She wasn't interested in those flashy things. On her days off she generally didn't go out, stayed home to read, watch movies, play piano, watch cat videos. At school she only needed to put on her uniform properly and tie her hair neatly.
A neck accessory was completely unnecessary, purely redundant.
"...."
Yuigahama Yui looked at the cold, long-black-haired beauty beside her who stared ahead and paid no attention to surrounding conversation, opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again.
She originally wanted to tell Yukinoshita about the big Service Club secret she'd noticed at the lounge door, to ask whether Yukinoshita Yukino knew about it and whether she'd joined too.
If the whole club had everyone else joined except her, she asked Yukino to please bring her along, don't isolate her.
But now she didn't know how to say it. She hadn't seen anything scandalous when she and Ijichi Nijika went in together just now.
Now Miura and Saki and Bocchi-chan and the others had only put on the same style of collar. If she spoke up without evidence, what if Yukino thought poorly of her character and chose to isolate and avoid her?
Although from the fact that Yukino, like her, wasn't wearing the black collar everyone had on, it looked likely that she and Yukino were both being left out.
But was that really "isolation"?
It seemed forced joining would be bullying, so if the president didn't let them join, would that count as isolation?
'Ugh!'
Yuigahama Yui suddenly felt her brain wasn't working properly.
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't read people much or care about such things, but Yukinoshita Haruno, already an adult, naturally wouldn't ignore Ijichi Nijika and the others' slightly odd behavior.
However, since her sister Yukinoshita Yukino hadn't joined in and she wasn't particularly close to the others, Haruno kept calm and quietly took note of the black collars around everyone's necks.
She would go back later and look up that same style of black collar to see what it meant.
If it was simply a collar, Ijichi Nijika would have no reason not to want Ijichi Seika to wear one too.
"Sure enough, it's crowded at this hour in the izakaya... Let's find a quieter place and have the staff bring dishes from the izakaya here."
Among the group, the oldest, Ijichi Seika, wasn't as caught up in such thoughts as the others. After complaining that her sister wasn't as cute as when she was little, she led everyone to a nearby izakaya.
But seeing the izakaya packed, Seika consulted the group and took them to a quieter café in the shopping street.
There are always crowded izakayas where you can find empty seats, but with a group of ten or so they'd be split apart.
At this hour, the corner café on the shopping street was relatively empty.
"Good evening, Seika-san~ Are you free tonight to come have coffee? But the manager's not here, I haven't learned the manager's signature blend yet~"
Ijichi Seika led Hachiman and the others into a Japanese-style café.
When everyone pushed open the door and the wind chime at the frame jingled, the short, light-blond-haired girl behind the counter who'd been looking down at her phone lifted her head. Seeing the familiar face of Ijichi Seika, a sunny, bright smile spread across her face as she greeted them.
"I'm not here for the blend. I'm treating friends to a late-night snack. We're a bit many and the izakaya's too crowded. Could you, Chisame, help by bringing over some dishes from the izakaya? You can eat with us later."
Seika, seeing the café manager was absent, didn't fuss and asked the girl staff outright.
"Thanks, Seika-san, but you don't have to treat. I just had fruit floral toast and bamboo-charcoal matcha cake roll, and two coffees, my stomach's full~ I'll go grab a menu for you~"
The cheerful girl patted her belly and hopped out from behind the counter, running off to the nearby familiar izakaya to take care of things.
"Start with a few small dishes! Let's sit first, this café usually has very few customers, so don't worry about bothering anyone."
Seika called after the girl staff's retreating figure, moved the screens on the tatami, pushed a few low tables together, and signaled everyone to sit and wait for the girl to bring menus.
"Is that okay? Fewer customers doesn't mean we can order food from other places to eat here, right?"
Snow-white-faced Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't help but wonder when the café's only staff had left without caution, leaving the whole place to just their group.
"No problem. The manager's temperament is very pleasant. He runs the shop purely as a hobby. You can even come here to chat with him without drinking coffee. We'll order some sweets too later."
Seika smiled and waved it off. She hadn't chosen the place randomly, she knew the café and that's why she could do this.
