She was already about to take the initiative to protect him, only asking him to act as a little underling running errands, just to buy some drinks every noon, and to eat with them every day. The previously gloomy otaku Hikigaya might have many shared topics with Marin, who liked otaku culture and cosplay. If Marin also found Hikigaya decent, she might even consider pairing the two of them together.
She hadn't expected this guy to be so ungrateful. Clearly aware he was being bullied by Yuina and the others, yet he was enjoying it.
"Yumiko, you're doing it again. You can't just avoid facing your true feelings," Seeing Miura Yumiko still being stubborn in front of Hachiman, Ijichi Nijika raised her fair index finger, looking seriously at Yumiko, warning and advising her not to hurt the heart of the person she liked out of momentary anger, otherwise she would regret it for life.
Yumiko and Hachiman didn't get along? She didn't believe someone who pulled Hachiman into the bathroom and even asked him to escort her home could really have a bad relationship with him.
Her sister was a super tsundere, so she was very experienced in handling tsundere types. She knew you had to directly expose a tsundere's feelings.
Otherwise, with Yumiko's prideful, extremely stubborn personality, without someone speaking up for her, she would definitely be misunderstood like her sister, as a bad person or villain or something.
Gabriel, watching Ijichi Nijika patiently and gently lecture Yumiko from the side, also nodded silently.
Really nice. Originally, she thought Nijika matched Hachiman's ideal partner very well and wanted to pair Nijika with Hachiman.
It was just unfortunate that before she could start matchmaking, she realized that the "ideal partner" Hachiman described not only matched Nijika and Iris, but even matched herself.
Sigh, it was a shame that Hachiman had already been spoiled by Iris and the others. He was beyond saving just by making him dislike her and look for someone else.
Now Hachiman, she didn't know if it was because of strong mental resilience or simply not caring anymore, had no major reaction even after learning that she and Vignette were an angel and a demon. He still spent nights with Iris and the others, as if it didn't affect him at all.
Otherwise, she truly believed that Nijika, who not only fit Hachiman's preferences, had great compatibility with him, and was also a native of this world, would be the best choice to take care of Hachiman for a lifetime.
"..."
Seeing that Nijika completely believed she had a good relationship with Hikigaya and even the surrounding Gabriel and Yuina were misunderstanding, Miura Yumiko sighed speechlessly and decided not to argue further. She turned her head to look at the two identical pink wristbands on Hachiman's desk and changed the topic directly.
"Hikigaya, what are those two pink wristbands on your desk? Do you like wearing pink wristbands?"
"This wristband, well, it's actually a gift from Little Hiki to us, not something he wants to wear himself," Seeing Miura Yumiko looking at the sympathy wristbands on the desk, Minami cheerfully shook the pink wristband on her own wrist with some pride.
Although the pink wristband looked ordinary, just a girly-looking accessory, after experiencing the seemingly ordinary but extraordinary empathy bracelet, she now completely believed in the magical items around Little Hiki.
That Little Hiki specially made this item for them clearly showed he really liked how they behaved. Their little Hiki, raised and trained by them, was truly amazing!
"A gift for you guys?", Miura Yumiko's eyes narrowed. Only now did she notice that Minami also had a matching wristband on her wrist. Her sharp gaze immediately swept toward Hachiman.
'You really enjoy being stepped on and bullied by them?'
The two pink wristbands on the desk weren't for Hikigaya himself, which meant the three wristbands were meant for Yuina and the others?
Even though she also knew that Yuina and the others weren't that bad, and that their bullying of Hikigaya might include elements of fulfilling his preferences.
'Still, treating the people bullying you so kindly, yet being so cold to the one who wants to protect you, even refusing to say her name? Hikigaya, this guy is seriously infuriating!'
"Yumiko, I'll give you my wristband," Seeing Miura Yumiko's expression, as if she was upset about Little Hiki not preparing a gift for her, Yuina had a flash of insight and immediately picked up the pink wristband on the desk and handed it to Miura Yumiko.
Gabriel and Little Hiki's relationship had been progressing well, but since they hadn't publicly revealed it, she needed to add some fuel to make Gabriel feel the pressure.
And the perfect person to give Gabriel pressure was clearly Miura Yumiko, who sat on the other side of Little Hiki's seat.
Yumiko had the help of Nijika and Marin, Gabriel had their support, it could be said to be evenly matched. With pressure on both sides, both would be forced to act on their feelings toward Hachiman.
