After school, Hiro didn't join a suitable club like the other classmates but headed straight for the school gate.
"Nanamiya-kun."
However, to his surprise, Asuna, the only daughter of the Yuuki Conglomerate (he wasn't yet clear about her sister), chose to walk home just like him, an ordinary person.
Speaking of which, there seemed to be rumors online that Asuna was a hidden huge-boobed beauty?
Standing in place, Hiro's gaze subtly swept across Asuna's chest, and he muttered inwardly.
"Isn't the Yuuki family a famous major conglomerate? Why does a young lady like you still walk home?" Walking forward side by side, Hiro looked at Asuna on his right and asked somewhat puzzledly.
"A famous conglomerate... that's a bit of an exaggeration, isn't it?" Hearing him say this, Asuna replied with a slightly unnatural expression.
"Originally, my mother also said she would have the driver pick me up from school, but for some reason, my father rarely rejected my mother's proposal and even had a big argument over this small matter."
Perhaps thinking of something, Asuna's eyes dimmed slightly as she spoke of this.
Mother agreed, father refused, and they even had a big argument over the small matter of driving to and from school.
Was it necessary?
Hearing Asuna's explanation, Hiro also felt somewhat puzzled.
However, since the girl beside him had shown such an expression, he naturally wouldn't remain indifferent.
"Your uncle's considerations are definitely more profound than ours, Yuuki... don't overthink it." Looking at the girl's sad expression, Hiro comforted her softly.
"Yeah." Asuna nodded, and the expression on her face improved slightly.
"Before, I asked my father why he did this, arguing with my mother over such a small thing. As a result, my father's answer was just perfunctory things like 'you don't understand,' 'you don't need to think so much,' and 'this is for your own good.'"
"Not only that, but my father also rejected my mother's request for me to transfer schools, insisting that I attend this Kuoh Academy, even though it's just a very ordinary high school. My father's insistence is just inexplicable."
Perhaps because she had no one to confide in before, after being comforted by Hiro, Asuna immediately spilled out a series of family?
Meanwhile, Hiro listened to her pouring out her heart, his mind in thoughtful contemplation:
Deliberately having Asuna attend Kuoh Academy and not allowing the driver to pick her up and drop her off...
this must be to allow her to interact more with her classmates, right? But if that's the case, why not just say so directly?
Why be so vague and not tell Asuna the reason? Unless there's some hidden reason...
Could it be that Yuuki Shouzou somehow learned about devils, Maous, Gremory, Sitri, and the like?
Thinking of this terrifying guess, Hiro couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth slightly, countless retorts welling up from who knew where.
"Your family has its own difficulties too," Hiro said softly after listening to the girl's complaints, a hint of empathy on his face.
Of course, his family situation was slightly different from the Yuuki family.
Because the one facing difficulties now was only him, in every aspect...
"Hmm? Judging from what Nanamiya-kun said, it seems your family also has some special circumstances?"
Asuna tilted her head slightly, a mischievous smile that didn't quite fit her young lady image gradually appearing on her face.
"Tell me about it, otherwise, it's too unfair if only I'm revealing my family situation~~"
"Well... it's not anything important anyway. It doesn't matter if I tell you. Let's just consider it a secret we've exchanged."
Looking at the mischievous expression on the girl's face, Hiro smiled somewhat helplessly.
"Mmm-hmm!"
Asuna nodded, looking at him with a hint of anticipation on her face.
"Watch the road, watch the road."
Gently turning the girl's head forward with his right hand on the back of her head, Hiro began to speak unhurriedly:
"My mother became pregnant at 16, during her first year of high school, and gave birth to me. Because of this, my mother severed ties with her parents. She only has one younger sister, with whom she barely maintains contact."
"My father passed away due to some inexplicable reason before I was even born."
"When I was little, my mother not only had to take care of me but also had to work part-time to earn a living and pay rent. Working from dawn till dusk was the norm. This situation only improved when I was three years old, after my mother used her phone to send out the first draft of my novel..."
"Five years ago, my aunt's husband passed away unexpectedly, leaving her with an only daughter. After my mother found out, she brought me to live with my aunt's family."
"I'm 15 this year, and my 12-year-old cousin is already in middle school. She often pesters me to shower together. My mother and aunt are also very casual at home, completely unguarded, and don't consider my feelings at all."
Speaking of this, Hiro thought of the occasional "benefits" his mother and aunt would unintentionally release, as well as his cousin's (Kirigaya Suguha) occasional "raids," and rubbed his temples with a headache.
It was this action that made him hear the "munching" sounds coming from the alleyway ahead, like a carnivore feeding.
"Nanamiya-kun, you've had it tough too," Asuna said, looking at him with some emotion, a hint of shared hardship in her tone.
As for the commotion not far away, the ordinary human Asuna was completely unaware.
As for Hiro...Looking at the alleyway corner a few meters away, he frowned, an ominous premonition welling up in his heart.
If it were the worldview of "Sword Art Online," it would at most be some wild beast or stray dog that had wandered out.
But in this inexplicable world, who knew what might appear.
Even if a dead-eyed office worker whose hobby was "heroism" suddenly appeared in this place called "Saitama Prefecture," Hiro felt he could accept it.
"Yuuki, we..."
Hiro reached out his right hand, intending to grab Asuna's wrist, but unexpectedly, the girl dodged it with an almost precognitive sidestep.
"No way~~ Nanamiya-kun and I only just met today, it's too early."
A relaxed and pleasant smile on her face, the girl turned around, walking backward towards the alleyway ahead while looking at him.
At this moment, Hiro could no longer hear the gnawing sound from before.
Too early? Where did this girl's thoughts wander off to?
Hiro muttered inwardly.
However, since Asuna had already walked past the corner, it also meant that he had no time to consider...
The expression on his face suddenly turned serious.
Hiro took a step forward, and the serious him easily grabbed Asuna's wrist.
Clap~
His gaze casually swept across the alley, and his heart suddenly sank.
"Asuna, we're in big trouble."
Next to the trash cans at the end of the alley, there were two strange figures covered in blood, each holding a human arm, looking up at the two of them.
One had blonde hair, the other green hair.
One had two red eyes, the other a single red eye.
"Ghouls?!"
Noticing the two figures, Asuna couldn't help but gasp, covering her mouth with her hand.
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