"Actually this wasn't always a Japanese-style café, and it used to have almost no customers."
"A short while ago a new staff member came. The manager listened to her suggestions and changed the style a bit."
"Even after the change there still aren't many customers. Maybe the shop is off the beaten path? I don't really think it's that out of the way though..."
"The manager took the new girl's suggestion and changed the shop style... sounds like a very kind temper..."
Listening to Seika's explanation, Yukinoshita Haruno had an insight. No wonder she chose this place, the owner letting his employee decide meant he had an unusually nice temper.
But with that temperament it would be hard to run a profitable shop if the staff handled the business strategy.
Running a shop purely as a hobby means you don't need to worry about sales.
"Of course, not only is the owner easygoing, Chisame herself has a great personality. She recently rented the manager's apartment and works here."
Seika nodded, sighing a bit.
"She's only been here a little while, but it seems Chisame has more acquaintances in the shopping street than I have despite my living here years."
Maybe because the café had little business, the new staff wandered around the shopping street and quickly became familiar with people. The manager who once specialized in blended coffee wasn't as famous, some might even think this café belonged to Chisame.
"Alright, sis, stop with the nostalgia. People have different social skills. Sit down. Yumiko, Marin, you sit over there, uh...", Ijichi Nijika cut off her nearly-thirty sister's wistful musing and hurried everyone to sit. She looked at her friends Kitagawa Marin and Miura Yumiko, intending to say something, but found them both already sitting in a corner, giving her no chance to set them up.
What were they doing?
Weren't they all wearing the same black collar?
Why were they hiding in the corner now and avoiding the opportunity to sit next to Hachiman?
Kitagawa Marin and Miura Yumiko sat on the tatami, ignoring Nijika's disappointed, scolding look.
Nijika simply hadn't had the experience. If she had, she would know they should hide for a bit now.
Even if they hadn't truly crossed a line with Hachiman, they'd been close enough in the lounge. Now they needed to keep some distance and calm their restless hearts.
If it hadn't been for Hayase Saki and Narahashi Miki, the two sporty girls who were especially close to Hachiman, coming in to help, they didn't know if they'd have had the strength to walk out. Now they weren't very hungry and wouldn't eat much later.
"Fine... Hachiman, sit between me and Bocchi-chan."
Seeing her friend Miura Yumiko falter, step forward then retreat, and even Kitagawa Marin not playing along, Ijichi Nijika gave up tonight's chance and, taking Yamada Ryou, sat down beside Hachiman.
On Hachiman's other side sat the socially anxious Bocchi-chan, followed by Hayase Saki and Narahashi Miki in order.
Opposite were Yuigahama Yui, Yukinoshita Yukino, Yukinoshita Haruno, Ijichi Seika, the sound tech PA, Kitagawa Marin, and Miura Yumiko.
Nijika thought that even if Yumiko backed off, she should help a bit. It would be more appropriate for vice-president Yukinoshita Yukino to sit by Hachiman's side.
Now with Hachiman flanked by her and Bocchi-chan, and Haruno, a somewhat unfamiliar big sister figure, across from him, tonight's meal could be eaten in peace.
Soon enough, the short-haired girl named Chisame returned with a stack of black insulated plastic boxes. She eagerly took out a few small dishes, placed them on the table, then handed menus and a little ledger to everyone.
"You start ordering. I'll go grab some drinks for you!"
"Chisame would be better suited to work at an izakaya. A quiet café with few customers isn't where she can shine."
Watching Chisame's energetic figure, Nijika shook her head and sighed.
She really wondered what Chisame had done before, she was so good at interacting with people.
Chisame seemed about the same age as them but didn't appear to be in school. Besides working at the café she wandered about a lot.
Sometimes after school both Yumiko and she had seen Chisame around Sobu High.
Nijika was about to open the menu to order when she noticed Hachiman glancing at the door where Chisame had disappeared. She leaned in close to Hachiman's ear and whispered, "Hachiman? You're not thinking Chisame will reward you again, are you? Can't we satisfy you with so many of us here?"
