is it?"
"Well… aside from Mei… there's also another one. Her name is Ruan Mei. So… you're kind of the third one."
"..."
"H‑Honami?"
"...Hachiman."
"Y‑YES!"
"Grit your teeth."
"W‑what?"
"Grit your teeth!"
"?!"
"Take my punch full of love like a man! You lovable womanizing scumbag!"
"Wa‑wait, cal—… OW!!!"
—--------
"Sshh… that actually hurt!" Hachiman rubbed his stomach where Honami's surprisingly powerful punch had landed. "I never thought someone as soft and squishy as you could punch that hard."
"Hmmp! That's what you get for being too charming for your own good!" Honami huffed, though she was still clinging to his arm, pressing her chest against him.
"Besides, aren't I already healing you with your favorite Hon… H-honamins…"
"…Thank you very much."
Hachiman unconsciously thanked the blushing Honami.
'My god… did I really just say that?! Also, if you're embarrassed, you don't actually have to say 'Honamins' out loud!'
"Hehehehe… As always, Hikigaya-kun and Ichinose-san's relationship is wonderful."
"Woaa…!"
"Kyaaaa!!!"
The sweet atmosphere between Honami and Hachiman instantly broke when an unexpected voice suddenly called out to them.
"K-Ku-Kushida-san!!" Honami exclaimed as she recognized the person.
It was Kushida Kikyo, a girl considered extremely attractive by the boys in her class and throughout the school, the most sought-after girl in their year, second only to Honami herself.
Her short beige hair was neatly arranged, while her gradient crimson eyes gave her a striking appearance. Despite her average height, her well-endowed figure made her stand out even more.
If Honami is known as the 'Little Angel' of their year, then Kushida Kikyo is considered the 'Idol.' With her friendly and bubbly personality, she managed to break through the class divisions and leave a good impression on almost everyone in their year.
Yes… almost.
Because for Hachiman—and others with discerning eyes—it was clear that she was hiding something. Kushida Kikyo was definitely not just the cheerful girl she showed to the world.
And of course, the universe would never allow its punching bag—ahem, trusted partner—Hikigaya Hachiman to avoid getting involved with someone like her.
Through a certain twist of fate—(Hahaha, this is very Elation! Aha wants to be amuse!)—
…Well, ignoring that commentary for now, through a twist of fate, our hero ended up witnessing what was hidden deep within the carefully crafted facade of this lovely girl.
One night, while running an errand for Arisu to pick up dinner, Hachiman saw Kikyo venting her anger with a violent personality completely different from her usual self. She cursed Horikita Suzune for being "prettier" and "better than her," even going so far as to shout that she wanted Suzune to die while kicking a steel barrier in frustration.
Hachiman, who had witnessed the entire scene, immediately wanted to escape before getting dragged into trouble—but of course, the universe would never make things that easy for him.
Kikyo discovered his presence when a notification chime from his phone gave away his position. She immediately demanded to know whether he had seen everything and tried to silence him with a threat of blackmail.
To do that, she attempted to fabricate evidence of an attempted assault by grabbing Hachiman's hands and forcing them onto her chest.
However… her plan to blackmail him didn't exactly go the way she expected, and the situation quickly turned against her instead.
Hachiman's hands, which were on top of Kikyo's chest… began to move on their own… yes, on their own… definitely on their own.
Ahem!
So yes—Hachiman's hands moved and began kneading her chest. For a few seconds, both of their minds went completely blank, neither of them able to react.
His hands, however, didn't stop moving, and even he didn't understand why he was doing it. He only snapped back to reality when Kikyo suddenly let out a soft, sweet moan.
His body jerked in shock, and he quickly pulled his hands away from her. Kikyo's legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. Her entire body trembled from the lingering pleasure, her eyes were hazy, her face flushed red, and a small line of drool even slipped from the corner of her lips.
It was a sight that made Hachiman gulp unconsciously. It was simply too seductive and stirred something dangerous inside him.
But the gentler side of Hachiman forced that feeling down when he noticed the lifeless look that appeared in her eyes after she calmed down.
Afraid that she might fall into despair—or worse, suffer an existential crisis after having her innocence roughly disturbed—Hachiman immediately bowed his head and begged for forgiveness. He told her he would do anything to make up for what had just happened.
Kikyo, meanwhile, was overwhelmed by a storm of emotions—shame, embarrassment, anger… and strangely enough, excitement, pleasure, and thrill.
In the end, she decided to use Hachiman as her personal outlet for stress relief—a place where she could dump all of her bottled‑up frustrations and negative emotions.
Hachiman, of course, agreed without thinking too deeply about it. And so, from time to time, Kikyo would call him out just to vent—complaining about Horikita Suzune, the idiots of Class D, and all sorts of other things.
Experienced in witnessing the ugliness of the human heart from his Joker days, Hachiman didn't look at her with disgust or contempt. He simply listened to her… and accepted it. Even when she said terrible things about people he was close to, he still listened.
He would hand her a drink when her throat became dry from ranting, hold her hand when she tried to pull at her hair from stress, and rub her back when she felt like throwing up from the shameless behavior of her classmates, like Yamauchi and Ike.
Perhaps bewildered—and even frustrated—by how gentle he was toward her, Kikyo eventually took her anger out on Hachiman one day. She called him names, belittled and insulted him, called Honami and Arisu sluts, and trashed the good kids of Class B… yet Hachiman never stopped her.