"Yours? I don't want anything from this guy," Miura Yumiko was stunned for a moment as she looked at the pink wristband handed in front of her. Glancing at Hachiman sitting at his desk, seeing him remain indifferent and only smiling at her, she immediately turned away with a cold snort.
It's just a wristband. She wasn't interested in it at all.
"It's fine. I don't really like sports, so I don't need this wristband much. I think we have tennis class again today, right? You can use this to protect your wrist during class," Yuina, thrilled by her own clever strategy, saw Miura Yumiko still acting tsundere, so she proactively grabbed Yumiko's wrist and put the sympathy wristband on her. At the same time, she explained with reason and emotion.
"Even though you're really good at tennis, Yumiko, and super strong, you still need to take care of your body. Don't twist your wrist or anything. If you get hurt, Hachiman would be heartbroken."
"That guy would feel bad for me? There's nothing between us," Hearing Yuina's words, Miura Yumiko glanced at Hachiman and snorted angrily.
With this guy's perverted hobbies, if she twisted her ankle, maybe then he'd feel bad, because he couldn't get stepped on anymore.
Though maybe he wouldn't even care, since she'd only stepped on him once, and usually it was Yuina and the others who fulfilled his weird preferences.
Probably only if Yuina and the others got hurt would that guy actually feel heartbroken.
"Um... this was something Hachiman gave to you girls, so... uh…", Seeing Yuina pick up the wristband and hand it to Miura Yumiko, Gabriel wanted to stop her, but didn't expect Yuina to not hesitate at all and immediately put it on Yumiko. She opened her mouth but swallowed the rest of her words.
Yumiko didn't understand what the wristband represented, but didn't Yuina and the others know? Hachiman had just explained it to them.
She hadn't expected Yuina to give it to Yumiko, 'This...'
She didn't even know if she should stop it. After all, Yumiko was also quite compatible with Hachiman, and seemed to really like him, willing to sacrifice herself just to protect him.
Although Yumiko had misunderstood the bullying situation and it was complicated, Gabriel could still understand that to a regular person like Yumiko, that level of intensity could absolutely count as bullying or even abuse.
Hadn't she also thought that Hachiman was being abused and drained by Iris and the others? But after all that supposed abuse, Hachiman was still full of energy, showing no ill effects, even physically improving. She and Vignette were beginning to doubt their own judgment.
"Gabriel, do you have one of these wristbands?", Hearing Gabriel's hesitant voice, Miura Yumiko paused her movement to remove the wristband and looked at her, who seemed to want to stop Yuina from giving it away.
"Huh? I don't," Gabriel immediately shook her head. No way would she have that thing.
"Yuina, then I'll take this wristband. After school I'll go buy a better-looking one and give it to you," Miura Yumiko nodded and released her hand from the wristband, turning to Yuina with a promise of a return gift.
She had originally planned to return it. She wasn't the kind of person who took other people's gifts. Even if Hikigaya gave her something special, she might not accept it. How could she take something Yuina received from Hikigaya?
But the moment Gabriel said that, she wanted it.
"No need, really. I don't use it at all. Just don't lose it, Yumiko," Seeing Yumiko planning to return the favor, Yuina quickly waved her hand with a smile.
This wristband wasn't just about looks. It had magical powers and couldn't be bought anywhere.
If it weren't so rare, she'd just ask Little Hiki for another one later.
If there were no more sympathy wristbands, then she'd just work a little harder, go to Little Hiki's house and use the empathy bracelet, letting Minami and Rin enjoy themselves while lying at home.
"...", Looking at the hot-headed yet pure-hearted Miura Yumiko and the seemingly gentle but actually cunning Yuina, Gabriel fell silent.
Crap, it seemed like her words had backfired and activated Yumiko's rebellious nature, what a mess.
"Gabriel, you should wear this wristband too, to protect your wrist."
Rin looked at the wristband on Minami's wrist, then at Yumiko's, and immediately grabbed the last pink wristband on the desk, her own, and handed it to Gabriel.
Since Yumiko had worn it, their side's supported candidate, Gabriel, couldn't fall behind.
Although among the three of them, only Minami was currently wearing a wristband, worst case she and Yuina could just go to Little Hiki's house later.
As for Minami… hehe… once they put on the empathy bracelet, they could still connect remotely.
"???", Seeing Rin and Yuina doing the same move, Minami finally realized something was wrong.
Why was she the only one wearing the sympathy wristband?
Normally, they all advanced and retreated together, didn't they? Were these two trying to sneak behind her back?
Yuina and Rin ignored Minami's look and both focused on the still-undecided Gabriel.