She usually didn't comment on others' hobbies or interfere, if Marin liked cosplaying or someone liked bands, they supported each other despite differing interests.
But Hachiman really seemed a bit wrong here. So many people couldn't satisfy him.
Yumiko and the others had just rewarded Hachiman not long ago; now they sat afraid in the corner not daring to approach him.
And Hachiman still wouldn't stop.
"Nijika, you're overthinking. I'm just curious that Chisame happened to show up here and why she's here."
Seeing Nijika's thoughts colored yellow at the slightest thing, Hachiman chuckled and explained in a low voice.
"Hachiman, do you know Chisame?"
Nijika blinked, her expression subtle.
Could she be some childhood sweetheart separated at birth? If a heavenly child-hood friend appeared, combined with such an outgoing, social person, Yumiko's progress would be overtaken by a suddenly appearing rival?
"I know a little about her situation, but she doesn't know me."
"It's better if she doesn't."
Relieved at Hachiman's shake of the head, Nijika stopped worrying about their relationship.
There were already enough excellent girls around Hachiman; she didn't want more troublesome rivals.
"If I really wanted you, Nijika, I could have you anytime, no need to go find Chisame who I don't know."
Hachiman smiled at the anxious Nijika.
"I'm not jealous. What I did was to help Yumiko. Hachiman, don't overthink it!"
At Hachiman's teasing, Nijika's fair cheeks flushed crimson and heated; she hurriedly declared she had no improper feelings toward her friend's beloved.
Hachiman's words implied she'd actively thrown herself at him, but she never thought that. Except for Hachiman's invisibly hugging her during the band performance today, almost all intimate contact with Hachiman occurred in Yumiko's presence. She hadn't done anything to betray Yumiko.
"Marin's helping Yumiko too. Nijika, do you want to be like Marin?"
Hachiman looked at Nijika, her ears flushed red, and asked with a slow smile.
"Gulp... How far did you guys go?", Nijika swallowed. Hearing Hachiman's words gave her a bad premonition.
Had they already crossed that line?
First time should be with two people, no, three people together?
"Guess."
"...No. If you won't say, I'll pretend it didn't happen!"
Seeing Hachiman continue to tease her, Nijika hardened her resolve and decided to ignore whatever progress Marin and the others had made, refusing to be swayed by Hachiman.
"Cough, cough, hurry and order. Chisame will be back to order everything at once."
Ijichi Seika, unable to stand it any longer, gave a forced cough to remind Hachiman and Nijika to tone it down.
Making out in front of her? Really not respecting her at all!
"What does Bocchi-chan want? Saki, Miki, you two look too."
Seeing her sister scold, Hachiman let the shy little angel Nijika alone for the moment and turned to the socially anxious darlings on the other side.
Besides Bocchi-chan, Saki and Miki were socially anxious too, but they practiced socializing more in the club, so they were just on the introverted, insecure side rather than prone to Bocchi-chan's severe episodes.
"Um, I'll have the potato wedges."
"President, I'll have the beef stew over rice."
"Umm... can I have fried udon and bibimbap?"
"Of course. But everyone's probably hungry. Ryou hasn't eaten either. Let's order extra."
Hachiman gathered the orders from his side and added a few more good dishes to the ledger before passing it to Ijichi Seika.
"Haruno-san, what would you like?"
Seika and the PA were experienced and could order without looking at the menu. While writing what she wanted, Seika asked Yukinoshita Haruno who was looking over the menu.
"I'll have salmon oyako soup."
Haruno flipped the menu, casually ordered something, then glanced at Yukinoshita Yukino beside her and at Ijichi Nijika opposite, who was silent and near Hachiman.
'They're both sisters, but why such a difference?'
Yukinoshita Haruno didn't want Yukino to sacrifice her happiness for the family. She'd take care of that herself. But in the Service Club everyone else's relationships were good; only Yukino and the bun-haired follower were out of place.
How would she survive in such a cruel society later?
She wasn't their mother, she didn't demand Yukino cozy up to the Elf Princess or make friends with Hachiman, but why didn't Yukino even say a word, not even argue back once?
What had Yukino been doing in the Service Club....
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