She became so angry at his indifference that she finally shouted at him.
"You're a monster… a cold‑faced rational monster!"
But even then, he didn't fight back. He just let her pour everything out.
At that moment, Kikyo felt empty and lost to the point that she didn't know what to do anymore. So she asked him directly.
"Why are you not disgusted? Why are you so understanding? Why are you so accommodating? Why haven't you left me alone? Why are you still kind to me? Why… why are you still… looking at me gently?"
Her voice sounded heartbroken as she let out those questions.
"You're tired. Tired of pretending to be someone else because you were afraid of what people would think."
"…What?"
"You built a perfect image..."
His eyes softened as he looked at her. "The cheerful girl everyone likes. The one who gets along with everyone."
Her hands tightened.
"But that means you have to keep acting forever," he said.
"You're always watching what people think. Always adjusting. Always hiding."
He could clearly see from her eyes just how tired she was.
"Sounds exhausting, right?"
That answer caught her completely off guard.
"So I thought about it and decided." Hachiman looked at her in the eyes, "I'll accept it."
"Accepting… what?" Kikyo tilted her head in bewilderment.
Hachiman scratched the back of his neck like it was the most troublesome thing in the world.
"You."
Her eyes widened.
"All of it," he continued. "The nice side. The ugly side. The part that hates people."
He shrugged like it was obvious.
"It's still you."
Tears started to fall from Kikyo's eyes.
She quickly wiped them away… but they kept coming.
"…You're really saying that like it's simple."
"It is."
"It's not."
"Maybe not for you."
She studied his face, searching for mockery or judgment.
There wasn't any.
"…What if I don't want people to see that side?" she asked between her sobs.
"Then don't show it to everyone."
He took his handkerchief and wiped her tear-stained face.
"But you don't have to hide it from yourself."
That night, Kikyo cried.
She cried for real.
She threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if trying to confirm that he wasn't just a hallucination.
"So if you ever get tired of acting…"
Hachiman glanced away for a moment before continuing.
"…you can just be honest around me."
She stared at him. Her tears flow even more strongly.
"…Will you really do that?"
Kikyo asked softly, the hope in her voice hard to miss.
Hachiman didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he placed the handkerchief in her hand and gently fixed her messy hair.
For a moment, he simply looked at her.
"…For you?"
He shrugged lightly.
"Always."
After that event, the relationship between the two changed drastically. While Hachiman still served as her outlet, Kikyo became more honest and genuine around him. In return, Hachiman treated her with the same sincerity.
It even reached the point where Kikyo asked him to call her by her first name. The easily embarrassed Hachiman firmly refused. In the end, Kikyo compromised—he only had to call her by name when they were alone together.
"Ehem! Ehh… K‑Kushida‑san… um… would it be alright for us to visit your camp?" Honami asked, awkwardly clearing her throat as she tried to steer the conversation back to the real reason they came to Class D's camp.
"Hmmm… I think it shouldn't be a problem. After all, our class even allowed someone like Ibuki‑san from Class C to join us."
Kikyo answered with a bright smile—but Hachiman could clearly tell that the smile didn't reach her eyes. If anything… he could almost see a faint dark aura oozing from her.
'Crap… she must've already built up a lot of stress these past few days… and now she sees Honami and me together. She's probably really jealous right now… and looking for a way to let it all out.'
He winced. Already imagining the colorful words that would come out from her mouth later.
Honami didn't notice Hachiman's strange expression and focused only on Kikyo's words.
"Eh?! Ibuki‑san was in your camp?"
"Yeah. Some of the boys in our class saw her wandering in the forest with bruises on her face," Kikyo replied dismissively. "According to her, she rebelled against Ryuen‑kun's policy for this exam… and got kicked out for it."
"That's quite…"
Honami didn't find Kikyo's tone strange. In fact, she treated it as rather normal. However, she did notice how strange Ibuki's actions and reasoning were. She was still the same gentle and kind person as before, but she had also grown. Just like the rest of Class B, she no longer wanted to hold Hachiman back with naïve thinking.
"...Suspicious, right?" Kikyo finished Honami's words with a smirk before smoothly returning to her usual idol‑like smile.
Honami scratched her cheeks in embarrassment because what Kikyo said was exactly what she had been thinking.
"I feel a little sorry for Ibuki‑san, but… the news about how Class C spent all of their points playing around and practically gave up the exam already spread since day one. So even if she tried to participate seriously alone, it wouldn't really change anything. Logically, it would make more sense for her to just return to the ship… unless there's something she still needs to do here."
"Wow! I never thought the Little Angel Ichinose‑san would say something like that about someone," Kikyo said with genuine surprise. "Must be an influence from someone."
Honami blushed and looked away, not even trying to deny it.
Meanwhile, Hachiman looked at Kikyo with a deadpan expression. The girl responded with a brief, mischievous smirk before hiding it again behind her bright public smile.
"Ehehe! Let's leave that aside for now! Come on, you two—follow me to our camp!" Kikyo said cheerfully as she turned and began walking toward Class D's camp, urging both Hachiman and Honami to follow.
The two glanced at each other for a moment. After a brief silent exchange, they quickly followed after Kikyo.
======