Asuna's announcement came out of nowhere, sending Rika, Keiko, and Kazuto into a whirlwind of wild speculation and visible panic.
"Asuna, what's that supposed to mean?! Your mom hasn't heard a thing about this!" Rika blurted out.
"I get what you're implying, but just to clarify, you're not my mom, Rika," Asuna replied with a teasing smile.
Next, Keiko, her face flaming red, stammered, "A-Are you… finally climbing the adult stairs?!"
Asuna opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden wave of her own imagination seemed to overwhelm her. Her cheeks flushed, and she could only stare back at Keiko, both of them locked in a blushing standoff. Hachiman sighed heavily and turned to Asuna.
"Hey, Asuna, you're causing misunderstandings. Take a deep breath, alright? Deep breath."
Snapping out of it, Asuna followed his advice, inhaling deeply before addressing Keiko. "It's fine, Keiko-chan. I'm just staying over tonight, that's all."
"Just for tonight?" Keiko echoed, still wide-eyed.
Ahem. Hachiman cleared his throat pointedly. "Asuna, let me handle the rest."
"Y-Yeah, okay," she mumbled.
Finally, Kazuto, looking frantic, leaned in toward Hachiman. "Yo, Hachiman, is this it? The big moment?!"
"What have you even been listening to?" Hachiman groaned.
To calm the trio, Hachiman placed a gentle hand on Asuna's head and spoke firmly. "Alright, you three, chill out and think this through. This is the same old Asuna. You're overthinking because you're stuck in reality mode. Pretend we're in a secret base or something and rethink her words and actions."
At his words, Rika, Keiko, and Kazuto placed their hands on their chests, taking a moment to reflect. Something clicked, and they spoke in unison:
"Oh, it's normal."
"Totally normal."
"Just normal!"
Asuna puffed out her cheeks in protest. "Excuse me? I'm always a perfectly normal, sensible girl, you know!"
The three just patted her shoulder, saying nothing more. Asuna's indignant expression lingered, but she let it go. Hachiman took over to explain.
"So, here's the deal. This morning, Asuna came to pick me up at my place. Turns out, my parents got a bit carried away and set up a room for her at our house. Komachi showed it to her today, and Asuna got… well…"
"I fell in love with it at first sight!" Asuna interjected, her excitement bubbling over. "I wanted to stay in my room right away! My room! M-Y R-O-O-M!" she declared, striking a triumphant pose.
"…Yeah, that's about it," Hachiman continued. "So, her staying over doesn't mean she's crashing in my room or anything weird like that. Nothing's gonna happen."
His explanation cleared things up, and the trio nodded, satisfied, sending the pair off with their blessings. Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was overheard by a sizable crowd of nearby students. By the next day, the news that Asuna already had her own room at Hachiman's house would spread like wildfire through the school. This proved to be the final nail in the coffin, effectively ending all confessions from male students to Asuna.
It later came to light that the sheer volume of confessions aimed at Asuna had irritated some members of the攻略組 (攻略組, the "攻略 group," likely a reference to their game-world origins), who were planning a more aggressive operation to protect Hachiman and Asuna, set to launch in a few days. In a twist of fate, the rejected suitors had narrowly escaped a much harsher fate. But for now, Hachiman and Asuna solidified their status as the school's—and even neighboring schools'—official power couple, though that's a story for another time.
"Hachiman-kun, can you wait a bit? I need to swing by the dorm to grab some stuff… like clothes," Asuna said.
"Yeah, sure. I'll hang around here," Hachiman replied.
"Okay, I'll be quick!" she promised, darting off toward the dorm.
Left alone, Hachiman decided to get a head start on preparations and called Komachi. She picked up immediately.
"Yo, Big Brother, what's up? Don't tell me you failed to live up to my expectations and Asuna can't come tonight, 'cause you know what'll happen, right…?" Komachi's voice carried a playful threat.
"No, no, it's all good," Hachiman reassured her. "Asuna's just grabbing some stuff from the dorm. I figured I'd get things rolling on my end and called you. I was thinking about shopping. We'll probably hit the station in about an hour. If you meet us there, the three of us can shop for dinner together."
Komachi paused, muttering, "Hold on a sec," as if conferring with someone nearby. Hachiman assumed she was with friends and considered that he and Asuna could handle the shopping alone. But when Komachi returned, her words caught him off guard.
"Guess what? Mom and Dad just gave me some 'war funds,' so before we shop for dinner, let's get some stuff for Asuna's stay. And, of course, you're on luggage duty, Big Brother."
"Wait, why are Mom and Dad there? Komachi, what's going on?" Hachiman asked, his voice tinged with confusion and a slip into overly polite speech.
Komachi replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Duh, they both rushed home early because Asuna's coming over. Apparently, they've been showing off her pictures to their coworkers and bragging so much that everyone got fed up and told them to go home. Hahaha!"
Komachi's laughter was joined by the unmistakable chuckles of their parents in the background. Hachiman, exasperated, confirmed the meeting time and place before hanging up. Soon after, Asuna returned, and after a quick explanation, they headed to the station.
An hour later, they met up with Komachi. The trio enjoyed a lively shopping trip—though Hachiman's role was mostly carrying bags while Asuna and Komachi browsed. Eventually, they hit the supermarket for dinner ingredients.
"So, what's for dinner? Any requests, Hachiman-kun?" Asuna asked.
"Hmm… how about nikujaga?" Hachiman suggested.
"Why nikujaga, Big Brother?" Komachi asked, curious about his mundane choice.
"Well, since Mom's around, I figured it'd be a good chance for Asuna to learn our family's nikujaga recipe," Hachiman explained casually.
Asuna's reaction was explosive. With a huff of determination and a triumphant fist pump, she declared, "Got it! As the future Hachiman family bride, I'll master the Hachiman family nikujaga by tonight!"
Komachi, impressed, turned to Hachiman. "Wow, Big Brother, you're on a whole new level since you came back. I'm so proud that my old Trash-nii turned into God-nii!"
"Trash-nii's kinda nostalgic, but God-nii's a new one…" Hachiman muttered.
The two girls, caught up in their excitement, ignored him and dove into shopping, following Komachi's lead to grab everything needed. Back home, Komachi briefed their mom, and the three—Asuna, Komachi, and their mother—began cooking with enthusiasm. Their dad tried to join in, only to be repeatedly shooed out of the kitchen. Dinner prep went smoothly, and soon, the Hachiman household's first family gathering with Asuna began.
"How is it, Hachiman-kun?" Asuna asked nervously, watching him taste the nikujaga.
Hachiman grinned. "Yup, tastes just like home. Solidly delicious."
"Big Brother, you've gotta praise it better than that!" Komachi scolded.
But to everyone's surprise, Asuna beamed. "Yes! I got Hachiman-kun's seal of approval, Komachi-chan!"
"Oh… right, yay, Big Sis!" Komachi said, realizing her mistake. "Sorry, Big Brother, I got it wrong."
Hachiman nodded, and the five of them shared a meal that felt like true family—though their parents later insisted on claiming they became family that day. Regardless, the evening was a warm, joyful moment of togetherness for the Hachiman household.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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