That morning, Yoshiki Zaimokuza was tasked with guiding a corporate tour, a role he was certain was a gross misjudgment. Clutching his stomach, he anxiously awaited the start time, his nerves fraying. Someone passing by noticed his distress and called out to him.
"Yoshiki-kun, you okay? You look a bit off," Nishida said.
"Good morning, Nishida-san… It's not exactly that I'm unwell, but I'm just not cut out for this kind of sociable gig like leading a tour. My stomach's acting up… If it were just colleagues, I'd be fine, but…" Yoshiki trailed off, grimacing.
Over time, Yoshiki had grown accustomed to handling everyday conversations in the workplace—a sign of progress. Yet his habit of referring to himself as "I, the great one" and his intense shyness around strangers still needed work. Seeing his discomfort, Nishida spoke with concern.
"If it's too much, maybe we can get someone else to take over?"
"No, that's the thing… Apparently, this is a top-down order straight from the boss," Yoshiki replied.
"Oh… that kind of order," Nishida said, understanding.
"Exactly…" Yoshiki sighed.
When Yoshiki first heard about this assignment, he'd naturally tried to wiggle out of it with some excuse. But Rosalia, who seemed to be acting as the messenger, had delivered the news with a pointed remark.
"I don't know the full details, but this is apparently a personal 'request' from the boss, specifically for you."
"A… 'request'? Got it…" Yoshiki had mumbled.
The boss—Haruno, of course—had a way of making her 'requests' the ultimate priority in the company. With that, Yoshiki abandoned any hope of dodging the task.
"But I'm really not suited for this kind of thing… Why me, of all people, this time?" Yoshiki groaned.
"Hold on, Yoshiki-kun," Nishida said gently. "Haruno-san probably knows that. She always pays close attention to us, so there's likely some reason behind this 'request.'"
Yoshiki considered this. True, Haruno could be an overwhelming force—a shiver ran down his spine at the thought, though surely it was just his imagination—but she wasn't the type to pile on impossible tasks just to torment someone. Reassessing, he began to ponder the hidden motives behind his assignment. In truth, Haruno had arranged this to carve out time for Hachiman and Yoshiki, but such a possibility was far beyond Yoshiki's wildest guesses.
The visitors arriving today were none other than Hachiman and his group. To be precise, it was Hachiman's party: Hachiman, Asuna, Yukino, Yui, Yumiko, and Iroha—a lineup Yoshiki would consider a personal nightmare. Haruno hadn't known who Hachiman would bring besides Asuna, so this turned into an unintentional death sentence for Yoshiki, through no fault of Haruno's.
"Maybe the visitors are people you know?" Nishida suggested.
"Hah, if it's just Hachiman, I might actually relax a bit," Yoshiki said with a weak laugh. "Wait, didn't you know? Hachiman and I were close back in high school. What was he like back then, you ask?"
Nishida's question was casual, but Yoshiki's face twisted as if he'd bitten into something sour.
"Well… for some reason, Hachiman was always surrounded by beautiful girls. Back then, I used to wonder what the difference was between him and me. I mean, really, what was it?"
Nishida, only familiar with Hachiman alongside Asuna, was slightly surprised. At the same time, he realized that Yoshiki, usually seen as the serious, straitlaced type at work, had his own pent-up frustrations. Maybe I'll invite him for drinks sometime, Nishida thought. Just then, he spotted Hachiman entering and waved with a smile, intending to alert Yoshiki. But Yoshiki, head down, was muttering to himself, oblivious.
"There shouldn't have been that much difference between me and Hachiman. Sure, he was a bit better at studies, a bit better at sports, a bit better-looking, a bit more sociable, and a bit slimmer… But still, he had this lineup of stunning girls—Lady Yukino, Lady Yui, Lady Iroha—always around him! Why? When did it start?"
"I'd say those differences are pretty significant," a voice cut in.
"Eek!" Yoshiki yelped.
Nishida had been frantically whispering, "Yoshiki-kun, behind you!" but it was too late. Yukino's surprise attack from behind landed squarely.
"L-Lady Yukino…" Yoshiki stammered.
"That's the first time I've been addressed like that," Yukino said coolly. "I'm a bit curious why you've taken to calling women that way."
Yoshiki, flustered, tried to explain. "Calling women '-san' feels a bit… awkward, so I just… you know…"
"Doesn't calling someone 'Lady' seem like a higher hurdle?" Yukino countered.
"W-Well, that's…" Yoshiki faltered.
Sensing the conversation veering off track, Yui stepped in to smooth things over.
"Come on, Yukino, he was kinda complimenting us, right? Let's let it slide."
Iroha chimed in with a grin. "Yeah, Yukino-senpai! He called us a 'gorgeous girl squad.' Let's cut him some slack."
"I suppose… Let's drop it for now," Yukino said, her cheeks faintly pink at the phrase "gorgeous girl squad."
Yui and Iroha, who'd exchanged smirks at Yoshiki's words, were clearly pleased. Unlike in the past, their current gratitude toward Yoshiki let them take his compliments at face value. But the matter wasn't settled yet—Yumiko wasn't about to let it go.
"Hang on, my name didn't come up. So I'm not part of this 'gorgeous girl squad'?" she demanded.
"Eek!" Yoshiki squeaked, shrinking under Yumiko's glare.
Before he could even process why Lady Yumiko was here, Hachiman stepped in to bail him out.
"Back then, Yumiko didn't have as much contact with me as these three did, so it makes sense, right? And you barely knew Zaimokuza either, didn't you?"
"I guess…" Yumiko admitted reluctantly.
"We're here to thank you today, so go easy on him, okay?" Hachiman added.
"Fine, if you say so," Yumiko relented.
Hachiman's face softened as Yumiko backed down, and he turned to Yoshiki. "I don't think I mentioned, but Yumiko's part of my crew now. Sorry for the late greeting—you really saved us this time. You're a true friend, man. Thanks."
"Your help led to our victory. Thank you, truly," Yukino added.
"Thanks, Zaimokuza-kun!" Yui said brightly.
"Thank you, Zaimokuza-senpai!" Iroha echoed.
"I wasn't directly involved, but we're where we are because of you. So, uh… thanks," Yumiko said, a bit awkwardly.
"Y-You're welcome!" Yoshiki managed, his mouth flapping as he processed being thanked by four beautiful girls. He barely pulled off a normal response.
Then, prompted by Hachiman, the fifth girl stepped forward.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Asuna Yuuki. Thank you so much for saving my life. I hope we can get along, Zaimokuza-kun."
"Y-Yes, likewise!" Yoshiki replied, flustered by Asuna's warm smile but managing a firm response.
Hachiman formally introduced her. "You've probably heard, but this is my girlfriend, Asuna. We'll be around for a while, so let's keep things friendly, alright, Zaimokuza?"
"Nice to meet you, Zaimokuza-kun," Asuna said with a nod.
"P-Pleasure's mine!" Yoshiki replied.
Yoshiki had been a bundle of nerves, but Asuna's gentle demeanor gradually eased him. As he chatted with Nishida and the group, he found himself speaking naturally. Answering their questions about the company, he explained with surprising confidence. Hachiman watched, struck by how much Yoshiki had grown.
Then, something brushed Hachiman's shoulder. Turning, he saw no one. Puzzled, he glanced around and spotted an eraser on the floor, tied to a string. Following it, he found Rosalia beckoning from behind a corner.
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