The destination of this trip was a mountain area in Chiba City, about two hours away. The first part of the journey required taking a train, while the latter half needed a bus.
Since everyone lived in different places, the meeting point was set at the train station in front of the school for convenience. It was not too far from anyone's home, and the station itself was easy to access.
Sato had arrived fairly early. When he brought Kanna to the agreed location, the only people already there were Mio and Yukinoshita Yukino.
The two girls, both with long black hair, stood gracefully by the street. Their skirts fluttered lightly, making them resemble lilies swaying in the wind.
Not long after, Hikigaya Hachiman arrived with Hikigaya Komachi.
"Ohayou! Senpai!"
Hikigaya Komachi waved energetically at Sato. Soon, her eyes lit up as she looked at Kanna beside him.
"Is this Senpai's imouto? Kawaii!"
She walked over to Sato, wanting to pinch Kanna's cheeks. Kanna's cheeks had a slight baby-fat softness to them, looking so squishy that anyone who saw them would want to try pinching them.
Stareee~
However, under Kanna's extremely intimidating gaze, Hikigaya Komachi decisively gave up.
"So scary! Then Onee-chan won't touch you!"
As she spoke, she took out two chocolate candies from her pocket, smiling as she shook them lightly.
"Do you want some chocolate?"
A faint glow appeared in Kanna's eyes. Her gaze, filled with longing, locked tightly onto the chocolates in Hikigaya Komachi's hand.
"Here!"
Hikigaya Komachi stretched out her hand toward Kanna, the two chocolates resting quietly in her palm.
Kanna turned her head and looked at Sato with her large lake-blue eyes.
Sato lightly nodded.
Only then did Kanna accept the chocolates from Hikigaya Komachi.
Immediately afterward, Hikigaya Komachi carefully reached out and patted Kanna on the head, satisfaction instantly appearing on her face.
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced somewhat unexpectedly at the silent Hikigaya Hachiman beside her. A trace of suspicion gradually appeared in her eyes.
Is that really your sister?
This was something almost everyone who had seen Hikigaya Hachiman and Hikigaya Komachi would wonder.
The difference between the siblings was simply too enormous.
It was practically heaven and earth.
The older brother was gloomy enough to look like he was about to rot away, while the younger sister was such a lively and energetic cute girl.
The contrast was just too extreme.
To the point that people could not help wondering whether they were actually blood-related.
Hikigaya Hachiman clearly understood the meaning in Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched as he muttered something under his breath.
Not long later, Ritsu and Yui Yuigahama came jogging over while panting heavily. Nobody knew how the two of them had ended up meeting each other.
Just as they stopped and were about to speak, a black Maybach suddenly pulled up in front of everyone. Naturally, everyone's attention shifted toward the luxury car.
As the door opened, they quickly saw the young lady's beautiful golden hair.
"Heave-ho!"
After getting out, Kotobuki Tsumugi laboriously dragged a huge suitcase down from the seat, then said "You can head back now" toward the inside of the car.
The door closed, and the Maybach slowly drove away.
When she looked up, she saw everyone staring at her strangely.
Sato stepped forward and looked at Tsumugi's large suitcase. After trying to lift it slightly, surprise flashed through his eyes.
This thing was heavy.
He could not help glancing at the delicate-looking young lady before confirming a certain fact.
The pampered-looking rich girl was actually incredibly strong. If she flexed hard enough, she might even pop a little mouse-shaped muscle out of her arm.
"Mugi! We're only going for three days, what did you even pack in here?!"
Ritsu could not help crying out in shock.
Yui Yuigahama covered her mouth.
"Kotobuki-san brought way too much stuff, didn't she?"
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at the scene with a slight headache, though she was also secretly surprised by what she had just seen.
"Eh? Is it really that much? I only brought some clothes and snacks!"
Kotobuki Tsumugi said blankly.
"Why would you bring snacks? The hot spring inn is near a town, it's not like they don't sell things there."
Sato looked at Kotobuki Tsumugi curiously.
Kotobuki Tsumugi blinked in confusion.
"Isn't there usually nothing at all in the mountains?"
"It's just in the mountains, not some completely empty wasteland!"
Ritsu waved her hand, then curiously asked:
"How did Mugi even come to that conclusion?"
"There isn't anything around my family's mountain villa. It's the same around Nohara-san's house too!"
Kotobuki Tsumugi explained honestly.
"A mountain villa?! And there's nothing around it?!"
Hikigaya Komachi immediately caught the important part. Covering her little mouth in shock, she looked at Kotobuki Tsumugi with sparkling eyes.
"Could it be... Onee-chan is actually a rich young lady?!"
"Ah? About that..."
"That's right!"
Ritsu slapped a hand onto Komachi's shoulder and stared solemnly at Tsumugi.
"Standing before you is the young lady of the Kotobuki family, whose assets are enough to buy half of Tokyo!"
Wha?!
"Half of Tokyo?!"
Hikigaya Komachi's pupils trembled.
Just how rich was that?!
"Idiot."
Seeing this scene, Hikigaya Hachiman muttered helplessly while scratching his head.
"Ritsu, stop saying nonsense! My family isn't that rich! We're just an ordinary company!"
The young lady said shyly.
At those words, silence instantly fell over the group.
Among them, Yukino's expression was the most complicated.
Although the Kotobuki family was nowhere near wealthy enough to buy half of Tokyo, not even enough for the worst district in half of Tokyo, that still did not change the fact that the Kotobuki family was a gigantic existence.
This was a true zaibatsu-level family, one that ranked near the top even within all of Japan!
With the Kotobuki family's backing, even two members of parliament had deeply intertwined connections with them.
"Minna-san!"
Suddenly, everyone heard a familiar voice calling out from afar, breaking the strange silence.
Not far away.
Hirasawa Ui was supporting Yui, who looked completely drained from running and was panting weakly like an old granny.
With a look that screamed "I'm about to die," Yui stretched out a trembling hand toward everyone. Her eyes were filled with unyielding determination as she gasped:
"I... wasn't... late..."
Everyone looked up at the time.
8:59.
Yare yare daze.