Wouldn't it be great to lie under the covers at home and experience Little Hiki's care? They had made huge sacrifices for this.
But if Gabriel accepted this sympathy wristband, even better.
That way, their relationships would rapidly progress, and they might even witness the two of them trying hard to suppress their shy expressions during class.
After all, they hadn't mentioned the sympathy wristband's function. Yumiko and the others didn't know the empathy feature could be toggled off.
Even if they figured it out in a panic, they would definitely experience that addictive sensation for a bit.
"No no no, you girls should wear the wristband yourselves! If you really have to give it away, give it to Nijika! I don't need it!", Stared at by their eager eyes, Gabriel glanced at the pink wristband and shoved it back, shaking her head furiously.
'Who'd want that thing? Give it to Raphiel, maybe?'
She knew very well what that thing meant. One could say the reason Hachiman could go so wild every night, yet still take care of everyone so well, was largely thanks to that thing.
Even though the wristband's binding didn't work on her, she could destroy it if she wanted to, those items were better left to the other girls around Hachiman. She would never accept it.
"Huh? I don't want it either…", Hearing Gabriel mention her, Ijichi Nijika froze, pointed at herself, then looked at Yumiko beside her and quickly refused.
She thought the pink wristband was pretty, but she wasn't physically strong, not good at sports, and Yumiko was clearly jealous. She didn't want to get too close to Hachiman and cause a misunderstanding.
If everyone had one, it would be fine. But if some did and some didn't, the wristband might carry a special meaning. Better to skip it.
"You both don't want it? Alright, then," Seeing Gabriel's resolute rejection, Rin and Yuina exchanged glances and regretfully put it away.
It wasn't that she didn't want the sympathy wristband, there were no usage limits after all. Even when lying facedown with her back to Little Hiki, she could still fully experience the sensation of Yuina or Minami kissing him.
But she really wanted to see Gabriel being pampered by Little Hiki. To see if the angelic Gabriel would also fall for him like they had.
Maybe, in the future, they could even throw a party in Gabriel's room.
Though realistically, it would more likely be that girl Vignette, who came from the same place as Gabriel.
Vignette was nice too. It's a shame she wasn't in the same class, or they could all support Gabriel and Little Hiki together.
"Hm?", Miura Yumiko noticed everyone's reactions and started to feel something was off.
At first, seeing Hikigaya specifically prepare three wristbands for Yuina and the others, she thought it meant something special, which annoyed her into accepting it.
But now Yuina and the others were offering to give theirs away, while Gabriel refused to take one. That didn't match what she thought at all.
Still, it wasn't the right time to take it off either. She had just said she wanted it, after all.
Fine, after school, if this thing didn't mean anything important, she didn't need to overthink it.
"Nijika, Marin, stay away from this guy. Don't let this p*rvert infect you with weird stuff."
Miura Yumiko gave a cold snort, shot a glare at the indifferent Hikigaya, then dragged Nijika and Kitagawa Marin away from him.
"Sorry, Hachiman. I'll go talk to Yumiko for you."
Nijika quickly apologized to Hachiman, dropped her shoulder bag onto her desk, then hurried to Yumiko's seat to give her some advice.
What's so bad about Hachiman? If she didn't already have plans to help her sister run the shop and start a band, maybe she'd even consider dating a guy like Hachiman. So considerate, handsome, and understanding.
"Hehe, don't worry, Hachiman-kun! With us here, you don't have to be afraid!", Kitagawa Marin patted Hikigaya hard on the shoulder, gave him a thumbs-up, flashed a bright, sunny smile, then joined Nijika to help advise Yumiko.
Hachiman watched as Miura Yumiko sat at her desk being scolded by her friends, glaring at him helplessly from afar. He chuckled and shook his head, then pulled out another sympathy wristband from his bag, resolving the dispute between Yuina and Rin about who would get the last one.
Don't say he wasn't being bullied by Yuina and the others. Even if he were, why would he need to become Yumiko's errand-running underling?
Yumiko still didn't get it. His situation with her wasn't just between the two of them anymore. Their friend groups were now involved.
If Yumiko didn't clearly explain the truth to Nijika and Marin, they'd definitely keep trying to pair her with him.
Still, based on the harmony of everyone so far, just a disagreement over who to support, there's no way they'd believe Yuina and the others were bullying him unless they saw it with their own eyes.
Just then, the usually energetic Ichinose Honami walked in slowly through the back door of the classroom, while Ichinose Ayano, who lived with her, came in through the front.
The classroom was now gradually filling up with people and getting lively.
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